Small Business Marketing Trends for 2018

Marketing is a little bit like a loaf of bread: it’s best when it’s fresh and bad when it gets stale. That’s why it’s wise to always stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in the world of marketing, and make sure you’re not using outdated or ineffective methods to promote your small business.

When marketing your business in 2018, try to keep things fresh by doing something different than you have in the past. Whether you introduce new elements or emphasize and refine existing ones, there are several things you can do to change up your marketing mix.

Here’s a look at a few different small business marketing trends that might benefit your business this year.

Influencers are more important as ever

Using social media influencers to connect with your audience and raise the profile of your business is a strategy that provides multiple benefits. It delivers the message in a soft-sell style that’s increasingly popular with younger customers. It tends to target the exact audience you’re trying to reach, sometimes tens of thousands of followers at a time. It’s remarkably effective, with more than 90 percent of marketers reporting positive results. And, it’s cost-effective, particularly when compared to the potential return from having an online celebrity endorse your brand and products. In a previous blog, we wrote about several tools that can help your business connect with relevant social media influencers. If you haven’t already found someone to help promote your business, now’s the time. And don’t feel obliged to work with an influencer who’s already hugely famous – so-called ‘micro-influencers’ with fewer followers are often a better fit for small businesses.

Next-level content personalization

Imagine if ads or videos promoting your small business could appear to online users in much the same way suggested shows do on Netflix, tailored to meet their specific tastes and behaviours. These days, new technologies are making it possible to create multiple pieces of marketing content and direct each of them to the most appropriate audience. Recipients can be targeted based on their search and web history, apps they’ve downloaded, or even physical places they’ve been with their mobile device. As long as their privacy is respected, most people like this kind of personalization because it helps them discover offers and products they might not otherwise find. Give your customers a more individualized experience when marketing your small business this year.

Privacy protection is paramount

Speaking of privacy, it’s a top-of-mind issue for many these days. From cyber security threats to serious data breaches, there’s no shortage of recent examples where brands and businesses suffered negative effects. Make sure your customers know how hard you’re working to protect their privacy and defend their data from external hackers, and use your superior privacy protection as a selling point when trying to attract new business.

Voice technology is poised to be big

Voice and smart speaker technology are marketing strategies that remain out on the horizon for most small businesses, but it’s already worth thinking about how they might best be leveraged in the years ahead. Millions of people are integrating smart speakers into their homes and daily lives, while millions more are talking to their mobile devices and asking for help with basic tasks and searches. A rise in the popularity of voice technology doesn’t spell the end for video, which remains hugely popular. Rather, voice is opening up a new avenue for marketers and businesses to connect with potential customers. Now is the time to get ahead of the curve and see how your small business might take advantage of this trend in the future.