This year has certainly been a difficult one for small businesses and small business owners. This sentiment on its own is an understatement. Yet, between arduous situations, there were also many examples of the tenacity and resiliency of small businesses. Even as we continue through 2020, there are many key takeaways that we can learn from in these last months. Here are a few that jumped out:
92% of Small Business Owners Say Their Website is the Most Important Piece of Digital Marketing (Fundera)
More and more often, customers are turning to online stores and information as a source of credibility before considering purchases. This can be great news for companies that have implemented a strong website as part of their digital strategy. Outdated sites with misinformation or content that is no longer relevant will suffer. Businesses without websites will be left behind. Shifting from the old mindset of a website as merely something nice to have or an afterthought, to that of a website as an important public marketing face for a company may be significant to the health of the business.
70-80% of customers report researching a small business online before visiting the physical store (Blue Corona)
Along the same vein as the last point, customers see their time as precious. They may not go to a store unless a quick Google search proves that it will be worth their efforts. More and more often, customers are turning to digital resources for information and to determine credibility before considering purchases. This can be great news for companies that have implemented a strong website as part of their digital strategy. Making the right first impression from design and user experience, to performance and accessibility, will pay back large dividends in the long run.
31% of small businesses report using social media alone and do not maintain a website (Top Digital Agency)
As the years go on, this number has continued to decrease. More small business owners are realizing that only so much can be accomplished through social media channels, and that having a fully realized website to complement their social media and serve as a canonical home for information is essential for credibility. Other benefits include increasing ease of access to current loyal customers, and increasing the ability of potential patrons to find the business by raising relevance in search engines.
Prioritizing blogging for content marketing has a 13 times increase for ROI (HubSpot)
There’s no doubt that blogging works as a marketing strategy. Customers like having content to read and interact with, and it helps them get to know your brand better. Continuing our talk of search engines from our last statistic, blogging also helps greatly with search engine optimization. This makes your content more accessible to potential customers and your brand more relevant to their Google searches. Additionally, the more value your content provides, the more authoritative of a voice it will give your website, if you are seen as an expert.
Around 4% of website visitors are ready to buy your product when they click on your site (Marketo)
Customers love doing research before deciding to buy a product. Helping them decide that your service is the best for them is largely dependent on if they trust your website. The design and content of the site is just as important as whether or not you carry the product they are looking for. It also helps with your future prospects. If customers are convinced to buy your product from the positive experience they had on your website, they are more likely to become repeat customers and tell their friends.
With the use of social media and websites for businesses constantly on the rise, isn’t it important now more than ever to make sure your digital strategy is in place and that your presence online puts your best foot forward? Let’s talk and see how we can help your business navigate the digital landscape.