Every year, marketing for small business becomes simultaneously simpler and more complex. Technological advances create more accessibility, meaning that small businesses with limited resources are able to compete. On the other hand, new technology means always learning and evolving to keep up with trends.
2019 brings with it the promise of evolving current trends and new, interesting innovations. Here are three tips to gear up your small business marketing for 2019.
Automation has become a buzzword over the course of 2018. With businesses flocking to see how AI and machine learning can help them achieve their goals. For small businesses, automation creates huge opportunity, as the limited resources available often make a business stagnant. Business owners get caught up in the daily operations and thus don’t have the time to find new customers. The lack of new customers results in insufficient resources to hire additional assistance, and the cycle continues.
In 2019, businesses must prioritize their marketing automation strategy. Small businesses that don’t already have an email sales funnel must develop one using resources like Parserr to save time pulling leads from email submission. Creating an automated email chain using a lead magnet will build a rapport with customers while the human resources focus on their daily tasks.
Automated marketing techniques help generate leads that will ultimately expand the business. Without adding more responsibilities to the key players in a small business. In many cases, automated marketing efforts are affordable. Or even free to implement, as long as time is set aside for the initial setup.
While social media continues to grow in terms of connecting with potential customers, there’s a flip side to the equation. People are becoming more aware of the falsehoods often portrayed on social media, and brands are facing a lot of scrutinies. In 2019, it’s important to find a balance between those perfect photos and showing a human side of the business.
Rather than having models and polished presentations, many brands are starting to find for success by showcasing “real” people using their products. This might mean sharing customer photos and engaging in more community events. Grassroots social media and brand authenticity will continue to become more prevalent as 2019 rolls on.
It’s also important for small business owners to become a part of their brand, adding a face to the business. Insider views of putting together customer orders or balancing work with family create a human connection that customers appreciate in the social media age.
SEO remains an elusive concept for many small businesses, and content marketing is put on the back burner due to time restrictions. In 2019, SEO will continue to be a key player in modern marketing efforts. With more businesses taking the time to understand and take advantage of this opportunity to reach customers.
However, 2019 will become a little more complex in strategizing for SEO as voice search becomes more prevalent. For example, someone looking for information about restaurants in Dallas may type “best restaurant Dallas” in a search bar, with no concern for capitalization or grammar. However, during voice search, they might ask “what are the best restaurants in Dallas?” putting the search phrase in the form of a question, and ultimately changing the sequence of keywords.
When addressing content marketing efforts, even in the form of blog posts and social media updates, businesses will need to find a balance between voice search SEO and traditional SEO to optimize their reach. With home assistants on the rise, it’s estimated that 50% of all searches will be conducted by voice by the year 2020.
As 2018 comes to a close and 2019 starts fresh and new. It’s essential that all small businesses take time to pause and reflect on the past year before making decisions for the year ahead. Changing market demands, innovative tools, and growth strategies create exciting opportunities in the world of business. While rapid evolution and changing geopolitical climates create challenges.
Having a strong small business marketing strategy in 2019 can help create a cohesive brand that will keep customers calling. As the saying goes, it’s time to adapt or face extinction.
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