Before we answer this question that why is digital marketing important for small businesses, we should first know that what actually digital marketing is.
Digital Marketing: Definition
The word digital describes electronic technology. Nowadays, this word is commonly used by almost every citizen of India. Our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, has initiated a campaign known as Digital India.
Now, we come to Digital Marketing. Digital Marketing means reaching consumers through the use of technology. Technology here means, using internet services, mobile phones, social media, and search engines as well for finding the consumers and helping them out in various ways. If we don’t have cash with us, we can even buy anything we need and do the payment through digital means, such as by using Paytm, Google pay, Phone pay, etc.
With the advent of digital marketing, people get to know about various goods and services through social media platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, etc., and through advertisements as well. Digital marketing is gaining so much popularity because people spend most of their time online.
Types of Digital Marketing:-
Digital marketing can be categorized into various types:
1) Content marketing – As it is clear from the word content, it means writing. Content marketing is a type of marketing that includes the creation and sharing of different ideas and views on various topics through the means of videos, blogs, social media posts, essays, etc. It does not explicitly promote the good or service but it is intended to arouse the interest of the consumers in that particular good or service.
2) Search engine marketing – This is an emerging type of digital marketing. It is basically used to enhance the visibility of your website in search engine results pages. With the enhancement of your website’s visibility, more traffic is attracted to your website, which eventually leads to more clicks.
3) Mobile marketing – People usually spend most of their time online. There comes the advantage of mobile marketing. It is a multi-channel, digital marketing strategy which promotes their goods and services to their targeted audience via mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets through the means of SMS, MMS, emails, apps, and many more.
4) Social media marketing – It refers to the use of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter, etc., for promoting goods and services. It is gaining so much popularity.
Small Business:
Business basically means producing and selling one’s goods and services in order to earn a living and profits as well.
Small businesses can be defined as businesses that function on a small-scale level, involves less amount of investment on machinery, involves less capital, and less number of laborers. These businesses are often neglected.
Need of Digital Marketing for small businesses:
There are numerous reasons for which small businesses do not boost up. To list a few:
- lack of capital/funding
- lack of management
- lack of consumers
- unsuccessful marketing initiatives
- a faulty infrastructure
- improper team
- wrong location
In order to boost up small businesses, digital marketing plays an essential role.
Reasons for the need of Digital Marketing for small businesses:
- Communication among consumers – When people will know about a good or service, then the demand for that particular good or service tends to increase many times. With the aid of social media platforms, the traffic on the websites of small businesses tends to increase. Here, social media marketing helps in enhancing the traffic on your website.
- Distribution of the content – People are too lazy to read long descriptions about goods and services, or they do not have sufficient time for the same. So, the content delivered for the targeted audience should be catchy, helpful, useful, and short. The traffic on your website widely depends on the type of content it contains. Here, content marketing plays an essential role.
- Tracking the consumer’s behavior – You should keep a track of the consumer’s data/information. By doing this, you will have the record that which good or service is in demand, or which good or service is at the last according to the consumers.
- Transparency is important – If you are giving detailed information about your good or service, it will catch the eyes of the targeted audience, as the consumers feel that the good or service is transparent. This will make them more inclined towards the good or service.
- Diversify your business – You should always try to diversify or extend your business. Plan business strategies to expand your business through social media platforms. Social media marketing plays a vital role in boosting your business.
- Advertising – You should advertise your goods and services as much as you can. This will enhance the traffic on your website. Using digital marketing techniques such as Facebook marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing, etc.
Digital marketing companies:
Digital marketing companies are those companies that focus on results-based marketing in this digital world. They are basically brand-development and lead-generating engines. In 2011, there were only around 50 digital marketing companies in India, but now the number has skyrocketed to 710. Some of the best digital marketing companies are listed below:
- WEBFX
- IGNITE VISIBILITY
- SILVERBACK STRATEGIES
- BIG LEAP
- SEO BRAND
- PERFECT SEARCH MEDIA
- MAXAUDIENCE
- VICTORIOUS
In order to make your business to new heights, planning is the most essential step, then comes its execution. In this, digital marketing companies play a vital role. By seeking the help of digital marketing companies, you can reach more consumers with even less money. Your business can develop at a faster pace if you choose the appropriate digital marketing company. You can choose the appropriate digital marketing company by following some easy steps which are given below:
- Determine your business’s marketing needs
- Finds the suitable company that fulfills your needs
- Research the background of that company
- For any doubt, ask relevant questions
- If you are satisfied, then send a ‘request for proposal’
- Send them a task and review it
- If everything sounds good, then arrange a meeting with that particular digital marketing company
– by Bhavika Lamba