Small business internet marketing has in recent years become a useful tool for you as a small business to use in your marketing strategy. Small business internet marketing gives small businesses the edge to compete in a world otherwise dominated by large brands. With the internet, the world is your oyster…
So, what makes a small business’ internet marketing strategy any different from all the other corporate entities’ marketing approaches? Firstly, because you are a small business, people may not be searching for you on the internet by name and rather by function or because they have a specific need that they wish to fulfil. Secondly, small businesses face challenges that need to be overcome online that other entities may not face, and your marketing package needs to be structured accordingly.
One such small business internet marketing strategy is content-driven SEO (or Search Engine Optimisation.) SEO, if managed correctly by you, levels the playing field of online searches for small businesses. SEO is the process of improving the visibility of your website in search results through creating content in a way that Google recognises as relevant using its algorithmic formulas for organic content. Especially as a small business and if you do not even have a website, you could hire a professional SEO company as part of your marketing team.
Such an SEO company can offer your small business internet marketing the following:
- Creating or reviewing your site’s structure and content.
- Developing new, unique and relevant content.
- SEO training.
- Expertise in specific markets and geographies, such as optimising local searches.
- Technical advice on the development of your website. This includes hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript and others.
- Managing your online business development campaigns and presence on social platforms.
- Keyword (words most frequently searched by your potential pool of customers) research.
By incorporating research and content driven by that research, small businesses can include SEO in their small business internet marketing strategy and no longer wonder “how to wow.” Google and other search engines continue to repeat the importance of producing content that people find interesting and they are getting better at determining the most relevant results for keywords. Can you afford not to start an ongoing content strategy?
Another danger to you is the resources that larger businesses may have for higher design and usability standards when it comes to websites. In short, simply having a website is not longer good enough and with over 60 trillion individual pages on the web you need to stand out somehow. Fortunately, by trusting professional assistance and creating an SEO-friendly site aimed at optimising your visibility, your site need not be any less impressive and functional than any other company’s site.
Your small business internet marketing should also be aimed at other platforms, such as taking advantage of free local business directories. Does your business, big or small, have a presence everywhere it possibly can?
