Getting Started with Digital Marketing as a Small Business
Small business owners and startup entrepreneurs must take advantage of digital marketing as a core tenant of their business. Having only a website is no longer enough to be your brand’s entire digital presence; you must fully embrace and prioritize crafting digital marketing strategies to build up your online presence across all digital platforms.
But where exactly are you supposed to start? Luckily for you we’ve outlined a few key tips to follow as you’re getting started.
Get to know your existing and potential customers.
The first step to understanding your customer base and target demographic is to conduct market research. You don’t have to have a huge budget to conduct this type of research, either. Map out a few areas you’d like to focus on and draft some questions you think will help you get the answers you’re searching for. Then, use those themes to craft surveys that you can post on your site, social media, or send to your email subscribers. Boom, you’ve got a great place to start working from and it didn’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Understand your competitors.
Now that you know who your existing and target customers are, what they’re interested in, and what motivates them, you should also explore who you’re competing against to win those customers. Do some simple Google searches for your products, services, industry, or location, and see who else pops up in those results. Dig deeper into their messaging, how they present themselves, and any offers or discounts they might be employing. This will give you a good idea of what you’re up against and more importantly, how to differentiate yourself from the pack.
Do a website audit.
Approach your website with a fresh pair of eyes to really evaluate how your business appears to your customers. Map out your key customer journeys and count how many clicks it takes to complete a purchase, sign up for the newsletter, and complete any other goals you may have. Take a look at your visuals, UX, and overall look and feel of your site. Does it feel dated? Modern? Static? Think about how you can truly improve your site to make it work harder for you and better for your customers. Then, do this process again in 6 months to make sure you’re staying fresh. That doesn’t mean rebrand bi-annually, just make sure your business goals and user goals align and work together on your website. You may also consider using a Marketing Analytics tool- check out the 7 best marketing analytics tools here to help you achieve your goals.
Keep your search results optimized.
Whether you’re knee deep in keyword research or just getting started, it’s important to understand how your business ranks among your industry, location, and competitors on search results pages (let’s be real it’s just Google SERP). There are a ton of free websites that will help you get a handle on keywords, long-tailed searches, and local SEO like Screaming Frog, kwrds, and Woorank. Don’t forget about your Google Business profile with accurate information about your location, hours of operation, products, and services, and don’t forget to ask existing customers for reviews!
Getting started with digital marketing as a new business or startup may be a little intimidating, but you don't have to do it alone. Gitsul Group is here to help you not only get a full understanding of your target market, competitors, and brand positioning, but build out a whole digital marketing plan and strategy for your business. No matter your budget, timing constraints, or needs, we can help you with our free marketing resources, paid services, or retainer plans for long-term expert guidance.