Small Business Digital Marketing. Don’t just survive – thrive!
This digital marketing guide has everything you need to know to get started. So if you want to do digital marketing that gets results, you’ve come to the right place!
Knowing how to effectively market your business online can mean the difference between success and (gulp) failure.
For example, some folks think their business can get by online with just a website or a Facebook page. Some believe getting to the top of the search results is harder than marrying a prince, or princess.
We’ve broken it down into 5 steps:
1. Confirm your NAP: Name – Address – Phone Number
Up to 85% of businesses have incorrect information online. Your business information is listed all over the web. But a lot of it could have wrong and needs to be checked and updated for consistency.
Your entire online presence could have wrong or inconsistent information, which means the people looking for you won’t be able to find you.
Your business is listed in dozens of places online that you might not even be aware of, including:
- Search Engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo
- Local services like Yelp, EZLocal, and MapQuest
- Social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
- Online directories like Local.com, YP.com, and CitySearch.com
Unfortunately, when someone finds incorrect information, they don’t lose faith in the directory — they lose faith in your business…even if you had nothing to do with providing the information.
Incorrect listings can also have a negative impact on your business search ranking. Google doesn’t like when online information about a business is inconsistent, so Google’s less likely to serve up your business in its search results pages.
Making sure you have a presence everywhere your potential customers might find you is critical to any local marketing plan. Whether you try to do it yourself or hire a professional…get started now.
2. Invest in a great website
Your website should be a powerful marketing tool. After all, it’s your 24/7 salesperson and probably the first impression prospects will have of your business. If your website doesn’t present your business in the right way (and better than your competition) it’s going to be hard to thrive.
There are many things that make up an effective and engaging website:
Make it mobile responsive – A huge number of internet traffic is via mobile devices. (And this figure is increasing.) You need to make sure that your content, your design, and your user experience is optimized for all types of devices.
Plus, Google now ranks sites on their mobile friendliness so you must have one to be in Google’s good graces! Test how easily a visitor can use your website on a mobile device.
It must be secure – There’s a reason why Google favors HTTPS—they want the safest web experience for their users. HTTPS protects your users’ information and your information from hackers.
Keeping everything safer and more secure is simply a better option for everyone. A secure site will: Increase your Google rankings – Over 40% of the sites on the first page of Google are HTTPS, which is not a surprise since Google has confirmed that they favor HTTPS.
It will also increase customer confidence and conversions. With all of the buzz about HTTPS, more users are specifically looking for a secure connection when visiting a website. A secure connection gives your customers peace of mind that your website can be trusted.
Make it User-Friendly – Don’t frustrate your visitors with a site that’s hard for them to navigate. Make it easy for someone to find just what they’re looking for. This includes proper site architecture, functionality, and more.
Create a CTA – Convert visitors into customers with a clear CTA (call to action) Your site is no good if it doesn’t help your business grow. Make your CTA stand out and easy for someone to know what you want them to do next.
Highlight your contact info – Don’t frustrate a potential customer by not making your contact info easy to find.
Do ongoing SEO – to increase visibility. If possible, hire a professional because there’s a lot that goes into a site to do SEO right (Read more about SEO below.) After all, you want to be on page 1, don’t you?
Share your expertise – with blog posts. This is not a place to “sell” but to showcase your knowledge. How do you start? Use the questions your customers ask as a starting point for great blog posts full of useful information!
Add social proof – New customers look for testimonials and reviews from your customers, so share them on your website. Also, increase your credibility by adding logos of your biggest clients.
Link to your social media pages – No matter your business, you need to be social and include those links on your site. At the very least, create your company’s social media pages and include pertinent business information.
Some folks search for a business on Facebook or LinkedIn, and it would be a shame if your company didn’t have a robust page – one that has the same look, feel and messaging as your website!
3. Manage your online reviews
Today, online reviews have become the #1 recommendation people look for before making a buying decision. A recent study showed that 91% of consumers read online reviews when searching for local businesses. That’s 9 out of 10 consumers!
Online reviews are important to your business success because they establish trust in your company. Consumers are less likely to contact a business who doesn’t have online reviews. Reviews also attract new customers.
Positive reviews can be the difference between winning or losing a customer. And, reviews improve your business search ranking! Search engines value customer reviews, so if you have them you could rank higher.
Respond to all reviews, even the bad ones! Online reviews, even from unhappy customers is an opportunity. When you see a negative review, respond to it quickly with a way to make it right, hopefully turning an angry customer into a happy one. It also shows potential customers that you care about your customers.
Did they read your response?
On May 11, 2018, Google announced it would be emailing notifications to consumers when a business responds to their reviews, prompting them to view the reply. The notification email informs the customer of a reply to their review and contains a link to a page with the full owner response.
Don’t be shy – Ask for reviews. 7 out of 10 consumers say they’ll leave a review for a business if they’re asked. It sounds so simple, but so many businesses don’t ask. Remember, the more positive online reviews you can get the more stars your listing has, and how out-of-place any negative reviews will seem.
4. Do ongoing SEO
SEO is not a one-and-done event. It is an ongoing activity your business needs to engage in, just like making coffee in the morning. Your goal is to appear on page 1 using different SEO tactics.
Three types of SEO to make your business easier to find online:
On-Page SEO is done on your website and is made up of copy/content, title tags, meta tags, internal linking, correct page titles, image alt text, etc.
Off-Page SEO involves building backlinks (links from other sites), mentions of your brand, shares of your content, and “votes of confidence” from sources outside of your own website.
Local SEO uses a variety of strategies — getting your site ranked on search engines like Google, business directories such as Yelp, Superpages, Yellowbook, and Google My Business, Bing Places for Business page, localized content on your website, online reviews and other strategies.
5. Try Google Adwords
Google AdWords is the largest and most widely used online advertising network in the world and is one of the most effective ways to reach new customers and grow your business. With Google AdWords, you can target users across two main networks – their Search Network, and their Display Network.
The Search Network refers to PPC (pay-per-click) advertising, allows you to place ads on Google’s search engine, where you can reach users while they’re searching for specific keywords and phrases. These show up within Google’s organic search results pages.
The Display Network, on the other hand, is a little more passive. It integrates your ads into carefully chosen websites, where they can reach users while they shop, browse or read. It also allows visual and rich media ads instead of just plain text ones.
Whether you’re looking to bring in new website visitors, grow online sales, get the phones ringing, to increase brand awareness or keep customers coming back for more, Google AdWords can help. With specialized options for targeting, keywords, demographics, and remarketing, you can reach more customers by encouraging them to notice your brand, consider your offerings, and take action.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all it takes for your business to thrive online — it’s easier to get to the top when you’re working with a company that knows the way!
You’re an expert at running your business. Don’t be afraid to reach out and work with a partner who has the digital marketing expertise your business needs.
Whether it’s building your website, ongoing SEO, keeping up with social media and reviews, or creating your Search and Display campaigns, effective digital marketing demands a time commitment you probably can’t afford.
We are a full-service, turn-key agency, offering the full range of services and expertise you need, no matter what your marketing goals or budget!
We combine our understanding of buyer behavior with a range of marketing opportunities to create a comprehensive plan that works for you.
