Ten years ago, this topic never would have been talked about. Five years ago, it would be something only the biggest and best would maybe be thinking about. Just two years ago and it would be on your radar but likely not a pressing matter. Flash forward to today: you are grasping at straws to catchup, pick up the pace, and stand out online. Of course, we are talking about digital marketing.
Modern businesses, both big and small, has much more “space” than the square footage of their brick and mortar locations. Generations today are shopping more and more online and less and less in store. This may be true for traditional retail purchases like clothing from your favorite boutique or furniture from Wayfair. Services like restaurants, salons, or healthcare, however, cannot reap these online shopping benefits, however. Customers still travel to your location, making your digital presence even more crucial to earning business.
Why Should I Increase My Business Space?
- Cost-Benefit
to Reach Your Audience. Traditional marketing efforts used to be the only means of connecting with your targeted customers. On average, to reach a 2,000 customer audience by means of traditional marketing would be costly. However, for roughly $50-$75 today, you can hit that same audience by means of paid search on big networks like Google, Bing or Yahoo, or hit consumers where they spend over 2 hours per day – social media. - Greater Likelihood of Conversions. For any business, big or small, to be successful, you have to sell your product. However, relying on word-of-mouth is a risky practice in any industry today. Research by Hubspot suggests that SEO website optimization, increased social media efforts, and email marketing are big movers. They can deliver 15%, 13% and 11% more conversions, respectively, than traditional marketing efforts that get lost, go unseen or aren’t measured.
- Build a Stronger Brand Reputation & Awareness. Digital marketing gives businesses the power to position their brand in their markets stronger than ever before. Today, you can build your brand through many different tactics. These range from blogging tips and tricks, responding to online reviews, having a social media personality among others!
Digital Marketing: The Roadmap To Get There.
Making the jump from traditional marketing with a website to expanding into the digital space is not an overnight process, but don’t be alarmed! With some simple goals and and a plan of action, you can get your small business to dominate your location in no time!
- Update & Revamp Your Website. This is the largest space where you can share any information you feel is most relevant with your consumers. Having a crisp, modern site that is easy to navigate and drives consumers to take actions you’d like them to – book a reservation for dinner, schedule a hair appointment, or even ask for a legal consultation – will bump sales. Additionally, a website that is mobile friendly is crucial in today’s market. Some 77% of adults in the United States have their smart phone within close proximity to them, and use their phone to search more than a computer. So a device-responsive website is very important.
- Be Active on Social Media. Social media platforms are integral today. As of the close of 2017, there are 202 million active Facebook users and 68 million active Twitter users in America, alone. Regular presence these platforms ensures visibility on a continual basis if you are scheduling posts consistently throughout the week. Quick information is key, such as events or special promotions, but also information that is fun and relatable, such as current event trends, funny photos or polls.
- Strengthen Your Reputation. Reviews are free publicity and marketing for your business. Consumers are always the center of attention for any business, yours included. Asking for reviews in the right places and encouraging activity from positive customer experiences is another free (yes FREE!) way to brand your business.
Make the Shift.
There are companies and tools out there to make the shift simple and easy, and ensure that you can still put most of your effort into where it matters most – the frontlines. Rannko’s Pro Deluxe package can help with all of these and more, streamlining the time it takes to give your space a digital increase. Check out Rannko’s full suite of products to maximize your space in an ever-shifting market before it’s too late!
