Top 5 Emerging Small Business Trends to Look for in 2019

Ever wanted to gaze into a crystal ball and get a glimpse of the topics and trends that will matter to your small business in the year ahead? While the future is impossible to predict with complete accuracy, here are five trends experts say you should focus on in 2019.

Influencer marketing is getting bigger…while going smaller

There’s no end in sight for the popularity of persuasive social media influencers, whose homemade content can now be made ‘shoppable,’ embedded with links to take curious followers directly to a brand’s e-commerce offerings. Interestingly, influencer marketing is getting bigger by incorporating increasingly smaller levels of online personalities. While these micro- and nano-influencers may lack the follower totals of celebrity macro-influencers, they tend to have better-defined audiences, local fans and deeper connections to their city, thanks to superior levels of engagement and interaction.

It’s time to make sure your business gets found by voice search

With millions of people setting up smart speakers like Google Home and Alexa in their homes and offices, and tens of millions more asking their mobile devices to answer questions, it’s easy to see why voice search is set to become the next big thing. According to ComScore, voice will account for half of all searches by 2020. That makes 2019 an especially important year for small business owners who want to make sure they get found by future voice searches. This year, make sure to review your website’s content and SEO practices in this important area. Learn more here.

Location-based marketing takes a leap forward

Rapid growth in mobile integration and data management have combined to boost the value and effectiveness of location-based marketing, which is used to tailor marketing strategies based on a person’s physical location. For instance, coupons might be sent to customers who are close to one of your competitors, while a different deal could be delivered to people entering one of your own stores. Businesses should also be aware of the importance of getting noticed by the hundreds of millions of people who regularly use location-based services on their mobile devices to search for nearby things whenever they’re out and about.

Manage the mind, and your productivity

When a small business has an employee who is unwell or unable to produce, the impact is often felt more greatly than at a larger company with more staff to spread work around. That’s just one reason why it’s important for small business owners to keep staff energized and productive, not overwhelmed and exhausted. According to Facebook’s recent 2019 Topics and Trends Report, more people are embracing the same performance techniques employed by athletes, utilizing strategies and practices intended to increase mental positivity and personal productivity. Gaining even a slight advantage in overall output could be invaluable to any small business owner willing to invest and experiment in this area.

It’s okay to take a stand on something

Millennials often look for brands that reflect their own personal values, but they’re not alone in this regard. According to a recent report, two thirds of consumers want the businesses they buy from to take a stand on social issues. That might sound potentially polarizing at any time, if not downright dangerous during this deeply divisive period in global politics. The truth, however, is that it’s becoming increasingly acceptable, if not expected, for leading brands and businesses to tell the world what they feel about issues with real societal weight, and stand for something important. This approach isn’t for every business, obviously, and shouldn’t be pursued unless you’re authentic and honest in your advocacy on any front. If you can find a way to align with issues that matter to your customers by taking a meaningful stand on a relevant issue, your efforts could produce invaluable loyalty and publicity.