As a small business owner, you already know how critical it is to get the word out about your product and services. It's essential if you want to reach the general public, and people have to know to visit your storefront or call you to engage your services. The problem is if it isn’t on their radar, then it’s a done deal. In today's world, digital marketing is the ultimate promotional tool, and it has helped many local companies rise to the top.
Here are a few more compelling arguments and statistics for why digital marketing is so critical for small businesses today:
- 87% of buyers start searching for products to buy online (Source: RetailDive)
- 60% of smartphone users have contacted a business directly using the search results such as the "click to call” option. (Think with Google)
- SEO drives 1000%+ more traffic than organic social media. (Source: HubSpot)
- 96% of the most successful content marketers agree their audience views their organization as a credible and trusted resource. (Source: CMI)
- Text will always be the foundation of search, so making sure the text around your website's assets is descriptive will help them rank well in search. (Source: HubSpot)
- “Where to buy” and “near me” mobile queries have grown by over 200% in the past two years. (Source: Think with Google)
- As of January 2021, there were 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide - 59.5 percent of the global population. Of this total, 92.6 percent (4.32 billion) accessed the internet via mobile devices. (Source: Statista)
Now the aforementioned statistics clearly indicate the need for digital marketing is ever-increasing.
Before we go any further, let's define the phrase “Digital Marketing.”
Digital Marketing refers to the marketing activities of a business that are carried through on electronic devices or the internet. This type of marketing uses various digital strategies by businesses to connect with their clients. Simply put, digital marketing refers to marketing carried out via the internet.
There are various methods under the spectrum of digital marketing, some of which are as follows:
- Web Design
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Content Marketing or Inbound Marketing
- Online Reviews & Reputation Management
- Social Media Marketing (SMM)
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
- Email Marketing
Fortunately, as a local small business, you will be able to choose from a variety of digital channels for increasing your brand awareness and generating new business opportunities. If you can measure each channel, you can evaluate your company's performance across all channels and make the best decision possible. B2C and B2B companies will and should have different digital marketing strategies and plans.
To begin, here are some of the changes brought about by digital marketing and how they affect many small business operations:
- Client Communication: Digital platforms and social media have made it possible for brands to communicate with their audiences in real-time. The best part is that it aids in connecting with a global audience.
- Content Distribution: Have you ever considered the volume of content produced through digital marketing? The answer is “Massive.” Every day, businesses publish massive amounts of content and distribute it to their audiences via social media, emails, blogs, newsletters, etc. This allows small business marketers to quickly and easily spread their message to a much larger audience.
- Client Information: With the help of technology, companies can track the data of the clients. By analyzing the data, a small business can get to know their prospective clients' likes and preferences. Based on this information, you can make important business decisions.
- Transparent information: Just as the client’s information is vital to your small business, in the same way, your clients and prospective clients are also interested in everything about you and the company they are making deals with. If your business shares its information and reveals your true personality online, clients will feel that the business and, ultimately, your brand is being transparent and honest. Therefore your clients will be more inclined toward loyalty to your brand or business.
- Encourage Innovations: Digital marketing provides a platform for reaching out to clients in clever ways. When there is a significant amount of competition in the market, having a unique strategy can help small businesses such as yours stand out.
Digital marketing is innovative and will help you and your small business stay current!
While some small businesses are active in digital marketing, others are still putting it off for a variety of reasons, such as a lack of time, a lack of knowledge, or confining themselves to one type of marketing. Some people assume that because they are a small business, they require a small number of consumers who can be managed. This attitude is inappropriate and may stifle their development.
Are you one of those people or small businesses that continues to neglect the benefits of digital marketing? Then better get started while you read these nine reasons why digital marketing is important.
Digital Marketing Is Important – Top 9 Reasons You Need It Now
Digital Marketing Means Accessibility for Local Small Businesses
What do you do when you need something? Chances are you go online and look up whatever good or service you need. You might perform a Yelp or Google search before making any kind of purchase. Having a solid online presence allows you to reach these new clients where they are looking. Without any digital marketing strategy or website presence for your local small business, there is no conceivable way of accessing the majority of the people looking for you.
Digital Marketing Provides an Equal Opportunity for Every Business
Due to the fact that digital marketing gives every company an equal shot at success, your small business has a better chance to thrive. Large firms and enterprise companies aren't the only ones using this method. With the aid of digital marketing, North Carolina small businesses have an equal opportunity to genuinely grow their business. With digital marketing, you become able to compete with well-established companies on an equal footing. Using various digital marketing strategies, you can reach out to a wide range of potential clients.
Digital Marketing Is More Cost-Effective Than Offline Marketing Solutions
Digital marketing doesn’t require huge investments. Small businesses can find digital channels that work and don’t require as much money as other methods. Because of this, digital marketing is a beacon of hope for small businesses everywhere.
Digital Marketing Offers the Ability to Generate Leads and Deliver Conversions
With digital marketing, conversions can be tracked allowing you the small business marketer or small business owner to better understand what opportunities are converting into leads and sales. One of the greatest assets of digital marketing is that it has a greater conversion rate than any other type of advertising or marketing. Therefore, small businesses should have a robust digital strategy that increases conversions.
Digital Marketing Creates a Platform to Engage Target Audiences on a Daily Basis
Digital marketing has an advantage over traditional marketing for many small businesses since it allows for more precise targeting. Interactions with the intended audience are focused on achieving certain outcomes. They aid in the attainment of predetermined objectives. For example, a single individual can be targeted using email marketing. Because of this, digital marketing is considered the most customized kind of marketing.
Digital Marketing Helps in Mobile Marketing
Digital marketing also includes mobile marketing. There is no arguing that today's society is more reliant on mobile devices.
Mobile accounts for approximately half of web traffic worldwide. In the first quarter of 2021, mobile devices (excluding tablets) generated 54.8 percent of global website traffic, consistently hovering around the 50 percent mark since the beginning of 2017.
(Source: Statista)
Because of this, businesses are making their websites responsive or mobile-friendly.
Digital Marketing Helps to Build Brand Recognition and Boosts Brand Reputation
The goal of every North Carolina business is to bring in more clients. Digital marketing is no different in this regard. In the beginning, you might strive to gain the maximum possible clicks to your websites and marketing platforms. As more people become aware of your business and brand, and as you provide them with exactly what they want, your brand's reputation grows. This also aids in gaining the trust and confidence of both your existing and prospective clients.
Digital Marketing Gives You The Freedom of Independence
Digital marketing is something you can do on your own, at least in the beginning stages of your business. You can also do it relatively cheaply.
Digital Marketing Helps Small Businesses Build Lasting Client Relationships
In a report by Keap of over 1,190 US-based small businesses surveyed, they said the “third-biggest challenge in 2019 was retaining and re-engaging customers”. Now it is safe to assume that most are online and using the internet on a daily basis, so increasing digital marketing efforts in 2022 will help.
Digital Marketing Channels to Help Small Businesses
Now that you are thoroughly convinced that digital marketing can only help your North Carolina business. Let us look at the different marketing strategies and channels that can best help your small business.
Start With a Website
You will need to start any digital marketing efforts is a website. And not I am not talking about your social media page, as that is not a website. This site also needs to be responsive or mobile-friendly since mobile device internet usage accounts for about half of the web traffic worldwide.
Have a Blog
If you have a small North Carolina company, starting a blog should be one of the first things you can do to take your small business to another level.
Starting a blog will ultimately lead you to generate more sales and help you to build your brand. The ability to reach millions of Internet users through a blog makes it an excellent tool for connecting with your target audience or clients.
If you are wondering what you should blog about, then consider covering these five things:
Content such as these will help you rise in Google's search results, increasing exposure and revenue.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most important factors for your website and blog ranking on the search results pages. While everyone wants to be in the top spots, it's more important to first focus on showing up on page 1 since we all know that page 2 is where the dead bodies are hidden.
Social Media Marketing
Every business owner knows about social networks as they have become as common and as much as a “necessity” as the telephone as part of our day-to-day communication. Since their inception somewhere around 2005, they have managed to change the internet and the marketing world entirely. Social media allows you to build a relationship with your clients.
Small businesses such as yours need to find the right platform for your business, and then you can integrate it into your strategy. The golden rule with social media marketing is to always strive to strengthen your relationship with your clients, and then you can reach potential ones.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a highly effective digital marketing strategy. Email marketing provides a way of connecting with your leads and turning them into clients. Building a list of names and email addresses of interested people gives you a direct path to keeping them updated and continuously in contact. As your email list grows, it becomes more valuable because of the impact you can get from those emails.
Email marketing isn't for the faint of heart, as it does require an investment. Email marketing is one of the cheapest marketing platforms to implement. As of this writing, the average return expected from email marketing is $44.25 for every $1 spent, or you can expect returns somewhere around 35 to 40+ times.
Conclusion
With digital marketing, local small businesses can attract a large audience. Digital marketing is a cost-effective way to transform your North Carolina business. Therefore, it is wise for small businesses to utilize the potential of digital marketing and get ahead in their business.
Cube Creative Design is a digital marketing agency that helps North Carolina small businesses to increase sales, visibility, and engagement through their digital marketing. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and see how we can help your business grow with digital marketing.
