Small businesses may be dwarfed by bigger enterprises in the physical world but in the online stratosphere, it can occupy a giant presence if driven by a smart digital marketing strategy.

As small businesses begin its journey, it usually starts with word-of-mouth raves from family members, friends and a small circle of earliest clients. Here and there, signboards, flyers and print ads on community billboards may do the trick. But as audience reach is maximized, small business needs to adapt to the modern way of marketing by branching into digital marketing.

A sound digital marketing plan can enable small businesses to catch-up with the bigger ones, reach a wider market potential proceeding to earning increased profits.

So, if digital marketing is still an alien concept to you, here are some examples on why digital marketing is important to taking your small business to another level of success.

Digital Marketing boost exposure of small businesses

In today’s social media age, people with access to computers and smartphones usually spend at least 35% of their time working or scrolling through different digital platforms. More than 80% of the world’s population is on social media at least twice a month. 75% of Facebook users are logging in on the platform once a day while Instagram has more than 50% of its total users using it every day.

These are staggering number of potential clients your brand or small business can be exposed to through a strategic targeted digital marketing campaign.

If you can get the word about your small business out there digitally, expect interest in your brand to spike or grow tremendously.

Digital Marketing is cheaper compared to traditional advertising

Gone are the days when a small business would need wads of cash just to put up an advertisement that can reach thousands of people. Thanks to digital marketing, you can save far more cash and still reach more potential customers just by putting up an engaging content advertising your brand online.

All you need are creativity and a flair for producing quality content and the word about your small business will be read, watched and shared online.

Take advantage of Influencer engagement

According to industry reports, more than 80% of consumers rely on reading online reviews when deciding on their shopping needs. Positive recommendations from people familiar to potential customers generate 45% more persuasive selling than traditional advertisement methods.

If your small business can tap into an “influencer” with many followers and whose content is related to your brand—like for example a travel influencer and your products are hiking items, you can introduce your small business to potentially thousands more customers. 

It connects your brand closer to clients

Digital marketing also includes the creation of a system where your customers can directly communicate feedback, reviews and impressions about your products and services. Because of this, you get to immediately respond to each and therefore meet the quality of service your clients demand thus creating a closer bond with them by bringing your small business more accessible even from the confines of their homes.

It helps you keep tab of your competitors

In the old days, small business owners may need to take a long walk just to spy on their competitors. What new promotional sale they are having? what marketing gimmick are they doing? those are some of the things you want to get updated on from your competitors.

Nowadays, with most businesses hooked online, you can easily keep tab of what your competitors are doing if you are also engage in digital marketing.

What form of content are they using to attract potential customers? are they heavy on writing blog articles, producing videos or adept at posting catchy images? By learning about their strategies, it will also help you form your own digital marketing strategy.

You get to know your customers’ needs more

To be able to capture new leads and turn them into potential clients, you need to properly identify what your customer truly needs.

Through digital marketing, you can also identify the needs of your customers. From there, you can enhance your services by fulfilling those demands and in return, you get a greater chance of transforming them into loyal customers.

Remember that an effective digital marketing also involves market research that will help your small business know what course of action to take in addressing customer wants and needs.

Digital Marketing levels playing field against large businesses

As Ann Smarty wrote in her article for Digital Marketer, “The great thing about digital marketing is that ingenuity and creativity can always win over big marketing budgets”

Enough said. That’s all you need to know about the reach, scope and importance of digital marketing. A creative and genuine way of sending your brand message across different online platforms can topple even the big-budgeted advertising campaigns of big companies.