It is a well-known fact the small businesses are often prone to struggle, yet new businesses pop up every day. When economic downturns happen for various reasons, including a pandemic, one might expect that businesses would struggle more, but that is not necessarily the case. There are many more important factors to consider when it comes to a small business’s success or failure. One of these is digital marketing.
Why Choose Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is an obvious choice to promote your business in today’s largely online world. During a pandemic or other economic downturn, this becomes an even more obvious choice. Regardless of what your business might be, chances are your potential customers are online, and you need a way to get their attention where they are in order to attract them to your business.
Although connecting with customers online may be an obvious choice, it does not mean that it is not intimidating. There are a few methods that have helped many businesses gather and maintain a solid customer base even through trying times. Just as your business strategy shouldn’t be too complex at first, it is important not to overdo your digital marketing right away. A few tools for your starter kit, or your rebuilding kit should include
- Effective keywords – By getting into your customers’ heads you can determine what words they are likely to use and place them into your content a few times in order to improve search engine results. Include things like location and other things that make your business unique.
- An informative blog – A blog is more than thinking out loud. While you may learn to get some personal satisfaction out of blogging, it is important to make sure the blog is written for the reader.
- An organic social media presence, that doesn’t “overdo it.” This means you don’t have to be present on every channel, just what is most likely to reach your customers. Your business is more likely to stand out if followers can see you as human first, and your business second. Connecting should be the driving force, and advertising should come second.
Use available analytics. Some of the more major social media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter have these tools built in. It is important to take the time to review them and analyze what the numbers mean for your business.
Reinvention is Possible and Recommended
If you find your business struggling after a period of success, it is important not to get too downhearted. Instead, it is time to think critically and take necessary action. Buckling down on your digital marketing strategy is a good place to start. Even in the midst of the best economic conditions, businesses are volatile, and while you can take advantage of good market fortune, you should never take it for granted. Small business survival rates are strongest in their first five years when enthusiasm is at its highest. Consistency is important, but so is throwing yourself, and your customers, for a bit of a loop once in a while. You can introduce a new product, or list different ways your service can improve your customers’ lives. By keeping yourself, and your customer, excited about your business you’ll improve your chance of success, regardless of the economic weather.
