Digital Marketing for Small Businesses

Online channels have become a cost-effective and mass means of a good marketing plan. Digital marketing has picked up as a way of marketing one’s products or services via online distribution channels. Interactive channels are also a part of a good digital marketing mix. This includes display ads, banner ads, and digital outdoor ads. Digital marketing therefore goes a long way in reaching potential consumers in a timely, relevant and personal manner.

Why is it being lapped up by marketers like never before? Because online marketing has time saving and cost effective features that come with the added benefit of having a wider appeal. Therefore, digital media is a boon for small businesses. Using website marketing, email marketing and social media marketing, small businesses can reach a wider customer base with a minimum of marketing and promotional expenses. Digital media marketing mainly consists of pull and push techniques--both of which have their pros and cons. An intelligent mix of pull and push techniques, which work along multiple channels, ensures maximum returns for small businesses.

Under the pull varieties of digital marketing technologies, users have to directly seek content by way of a web search. Pull digital marketing mediums such as websites, blogs and streaming media (audio and video) have a specific link (URL) to view the content. Though cost effective and simple to approach, these have limited result options that require considerable marketing effort for users to find the relevant content. Pull techniques also lack a personalised approach.

Push digital marketing technologies include Email, SMS and RSS. These involve interaction between the marketer/creator of the message, and the recipient or the user. Push technologies can be personalized depending on the targeted audience. Small businesses using these techniques can keep a track on the number of people who saw their message along with specific information about each user. Although high on return, push digital marketing technologies come with many regulations to be adhered to. Also, there is a risk of the message being blocked in case of non-compliance of regulations.

When used effectively and with well planned content strategy, digital marketing can be a profitable investment for small businesses. By winning the trust of clients and honouring them, business houses can establish a long and profitable relationship with their potential customers. One should ensure that the e-mail is sent only to those who have opted-in to receive it. Also, clients should be allowed to specify their preferences. There should be clarity on the kind of information they want to receive and how often. By regularly and promptly responding to customer e-mail enquiries small business houses can show their customers how valuable they are. This way, consumers are also convinced that there are real, live people managing the web site. One should also add fresh, relevant content to the website on a regular basis.

Another aspect of digital marketing is social media marketing. By using free social network sites to promote products, small businesses can reach a large number of customers easily. There are popular ones like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn that one can use. A well maintained Google Profile also adds to the business. By setting up Google Alerts account, one can keep a track on what customers think about their products, brand and the company. This will also help to get an insight into the keywords that drive the business. Such information can be used to better the Google profile of a company.

Starting a blog is a great way of creating an image for the business and oneself. Posts can speak about the latest happenings in an industry. But care should be taken that they are not promotional in any way. Well thought and rightly phrased blogs can go a long way in establishing one as a thought leader in an industry. Another way of getting noticed by potential customers is by finding and commenting on blog sites that are popular with customers.

Small businesses can remain in the customer’s vision by publishing regular E-newsletters. Such outbound communication tools help businesses in maintaining a healthy relationship with their clients. Care should always be taken to develop newsletters that have an opt-in feature.

Digital media has various mediums that can be used by small businesses to their advantage. Regular online news release is one of them. One can plan at least one online news release per month for promoting eBooks, events or for new promotions. Nothing attracts costumers more than a free gift. Small businesses can use digital media to take advantage of this psyche of customers. One can develop an eBook as a packaged content download for customers. Taking some basic information from clients before they download the content can help one in getting customer leads too. By keeping it free, one can be sure that the content is downloaded and shared too.

Digital marketing has an advantage over traditional techniques as the content in this case is sent directly to audience mailbox. This makes it possible for small business houses to create personalised mails and messages for each client. One can also use various email marketing solutions to measure the effect of marketing campaign. This gives them complete control over the marketing process and its result on customers. For successful results, one should write short and interesting content for the website. Also, by using software that reports the success of the campaign, one can ensure improved and more focused marketing strategy.

Digital marketing has made many small businesses see happy and sunshine days. Leave the recession behind.