Why should you care about digital marketing?
The focus of any business is to get as many clients and customers in through the door as possible. Marketing holds the key to attracting them and generating leads. In the upcoming year, businesses will continue to opt for traditional means of advertising such as advertisements on billboards or television or YouTube. But most savvy businesses will start relying exclusively on digital marketing in 2022. The reason is simple. We have entered the digital era firmly in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us into it. And, this has made businesses transition to the digital model as well so they can survive.
This rapid switch has made them realize that going digital is productive and cost effective. The importance of digital marketing lies in the fact that it provides multiple innovative solutions. And, businesses will continue to capitalize on this trend the next year. Digital marketing resonates with the young generation which forms the bulk of a business’ client/customer base.
Importance of digital marketing is linked to cutting costs
One good reason behind the importance of digital marketing is that it is comparatively less expensive than the most other modes of marketing. The pandemic has taken a toll on the finances of all businesses and no company is entering 2021 unscathed. So, cost-saving modes are a top priority for all businesses. Digital marketing is profitable because it yields a high ROI (return on investment) and has increased scope and reach of audience. And, yet for a modest budget, companies can get a pulse on the effectiveness of their sales strategies through digital marketing metrics. Marketing strategies and campaigns can be tweaked without a significant setback in budget.
Another reason behind the importance of digital marketing and why it will not strain the budget in 2021 is that there are multiple aspects of it. Companies will benefit from a team of digital marketing professionals because they have a wide repertoire of means to attract an audience, such as content marketing, banners, e-mail marketing and as we explained earlier, social media marketing. So, digital marketing will be important because it packs in multiple modes in one campaign.
Develop your own unique brand
Think about some of the most recognizable brands in the world. Some brand names have become so well known that they’re synonymous with the industry they operate in.
Kleenex is a great example of this. What if your small business could have a clearly identifiable brand like that?
Email marketing is a great way to develop your brand because it gives you a direct line to the email inboxes of your customers or potential customers. Regular updates give you a great opportunity to create a unique voice, style, and image for your subscribers.
What do you want your brand to be? Create a brand guide and follow it with each and every email you send. Not only is each email an opportunity to connect with your subscribers, but it’s also an opportunity to further cement your unique brand identity in their minds.
Digital transformation is everything
If your business has not yet started embracing digital technology, wait no longer. Utilizing technology allows you to understand the touchpoints of your customer journey better. It will also enable you to create truly personalized experiences for your customers.
Rather than removing the human element from your interaction with your customers, digital tools allow you to make interactions more personal. Depending on your product or service, you may even be able to deliver personalized products.
Find ways to automate marketing
Have you been staying up late trying to perfect your messaging? While crafting a message that captures your business’s many layers in only a handful of words can be difficult, what’s even more difficult is keeping your marketing materials consistent and reliable.
That’s where marketing automation comes in.
While email service providers offer an easy way to send out your digital materials, today, there are plenty of options to use a more powerful automated marketing software. Now you can create and automate every aspect of your email marketing, with top-notch SEO and customer-focused messaging to make the biggest possible impact.
There are a plethora of possibilities when it comes to automated marketing, and your business can see benefits including:
- Strong nurture strategy – Start showing potential customers you’re paying attention by tracking how they’re interacting with your products and following up in the form of an automatically generated email. If someone clicks on a product but doesn’t complete the purchase, an automated follow-up email can help complete the sale.
- Refine your materials – Unsure when the best time to send an email is or about what terms specifically appeal to your customer base? Automated marketing is all about using the data to back up your email campaigns, making it easy to track what’s working and explore ways to improve your marketing materials.
- Personalized messaging – Automated marketing services can interact with your customers’ existing social media profiles to generate messages that appeal directly to their interests. Forget about spam—these are thoughtful messages looking to fulfill individual needs.
It doesn’t take a computer whiz to implement automated marketing. Whether you’re interested in learning the ropes yourself, hiring a team member, or consulting with an outside marketing service, your business can leap into the future with automation.
Offer cashless payments
Let your customers know that in 2022, they can pay any way they please. While standard methods of payment aren’t going anywhere, it certainly pays to update your tech for the multitude of cashless transactions consumers are going to be completing.
If your small business is based online, you’re probably intimately familiar with advertising your cashless payment options. But if you’re operating a brick-and-mortar business, it could be time for a payment system upgrade.
Consider adding the following cashless payment options to your business:
- Modern card readers – Credit and debit payments have come a long way from the simple “swipe.” Today, with security chips and tap functions, modern card payments can be processed faster and more securely. What’s more, you can even implement mobile card readers to take payments anywhere—increasing convenience both for you and your customers.
- Payment apps – Another contactless option, payment apps can be an easy way for your small business to collect payments without investing in complex hardware or software. While this payment method may not be as quick or seamless as others, it is cost-effective and easily implemented.
- Mobile wallets – Customers no longer need a physical wallet or card to make purchases. With mobile wallets, all their information can be stored on their phone and easily scanned with a designated mobile wallet reader.
After you’ve implemented these options, let your customers know that you’re taking cashless payments with clear messaging on all of your physical and digital marketing materials.
Norman, the owner of a local bakery, found unexpected success when implementing cashless payments, saying, “I had my menu printed out, and the QR code was just right there on it for customers to scan while they decided what they wanted”
Simplicity and convenience are the names of the game when it comes to purchases, so by encouraging your customers to pay how they want, they can feel free to make more purchases with you in 2022.
Stay ahead of the game
Following these small business digital marketing trends can help pave the way for a successful and lucrative year ahead.
In addition to the trends listed above, one more thing you can do to keep your business on top of customers’ minds is to consult us about our Google MyBusniess services. A cost effective way to make real connections with the people in your community. Share business updates and plans, get recommendations from your most loyal customer base, and offer special promotions.