7 Essential marketing strategies for small businesses in 2024

It can feel a little overwhelming when you’re trying to build a business and put your brand name out there. As a small business, watching other organizations with larger marketing budgets can make you feel like you’ll never really get ahead. However, there are so many opportunities for small businesses to create marketing strategies with big impact on a low budget. The key is to remember you don’t have to do it all. If you feel like you’re not getting anywhere or perhaps you’re just getting started, consider building any of these essential marketing strategies to help you grow the business and thrive in 2024.

#1: Build brand awareness and higher visibility on social media

Most businesses can and should be leveraging the power of social media to build brand awareness. Not only does social media allow for engagement with target audiences in real time, it also allows for businesses to present their brand and message consistently. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn allow for the creation of highly visual and interactive content. Use images and videos to showcase products and services and pull the curtain back to give a behind the scenes look at the business and the people behind it.  

#2: Invest in SEO

So many people search for products and services online before they purchase – especially if customers are looking for a local business. So, making sure you show up on search results is increasingly important. This is where local SEO comes in. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It means you are taking into consideration keywords that your customers would use in their online search. With more people searching for products and services “near me,” optimizing your business for local search results is essential. Ensure your business is listed on Google Business Profile, keep your contact information consistent across directories, and encourage customers to leave reviews. By optimizing for local SEO, you increase your visibility to potential customers who are already looking for businesses like yours in your area.

#3: Tap into influencer marketing

We talk about influencer marketing a lot. It’s one of those marketing strategies that any business can do at any budget with high impact – depending on what your goals are for the campaign. Micro-influencers (we love them for their engagement levels), with smaller but highly engaged followings, can be great brand partners for small businesses. Collaborating with influencers in your niche or those who are local to you can introduce your business to new audiences in a relatable and authentic way. It all comes down to building genuine, long term partnerships rather than focusing on transactional one-off posts.

#4: Get your content working harder for you

Content is king and it will continue to be a focal point of any impactful marketing strategy. However, just as businesses and customers evolve, content has evolved over time as well. Customers are looking for content that is highly interactive and immersive – it should be an experience. So many platforms make it easy to interact with content. Consider adding things like quizzes, polls, calculators, or even augmented reality (AR) features to your content strategy. You want to leave a good impression so people keep coming back for more – and so it helps you to build a loyal community of brand ambassadors that will help you tell your brand story.

The other thing to remember about your content is that you shouldn’t ignore video. It’s a great way to showcase product demonstrations, customer testimonials, or even behind-the-scenes footage.

#5: Keep building your email list

One of the biggest things to remember is that you don’t own your audience on social media, so it’s important to be able to continue to build relationships even if you lose access to socials (it happens, unfortunately!). Not only that, email can be a great way to see a high return on investment (ROI) for small businesses. Use your email platform to segment your list based on customer behavior and preferences so you can send highly targeted and relevant messages. Remember it always comes down to the value you deliver to your audience. Use email campaigns to nurture leads, reward loyalty, and re-engage inactive customers. Use automation carefully and strategically. In my personal experience, too MUCH automation from a brand can come off as highly IMPERSONAL.

#6: Take a multi-screen approach

We live in a multi-screen world. I am currently on my laptop while watching TV and scrolling social on my phone while responding to messages. You need to be aware of how your target audience consumes content and interacts with brands. Are they watching their favourite show while following along on social? Are they shopping online while scrolling social for product reviews? Are they shopping via social media? The reality is your audience is using their phones to search while interacting with brands – and they are doing it on the move. Make sure your website is mobile responsive and provides a seamless user experience across all devices – especially for online shopping. And your content should be adapted to each platform you use.

#7: Build a community

Remember, marketing isn’t about making the sale. It’s about building relationships. The focus should be on community building for the long term. Social media is a great way to build community, but you can also look towards experiential events so people can interact with your brand directly. In 2024, building a community around your brand fosters loyalty, trust, and word-of-mouth marketing.

It happens to be small business month, but these strategies will work for you all year round.

What strategies are you planning to implement for your small business this year? Let us know in the comments!