Top 5 Digital Marketing Channels for Small Businesses

Digital marketing is essential for the growth of any small business | Image: leverageedu.com

With more than 125 million Micro, Small, and Mid-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in existence all over the world, the need to find new markets and audiences, as well as better ways to effectively reach, convert, sell, and continuously upsell customers has driven most of these MSMEs towards Digital Marketing. Everything and everyone, including the target markets of these businesses are drifting towards the digital space, and if these small businesses must continue to make sales, they need to reach their markets wherever they are, which in recent times has become the digital space.

But there are lots of ways, methods, and channels to reach your audience or promote your product/service with digital marketing, and most small businesses do not know which of these digital marketing channels would suit their product or the strengths of their business. So, in this article I'd be highlighting 5 of the best digital marketing channels for small businesses.

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Your website is the face of your business online | Image: pixelmechanics.com.sg

1. Your Website

Every business, big or small, needs a website. Your website is the face of your brand on the internet and can also be used as a landing page for other marketing channels. Not only does your website say who you are, what you do, and how you do it; it is also a very good branding tool because it sets your business apart from others, making it unique. As you know, most people (including you and I) rely on the internet for information about any service, product, person, or business. And what happens when people want to find out information about your business from the internet is that the internet search engines present your website as the main source of information for your business. 

Therefore, you need a website for your business if you want to succeed with any digital marketing strategy.

Social media is the new gold mine | Image: smallbiztrend.com

2. Social Media 

Social media has proven to be a very profitable venture for small businesses in recent times (it probably accounts for the increase in demand for social media managers). But while it is easy and free to create a business page on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, et.c, without a good strategy, the effort goes to waste. Over the years, most businesses have used social media for customer support, branding, and  community management; but with the introduction of social commerce, things have taken a different turn. They now set up social media shops, run ads, and generate sales on social media. 

You should also note that consumers also use social media to find information and review a business, so you should treat your business profile/wall like you treat your website.

Email marketing nurtures leads and builds relationships | Images: sender.net

3. Email Marketing

Although people argue that social media has taken the shine away from email marketing, studies have shown that emails get 40 times more customers than social media. Ever wondered why your email inbox and spam box always brim with messages? It's because email marketing still works. 

But why do small businesses shy from it? Because they do it wrongly. Your email marketing should be seen as a part of your website, a more interactive part albeit. The emails should be as interesting as the copywriting and content on your website and as transparent as your business values. 

When starting out email marketing, an organic approach should be taken — use lead magnets to attract subscriptions to your newsletter, or ask first-time customers to subscribe. Then you try to deliver the high quality content that you promised when they subscribe, people find it unfair when you don't live up to your marketing promises. 

With a nice strategy and a well-thought email sequence in place, you also will attest to email marketing's $36 return on every $1 spent.

SEO is the bloodline of organic traffic | Image: oberlo.com

4. Search Engine Optimization/Marketing

It should be no surprise that Search Engine Marketing is one of the best digital marketing channels. Optimizing his website to rank well in his niche for search queries is the dream of any business owner, so although SEO is a very interesting, dynamic, and somewhat complicated topic, it doesn't  scare off any business that wants to grow. 

A lot has been said about the changing algorithms of search engines, the cost of backlinks (backlinks can be gotten freely with good guest posts, though), and the numerous practices to be followed for SEO, but it might interest you to know that with some right and simple strategies, you can achieve good SEO results.

Search Engine Marketing is a surefire way to better organic traffic, leads, and monetization structures, and when combined with a good social media marketing strategy and newsletter, the sky is the limit.

Videos are the new way to go for great reach and engagement | Image: online marketing institute.org

5. Video content Marketing

Video content has certainly come to stay and is already showing the signs with a bang. Stats show that over 5 billion videos are watched on Youtube every day, meaning that videos are a form of content that people are willing to view and engage themselves in. Consequently, any business that employs video content would most certainly see better results. Opinion leaders have also said that the short reel videos of Facebook and Instagram have better organic reach and impressions than any other type of content on the platforms.

Videos have potentials in any industry, niche, or business; and they can now be readily made and edited to perfection with the various tools and softwares available today. Consider adding videos into your social media plan, website, landing pages, and video-only platforms like YouTube for better marketing results.

All digital marketing channels are effective when executed well and with the right strategy or plan. It is important to note that you shouldn't rely on a particular channel for traffic; explore other areas and find out more strengths for your business growth.

Tell us the digital marketing channel you'll like to explore in the comments section below.