Written By Balagopalan Satheesh
Let’s face it. If you are a small business owner, you have to make your presence known online to succeed. Otherwise, your competition is going to leave you behind.
You might not be too sure where to start when it comes to digital marketing. Here are five ways you can you can take advantage of the digital space:
Competitor research and setting yourself apart
Best way to stay ahead of the curve would be to get to know your competitors. According to Hallam, the best and easiest way to do this is through Google search. You can see how your competitors market themselves and position their business in the market.
For instance, have a look at the Image below. Various companies who offer electrician services market themselves as having “35+ Years of Experience” and “One hour Call outs”. These are aspects that these companies are using to differentiate themselves from the pack.
You might be wondering, how will I set myself apart from thousands of companies who all offer the same services? The answer is quite simple:
According to entrepreneur.com, “If you have no differentiator, invent one”. This can be through brand image, reputation or customer service or the value offered by the product.
Creating eye catching visual content
One of the best ways to engage an audience, especially on social media would be eye-catching design. In fact, short videos and engaging graphics can go a long way in grabbing the customer’s attention.
Small business sometimes hesitate when they think of marketing. It is usually because of the large costs associated with it.
However, there are websites like Canva that actually make the process of content creation really easy. Canva offers Freemium content that can be utilized to create some very beautiful designs for free.
Marketing on Social Media
Marketing on social media is one of the best ways to reach a potential customer. According to backlinko, 3.96 Billion people use social media everyday. In fact, Over 93% of mobile phone users have an active social media profile.
You have to be regular with your posts, engage your customers. Slowly but surely, results will come.
Email Marketing
Another approach to reaching your customers would be Email marketing. This is a great way to get repeat business by making an existing customer with an interest in your services.
Medium has a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts of Email Marketing which is worth reading.
A tool I would recommend for Email Marketing would be Mailchimp.
Solidifying your knowledge
Of course, This is just a brief overview as to what to do when it comes to marketing. It might seem overwhelming at first. The best way to get yourself skilled in it is purely through practice. There are many websites like Hubspot or Google certifications that offer free marketing courses that can get you started.
But, If you really want to gain know-how about creating an air-tight digital marketing campaign for your small business, one of the best organisations that can give you an edge would be the International Institute of Digital Marketing TM.
We are an online based study platform that can get you trained and certified in multiple aspects of marketing. This can help you to begin shaping a successful future for you and your company.
In short, these are 5 points you can look into when you are starting to get the word out about your small business. Once you have build an online presence, you will see what suits your small business best. However, this will only become known to you if you start doing.
About the Author:
Balagopalan Satheesh is a Content Marketing Analyst at International Institute of Digital Marketing. He is an experienced marketing professional who has worked with market leaders in both India and New Zealand. Originally from India, He currently lives in New Zealand with his girlfriend.