If you’ve just launched a small business here in California, you may often see fellow entrepreneurs or even direct competitors investing in a stronger online presence. In bustling, media-savvy Los Angeles, a digital marketing company can really make a big difference, but when do you know that such an investment is exactly what you need to drive your startup forward?
Not enough mobile traffic
Many small businesses have to be selective with their budget allocation, and for some that means cutting costs in terms of online investment. Perhaps you paid for a static website, but aren’t prepared to invest further in creating and posting regular content; after all, it’s easier to update a Facebook page or Instagram account for your business.
Running analytics on your website can easily reveal how much traffic you’ve been receiving, and from what device consumers are accessing your site. Mobile searches lead to further action and conversions 73% of the time; if you aren’t receiving a lot of mobile traffic, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity. Generate more content and improve your website design to tap into this source of leads and conversions.
Low value from existing customers
How often do you hear that it’s better to retain customers and build loyalty than continuing to spend on new customer acquisition? The flip side of this argument is that existing customers are only more valuable if they continue to drive revenue.
When your new line of products or services isn’t driving up your sales numbers as much as you’d expect, there are many ways to deal with the issue. The right approach, such as a strong email marketing campaign, can work wonders here, as you’ll be able to reach out to your existing customers directly though the same inbox they check every day.
Lacking differentiation
In a busy economy like California’s, it can be hard for small businesses to stand out in their respective industries. You may have successfully identified a particular need in the market, and narrowed down your focus to corner that niche, but how many people know that you’re the go-to business for this?
Let’s say you have a vintage car restoration business, and came to own spare parts – and employ skilled mechanics – that let you handle repair work on 1920s Cadillacs. There aren’t many shops that can take on this job, and classic car owners would love to take their cars to your business, but how do they know that you’re offering something different out of all the mechanics in the area? Write about your services, post testimonials and case studies on your website, so that potential clients find you easily as they look up solutions to their specific needs.
Outranked by a competitor
Many business owners are aware that a high rank in online search results can make a huge difference in revenue. When your competition takes up spots 1 through 10 in Google search, you might as well be invisible to a lot of potential customers who don’t go past the top five results. It takes many elements to improve your search engine ranking, but beating out your competition can quickly yield dividends through constant exposure to a wider audience.
Small businesses need to be smart when managing their resources. A strong online presence may not be an immediate priority, but recognize the signs sooner or later that you’ll need to take action in this regard to stay competitive.
