You have a great product or service. You worked hard to create a brand and image for your business. You tested and tweaked your marketing strategy, and now you are ready to take it to the online world. But how can you maximize your online marketing efforts while still maintaining a small business feel? What are the most effective ways to connect with your customers, prospects, and fans?

The answer is simple. You need to work digitally and practically. What does that mean?

1. Create a solid social media strategy

You cannot succeed in today’s digital world if you do not have a strong social media presence. Your customers and potential customers will quickly find you on social media. It’s important to have a strategy before you begin to build your presence on social media. You should have a clear idea of what you will post and when you will post it. You can also use social media to send out marketing messages about upcoming sales, events, and other aspects of your business.

2. Identify the right platforms for your business

There are many platforms out there that you can use to connect with people. You want to pick a place where your audience is, so you can best engage with them. When you are deciding which platforms to use, consider the size of your audience, the type of content you will post, and your existing social media presence. For example, if you have a larger audience on Instagram than you do on LinkedIn, you might want to try out Instagram.

3. Customize your website and blog for optimum performance

When someone visits your website or takes the time to browse your blog, you want them to feel that your business is right there with them. That means you need to create a cozy, inviting space that makes them feel like you are sitting down with them to have a conversation.

The look and feel of your website or blog is vital for engaging with and collecting information from your audience. You cannot succeed as a small business if you do not have a functional and attractive website.

4. Post regularly, but not too often

It is easy to get distracted by shiny new things and to lose sight of what is important to you. That is why it is crucial to stick to a schedule when posting on social media.

Make a note of what works for you and what does not. Based on that, you can decide whether or not to continue posting on certain platforms. If you feel like you are consistently engaging with your audience and driving business, then by all means, continue posting. But if your main goal is to just get the word out there about your business, try posting less frequently.

5. Use keywords in your content, and make sure those keywords are relevant to your content

The people who visit your website or blog are searching for relevant content. If you want to ensure that your site or blog is noticed by those searching for content related to your niche, you need to include the right keywords in your content. Remember, content is king, so make sure you have a steady stream of high-quality content published regularly.

Include the right keywords in your headings, sentences, and snippets of content. When someone is searching for content on social media related to your niche, your website or blog will appear near the top of the results.

6. Measure the effectiveness of your marketing strategies

You cannot judge the effectiveness of your marketing efforts by simply looking at the numbers. You need to consider how many people you reached, how many obtained records of interest, how many people clicked on a particular advertisement or social media post, and similar metrics.

Keeping track of all of these various aspects of your marketing strategy is simply too much work. That is why you should always consider looking at the qualitative aspects of your marketing efforts. Ask yourself questions, such as: Did this marketing strategy produce the results I was hoping for? Did it bring in a new audience? Does it seem to be connecting with my ideal buyer?

7. Test different forms of media to see what works best for you

Try out different forms of media to see what works best for you. Do you perform better when you post on social media or do you get more leads when you run an online ad? Which forms of media drive the most interest and engagement from your audience?

The forms of media you use for your marketing efforts depend upon your niche, your budget, and your existing social media presence. It is important to try different platforms to see what works best for you. For example, if you are an Etsy store owner, you might want to try an Instagram story to see how that platform’s particular features help with your audience’s engagement.

8. Use analytics to get a sense of how people are finding your content

You can use analytics tools to get a sense of how people are finding your content. That information can help you identify the platforms your audience is using and how can you best engage with them.

You should look at the data for your own site or blog. That way, you can see what content worked best and where you should focus your attention. Look at the top performing posts on your site or blog to get an idea of what content works best for you. Then, you can use that information to plan your next steps.

Look at the different platforms your content is performing well on. Use that information to identify the key areas you should be focusing on for future growth.

9. Measure and track the success of your marketing efforts

You cannot measure the success of your marketing efforts in the exact same way you would a traditional marketing campaign. That is because you are not aiming to generate sales in the same way. You are trying to generate interest and engagement in your product or service so that you can eventually convert that interest and engagement into sales.

Consider using a lead magnet to get people to your site, and then using conversion plugins to track how many people actually turned into paying customers. The more you know about the performance of your various marketing tactics, the more you can refine and improve upon your strategy. That is what makes this entire process worthwhile.

The number of platforms and methods for marketing have changed the game for small businesses. The old methods of sending out flyers and setting up sales booths at local malls no longer work in this day and age. That is because potential customers can now find and connect with you practically anywhere at any time. You cannot succeed if you do not use digital marketing to some extent.