Are you a roll-up your sleeves and get-to-work type of entrepreneur? If so, this article was written for you.
Below, we go into detail about three digital marketing tasks a small business owner can handle with no prior marketing experience. That’s right, no need for courses. Just a little time and elbow grease and you can begin putting your company on the map.
So without further ado, let’s dive into it.
#1 – Write your own blogs
If money is tight and time is plentiful, we suggest adopting a passion for writing and starting a blog for your company. It is one of the best ways to get your website to show up in search engines, allowing potential customers and clients to discover your brand. Here are a few helpful tips to get you on the right path.
When starting a blog, make a list of questions your target audience may want to be answered. And just like that, you have blog topics to start with.
Alongside the topics, think about what your target audience may search to find your blog. For example, a furniture company may want to discuss proper ways of cleaning maple-wood table tops.
So by placing yourself in the shoes of the audience, you may assume they would search:
-how to clean wooden table tops
-how to take care of maple wood furniture
-cleaning solution for maple wood
And from there, I would pull some of the main keywords to include:
-cleaning solution
-maple wood
-wooden table tops
-maple wood furniture
-cleaning wood
And just like that, you are already starting to implement tried and true SEO (search engine optimization) strategy to your blog, just as a paid marketer would.
You won’t be perfect at this, but it is much better to focus on delivering valuable thoughts to your audience than making every detail of your post shiny.
Here are some final best practices for starting your blog:
-If you are targeting local audiences, don’t skimp out on the local key terms.
-Put main keywords into the title and headers
-Split content into sections (title, headers, paragraphs)
-Write at least 500 words, but don’t get too long-winded. Cut yourself off at 2000 max and create another article.
-Post at least 1 blog per month, but the more the better as long as you stay consistent.
-Use links within your content to be helpful, but if you link off your site, choose the option to open in a new tab.
-Always include a call to action – what would you like the reader to do next?
#2 – Create a simple email funnel
Once you have a blog up and running and you are adding content consistently, you should start to see more traffic coming to your site. But what will you do next with all that traffic?
I highly recommend developing a simple email funnel to keep that traffic coming back for more. This is a prime opportunity where you can turn website visitors into fans, which can lead to sales.
Disclaimer: The next section includes an affiliate link that pays us a small percentage if you sign up for their service through the link below.
And it doesn’t have to be difficult to do! Using inexpensive platforms such as ActiveCampaign where you pay a monthly low fee and gain access to simple applications and resources to nurture your audience.
To get started on an email funnel, think first about the best ways to ask for their email. Some suggestions include:
-Starting a monthly newsletter
-Provide a download (such as an ebook or checklist)
-Encourage contact form submissions (get in touch, book a call CTA)
-Or all of the above!
I highly recommend looking into laws before launching an email funnel, but they aren’t too complicated. If it seems ethical, it probably is.
I get this question a lot: Can I add a large list of emails to my newsletter?
No, you cannot just add a random list to a newsletter and spam them. You can, however, email people and ask if they want to sign up for their newsletter. Just remember how you would want your email to be treated.
Here are some topic ideas to include in your email funnel:
-Important links (sign up for a newsletter, discover products/services, about the company)
-A CTA to the next step (visit us online, give us a review, fill out a feedback form)
-For newsletters only, updates on the company and links to the newest blogs
The best part about an email funnel is that it is a good example of setting it and forgetting it. Once you have it put together, your EMS (email marketing system) will do the heavy lifting for you.
#3, Post on Social Media
Notice this is put last on the list.
The truth is, when it comes to growing a small business, it is the first thing entrepreneurs think to do but usually one of the last channels that can help companies grow. Keep in mind, that just like everything, there are some exceptions to this generalization.
Social media has a special place in marketing, and it is NOT usually for building leads. Instead, it is an excellent way to build brand awareness, where people discover who you are and build a relationship with you. But remember, social media platforms serve many different purposes:
-LinkedIn for thought leaders
-Instagram for discovery and pleasure
-Facebook for social and connection
-Pinterest for search capabilities (like a search engine)
-Twitter for short mind dumping
-Youtube for education
-TikTok for discovery and pleasure
And that is just to name a few!
The point is that your audience probably lives on all of these platforms. But in this modern, social-media-crazed age, this marketing approach takes a lot of planning, thought, time, and more time. And you cannot expect to create one social media post and blast it across all the channels anymore. Social media is all about intention.
I will say that social media is a fun, excellent way to stay connected to your audience. I DO think you should have social media accounts and I DO think you should deliver quality content. But since you cannot do it all, we suggest picking a few platforms that your audience will be hanging out and start with a couple of posts per week and grow from there.
Digital Marketing Takes A Lot of Time
At Bizop Media, we wish to wrap up this blog with the hope to empower you to begin a marketing journey that can help you grow. It does take a lot of time, but it also can pay off big in the end.
And remember your options. If you cannot find a way to do all the marketing tasks you’d like, you could look into hiring a freelancer, agency, or internal employee to help. All of these options are great to help your company grow.
We have developed a FREE marketing master sheet downloadable to help you plan out your content and stick to a recurring marketing plan. It won’t cost you a thing, so give it a try!
If you have any questions or need digital marketing help for your small business, Bizop Media can help with large scopes of marketing work. Additionally, we can provide connections to freelancers to help you get specific marketing tasks accomplished. Schedule a consultation today.
