3 New Reasons All Small Businesses Need Internet Marketing

Every new business is unique and so is their visibility online. However, for most new small businesses their visibility is likely to be non-existent. Small business owners need to comprehend the importance of online presence and how it can drastically affect not only their revenue but their brand recognition and reputation. The Internet is a tool that’s accessible by almost every consumer in North America and use of communication through the Internet grows with each passing year.

For consumers to become aware of your brand, they need to be able to find you where they search the most... i.e. the Internet. Below, you can find 3 new reasons that all small businesses need Internet Marketing to boost their business.

Micro Moments Have Changed the Sales Funnel

Think of the moments in your day when you pull out your phone to search something online, and every time you do so, your intent is a little different. The user's intent will fall under one or more of these categories: I-want-to-know; I-want-to-do; I-want-to-go; and, I-want-to-buy. Google has defined these I-want categories as Micro Moments. These moments are critical in the new customer's journey, as they are filled with the intent of conversion.

Consumers are no longer a part of the old sales funnel, decisions are now made from random moments at various stages within this new sales cycle. As a business, you have to be present in each one of these moments to capture your consumer's attention. To do this, create brand authority and awareness by being useful and providing relevant information in an efficient manner by means of clever ads, blogs, videos, social media and by also having a responsive website optimized for mobile devices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNltt5_LbG8

Video Content is Putting Your Brand Ahead of Competitors

Videos are accounting for an increasing amount of consumer traffic on the Internet. Thus, In recent years there’s been a drastic incline in brands using videos to trump competitors and promote their own awareness. The power that videos have on consumers can be directly seen and understood through YouTube. Short explainer videos can be used on websites to explain your product/service to your consumers, they can be used as case studies to show what your business can accomplish for others, and for SEO purposes as Google’s 2013 hummingbird update has given preference to websites that contain videos alongside other forms of content. Videos can be shared through social media, so creating shareable and digestible content is key. It’s important to put yourself in the perspective of your consumer and make sure that your video will be useful to them.

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One in Every 7 Minutes is Spent on Social Media

Social media is incredibly important to leverage, especially for a small business owner. With Americans spending one in every 7 minutes on social media, there’s a huge potential for market reach. Small business owners can take this opportunity to interact directly with fans and engage with their consumers. Facebook advertising can also bring your social media campaigns to another level, ads show up in users newsfeeds and when these users are on mobile devices, these ads are near impossible to miss. Facebook advertising also gives owners and marketers the ability to geo target and choose specific demographics of users to target, eliminating any potential ad waste.

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Consumer behavior is always changing and it’s important for small businesses to understand these changes and to know how to leverage them for their benefit. With the Internet being such a big part of everyone’s lives, it’s critical that businesses are on the Internet and are visible to those who are searching for them in that moment.