Why Small Businesses Cannot Afford to Ignore Digital Marketing

Running a small business is tough as it is, but trying to get customers without a solid marketing plan makes it even harder. Today, most customers discover products and brands online through search engines and social media. If your business isn’t visible online you’re basically losing out on a huge percentage of potential customers. That’s why digital marketing is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for small businesses.

Consumers start searching online first

Whether a customer is searching for a lawyer, a restaurant, or a new washing machine, they begin their search online. It can start with a general search for products and services, or they might search for known brand names. Either way, if they can’t find you they’ll move on to someone else. 

According to GE Capital Retail Bank, 81% of shoppers research online before buying. If your website isn’t optimized for search engines, your competitors will snag most of your customers.

Having a digital presence where customers search helps build trust and presence in the marketplace. Online reviews are especially important. Most consumers today read reviews before making a purchase and they trust what others have to say more than the companies themselves. 

Being searchable and having a reputable presence online makes your business stand out as the smart choice.

Social media is today’s word-of-mouth

Word-of-mouth has always been the most effective form of advertising around. But it’s not limited to in-person conversations. Customers talk about businesses every day on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter. If you’re not part of the conversation, you’re missing out. 

The average user spends 143 minutes a day on social media, and that means you need to be there to connect with the ones talking about your brand. A single post or review can reach hundreds, even thousands of people on social media. Ignoring these platforms means ignoring free visibility. 

When you hop on social media, you can engage your customers in ways that make you stand out above your competitors. You can provide amazing customer service where everyone can see how you treat people and handle complaints graciously and fairly. You can strengthen your following and make people feel good about doing business with your brand.

Digital marketing gives you real data

If you’re not running a digital marketing campaign, you’re just guessing and hoping. When you employ a digital marketing strategy, you’ll get data and insights on everything you do. You can then use this information to tweak your efforts to get better results and abandon what isn’t working without worrying that it might be a mistake.

Best of all, you can run split-testing campaigns to narrow down the small details that make an ad work. You can test individual headlines, button text, calls-to-action, and offers. These things can be tested fast and it eliminates the need for trial and error.

Customers expect brands to be everywhere online

Today’s consumers expect brands to be accessible online and responsive. According to research data, half of consumers expect brands to respond within four hours. Not responding fast enough can cause you to lose customers and get negative reviews. 

By running a digital marketing campaign, you’ll be meeting the expectation of having a presence online. Customers will see your brand more often through ads and you’ll feel more accessible to them. They might send you a chat request on Facebook or tag you in a post. It adds more work for you as a business owner, but it’s what people expect.

Digital marketing creates long-term assets

Unlike paper materials that end up in the trash, digital marketing builds compounding value over time. Consistent marketing and SEO make your business easier to find, and evergreen content will bring in new customers long after it’s published on your site. 

When you build an email list, you start building customer lifetime value. Since email has one of the highest returns ($36 for every $1 spent), that’s a long-term relationship you can’t afford to skip.

The price of ignoring digital marketing is high

Small business owners often feel like they can’t really afford marketing, but in reality, they can’t afford to skip it. Customers are constantly searching online, posting reviews, and buying stuff from websites. If you’re not using digital marketing strategies to acquire and convert your customers, your competitors are cleaning up. 

The longer you wait to implement a digital marketing strategy, the harder it gets to catch up. Every day you wait to get started is a day you hand your competitors leads and sales that could have been yours. Now is the perfect time to figure out what marketing approach makes sense for your business.