Startups normally have a tighter marketing budget to work with, which makes it harder to compete with well-established businesses. UnboxingStartups.com details that the most important benefit of digital marketing for startups is how it can raise awareness. The more people who know about your business, the greater your potential is to make a sell. However, the entrepreneurship blog also mentions that 17% of startups fail because of poor marketing.
Fortunately, you don’t need a big budget to create an effective marketing strategy. Here are a few low-budget ideas for marketing your startup digitally:
Post on social media accounts
Social media is now one of the most common avenues to effectively build a brand and reach a target audience. Backlinko.com outlines how 4.48 billion people use social media platforms globally. While Facebook is still king when it comes to its user base, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn are very widely used, alongside newer sites like TikTok. All of these sites are free to use, making them ideal for startups who want to get their brand out there without spending too much on advertising.
It is beneficial to create accounts on the platforms preferred by your target market, not just on the most popular sites. In order to maximize social media, it’s important to be consistent in your posting to build a loyal following. Do note that the content you provide should be aligned with your brand’s personality and provide value to your followers — don't post just to sell.
Utilize Google My Business
You’ve probably already experienced searching for a particular product or service on Google, and being presented with suggestions as to where you can get it. Your business can do this too by utilizing Google My Business, which is a free tool to promote your business profile and website on Google Search and Maps. An article on finance site AskMoney.com notes that setting up a Google My Business page will help your business become more visible in search results. This is a budget friendly way to drive traffic to your site. Potential customers must also be able to get information, such as company contact details, business hours, and location.
To claim and verify your business, create Google Account for your business and make a business profile, which includes adding your business to Google Maps. Then, sign up for a Google My Business account using your business’s Google Account. You can then request to claim your Business Profile to verify your ownership of the business. Google My Business is a simple tool that easily attracts potential customers.
Publish dedicated blogs for your business
Making a blog is a great way to make content a regular part of your marketing campaign. You can use blogging to drive more traffic to your website and increase user engagement. It’s also a way to establish authority in your field and build consumer trust. If your business is in the fashion industry, for example, you can talk about trends, give fashion tips, or definitively answer questions from your followers. A blog also gives you a supply of sharable content to your other platforms.
If you already have an existing business website, blogging services like Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress let you integrate the blog directly onto your site. While design is important, here at LiftOfff.com we believe that your site should also be functional and responsive in order to give your site visitors the best experience. Similar to your social media content, you should post regularly, and the content you provide should be relevant to your audience.
Digital marketing gives startups opportunities to promote their business through various ways, from social media to search engines. If planned correctly, your affordable digital marketing strategy can effectively help you create a pool of potential customers.
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