Why you should take digital marketing seriously as a small business owner

If you are the owner of a small business, then you are certain to understand just how competitive things can be when you’re trying to get things off the ground – and for this reason you should be trying to think about anything that could give you an edge over the other companies in the same industry. With this being the case, thinking about your digital marketing strategy is vital, and this article will tell you exactly why that is so important.

You can’t exist without it

In this day and age, where almost everything is done on a screen, if your company doesn’t have an online presence, it may as well not exist at all. If people want to find a product or service, they are no longer likely to go through the phonebook or see a flyer – they will log onto social media, or use a search engine to get them to the correct website. If they don’t see your website amongst the top results, then your company might as well not exist at all.

You can save precious money

Running a small business is often about making money stretch as far as possible, and if you’re forking out for physical adverts then this could quickly eat into the amount that you are earning. If, however, you make the most of digital marketing then a lot of advertisement can be done for little cost or even free, if you are able to post in specialist groups relating to your business on social media.

Connect with your customers

Customers like companies who they are able to connect and interact with, and this works for you in two ways. The first reason that this is great is because it means that the customers are likely to feel more positive about your company if they can chat to you and interact with your page. The second reason is that, if this interaction takes place on social media, their clicks, likes or shares will also be seen by all of the other people they’re connected with. This is the equivalent of the digital-age word of mouth.

Create a consistent brand

If you think about the most successful businesses in your industry, you will most likely be able to recognise them from a number of things – including their logo, slogan or theme music. If you have a company then you need to turn it into more than just a business; it needs to become a brand that people will recognise, as familiarity brings trust and therefore makes it more likely that they will view your company positively. Digital marketing gives you a great chance to build exactly the brand that you need.

In the modern age, with new companies popping up every single day, it is vital that you are able to set yours apart from the rest and turn it into something really special. The great news is that thanks to digital marketing you are really able to do this, so spending a little time on your strategy is a great thing to do, and could make a huge difference in the success of your business.

 
About the author:
Janet Santos is a team leader at Gtec Media Ltd