Five digital marketing trends affecting small businesses

To be the best, anticipate what lies ahead

Compiled by CoverWallet.com

Facebook Groups

Now that Facebook has brought Groups to the forefront, being active in targeted, high-quality groups help you connect with people who are looking for your services. You just have to make sure you’re adding value and not being spammy. Once you connect with people in Groups, it’s pretty common to jump over to DMs in Messenger to have a more detailed dialogue. 

Voice search

Websites must be optimized for voice search. Voice-user interface allows users to interact with websites through voice commands, so it adds usability and functionality to your site. It makes it accessible to all users, including those with limitations and disabilities. Smart speakers are only getting more popular so being able to optimize for voice search will be key to maximize the marketing and advertising opportunities on Siri, Alexa, Google Home, etc. Are you prepared when customers ask for help like, “Alexa, what is the best Mexican restaurant in Bluffton?” If not, you are missing a big opportunity.

Podcasts

Podcasts are ads people actually want to listen to, so being a guest on a podcast is a great marketing strategy for any business. The audience is segmented, so it is easy to find your niche. Getting interviewed can expose you to hundreds and sometimes thousands of listeners. Bonus: every time you are a guest on a podcast you can get Google entries for each podcast you appear on. 

New Google features

Google is constantly updating search features and opportunities, like the recent changes to the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). With the featured snippets and instant answers appearing ahead of search results, even companies with fantastic SEO are losing clicks to Google because Google presents a lot of information in the search result so there is no need to visit a site. 

Google My Business

This is a trend that keeps giving and is free, as in zero dollars. Among other features, you can read and respond to reviews from your customers. Post photos that show off what you do. Businesses that add photos to their Business Profiles receive 42 percent more requests for directions on Google Maps, and 35 percent more clicks through to their websites than businesses that don’t.