More than four in five adults in the UK use the internet every single day – that’s an incredible 82%. Of course, this covers everything from social media use to online shopping, researching products, writing emails and everything else the internet can be used for these days.
In a time when the high streets are suffering due to changing consumer demand, the need to have a strong and effective internet presence is even more important. And particularly for small businesses.
The potential scope of a useful and effective online marketing strategy is huge, and the most successful SMEs and start-ups use the internet well right from the start. It’s worth spending enough time on research when crafting your strategy, as a common mistake made by some small businesses can neglect this important part of the process.
You should be aiming for a coherent, structured strategy, with enough flexibility and wiggle room to change it up when necessary. Here are four steps you can take right now to ensure you are on track with your online marketing strategy.
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Clearly define your target audience
No matter which sector you are operating in, it’s not possible to market a business to every possible customer using just one strategy. While generic online marketing might spike your traffic in the short-term, it will do little for a long-term strategy. The idea is not just to drive people to your website but convert them into customers. Further ahead, your strategy should concentrate on turning them into returning customers.
This target should be at the heart of your online marketing strategy, and to make the most of your campaign, you should target a specific demographic. The smaller your target consumer group, the more effective you can make the targeting content, and the more chance you have of engaging them.
If your business offers services and products that could be considered universal, then before you begin your online marketing strategy, divide your audience. Create small target groups within the wider target demographic and create a custom strategy for each group. It does take more time upfront, but the benefits are definitely worth it.
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Speed up your pages
Even if you have the most perfectly optimised content on your website, if it takes a lengthy time to load then you will lose the Google ranking. Website speed is one of the most important ranking factors. Google offers a specialist tool called PageSpeed Insights that can measure the loading speed and suggest how you can improve it.
Whichever tool you use, it’s important to understand how the speed of loading times affects your place in the rankings. Think about the speed of your host provider, for example. You need a provider with excellent and reliable speeds, as well as a package with sufficient bandwidth and storage space to allow for growth.
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Don’t underestimate costs or overestimate results
Being unrealistic about the costs involved with effective online marketing is a common mistake made by start-ups and small businesses. Online marketing is no longer an optional extra, and it is something that should be invested in as much as possible, in terms of both money and time.
It’s not possible to 100% predict how efficient your strategy will be, but you can research statistics and reports to understand roughly how it will do. It’s important to take the time for this kind of research and ensure that the data you are looking at is valid and can be trusted to help you analyse your strategy.
While it can be tempting to jump in, research and planning is key to success. Online marketing is not free, but you can find excellent services and tools that aren’t too expensive to help you craft your strategy.
All small businesses must prioritise expenses, as they are often working with limited resources. Judicious use of free advice can go a long way to ensuring that your online marketing is effective. It’s also very important to keep monitoring data to find out how efficient your strategy is in real time. Adjust the campaign as necessary so that you can maximise your investment.
It’s also important to realise that online marketing doesn’t lead to instant results. Building up a solid, useful customer base takes time. Don’t stick to just one strategy, rather diversify your company’s marketing efforts by combing online with sales launches, loyalty schemes and sponsoring local events.
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Engage effectively with customers
Use all the many communication channels available to talk with your existing and potential customers. Look at guest posts, blogs, paid ads and SEO as tools to attract people to your website, but once they’ve reached it, you must communicate with them.
These ‘after the fact’ communications are more important for the success of your business. Whether it’s responding to comments on your business blog, chatting with customers via social media or using other channels, you must engage in dialogue. Answer any questions on social media as quickly as possible and keep on top of mentions of your brand so that you can respond on other websites.
James Turner, managing director of turnerlittle.com said: “Despite the importance of the internet for business success, some are still struggling to understand how seriously online marketing must be taken. It’s no longer a preference, and online marketing should form the majority of your strategy.
“There is still room for older style traditional marketing collateral, and there is always a place for networking in person, but the importance of online marketing cannot be underestimated. By creating a thorough strategy right from the start, you will maximise your online marketing and create the best possible result for your business.”
About Turner Little
Founded in 1998 in Yorkshire, UK, Turner Little is a specialist UK and offshore company formation, banking and corporate services provider. Our services include company formation, UK and offshore banking, asset protection, credit correction/repair, trademarking and trusts. Other services include Internet services, mail forwarding, wills and probate. Turner Little’s vision is to offer the best possible service, together with market leading products.
