Online marketing is one of the best tools that small and medium-sized businesses have today to make themselves known, attract customers, and surpass their competition. However, many, believe it or not, still do not focus their efforts on their digital strategy.
This can represent a huge loss of potential customers. In this post, you can find various digital channels that SMEs can use economically and effectively.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential to improve a company’s online visibility. By optimizing their website and creating relevant content, small and medium-sized businesses can attract organic traffic from search engines like Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo, which can significantly increase customer acquisition. In addition, depending on the scope you want to reach, you should consider the peculiarities of local SEO or international SEO if you are targeting audiences in multiple countries and/or languages.
Local SEO
For local businesses, local SEO focuses on attracting customers in their geographical area. This is achieved by optimizing the company’s information in local directories, managing reviews, and creating location-specific content. It is very important to have a Google Business profile created and optimized so that users in the area can find you easily, as well as the most relevant information about your business (hours, prices, contact, etc.)
Reviews on services like Google Reviews or Trustpilot are also very important when it comes to positioning your business in local SEO.
International SEO
One of the advantages of the internet is that it allows you to expand your business to locations different from where you are physically located. For companies looking to expand globally, international SEO involves optimizing content and strategies for international audiences. This can include content translation and adaptation to the cultural preferences of different regions, as well as the best multilanguage practices to apply on your website.
Paid Search
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising through platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads allows companies to reach a specific audience by creating ads and bidding on relevant keywords. This way, ads will appear in relevant search results, allowing you to offer precise and effective ads.
Social Media
Social media provides a space for content and product promotion. SMEs can use content and advertising strategies on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter) to attract new customers and improve interaction with existing ones.
Organic
Organic traffic refers to visitors who come to a website or social profile naturally, without paid advertising. High-quality content strategies and maintaining good engagement with your followers are key to achieving a successful organic strategy. It’s what is known as “virality.”
Social Ads
Advertising on social media platforms like Meta (Facebook, Instagram), LinkedIn, or TikTok allows companies to promote their products or services specifically to their target audience by creating specific audiences based on interests, demographics, or other criteria.
Reviews / Social Proof
Reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers can influence the purchasing decision of new customers. Managing and encouraging positive reviews is essential. This is known as social proof, the way companies try to showcase reviews and testimonials from previous customers to improve the trust of potential customers considering a business relationship.
Obtaining genuine testimonials from people who have interacted with your business has become one of the essential pillars of online marketing to provide trust and credibility to those who have not yet completed a transaction to acquire your products or services.
There are various sites that allow you to collect and manage user reviews that have interacted with your business, and they have become very important in evaluating the online reputation of your business. We mention some of the most important ones below:
Google Reviews
This is Google’s service through which users can rate an interaction with a business. Since it is integrated into Google Maps, it is one of the most popular rating services in the world.
Check out our complete guide on how to use Google Reviews here
TrustPilot
Trustpilot is an online platform that allows users to leave reviews and opinions about companies and services. It focuses on collecting feedback from real customers and creating an online community of verified reviews. Companies use Trustpilot to collect and display customer reviews on their websites and manage their online reputation by interacting with customer comments.
Check out our complete guide on how to use Trustpilot here
G2
G2 is a platform for reviewing software and business services that allows users to review and compare products and technological solutions. This platform stands out for its detailed reviews and opinions from verified users, which helps businesses make informed decisions when selecting software and services for their business needs.
Capterra
Capterra is a website for reviewing and comparing software and business services that helps businesses find the right solutions for their needs. Users can leave reviews and opinions about specific software, providing other businesses with valuable information about the effectiveness and suitability of available solutions in the market.
Product Hunt
Product Hunt is an online platform that showcases emerging and innovative technological products and services. Users can discover and discuss the latest technology innovations, applications, and products. It is a place where startups and new companies can present their products to an audience interested in technology.
Tripadvisor
TripAdvisor is a travel review platform that allows users to leave reviews and opinions about hotels, restaurants, tourist destinations, and travel-related activities. User reviews play an important role in the travel planning of many people, as they provide information about real experiences and recommendations for other travelers.
These specific review platforms offer opportunities for businesses to collect customer feedback and testimonials, and it is recommended to keep active and up-to-date profiles on them.
Blog
Maintaining an updated blog with relevant content can increase visibility and attract customers interested in the industry or the company’s products. Content marketing is one of the most popular and profitable channels in recent years, especially in sectors like B2B and SaaS. A Blog is a very effective part of a content marketing strategy for business.
Guest Post
Collaborating with other blogs or websites through guest posts can help your company reach new audiences and increase authority in your industry, which is very important when it comes to differentiating your content.
Email and SMS
Email marketing and text messaging (SMS) allow businesses to communicate directly with their customers and encourage engagement and loyalty.
Both channels offer a great return on investment and help improve the relationship with customers, increasing their lifetime value and loyalty to the brand.
Referrals
Encouraging word-of-mouth and referral programs can be an effective way to attract new customers through recommendations from existing customers. Rewarding recommendations from satisfied customers is one of the most rewarding scaling strategies in some sectors.
Marketplaces
Selling products or services through marketplace platforms can expand a company’s exposure to a wider audience.
Chrome Extensions
Chrome extensions can offer useful tools to customers and increase brand visibility.
Shopify
Using the Shopify e-commerce platform can facilitate the creation of an online store and acquiring customers online.
Communities
Participating in online communities such as Reddit, Quora, or LinkedIn and Facebook groups allows businesses to interact with their target audience and answer questions related to their industry.
In fact, creating your own community is something that many small businesses are doing with really profitable results.
Video
Creating video content for platforms like YouTube and TikTok is also a way to expand your audiences. Video search has been a growing trend for years, and this type of content is increasingly consumed by users, especially from younger generations.
Influencer Marketing
Collaborating with influencers who align with your brand can help businesses reach a wider audience and build trust in their product or service.
Digital Press
Exposure in the media and sending press releases through platforms like Comunicae can increase the visibility and credibility of the company. Another option is to try to be quoted as an expert in an article related to your industry. This way, you can get quality backlinks to your site and improve your reputation among users.
Podcast
Creating your own podcast or participating in relevant podcasts can help businesses connect with their audience in a more intimate and educational way. Currently, there are many podcast distribution channels like iVoox, and if episodes are also recorded in video, you can generate content for platforms like YouTube or TikTok.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many channels through which a small business can expand its reach, reaching potential customers with little or no initial investment. Finding the most efficient ones depending on the business and combining them to enhance them will allow for much greater expansion and growth.
