Online Marketing for Small Businesses

Some small business owners operate solely online. Others are bricks-and-mortar businesses that also offer products and services via their websites. If your business doesn’t already have a web presence, now may be the time to consider it. 

The World Wide Web has transformed opportunities in online marketing for small businesses. Regardless of sector, product or service, you should have a digital marketing strategy, as part of your wider marketing activities. We've outlined some of the main digital marketing techniques you can use to optimise your business.

How to create a website

If you want to avoid the cost of a web designer, it's easy to design and build your site using affordable web-builder tools such as Wix and Wordpress. For retailers, another option is to sell your products through an established online outlet, for example, eBay or Amazon.

As a small business owner, having an online presence allows you to communicate with both customers and interested prospects. For example, sharing information about opening hours, products or appointment availability. Here are some key considerations when it comes to building and designing your website:

• Determine its purpose and target audience. 
• Consider whether you want to attract new customers, promote special offers, or sell products online. 
• Choose a domain name that is appropriate and memorable. 
• Plan the layout and content of your website. Include product or service information, company details, customer reviews, contact information, and terms and conditions. 
• Ensure your website has a responsive design that can be easily navigated on mobile devices. 
• Create a visually appealing experience for visitors by using a good balance of text and high-quality images. Consider incorporating videos to engage users. 
• Promote your website through search engine optimisation, online advertising, email alerts, and social media. 
• Make it easy for visitors to navigate your site. Include an index or menu bar, structuring it for easy access within three clicks, and avoiding an overload of pages. 
• Test your website thoroughly before launching. Check for broken links, errors, and compatibility with different browsers. 
• Finally, remember to regularly update and maintain your website's content.

Is your site Google-friendly?

If you already have a website, now is an excellent time to review its content and functionality. Is it Google-friendly, for example? With the right information, your site is more likely to appear higher up the list when people search for you online. This is called SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

You can do some research into what your customers are searching for online. This will help you to understand the kinds of words and phrases you should use on your website to attract the right audience. There are lots of free SEO tools you can use to help you do this.

You can use SEO to improve different kinds of content and pages on your website. For example, you can make sure the products you sell appear in search when people are looking for them. You can also do research to find out what questions customers are asking. Then you can write content that answers those questions. This is called content marketing, and it's another way to bring in more people to your website.

How to get customers online

Running a business can leave little time to focus on managing your website, and not everyone can be a Google expert. This doesn't mean your business can't benefit from being visible in search results. Here are some tips and tools to achieve this.

Online business directories and listings sites can drive potential customers to find your business. Benefits of featuring in these directories include:

• Reasonably low-cost
• User generated content, like customer reviews and ratings
• Trade specific versions available, i.e. Checkatrade.com
• Google-friendly and SEO optimised.

Google has a useful tool called Google My Business. This can help your audience find you online and read reviews about your work.

Find out how to get customers online and understand Google My Business here.

You can also use email marketing to send your customers important information. By creating targeted and personalised email campaigns, small businesses can deliver relevant, tailored content, promotions, and updates directly to their subscribers' inboxes. You can also track campaign performance with email marketing. So you can make improvements over time. 

Social media strategy

Social media channels have become essential marketing tools for small businesses. They offer a cost-effective way to reach a wide audience, engage with customers, and build brand awareness. By leveraging social media platforms, small businesses can effectively promote products or services and connect with their target audiences. 

You can also engage with other local businesses to promote each other and provide additional value to your customers. 

One of the key advantages of social media for small businesses is its ability to create a direct line of communication with customers. Through social media, businesses can: 

• Engage in real-time conversations.
• Respond to enquiries. 
• Address the concerns of existing customers.

This not only helps in building customer loyalty but also provides valuable insights into customer preferences and feedback, which can be used to improve products or services.

Google advertising

Another way to feature in Google's results is to run advertising campaigns, pay-per-click (PPC). When a potential customer searches for something your business offers, your advert appears at the top or side of Google's search results, depending on the bid you've placed. If they click on your ad, you pay a fee, but hopefully, the click will lead to a sale.

Google Ads is also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. It is a powerful tool for driving targeted traffic to your website. With Google Ads, your ads appear at the top or side of Google's search results when potential customers search for keywords related to your business. 

You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it cost-effective. However, it may not be suitable for new or niche products, and competitive markets can be expensive. 

Setting up Google AdWords involves creating an account, setting a budget, writing compelling ads, and selecting relevant keywords using the keyword planner tool. Choosing the right keywords and match types is crucial for success.

Understanding how people are interacting with your website

With all this focus on improving your online presence, wouldn't it be useful to know who's using your website, and more importantly, what they're looking at when they visit? Google Analytics allows you to understand your customers and how they're interacting with your website.

Google Analytics can help you understand your website traffic by providing detailed information about: 

• The number of visitors. 
• Their demographics.
• The sources that drive them to the site. 

This data allows small businesses to make informed decisions about marketing strategies and target your efforts effectively.

You can also look at how users behave on your site. You can see which pages are popular and how long people stay on different pages. This can help you find ways to improve the pages and the customer experience.

If you are an online retailer, or have an e-commerce site, you can also use Google Analytics. You can track online purchases and conversion rates. So you can measure the effectiveness of your online campaigns.

Whether your business is already active online, or perhaps you're looking to embrace new digital marketing opportunities, these are just a few ways to strengthen its online presence.