Digital marketing – 2 words that can send chills down any small business owner’s spine. When you’re focused on selling your product or service, it can be overwhelming to think about all of the channels in which you need to stay relevant. It seems like there is a new aspect of social media to learn about every month (did you know that YouTube stories are a thing now??). On top of that, search engine optimization (SEO) is becoming more crucial to staying relevant in your area. You may be asking yourself: “Where do I even begin?”.
Have no fear! I’m here to break it down for you as concisely as I can.
Establish your value proposition (read more about that here) and make sure all of your messaging reflects that. Inconsistent messaging = confused customers. To make this easier to understand, we will use Apple as an example. If their value prop is cutting-edge
Plan out content for both social media and your website’s blog. Combining content for both of these channels is beneficial because it saves time and contributes to SEO. Every business will have a slightly different strategy due to industry norms, but for the most part, count on utilizing Instagram (posts, stories, reels, promoted posts), Facebook (posts, stories, offers, promoted posts), and of course, your blog.
Focus on links. This is one of the top ways for Google and other search engines to establish the credibility of your website. A good number of inbound and outbound links tells Google that your business is credible, not spam, and visitors will gain value from engaging with your content.
Stay on top of trends. This can mean paying attention to pop culture, new features on social media to keep up with, and industry changes. For example, at the start of the pandemic, it became a priority for stores to focus on curbside pickup and shipping while in-person interactions were limited. Staying ahead of changes and adapting can only help you.
Consistently post content. Small business success is like the tortoise and the hare – slow & steady wins the race. If you keep showing up, you will start to gain traction.
This is just a brief overview of the main steps of digital marketing that every business owner should know. As always, if you have questions or would like to go more in-depth, please reach out! My job is to be a valuable resource to help your business grow!