When it comes to marketing and social media, many businesses are tempted to throw money at the problem. However, this often leads to sub-par results and the unnecessary spending of valuable company resources. Instead, businesses should seek ways to effectively market their stores online, and the answer often depends on the size and shape of your business.

Large Versus Small Business

If you’re a small business with just one shop, you might be tempted to try and use free online tools to promote your store. After all, you can’t afford to pay for advertising or to hire a social media expert.

But, if your business is bigger, you might want to consider alternative options. For instance, if you’re a large chain with many stores, you could look into using a multi-channel marketing (MMC) strategy. This could involve using online tools such as Google Shopping, which can be found in the Google Ads section of your Google dashboard.

MMC allows businesses to run ads across various platforms, such as Google and Facebook, which can attract potential customers.

The Dangers of Paying For Traffic

When deciding whether or not to spend money on online marketing, some businesses worry about running up huge traffic costs. After all, you need to pay to have people visit your site, and this can quickly add up.

But, running ads on advertising platforms like Google and Facebook can have its perks. For instance, you might get free traffic from search engines whenever someone performs a search on your behalf. Similarly, Facebook and other social media platforms often provide free promotion to businesses.

So, if you decide to use paid traffic to promote your business, be sure to consider the pros and the cons. On the plus side, you can target the specific audience you need, which means you know exactly who is visiting your site. On the other hand, you’re paying for the traffic your ads generate, so you have to make sure this is a cost-effective move. Otherwise, you might as well leave this option off your list.

YouTube for Businesses

If your videos are relevant and helpful to your target audience, you might want to consider using video content to market your local store. Many businesses, such as Subway, use YouTube to great effect. So, if this is a platform you could feasibly use to market your business, consider doing so.

Subway launched a campaign on YouTube that encourages people to visit their stores. As part of the campaign, they share videos of customers using their products. This can boost sales by showing prospective customers what their store is like. Moreover, they can use the videos to demonstrate to potential employees how the workplace functions.

So, if you’re looking to market your local store, consider looking to YouTube for inspiration.

Instagram for Businesses

Instagram is another popular social media platform that many businesses use to great effect. Indeed, many luxury brands, such as Burberry and Montblanc, use this platform to promote their products and to attract potential customers. So, if this is a platform you could use to promote your business, consider doing so.

Moreover, if your Instagram account is populated with quality content that is relevant and interesting to your target audience, you’ll find many followers who will gladly follow your lead. And, if you have a large following, you might find that some brands are interested in reaching out to you to work together.

Email Marketing

If you’ve decided to invest in email marketing, you can use this powerful tool to effectively promote your business. Many large and small businesses, such as American Express and Symantec, use email marketing to great effect. So, if you’re considering using this form of marketing, consider doing so.

One of the main benefits of email marketing is that you can target the right audience. Moreover, you have the ability to track the results of your efforts, which makes it a fairly easy process to determine whether or not this form of marketing is working for your company.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is the process of improving a website or app so that it shows up in the relevant search results when someone searches for relevant terms on search engines, such as Google.

Many businesses, such as DoorDash and Shopify, use SEO to great effect. So, if this is a platform you could use to effectively promote your business, consider doing so.

Even if you don’t use SEO to its full potential, consider using this tool to improve the discoverability of your website or app in relevant searches.

Social Media Advertising

Last but not least, we have social media advertising. This is the process of using social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, to promote your product or service.

Many businesses use social media advertising to great effect. For instance, Jack Wolfskin, a luxury goods store, uses the Instagram platform to great effect in their campaign, #loveyourjacksoffisher.

They use Instagram to share images of unique, luxurious items, such as Arduinos, which are connected to their store. So, if you’re considering using this form of marketing, consider doing so.

Which Platform Should You Opt for?

Now, that you have an idea of the various platforms you can use to market your business, you might be tempted to try and use them all. But, this isn’t always the most effective strategy. Instead, consider which one of these platforms will best serve your purposes.

If you’re looking to attract new customers to your business, you might want to consider focusing on YouTube. Moreover, if you’re looking to expand your reach, consider using other platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. And if you want to use SEO to increase your business’s visibility on search engines, consider using channels, including Google My Business, which is part of Google Search.

So, when deciding how to market your business online, consider concentrating your efforts on a few key platforms and using them to their full potential. Doing so can help you determine the best ways to interact with your customers, gain relevant audience, and ultimately, grow your business.