Advertising is a necessary evil for small businesses. It’s often the make-or-break element in whether a local business succeeds or fails. The good news is that there are more options available to small businesses than ever before—and many are very affordable.
The following seven types of advertising are some of the most effective ways to promote a small business:
In this article, we’ll go into brief details about each type of advertising, strategies, benefits, and tips on how to utilize them so you can make an informed decision about what will work best for your small business.
Key Takeaways
Among these types, these three are proven to be more effective than the rest in many ways:
1. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC is a type of online advertising where businesses can pay to have their ads displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone clicks on one of these ads, the business pays a small fee to the search engine.
Strategies
The most popular form of PPC includes:
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM): This is the process of using paid search ads to improve your visibility on SERPs. The two most popular platforms for SEM are Google Ads and Bing Ads.
- Display Advertising: This type of advertising includes banner ads, rich media ads, and video ads. Display ads are typically served through ad networks, such as Google Display Network and Bing Ads.
Benefits
PPC can be an effective way to drive traffic to your own website and generate leads, but it requires a significant investment. Other benefits include:
- You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, so it’s a cost-effective way to reach potential customers.
- PPC can be targeted to specific audiences, so you’re only paying to reach people who are interested in your product or service.
- PPC is a fast way to get your business in front of potential customers.
Tips
You’ll need to carefully track your ad campaign’s performance and make adjustments as needed to ensure that you’re getting a positive return on investment (ROI).
PPC is a long-term strategy, so don’t expect to see results overnight.
2. Social Media Advertising
Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn offer businesses a way to reach a large audience of prospective customers. By creating engaging content and running targeted ads, businesses can build brand awareness and generate leads on social media.
Strategies
The most common types of social media advertising include:
- Promoted Posts: These are posts that businesses pay to have displayed in the newsfeeds of users who follow them.
- Sponsored Stories: Sponsored stories are similar to promoted posts, but they’re displayed in the sidebar of a social media platform.
Benefits
Social media advertising can be an effective way to reach a large audience with minimal investment. Other benefits include:
- You can target your social media ads to specific audiences, so you’re only paying to reach people who are interested in your product or service.
- Social media platforms offer a variety of ad formats, so you can experiment to find the one that works best for your business.
- You can get real-time feedback on your ads to see how they’re performing and make changes as needed.
Tips
The key to success with social media advertising is to create ads that are relevant and interesting to your audience. You should also consider using retargeting ads to reach people who have already engaged with your brand on social media.
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is the process of optimizing your website and its content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone searches for a keyword or phrase that’s related to your business, you want your website to appear as close to the top of the SERPs as possible.
Strategies
There are a number of strategies you can use for SEO marketing, including:
- On-Page Optimization: This is the process of optimizing your website’s title tags, meta descriptions, and content to make it more relevant to search engine users.
- Off-Page Optimization: This is the process of building backlinks to your website to improve your authority in the eyes of search engines.
Benefits
SEO can be an effective way to drive traffic to your website and generate leads. Other benefits include:
- It’s a cost-effective way to reach potential customers.
- You can target specific keywords and phrases to reach people who are interested in your product or service.
- SEO is a long-term strategy, so you can continue to reap the benefits for years to come.
Tips
SEO takes time to implement and see results, but it’s a long-term strategy that can pay off in the form of increased web traffic and leads. Be sure to do your research and target keywords that are relevant to your business and have a high search volume.
4. Content Marketing/Advertising
Content advertising is a type of online advertising that involves creating and sharing informative or entertaining content (such as blog posts, infographics, videos, etc.) to promote your business. The goal of content advertising is to attract attention and build brand awareness by providing people with something that they’ll find valuable.
Strategies
There are a number of strategies you can use for content marketing, including:
- Creating blog posts or articles that are relevant to your target audience.
- Promoting your content on social media platforms.
- Using targeted keywords in your content to improve your SEO.
Benefits
Content marketing can be an effective way to reach your target market and build brand awareness. Other benefits include:
- It’s a cost-effective marketing strategy to promote your business online.
- You can control the message and tone of your content to ensure that it’s aligned with your brand.
- Your relevant content can be repurposed and used in other marketing materials (such as ebooks, infographics, etc.).
Tips
To be successful with content advertising, you need to create content that is truly useful or interesting to your local customers. You also need to ensure that your content is properly optimized for search engines and that it’s being distributed to the right people.
5. Email Marketing
This involves sending promotional or informative emails to a list of subscribers. It’s a great way to stay in touch with existing customers and prospects, build relationships, and generate leads.
Strategies
There are a number of strategies you can use for email marketing, including:
- Creating a compelling subject line that encourages people to open your email.
- Using images, infographics, and videos to make your email more visually appealing.
- Including a call-to-action (CTA) that encourages people to take a specific action.
Benefits
It’s an effective way to reach your audience and generate leads. Other benefits include:
- You can segment your email list to send targeted emails to specific groups of people.
- You can automate your email marketing campaigns.
- It’s a cost-effective way to market your small business.
Tips
To be successful with this ad campaign, you need to have a well-designed email template and a targeted list of subscribers. You should also focus on providing valuable content that will interest your audience. Additionally, you’ll need to make sure that your emails are properly optimized for mobile devices.
6. Traditional Advertising
Traditional advertising includes methods like print advertising, TV ads and commercials, and radio ads. While these methods can be effective, they tend to be more expensive than other types of advertising.
Strategies
Broadcast and outdoor advertising are what traditional advertising is. This includes:
- Placing ads in newspapers or magazines that target your desired audience.
- Creating TV or radio commercials that will reach your target audience.
- Advertising in local directories or on billboards.
Benefits
- Traditional advertising can be a great way to reach a large audience.
- It can be effective in building brand visibility and awareness.
- It can be used to target specific demographics.
Tips
When using traditional advertising, it’s important to focus on your overall marketing goals and objectives. You’ll also want to consider your budget and the effectiveness of each method.
To succeed with traditional advertising, you need to have a well-crafted ad that speaks to your audience. You’ll also need to choose the right media outlet for your ad and make sure that it’s placed in front of the right people.
7. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which small businesses pay affiliates for each lead or sale that they generate. The most common type of affiliate marketing is done through an affiliate network, but businesses can also work directly with individual affiliates.
Strategies
There are a number of strategies you can use for affiliate marketing, including:
- Selecting the right affiliate program.
- Working with an affiliate network.
- Recruiting affiliates.
Benefits
Affiliate marketing can be a great way to generate leads and sales. Other benefits include:
- It’s a cost-effective way to market your small business.
- You can track the performance of your affiliates.
- It’s a great way to build relationships with other local businesses.
Tips
When using affiliate marketing, it’s important to select the right affiliates and track their performance. You should also focus on building relationships with your affiliates and providing them with high-quality marketing materials.
Best Advertising Methods for Small Business Owners – Summary
The best digital advertising methods for small business owners depend on their marketing budget, goals, and target audience. Among the methods mentioned above, SEO, content marketing, and email marketing are considered to be the most effective to promote your business.
Do you have any experience with these advertising strategies? Which worked for you? Let us know in the comments below!
If you found this post helpful, be sure to check out our other guides on digital marketing. We cover everything from social media management to link-building. Here are some related topics you might want to check:
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