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If you’re like a lot of small business owners, the last 20 years have created a ridiculous amount of change in how your market your business. It seems like just a moment ago we were all placing ads in the Yellow Pages so that people would find our company and call for our products and services.
Today’s marketing is full of social media apps and acronyms. We have to optimize our SMM and our SEO in order to get the maximum ROI while maintaining an excellent CX.
WHAT?
Exactly. So this guide is going to make things simpler and break down how marketing helps your small business in the 21st century. By the end, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to grow your business.
If someone wanted to know something, they used to ask friends or family members. Not anymore. Today everyone asks the same person — well, entity — to answer their burning concerns.
That entity is Google.
A Google search can tell you almost anything you want to know. And the truth is, no one looks past the first page to get their answer.
What does that mean for you? Very simply, it means that you need to create informative posts about your products and services so that you can attract new customers when they’re looking for what you offer. And, you need those posts to rank on the first page of Google.
That’s what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is about. When you create highly relevant content that matches what users are looking for, Google will rank you more highly in search results. This increases your visibility and helps you get website traffic and new customers.
Still curious how marketing helps business? For decades, ads have been the only way to get a consumer’s attention. You have to figure out what activities your target audience enjoys, and then interrupt them during that activity with information about your business.
For example, you might buy a radio or television ad during a sporting event, or advertise in a popular magazine. However, that type of marketing has become less and less effective over time. Today there are dozens of ways to skip ads or pay for ad-free services. So the marketing strategy has to change.
Fortunately, because so many people look for information online using social media and Google, you now have the opportunity to use engaging content as a way to draw customers in. When you provide information that people are interested in, they’ll begin to see you as a trusted resource. Instead of feeling “sold to”, they’ll feel like they are in control of the interaction.
Over time, as they build trust in you, they’ll be more likely to purchase from your business when they need your product or service.
Consumers in 2022 expect to be catered to, not simply be one of the millions of people you’re targeting. That’s why personalized marketing is so important in the 21st century.
People won’t respond to your marketing message unless they feel like it addresses a specific need that they have. The good news is that today’s technology gives you the ability to target your message to the narrow group of people that are part of your ideal audience.
Instead of putting up a billboard that everyone sees as they drive on the highway, you can place your message directly in front of those who will benefit most from what you offer. For example, a lawn care company can target homeowners in a specific geographic area.
There are two ways to do this. One is through the use of keywords and SEO on your website. When you use the keywords that your ideal audience uses when searching for information about your products and services, you’re targeting them specifically. Other folks who use other terms — or don’t search those topics at all — won’t see your site. That’s fine; they don’t need what you offer!
Another way is through targeted advertising on social media. While ads aren’t as effective as they used to be, they are still helpful if they are carefully targeted. When you place a Facebook or Pinterest ad, for example, you will be able to target only those users who are part of your ideal customer group. Then the only folks who see the information you share will be those who are most interested.
Targeting and personalized marketing help you spend less while getting better results. It’s a true win-win.
There are so many ways that marketing helps businesses and the ones we discussed are some of the most important. When you realize that customers today are already looking for what you offer, the only question remaining is how to connect with them and show them that your products and services are the best option.
If digital marketing feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. We can help. We provide SEO and digital marketing solutions specifically to small businesses. Contact us today to learn more!
