Customers remained loyal even after a nearby community opened a Walmart Marketplace Store. Jim was an outspoken opponent of online advertising and social media platforms. He thought these activities were just a passing trend. However, because Jameson General Store’s product options were limited, their clients gradually began to purchase online.
In fact, Jameson Store lost the majority of its sales to online vendors rather than local competitors. Jim was resolute about not succumbing to the lure of online purchasing. However, Jim had to reconsider his present marketing plan in light of the changing landscape in the country when he watched his own 10-year-old grandson purchase a difficult-to-find item in the area online at large expenses.
Customers can now buy a wide range of products online with little effort. As a result of this situation, brick and mortar businesses are trying to stay afloat in the face of severe internet competition. According to a 2017 study of 1,164 U.S. business owners performed by Square and Mercury Analytics, the following observations were made:
96 percent of internet users in the United States have made an online purchase at some point in their lives, with 80 percent doing so in the last month.
Online shopping is preferred by 51% of Americans.
Online shopping is preferred by 67 percent of Millennials and 56 percent of Gen Xers.
Marketing professionals are aware of the importance of the internet and how to make the most of it. 90 percent of marketers use social media for their company, according to Socialmedia.com. Unfortunately, many small firms are unaware of this. Many companies chose to bury their heads in the sand, hoping that the “internet thing” would go away. It hadn’t happened!
In reality, e-Commerce is expanding at a rate of more than 23% each year; nevertheless, according to Square and Mercury Analytics study, 46% of American small companies do not have a website. This article focuses on how small firms can use digital marketing to increase their market potential and achieve better success.
Every serious small business should make use of digital marketing as a tool. E-commerce marketing, online marketing, and internet marketing are all terms used to describe digital marketing. “The marketing of products or services through digital channels to reach consumers” is how digital marketing is described. The main goal is to promote the use of the internet by brands.
Digital marketing includes outlets that do not require the use of the internet in addition to internet marketing. Websites, social networking platforms, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), blogging, podcasts, and online advertising are just a few examples of digital marketing channels. Aside from technological gimmicks, firms should be familiar with their customers and fundamental capabilities. There is no such thing as a silver bullet when it comes to digital marketing.
Small businesses should consider the following five digital marketing trends as they consider the landscape of technology and online innovation:
• AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. – Some people create intricate doomsday scenarios in which robots take over the world. Artificial intelligence (AI) is, on the other hand, becoming a way of life in marketing. The theory and development of computer systems capable of doing activities that ordinarily require human intelligence is what AI is defined as. Voice-activated technology, such as Amazon’s Echo, is bringing AI into the spotlight. Customers will be able to complete 85 percent of their transactions without interacting with a person by 2020.
• Searching the Web – With access to the internet, buyers are more informed than ever before. In fact, 81% of customers do their research online before making large purchases. Exploring how to use search engine optimization to get your firm to the top of search results is thus a crucial step.
• Mobile communications-Most Americans have grown accustomed to immediate satisfaction and easy access to technology. By 2018, mobile and tablet e-commerce will be worth $293 billion. This wave of innovation includes smartphones and tablets. By 2019, mobile will account for 72 percent of all digital ad spending in the United States. Mobile marketing is an underutilized business tool, according to marketers.
• social networking sites – Social media sites, such as Facebook, allow buyers to digitally connect with one another. LinkedIn advertisements have brought consumers to 65 percent of B2B enterprises. This is something that marketers are aware of.
Content on the Internet -Customers will be attracted to your website if you have good content. Customers are more likely to buy from suppliers who have high-quality, relevant videos/photos on their websites. Video is the content category with the highest return on investment, according to 52 percent of marketing professionals worldwide.
When confronted with the realities of competition, small businesses must turn to digital marketing. Digital junkies provides a complete solution for all your business problems. Due to a lack of trust and understanding of the internet, several small businesses may be hesitant to pursue digital marketing. “Top organizations are comfortable using technology to improve the way they conduct business with their business-to-business customers,” say Philip Kotler and Kevin Keller, authors of Marketing Management.
