For many small business owners, creating a digital marketing strategy starts with understanding all the ways you can enhance your business or brand’s visibility.
If you’re a small business owner who promises themselves at the end of every year, you’ll get on top of your digital marketing ‘in the new year,’ you’re not alone. Jumping on the digital marketing train without a dedicated marketing person or team can feel like heading into the great unknown. It can be especially hard if your competitors are making it look easy.
With a recent Savvy study of Australia’s Online Shopping Behaviour stating 81.5% of people accessing the internet – which is just over 96% of the adult population – search online for products or services, can you really afford to not have some sort of digital marketing in place?
What is digital marketing and why is it important?
Digital marketing is the promotion of products or services through online channels including:
- Social media
- Website content
- Video
- Emails
- SEO – Search Engine Optimisation
- SEM – Search Engine Marketing.
For small businesses, it has the potential to bring new customers to your virtual or physical doorstep.
In 2023, digital interactions dominate meaning the importance of digital marketing cannot be overstated. And it’s not just about reaching a bigger audience, it’s about connecting with the right audience at the right time.
H2: Crafting your brand’s persona
Your brand is more than just a logo, it should embody the characteristics that resonate with your audience. That’s where the realm of brand archetypes and personality opens up to you. Defining your brand’s personality is a process which is likely to include your business values, tone of voice and style. There’s lots of information on the internet about the twelve brand archetypes, with big brand examples to help you compare and decide what works best for you and your small business.
The power of content marketing
Content marketing is the beating heart of your digital strategy because it’s not just about what you sell, but the story you tell. And there’s many ways you can tell your business story – blogs, infographics, sponsored content and podcasts are just a few ways you can keep your audience engaged. Often overlooked by small businesses, it good to remember that well-crafted, good quality, evergreen content will be working for you 24 hours a day, 52 weeks a year.
Social media and video marketing
Social media marketing amplifies your voice while video marketing becomes your visual storytelling partner. When done correctly, both can convey your message in a captivating and easily digestible format.
With an estimated 1 in 3 Australians using social media for brand research and 89% of 18-29 year olds checking their socials at least once a day, if you don’t already have a strong social media presence, should 2024 be the year you change that?
Email marketing – the quiet achiever
Did you know that email marketing still returns a huge $36 for every $1 spent? This is more than other marketing channels and these numbers are unlikely to do anything but go up with marketers consistently noting that both open rates and click rates are on the rise.
Protecting your customer database
Have you been inspired to get cracking on your digital marketing in 2024?
If you’re going to create marketing campaigns, set up social media channels or ask for customer details to create a targeted email database, you need to ensure all this information – and your employees – are protected.
Before unleashing your creative genius on the world, call and set up a meeting with us so we can check your systems, programs and other digital business services are up to date and protected. Professional cybersecurity can help make certain these new connections are not just meaningful but secure.
