Why Does Digital Marketing Matter for Small Businesses?

These days, small business owners have far more choices to get the word out about their companies than they did even 10 years ago, but many may be resistant to the changes that come with these new avenues for promotion. Therefore, it might be wise for those who may not want to get involved with the kind of digital marketing that is so prevalent in today’s business world to become acquainted with their new options.

The reasons many companies are now beginning to eschew more traditional forms of marketing – such as newspaper, television and radio advertising – and moving on to options they may have available to them online are myriad. First, and perhaps most important, is that the cost involved in coming up with and disseminating online marketing messages often comes to nothing more than the time involved with coming up with them in the first place. This is as opposed to coming up with the same sort of message for broadcast or print, plus the cost involved in actually buying the ad space.

Second, more consumers’ eyes and ears are migrating away from traditional media outlets and relying more on the online world to get all their information. Newspaper subscriptions are dwindling, radio is bleeding listeners in most parts of the country and television viewership is becoming more scattered, but almost everyone uses sites like Facebook every day. And, given certain demographics related to what a small business is selling, they might also have success in marketing on some of the more niche social networks like Twitter (with its large user base of mostly young people) and LinkedIn (heavily favored by professionals with higher income).

So what can new digital marketing do?
One of the best things about this type of advertising is that it is so diverse, according to a report from All Voices. Companies can put messages in a wide variety of places at low or even no cost and help to ensure that they’re reaching only people who might be interested in the kinds of goods or services they offer, rather than hoping an interested party spots a newspaper ad or hears a commercial on the radio. These platforms not only present a marketing opportunity for companies, though. In addition, they allow for customer service that can be preferable from a consumer’s point of view to calling a hotline or filling out a form online and waiting hours or even days for a response. Customers or clients that can rely on that type of service in the event of an issue they might encounter may therefore be more likely to turn to such a company again in the future.

Finally, it’s also important to note how easy it is for consumers to share digital marketing with others if it’s a product they like, the report said. Instead of relying on traditional word of mouth, things can move much more quickly and easily in the digital world, because instead of telling their friends the next time they see them about their positive experience with a product or service a small business provided them, they can quickly type up a message that will then be viewed by hundreds of people or more whenever they next log onto their Facebook or Twitter accounts, for example.

Companies that are looking into digital marketing strictly for financial reasons might be able to improve their standings by simply looking for more affordable small business insurance. Getting less expensive liability insurance coverage, for instance, might allow companies to devote more money to advertising or social media efforts overall.

Why Does Digital Marketing Matter for Small Businesses?

These days, small business owners have far more choices to get the word out about their companies than they did even 10 years ago, but many may be resistant to the changes that come with these new avenues for promotion. Therefore, it might be wise for those who may not want to get involved with the kind of digital marketing that is so prevalent in today’s business world to become acquainted with their new options.

The reasons many companies are now beginning to eschew more traditional forms of marketing – such as newspaper, television and radio advertising – and moving on to options they may have available to them online are myriad. First, and perhaps most important, is that the cost involved in coming up with and disseminating online marketing messages often comes to nothing more than the time involved with coming up with them in the first place. This is as opposed to coming up with the same sort of message for broadcast or print, plus the cost involved in actually buying the ad space.

Second, more consumers’ eyes and ears are migrating away from traditional media outlets and relying more on the online world to get all their information. Newspaper subscriptions are dwindling, radio is bleeding listeners in most parts of the country and television viewership is becoming more scattered, but almost everyone uses sites like Facebook every day. And, given certain demographics related to what a small business is selling, they might also have success in marketing on some of the more niche social networks like Twitter (with its large user base of mostly young people) and LinkedIn (heavily favored by professionals with higher income).

So what can new digital marketing do?
One of the best things about this type of advertising is that it is so diverse, according to a report from All Voices. Companies can put messages in a wide variety of places at low or even no cost and help to ensure that they’re reaching only people who might be interested in the kinds of goods or services they offer, rather than hoping an interested party spots a newspaper ad or hears a commercial on the radio. These platforms not only present a marketing opportunity for companies, though. In addition, they allow for customer service that can be preferable from a consumer’s point of view to calling a hotline or filling out a form online and waiting hours or even days for a response. Customers or clients that can rely on that type of service in the event of an issue they might encounter may therefore be more likely to turn to such a company again in the future.

Finally, it’s also important to note how easy it is for consumers to share digital marketing with others if it’s a product they like, the report said. Instead of relying on traditional word of mouth, things can move much more quickly and easily in the digital world, because instead of telling their friends the next time they see them about their positive experience with a product or service a small business provided them, they can quickly type up a message that will then be viewed by hundreds of people or more whenever they next log onto their Facebook or Twitter accounts, for example.

Companies that are looking into digital marketing strictly for financial reasons might be able to improve their standings by simply looking for more affordable small business insurance. Getting less expensive liability insurance coverage, for instance, might allow companies to devote more money to advertising or social media efforts overall.