As a small business owner, there’s a lot on your plate. Can you really spare the time, effort, and money it takes to invest in digital advertising?
We’re a small business that happens to know its way around digital advertising, so it’s probably no surprise that our answer is a resounding yes. Learn exactly how digital advertising can help your small business here.
Why Digital Advertising is Important for Small Businesses
It’s a no-brainer: when a consumer wants or needs a product or service, chances are they head to Google to find it. That’s why you have a website (or, at the very least, a social media presence). Simply put, if they can’t find you online, you basically don’t exist.
You need to help your ideal customer find you online. That’s where digital advertising comes in.
Think of it this way: having just a website or social media page is kind of like having just a billboard or just an ad in the newspaper. It’s usually happenstance that someone stumbles upon it…and it’s not guaranteed that they’re actually interested in what you have to offer.
So what’s the point of spending money on a beautiful website if no one can find it? Digital advertising allows you to ensure that people (and not just any people—the people you want) can and will find your small business.
What Are the Benefits of Digital Advertising?
From Brand Awareness to Brand Ambassadors
Because digital advertising can take so many forms, it can serve tons of purposes for your small business. Not only can it help get your name out there, but it can help create customer loyalty through content marketing and social media. Plus, retargeting keeps them in the loop and on the hook.
“Creating brand awareness is one of the key steps in promoting a product or service—and online marketing for small business is a great way to do that,” says Meredith Wood of Fundera. “Brand awareness strategies don’t often convert to direct sales. It’s more of a long game relationship and growth strategy with customers or potential customers.”
Reach Your Target Audience
When you advertise online, not only are you able to reach far more people than you would with traditional advertising, but you also have ways to target customers who are in various phases of their buyer’s journey.
For example, let’s say you own a clothing boutique. With digital advertising, you can set up:
- Display ads on social media to create brand awareness
- Search ads on Google to be there the moment someone’s looking for a party dress or tennis shoes
- Retargeting ads to “follow” browsers who didn’t commit to a purchase, so you can remind them about you (and try to persuade them to come back)
Make Valuable Connections
Want to connect with your customers? You need social media.
“The most important aspect of social media is to use it to strengthen your customer base to achieve repeat sales,” explains Ella Ames of The Balance. “Social media marketing is about developing a relationship with your customers—not just constantly selling to them. Use the platform to listen and engage with your online clientele.”
A great place for small businesses to start on social media is Facebook: it’s simple, it’s free, and everyone’s already on it. On your Facebook page, share helpful information about your business along with updates…and sprinkle in just a little advertising. It’s important not to make your social media presence all about offers and promotions: instead, be helpful, interactive, and entertaining. Providing value to your followers is essential to keeping them as followers!
If your small business already has a Facebook presence, consider investing in advertising on the platform. This is a natural next step as it can help you grow your follower base and spread brand awareness. Plus, you’ll learn a lot about your audience from the analytics the platform provides.
Understand Your Audience
Digital advertising allows you to collect invaluable data, which then allows you to adjust your campaigns as needed for the biggest impact on your bottom line. The data you collect can inform you about your customers: what resonates with them? What doesn’t? What do they react to, and what do they ignore? The more data you have, the stronger your campaigns can be.
Low Cost, High ROI
Digital advertising gives you much more bang for your buck than traditional advertising like TV, radio, and print. In fact, Hal Varian, the chief economist at Google, estimates that the value of Google Ads is about $2 for every $1 spent. That kind of return on investment is hard to argue with—and even if you’re not doubling your money, there’s still a good chance that the cost-effectiveness of digital advertising will mesh incredibly well with the business it will drum up for you.
Start Advertising Your Small Business Online
The variety of ways digital advertising can benefit your small business makes it a great investment, no matter your budget. The key, like with any successful advertising campaign, is to collect the data you need to make informed decisions that will pay off.
Ready to get started? Contact Kirkpatrick Creative today. Our tried-and-true philosophy of creating advertising that’s engineered to work has helped businesses make more sales and get more customers through the door. Give us a shout and we’ll be happy to schedule a consultation!