Marketing Small Business in 2020

Marketing Small Business in 2020

By James Hanway of After August Co

Marketing a small business in today's "social media" economy presents an

abundance of steadily evolving challenges. New platforms and apps grow and

shrink and change as quickly as most small businesses can adapt to them, and

the challenge for these owners is to stay ahead of the marketing curve. For

companies with vast budgets and specialized teams it is difficult to remain

current. Small businesses without such resources face a decidedly more

daunting endeavor - towards which they must decide how to allocate limited

time and money most effectively. There is no easy way to prepare for such a

decision. The only viable solution combines copious amounts of research,

extensive trial and error, and an overabundance of hustle.

The integration of various social media platforms has helped a lot of the

repetitive side of modern marketing become more fruitful. The ability to make

changes to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter with one foul swoop, as well

as incorporating things like Google Ads/Analytics and LinkedIn (click links

to follow name drops 1-3)  allow for less time to be spent typing and re-typing

during marketing campaigns. With the increased user-friendliness of the various

cloud based website software platforms, small businesses may also take advantage

of increasingly important SEO features (search engine optimization) to make the

most out of their site's relevance in the eyes of Google. Social media marketing is

a drop in the bucket of what is necessary to get noticed in the eCommerce world,

and with the ease of use increasing for all users, the disparity in occupied

limelight is only increasing.

Without the resources to delegate all of the daunting realities of modern marketing, what is a small business owner to do in order to stay afloat among the Amazons? There is no short answer. There is only momentum. Incorporating what can be discerned from past failures and successes, combined with as much reading as can be done after the kids are asleep; one can surmise that the best course of action is just that - and it is a very personal action. Each business must find its niche in the ever expanding universe of digital marketing - or at the very least capitalize on every ounce of individuality they can muster. Once there is a desired direction acquired the next step is to use all available resources as effectively as possible to gain momentum - and keep it. Some have had success with paid advertising campaigns and encompassing email marketing platforms. Others have capitalized on social media outlets to spread unique messages about their brand in creative ways across the most coveted of apps and interfaces.

There are always outliers and anomalies in modern marketing, but it is generally a good idea for adults to work towards being efficient rather than lucky (see "designer" Asspizza - yes that is his working name). The most effective way to market online is to diversify the time spent across outlets: use social media integration, intelligent SEO (on every aspect of the website - including and definitely not limited to page, URL, and pictures) and a firm grasp to overall continuity and brand integrity. Naturally this is easier said than done; but with perseverance, thorough research, and a clear vision it is possible to break into the realm of the "known" in modern social marketing.

Update as of 04/29/2020

Our online marketing and social media presence have been playing a more critical role in the survival of our small business. Like our family business, most small businesses most greatly affected by COVID-19 and the coronavirus pandemic are those who are NOT deemed essential businesses. Like many others around the country and the globe, our focus has moved 100% towards online marketing and research. What once was a decent market share of our business: Facebook Marketplace, is now reduced to zero as the stay at home order has individuals like ourselves frankly very nervous to interact with clients or retailers in order to protect our family. We are now looking to our online business as the sole provider for our business as a whole, especially in the future. With online retailers seeing interruptions in supply chains alongside physical stores, we have had to be a lot more precise in ordering materials and supplies. Now more than ever, we are seeing a greater need to have successful online marketing in order to maintain our livelihood. The roller coaster ride that is our economy will be a rough experience for many like us, but through careful planning and execution we hope to survive the turmoil. The best thing that small businesses can stand to do in this current climate is stick together!