While small businesses are a major part of the U.S. economic landscape, they account for only a small percentage of online advertising. Many small businesses spend money on traditional marketing methods like print ads and coupon mailers rather than on digital content or online strategies, which can be measured and benchmarked. Many small business owners have been unable to capitalize on the HUGE market of potential customers that is available online because they are stuck in this mindset.
Why Small Businesses Aren’t Adopting
For most small businesses, a shift away from traditional marketing methods and an increased focus on online advertising is exactly what’s needed. A recent Boston Consulting Group survey of 550 small business owners found that most small businesses are unaware of the many digital advertising options they have available. These findings show that digital advertising isn’t just for big companies. The problem is that small businesses don’t understand how to evaluate and utilize online strategies. They often partner with the wrong companies, and they have negative first impressions.
John Rose, senior partner at BCG and author of a recent Ad Week report on the study, suggested that companies with less than 100 employees (the “small business” definition used in the description) are more concerned about getting customers into the doors than they are thinking long-term marketing initiatives.
He said that the small-to-medium enterprise community is faced with a multitude of digital marketing and advertising options. “Most of these businesses don’t have a marketing professional who has the expertise to make them,” he stated in the article. It’s hard to sort through the 20-40 unsolicited requests that they receive each month for digital marketing products A and B.
Tips on Evaluating Digital Marketing Partners
We have compiled a list of quick tips to help new digital marketers better understand how digital marketing functions and evaluate potential partners.
- The cheapest price does not mean that it’s the best choice. You need to have a plan and invest some money to be successful on the Internet.
- You can also ask for references from customers and speak to them directly about their experiences.
- Understanding that digital marketing requires time… Take a 4- to 6-month view of success, but ensure that your partner completes all the necessary steps months 1 through 3.
- Learn more about digital marketing by working with your agency. Their job is to not only run your strategy but also to educate you.
- Do not be afraid to ask your partner about their strategy.
Our Approach
The key to solving the digital stagnation for small businesses is to make it clear to them how digital marketing works — without the frills. Just the basics. By being transparent with our clients at all times, we stand out from other digital marketing agencies that confuse small business owners. Before we start, we tell them everything in plain English. No marketing jargon.
We also help small and large companies increase their revenue by making their website more specific for search engines such as Google. Small businesses are not indexed properly, so search engines don’t understand why they are there. Google can determine what small businesses sell or offer by optimizing their websites with honest practices. This will make it easier to reach interested clients on the Internet.
Wrapping up
The BCG study did not dispute that almost every business has its website. Not every small business is aware of how to make its website visible to consumers. Companies invest time and money in their physical storefronts or real estate. Now, it’s time to do the same for your digital storefront.