During 2008 to 2022, I consulted with over 300 small businesses. I noticed consistent challenges and themes that often surfaced. Relative to the digital world that all small businesses must navigate, below are twelve small business marketing tips for 2022. Apply one per month. Bite size pieces. Measured Balance.
Below are some tips and lessons that have worked for me and my clients:
- Don’t neglect your website. It’s the foundation of your entire social media strategy. All your social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest must feed back to your site. You own your website–you don’t own your social media sites.
- Use WordPress for your website. It’s the best for e-commerce, overall site design, blogging, and content editing.
- Make sure your website is a responsive design. Responsive design ensures your site is mobile friendly and will auto sense when a smartphone or table like the iPad visits your site. Responsive designs make the most of mobile visitors. Since over 50% of all internet searches are on mobile or tablet devices, a mobile-friendly site is essential.
- Start a blog and integrate it into your website. There is no better SEO tool than a blog updated at least once per week. None.
- Keep your website simple. Google and other search engines are not impressed with fancy design. Again, Google loves fresh, dynamic, and weekly content.
- Make sure the first 200 words of your website clearly explains the benefits you offer your customers.
- Remember your website is not about you; it’s about them–your customer.
- Use videos to tell your small business story. A one to three minute video is the short story of the 21st century. Tell yours.
- Advertise on Google Adwords. Adwords is hands down the most effective advertising medium for small businesses.
- Use E-mail marketing with Constant Contact-it’s one of the best decisions I made almost 6 years ago when I started my marketing consulting company.
- Repurpose and use the most effective keywords and phrases from your Google Ads campaigns in your website content.
- Develop a 15 second “speed to cool” elevator speech. In short, make sure you can summarize what your business offers in just 15 seconds.
Pick a few tips for 2022…
By Stuart Atkins
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