93% of your website traffic comes from search engines. Most people check a company’s online presence before checking their services. As a small business owner, improving your online presence should be a priority. If they can’t find you, they will find your competition.
Your online presence is too weak if you have excellent services and products but feel like a needle in a haystack. That is understandable, really. You aren’t just competing with other small businesses for online visibility. Larger competitors already have their hats in the ring (for years).
So, how can you compete with giants? By working with a digital marketing agency that can offer custom, targeted strategies designed specifically for your business. A full service digital marketing strategy can give measurable results.
Digital Marketing Strategies vs. Campaigns vs. Tactics
Contrary to belief, these three differ depending on scope. Here is a super convenient chart that explains the difference:
Best Digital Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
What’s great about digital marketing strategies is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. As a small or niche business owner, you have several options for targeted campaigns. You need a two-pronged strategy – one which attracts target customers and two, builds your online presence simultaneously, such as the following:
Learn What the Competition Is Doing
As a small business competing against successful competitors with more influence, you can burn out trying to catch up with no experience. So, how do you get your foot in the door? Research what they are doing online to see what’s working and what isn’t.
A simple competitor analysis can show you how your rivals succeed. Here are some questions you should consider:
- What platforms do they prefer?
- What top digital marketing services work for them? (This includes web services, photography, social media, etc.)
- What makes their brand voice unique?
- How do they communicate with their target consumers?
The answers to these questions (and more) can give you a great place to start. It will clarify your strategy for better, targeted results.
Use ‘Levers’
Levers are tools or channels that can turn digital marketing strategies into measurable outcomes. Popular ones include:
Content Marketing
Besides guest posts and site blogs, holistic content marketing covers various other lead-generating media. These can include videos, press releases, email marketing, scripts, and web content. The content is designed to raise brand awareness and make the business an authority in its niche.
Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing focuses on value-driven content that personalizes experiences. When done right, it guides prospects through sales funnels. Besides improving brand trust, it generates qualified leads with a higher conversion rate.
Email Marketing
As a small business owner, you are in a unique position. You can create a more intimate relationship with your customers than larger competitors. More than 60% are frustrated with inboxes brimming with offers.
It’s an excellent opportunity to design and launch a niche-specific email marketing strategy that won’t end up in spam limbo.
Social Media Management
A complete digital marketing strategy is incomplete without social media management. It’s critical for reputation management, but that doesn’t mean you should jump on all the latest trends.
Today’s consumers search for specific needs. Brands that can understand those and work to shape unique narratives around them connect with consumers on a personal level.
When combined strategically, these levers help small businesses achieve their objectives by carving out space in a saturated market.
Reach Out To Influencers
Businesses that fail to build brand trust or prove they are authorities in their niche never appear on the first search result pages. But where can you get a following that can tick both boxes? By reaching out to influencers.
It’s a great way to connect with customers on a personal level since influencers are deemed experts in their chosen areas. The right voice can make your brand louder than others online.
Measuring the Success of a Digital Marketing Strategy
The proof is in the pudding. Digital marketing agencies use several tools to determine if their strategies work:
Conversion Rates
A website conversion happens when a visitor takes a desired action on a page. This can be anything from filing a form (micro conversion) to buying something (macro conversion). Here is a simple formula we use at our digital marketing agency:
Conversion Rate = Total Number of Conversions/Total Visitors X 100
Each industry has a specific rate it should target. However, a rate between 2% and 5% is ideal for most. While industry averages are good starting points, understanding site interactions can help you increase conversions faster.
Click-through Rates (CTRs)
Our foot traffic on sites and other online media are basically click-throughs. The higher the CTR, the higher your online traffic. Something as simple as tweaking a product or meta description can increase clicks exponentially.
Absolute Studios – A Digital Marketing Agency That Cares for Your Brand
Offering top digital marketing services at Absolute Studios, we understand your business is your baby. With a small team juggling operations, sales, and finances, you are likely too overwhelmed to focus on your online presence.
Need Some Help?
Allow us to take some of that burden off you. We can develop and deploy a strategic, brand-specific, fully custom digital marketing strategy with just an in-depth consultation.
This includes content development, web services, graphic design, quality videos, and other services for the whole package. Contact us for solutions that click with your target audience.