How to Grow Your Small Business with Digital Marketing in 2024

For today’s small business owners, having an online presence and utilizing digital marketing is no longer optional – it’s essential for reaching new customers and driving business growth. With more and more consumers turning to the internet for product information, reviews and recommendations, small businesses that don’t adapt to a digital-first strategy risk getting left behind.

 The key digital marketing channels of search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media, email and mobile marketing provide powerful and cost-effective opportunities to connect with target audiences and grow a loyal customer base.

The Importance of Being Discoverable Online

In a 2019 survey of 2000 small business owners by WebFX, 97% said the main goal of digital marketing is to increase visibility and help potential customers find their business online. For context, a similar survey in 2016 found only 63% naming online visibility as the top goal, showing the growing importance of digital discoverability.

Modern consumers turn to Google and social media constantly throughout the day to search for products, brands and businesses – brands that show up prominently in these searches through SEO and PPC advertising have a distinct competitive advantage.

According to digital marketing firm Disruptive Advertising, businesses that appear on page 1 of Google for a targeted keyword phrase can expect a 117% increase in website traffic on average.

Driving Traffic and Conversions with PPC & SEO

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and search engine optimization (SEO) create opportunities to drive targeted traffic to your website when people are searching for related products or services. 

Though organic SEO takes time, brands investing in content optimization and backlink-building generally see a 500% increase in organic traffic on average according to HubSpot. 

For more immediate traffic and conversions, paid search ads can help – eMarketer reports that PPC has a conversion rate between 2-3%, more than 3 times higher than outbound marketing methods like cold calling. 

Though paid advertising works faster, SEO provides long-term growth potential. Brands like Sleep Number that maintain both strong organic rankings and strategic PPC campaigns see 25% higher conversion rates on average according to OptinMonster.

The Value of Social Media Marketing 

Social media marketing allows brands to establish connections directly with their target audience and build an engaged community. Not only does it provide a channel for paid ads, but also opportunities to generate word-of-mouth organically.

Social media drives referral traffic to websites, increases brand awareness, and is essential for reputation management. According to Sprout Social, 97% of consumers say they’ve discovered new brands and products on social media. 

Beyond sales, social media enables better customer service scaling allowing brands to respond to feedback and complaints. A study by BrightLocal found that 42% of consumers expect brands to offer customer service through social media, showing its growing dual importance for sales and service.

Leveraging Email Marketing 

While social media and SEO help brands connect with new audiences, email marketing strengthens relationships with existing customers. Through segmented email campaigns targeted to different user groups, brands can nurture leads across the sales funnel. 

According to Campaign Monitor, email achieves a return on investment (ROI) of 3800%, the highest of any marketing channel. Beyond promotional messaging, email marketing facilitates transactional communication, providing confirmations, receipts and reminders that build trust and loyalty. 

Integrating email capture on a website with lead magnets like gated content gives brands a way to retarget website visitors and turn them into subscribers and customers. Personalized email nurturing after signup improves open and click through rates as subscribers get more relevant content over time.

Getting Found Locally

For service area-based businesses, digital marketing improves local SEO to help nearby customers find you on search engines and maps. According to Search Engine Land, 49% of smartphone users look for local information on a daily basis.

Creating and optimizing Google My Business, Apple Maps and other business listings provides an opportunity to rank for local pack search results and map searches. 

Beyond search, platforms like Facebook and Google provide options to run hyperlocal paid advertising campaigns, targeting customers within specific distances or geographic regions. Local results and ads build trust and relevance with customers searching for services nearby.

Going Mobile

With mobile accounting for 72% of internet usage according to Insider Intelligence, brands need a website and marketing strategy optimized for mobile users. 

From simple steps like ensuring fast load times and using responsive web design to advanced tactics like creating mobile apps and SMS marketing, brands have many options to improve mobile experience.

Location data from mobile devices informs hyperlocal targeting for push notifications and ads. Mobile search has surpassed desktop, with Google reporting 60% of searches now happening on mobile devices. As such, making sure site content and navigation work for mobile is necessary to remain visible and accessible in local search results.

Also Read: Can digital marketing makes you rich?

Conclusion:

For today’s digitally-powered consumers, digital marketing through search, social, email and mobile provides the ideal channels for brands to drive awareness, generate leads and make sales.

As platforms and strategies keep evolving, investing in digital marketing skills and tools remains essential for modern small business success and growth. Through the ever-changing digital landscape can feel overwhelming, the highest rewards come to brands willing to learn, keep testing and build connections in the places where their audience is already spending their time and attention.

References:

– 500% increase in organic traffic with SEO (HubSpot)

https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics

– 97% discover new brands on social media (Sprout Social)

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/

– Email ROI of 3800% (Campaign Monitor) 

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