Making your small business stand out in a sea of larger companies is no small feat. Small companies, by definition, have a more modest marketing budget. This budget has to stretch considerably to make the brand’s voice heard.
There is no magical path to achieving the best marketing strategy. Any number of people in the business of marketing will tell you that an effective campaign is a combination of various methods and factors. At its very core, your marketing should present your business to the right customer base.
Fortunately, certain proven strategies give the most reward for your investment. These strategies have been used by small businesses, like yours, time and time again. Here are the best ways to leverage effective ads for your brand.
Build A Great Website
Most people are now moving towards buying online rather than having to face the hassle of visiting physical stores. Small businesses, in particular, can benefit from a well-designed website with thoughtful landing pages.
A good website not only showcases your brand but also works as a great way to capture new leads, provide relevant information to your customers, and drive people to your social media pages.
Setting up a brand new website for your business is not too difficult. You will need to buy and register your domain name and sign up for web hosting. Use content management software (CMS) to manage your content and update it over time.
If you are still a bit jittery about creating your website, then do not hesitate to invest in a professional. They will be able to walk you through the many options available and should build you a beautiful and fully customised website.
Google My Business
A local business that targets local customers needs to rank high on Google My Business listing. It pulls data from several platforms under the Google umbrella including your Google Maps profile, Google reviews, Google Insights, and Google Analytics.
Google presents an advertised listing followed by Google My Business listings for local searches. Having a high ranking will get more eyes on your business, increasing your conversion rates. To rank high, optimize your business profile, collect Google reviews, and encourage citations.
Email Marketing
A majority of marketers report that the leads generated from email marketing campaigns are more than any other marketing channel. Small businesses thrive when they nurture their clients. Since most people do not make a transaction the first time they visit a business’s website, collecting leads is imperative for your success.
Your website needs to create an email marketing funnel that collects leads for you to nurture at a later date. This is when you offer something of value to your potential customer such that they are compelled to provide their information. This could be a coupon code, a discount, a free download, or a free trial.
Email marketing is a low cost, easy to automate, and has a global reach. You can segment your leads to get the maximum effect for future campaigns. This can be easily tracked and recalibrated depending on the results.
Google Ads
Engage with pay-per-click (PPC) advertising since you pay only when a customer clicks on your advertisement. Google Ads is one of the most popular PPC platforms. No matter where you are located, chances are that a majority of your customers use Google’s search engine. Harnessing its vast reach to place your business front and center can result in a huge pay-off.
Google uses keywords relevant to determine the rankings of ads on its search engine results. This is why you must conduct accurate keyword research. Another important aspect is to develop a compelling landing page when the ad is clicked. This landing page should tell the customer exactly what they need to know most directly.
Facebook Ads
Facebook ads are considered to be one of the more inexpensive marketing strategies and can target virtually any audience. Around two million small and medium businesses use Facebook ads to drive their sales.
Facebook ads offer advanced targeting where you can directly put your ad in front of the right demographic. You can target your ad based on age, gender, location, online behavior, interests, and more.
While it is pretty easy to run a Facebook ad, many newbies find that the ROI isn’t what they expected. Luckily, many third-party tools can help you run your campaign by tracking and analyzing its performance and providing actionable insights.
Instagram ads also use the same targeting techniques like Facebook. This isn’t surprising since Facebook owns them. If your business is visually appealing, then consider using Instagram as a way to advertise your business.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is no longer limited to blog posts. You should have a diverse range of pieces like videos, podcasts, and online courses. Your content should be valuable to the customer while staying relevant and consistent.
Content marketing is more of a long-term plan than something like Google Ads. It sets up your business to build a brand based on customer engagement. It consists of high-quality pieces that are optimized for SEO.
If you are just starting out on developing a content marketing strategy, then take the time to conduct the right research. A great strategy that never fails is to try to have your content answer what your audience needs.
Consistent content with regular and diverse uploads is key to garnering a broad audience. You can dabble in creating videos using a promo video maker for your brand and track the engagement you receive for the same across different platforms.
Drum Up Referrals
A key factor many small businesses tend to overlook is their existing customer base. Sure, they understand the importance of word-of-mouth advertising, but they fall short on leveraging their community to drive up sales.
Potential customers are going to trust existing customers over any message that a business puts out, no matter how compelling the ad. Use this dynamic by offering referral programs to your most loyal customers. They are now going to be incentivized to spread the word about your business.
The referral program can offer discounts, codes, gifts, or even free products. If the rewards from the program are working in your favor, then build a tier-system for your customers.
Related