Can a start-up business with an online presence valuing organic leads survive without the support of strategically planned digital marketing services? Can just a decently designed small business website drive in potential leads? Today, digital marketing has become a lifeline for businesses to survive especially in the COVID-19 hit marketplace. Why am I talking especially about start-up businesses? Because, the established businesses have an engaging brand image, fostered relationships, loyal customers, strong online presence at different marketing channels, hefty marketing budgets, etc. that the start-up businesses often miss.
Eight Challenges Addressed By Digital Marketing Agency for Start-Up Businesses
COVID-19 and emerging technologies have changed the ways of business doing and the buyers’ behavior with a paradigm shift on digitally advanced online practices. Start up businesses come across eight complex challenges in different domains to survive, compete, succeed, grow-
1. Poor visibility in organic search results
2. Poor reach to potential buyers
3. Poor brand image
4. Low numbers of leads and poor conversion rate
5. Lack of practices to repeatedly tap potential buyers
6. Comparatively small marketing funds not suitable paid marketing channels
7. Absence of a large in-house marketing team
8. Absence of performance tracking system for future planning
The marketing challenges for start-up businesses go on changing; here, they need to hire a proficient digital marketing company that could make their online presence visible, impressive, engaging, conveying, convincing, and encouraging.
Scope of Digital Marketing Services for Start-Up Businesses
Every business has different concerns and different demographic characteristics. So, digital marketing companies need to tailor digital marketing services packages to address the priorities. The digital marketing services can deliver the expected ROI only if the following nine core aspects are valued-
1. Short-term goals
2. Long-term goals
3. Expansion plans
4. Priorities
5. Website performance
6. Target audience type
7. The latest trends
8. Competitors’ activities
9. Existing online presence
Digital Marketing Strategy for Start-Up Businesses to Perform in 2022
Start-up businesses have different priorities, objectives, and constraints than established businesses; therefore, digital marketing strategy for start-up businesses needs to be different. Here I recommend ten key elements to frame digital marketing strategy for a start-up business in 2022-
1. Website audit: To find out –ve aspects that harm search results ranking
2. Back link audit /SEO audit: To find bad back links that may draw a penalty or harm ranking
3. Email Marketing: To make the brand recognized and remembered by potential buyers
4. Social Media Marketing: To build and strengthen brand’s image
5. Content Marketing: To convey the message and to share the latest & relevant information
6. Viral Marketing: To reach the wider community
7. Quality links development: To promote white hat Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy
8. Pay-Per-Click Marketing (Google AdWords): To get leads for selected keywords
9. Tracking marketing KPIs: To know the effectiveness and to improve strategy
Customer research, keywords research, Google analytics are the core pillars for any digital marketing. The focus should be to make the brand the voice of business. More than 75% of customers say that they judge a business based on the quality of the website. More than 247% of Millennials tend to be influenced by content shared on social media and blogs. Event marketing and video marketing have become an integral part of the digital marketing package offered by any digital marketing agency. Other aspects that improve the outcome of digital marketing services for start-up businesses are-
• UI (User Interface)
• UX (User Experience)
• Security features
• Features and functionalities
• Content quality
• Responsiveness
• Fast page loading
Pro-Tip
According to a survey conducted in December 2021, 73% of start-up businesses wanted to invest more in SMO and social media marketing; while, 57% of start-up businesses were found tending to increase investment in email marketing. Google AdWords is an effective digital marketing tool for start-up businesses but the hired digital marketing agency needs to optimize it under a permissible budget.