More and more small businesses are turning their attention online in this new digital age. The internet offers so many advantages to the small business – it is extremely cheap to startup, there are hundreds of millions of potential customers surfing online, and fantastic software makes the whole process seem so easy.
Even offline businesses such as a booklet printing firm would find their business would double if they move some of their operations online. But what do you do if you are not familiar with how online marketing works? Here are six online marketing tips for small businesses:
1. Create a Quality Website
Nothing draws attention like a well designed website. Your website must have all the necessary information, including:
- Your products price, specifications, history and/or age.
- Your company history and mission statement.
- Contact information – including email, work telephone, Facebook page.
- Testimonies of happy customers.
2. Video Marketing
A video can draw thousands of users to your webpage, so it makes sense to use video marketing in your online campaign. You can create a personal video presenting your product’s benefits or you can make some helpful ‘how-to’ videos with a link to your site in the description box. For example, if your business is focused on business card printing you can make a step-by-step instructional video on how to repair creased business cards. YouTube is definitely the best video sharing site to upload your clips to, but also submit your videos to Google Videos and MySpace.
3. Catalogues
If your business is product based, then it is essential that you create a PDF catalogue for offline viewing. Make sure that your catalogue is print friendly; too many websites make the mistake of designing full color catalogues that drain an incredible amount of ink. Keep it simple and more people will print it out.
4. Personalised Logo
If you want your website to stand out from the millions of websites on the web, then you need a personalized logo. If you are handy with Adobe Photoshop then you can create it yourself. If not, there are hundreds of graphic designers who will be more than willing to create a logo for you for a reasonable price.
5. Social Networks
Use social networking sites to your advantage. Twitter and Facebook are so incredibly popular at the present moment, so make sure your website has a Facebook page as well as a Twitter account. You can post links to products and advertise special deals to millions of social media users.
6. Google Adwords
If you are looking for reliable pay-per-click advertising, then you really can’t look past Google Adwords. Google is by far the most popular search engine in the world, and with your ad displayed on the side of millions of users search results the traffic your site receives will skyrocket. Just remember to pick low-competition keywords. With these six tips in hands, your website is bound to receive huge amounts of web traffic. Good luck!
