The year 2020 might have been one of the craziest and depressing years in human history for small business owners because we were forced to shut down our businesses. Some more than others. However, if you were lucky enough to have invested in digital marketing prior to the shutdowns you more than likely were able to successfully push through the turmoil that was 2020.
To provide some perspective, we saw some small businesses that were service-based turn into eCommerce businesses in the blink of an eye because they were forced to pivot and transform their entire business in order to survive the ‘social distancing’. Not all small businesses could afford to pay for top-level digital marketing solutions, consulting and services like that; however, the ones that did ended up having a successful 2020 after all.
Now, we’re in 2021. Everyone is glad to see a new year, but some small businesses are still doing the same thing that they have always done, which doesn’t include digital marketing. If there’s anything that we learned in 2020, it’s that small businesses are 100% relying on their digital footprint to survive in today’s society. If you’re not found on Google, no one will know who you are. That’s just a simple fact.
So here are the top 5 digital marketing strategies for small businesses in 2021 that every small business should have:
- A Clean Website with Clear Calls to Action
Many companies still don’t even have a website. I don’t understand the hesitancy, but it’s true. According to topdigital.agency, “less than two-thirds (64%) of small businesses have a website.” That’s incredible. That means that only 1/3 of your small business competitors even have a website; let alone are conducting digital marketing for lead generation.
So our #1 digital strategy for 2021 is to make sure that your small business has a “clean” website. That means, that if you built your website in early 2000, you need a new website. It needs to clearly outline EXACTLY what you want your clients to click on when they visit. That includes buttons, proper text, and directions. Those are called ‘Calls to Action’ (CTA’s). Your website needs to TELL the users that visit your site exactly what they are supposed to do. But it needs to be done in a tasteful, creative and MODERN fashion. Your small business must stand out from the competition. So how is your website different? How is it performing?
- Have A Strong Organic Presence
After you are confident in Strategy #1, your next question should be: ‘How are my customers going to find my website?’ You wouldn’t believe how many small business owners think that just because they have a website, that all of a sudden a flock of customers are going to somehow magically arrive at their URL and start doing business with them. TRUTH BOMB: It doesn’t work that way.
Having your small business show up on Google and Bing’s search engines on the organic listings is done through a comprehensive solution called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This is the primary digital marketing strategy of the extremely successful businesses. Why? Because you don’t have to pay Google for it.
SEO is a very complicated strategy to implement, but when you partner with a digital marketing agency that’s able to show proven results as experts in SEO, you pay them to do all of the work for you. SEO is a daily implementation of various types of content, site optimization, backlinking, indexing, profile creation, citations, and a lot more deliverable’s that would literally fill up the page if they were all listed.
The point is, SEO is your golden goose. It’s your long-term investment that will pay dividends for your small business. It’s the strategy that keeps on giving as long as you keep maintaining your page 1 SERPs. Your small business will benefit from an SEO strategy more than any other digital strategy over the long-term.
- Paid Ads Can Drive Traffic, Leads & Sales Immediately
There are many kinds of ‘paid ads’ and they are fairly self-explanatory because you are paying a platform to advertise your ad. Here are a few examples of paid ad strategies:
- Social Media Ads (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube)
- PPC Search (Google AdWords Search & Bing Ads)
- PPC Display (Google and Bing)
- Retargeting (Google Network, Bing & AdRoll)
- Google Shopping (Product Listing Ads)
There are more variations, platforms, and types of paid ads; however, for small businesses, these are the most common. We see a lot of small business trying to save money by running paid ads on social media and/or Google without any prior experience, nor do they understand the tools and marketplace. This is how small businesses throw money away and end up having a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to paying for advertising space. Paid ads are a great strategy for any small business when they are done properly by experts that are Google Certified and have experience on social media platforms. Don’t try and save a monthly management fee when you could end up getting a much higher ROI if you had an expert managing your paid ads.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
You have put so much time, energy and capital into your small business, don’t leave it up to chance when it comes to your growth strategy. Digital marketing is an absolute essential aspect of doing business in 2021. It can see confusing, but that’s why we are breaking down these top 3 strategies that you can do to start your journey into growing your business.
Your website should be your first investment. If you haven’t looked into getting a new website in a while, we sincerely suggest that you reach out to a web design and development company that builds WordPress websites. They’re not as expensive as you may think. Once your website is updated, your digital marketing strategies are not that complicated when they’re done correctly.
Paid ads should be used by small businesses as a ‘short-term’ strategy. Inevitably, you want to avoid paying Google or Facebook for example, at all costs. It’s simply a means to an end. These paid strategies should be used while your organic presence is building up to the top of search engines. Your end goal should be to capitalize on your organic presence long-term because it doesn’t cost you any additional capital. Once your small business SEO has provided you with successful ROI and lead generation, paid ads are to be used during holiday seasons and special instances when your business needs to get the word out quickly. It’s not a long-term monthly expense that you need to allocate a budget for forever. However, while your organic presence is running its course, this is a great short-term strategy that will deliver immediate ROI.
Remaining stagnant will not deliver growth. By simply following these 3 strategies, your small business can skyrocket past all-time highs. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to one of our expert digital marketers and we will walk you through the process of getting started.
