Key Internet Marketing Tips for Small Businesses in 2012

Internet marketing has grown exponentially in recent years, and it’s only going to continue expanding. As a small business owner, it’s time to get on board with the latest trends and make 2012 the year that your online marketing campaign really takes off.

Expand Your Social Network

If your business isn’t in the social media sphere yet, it needs to be! Facebook and Twitter are still the two biggest networks for sharing, but others are beginning to grow. Businesses can now have their own pages on Google+. Pinterest is getting attention as a possible avenue for product marketing. Establishing your business on these sites helps cement your Internet presence and allows for real-time interaction with customers.

Create Shareable Content

In today’s Internet community, you’re much more likely to draw potential customers by producing engaging, sharable content than you are by turning everything into an advertisement. People want quality information, not marketing blurbs. And with the growing popularity of social search placing emphasis on sharing instead of keywords, it’s going to be more important than ever to have content that is deemed worthwhile by multiple users.

Go Mobile

More and more consumers are taking their Smartphones everywhere they go, and mobile search is growing as a result. Making your business website accessible to mobile users is something you should consider. By optimizing for the “small screen,” you open up a whole new market of potential customers, especially in the teen and young adult demographics. And since consumers often trust the opinions of their peers when making decisions and will be seeking those opinions as they search, it doesn’t hurt to get listed on review sites such as Yelp and Citysearch as well.

Get Local

Local marketing ties directly in with going mobile in especially with the popularity of mobile “check-in” sites. Each check-in is shared with a user’s network of friends, thereby expanding the reach of a brand. Make sure that your business can be found on Facebook Places and Google Places, then encourage people to interact with special deals only available to those who check in at your location.

Interact With Customers

As a business owner, you already have daily “real life” interactions with customers. But remember that the Internet is a highly social place as well. It’s important to treat all of your online connections the same way you would in a real world setting. Respond quickly to questions, handle complaints in a timely manner and encourage interaction on your pages with thought-provoking content.

Expanding your Internet marketing strategy helps your business compete in today’s fast-paced market. Keep your focus on quality content, positive social media interactions and sharable information, and you’ll start to see an increase in conversions.

 

 

Martin Sheen is an online marketing expert and is passionate about blogging. He currently blogs for IronMonk solutions, a NYC based agency providing social media marketing and management services.

Image Credit:  Jarrett Holmes,

 

Posted on: April 26, 2012