Igniting Business Blog

Businesses and consumers will soon see the effects of recent advancements in exciting technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G telecommunications, voice searches, and virtual reality (VR). In fact, some of these are being used right now! In the not-so-distant future, it will seem bizarre that people used to interact with the World Wide Web only using their fingertips. Afterall, who thought smartphones and mobile devices would be as ubiquitous and as widely used as they are today? As technologies such as VR and AI continue to grow exponentially, both businesses and consumers will be presented with a whole new level of interaction with technology, that which is rich in visual stimulation and intuitive, intellectual responsiveness. Any small business paying attention to and investing in these newer technologies, stands poised to move far ahead of their competition.

A new year gives us all a chance to start fresh and try new things and marketing is no exception. Though it's still early in 2019, it's actually the right time for your small business to consider new trends in website design. Web pages are much like fashion trends; you can often tell when they're outdated and not just cute vintage. With smaller finances and resources than larger businesses, you may be thinking it's impossible to keep your small business's web page up-to-date with the latest web design trends. But many new trends out there are actually relatively simple and meant to only enhance customer's experiences on your website, as well as increase productivity on your end. Here are some current web design trends you should keep in mind in 2019:

Online marketing is popular and is where many eyes are focused. Online marketing can be interacted with easily on computers, phones, and other devices via commenting, spreading through social media, upvoting on online platforms, or other means. Some online campaigns even encourage more direct interaction, such as voting, inviting user-generated content, or deliberately starting a conversation.

In investigating various ways to market your small business more effectively, you've likely come across the term conversion rate optimization (CRO). But have you taken the time to research this practice? If not, it's time you learn how to increase conversions on your marketing campaigns. To do that, you must first know what is a conversion.

In the growing age of the Internet and always being present online, it seems like everyone is talking about the advances in inbound and content marketing, drawing people in towards your business. Inbound marketing certainly helps businesses garner success, but strategic outbound marketing never really stopped being viable. Outbound marketing is what people think of as "traditional marketing" of going out to seek attention from your customers. These include email newsletters, trade show features, online banner ads, press releases, direct mail, and more never really stopped being viable. In fact, thanks to the advances made in technology, outbound marketing is better than it's ever been before.

In the 21st century your online reputation is absolutely crucial to how your business performs in the real world. What is your online reputation? Your reputation online is governed by a few different factors. Ratings, reviews, and rankings on various social media outlets and information sites like Yelp, Yellowpages, and Google, along with your own online marketing messaging culminate into your online reputation. Having the ability to manage these various mediums in ways to drive business, increase engagement, and ultimately boost sales is called online reputation management. Working with a professional, knowledgeable service provider to strategize and plan for your online reputation is essential for reaching your peak in online advertising.

The digital landscape is in a constant state of evolution, just like your brand. Understanding customer needs and finding ways to meet those needs is a good first step in reaching your target market, but nowadays, a small business must do more to stay relevant. Your website and social media pages can be powerful platforms for acquiring and keeping customers, but you'll need to make sure that you're attracting the right visitors. Consider investing in online advertising to even better reach, target, and corner your market's audience if you're seeing any of these struggles when running your business.

For small businesses and bootstrap entrepreneurs, marketing effectively on a budget can be a difficult task. Instead of trying to mimic large companies who have even larger budgets and a whole staff of people dedicated to maximizing ROI, small companies should develop a distinctive marketing plan that strategically sets them apart from their competition and promote their business in an effective way. Here are the three concepts small businesses must hone when developing marketing strategies that really work.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a core element in developing an effective website marketing strategy. According to PEW Research, "Roughly eight-in-ten Americans are online shoppers." Additionally, studies indicate "65% of Americans indicate that when they need to make purchases they typically compare the price they can get in stores with the price they can get online." This means your audience is already online, searching for options within your industry. When audience members search for goods and services online, a strong SEO strategy helps bring your website to the top of search results.

If you have a small business or you're just starting to branch out and build your brand online, consider using social media platforms to promote your company. Users want to be on social media, so it's a great avenue for your business to reach them where they already are. Managing your social media at all times of the day can be demanding though, so consider connecting your new social media platforms to a social media management application/tool to help with scheduling and organization.