Advertising your business online will enable you to grow your online presence, get you seen by a much wider audience, and if you do it right, help you convert leads into business.
According to the UK Business Digital Index, 17 per cent of small businesses have seen an increase in sales due to their online presence, and 27 per cent of these are making sales through online channels.
So, how do you get started? Here, Superfast Business Wales details five ways you can effectively market your small business online.
1. Get blogging
Writing a blog doesn’t mean you suddenly have to become a leading authority on something outside of your business area. For instance, no one would expect you to write a blog about cars if you’re an online clothing retailer. The point is that only you know your field of business, and this is something you can feel confident enough to blog about with confidence.
What is a blog? In simple terms, it’s just an online column or diary. You can either host your blog on your own website or use a free platform such as WordPress and link it back to your website. The trick is to keep it regularly updated with engaging content which will appeal to your target audience.
There are various ways to grow and promote your business, from creating a blog to email marketing
Not only will you start to position yourself as an industry expert, but you will also increase the chance of your website being found in search engines. Search engines love new high-quality content and regular posts will keep your site looking fresh and more prominent in search rankings.
These days, more businesses are participating in ‘vlogging’, which is a video-based version of a blog entry. This is a particularly engaging way of getting your knowledge across to an audience, and them seeing the face of the business behind the words. Vlogging has become particularly popular on social media platforms such as TikTok.
2. Email marketing
If you’re wondering whether anyone still uses email marketing, they certainly do. Email marketing has the highest return on investment for small businesses. It is an effective method of communicating with your customers, as usually many of your audience will have already interacted with your business in some form.
Regarding GDPR, data can only be obtained and utilised with consent from the user. This can help you strengthen relationships with those you know are interested, build your brand, and generate sales. Using email also enables you to reach your customers on any device.
For further advice, why not register your interest for Superfast Business Wales’ free Effective Email Marketing webinar?
Mailchimp has a free option as well as premium options for optimal usage. The free version allows up to 2,000 contacts, 1 audience group, plus many more options you need to get started whilst you build up your database.
Going forward, it then offers flexible payment options for specific tools you may need. Before you start, make sure you are compliant with the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) – find out more here.</…….