Whether you have a business that is based at home, a shop, or a business location you work from where you sell varying different products or services, you will know that marketing is an extremely important aspect of getting your business off the ground to become successful. But, whether that is marketing online, in person, or using the tools you have to make it happen, are you utilising what you have?

The truth is, when it comes to business, everyone is looking for a way of grabbing the attention of potential customers and clients. It is a chance to be able to expand and grow their business, appeal to people, and to also share their knowledge and spread the word about their brand. But, sometimes mainstream options are being done by everyone, and this means it can be impossible for you to stand out compared to others. So you may be wondering what other options that you have? With that in mind, here are some of the strategies to consider to help market your business, and no matter what it is, one of these is bound to work for you.

Upping your photography game

Images speak many words to people, and so often ensuring that you capture your products, your locations, or your services in the right way is essential. There is no denying that when it comes to people scrolling through their social media feeds, they are more likely to stop on an image, and engage with it more. So you may want to think about how you capture the pictures,learning how to use a camera properly and type of images you want to share. You could look into a professional photographer and commission them for some brand pictures, but this can be a cost to outlay. A professional photographer will always be able to capture images in just the right way, which will work wonders in any form of marketing avenue you go down. However, learning yourself means you have greater flexibility when it comes to the type of images you share and when.

Considering video content as an alternative

A great way to expand on images when it comes to what you share thought social media is to consider looking at capturing video content instead. You could look at creating brand videos where you focus on an advert that you share online and on your website. You could also consider things like video captioning. This can make your video available to a wider community, such as being translated into different languages or allowing people who struggle with audio and sound to still be able to enjoy the video and understand what it is all about. Videos can be shared but a YouTube video, which could work as another platform to advertise on, or you can share them on other platforms.

Having a clear campaign for social media

Social Media is one of the best ways to advertise your business, and you probably already know that and use it every day already. But, are you taking full advantage of it? Having a campaign specific to your social media marketing is a great way to ensure that you achieve exactly what you want. The ways that you can do that is by not just sharing words and images; you can start to share other content such as video clips. You could use the stories element on Instagram and Facebook, or even choose to do live videos for behind the scenes footage. The more content you create, the more engagement you will start to have. This also gives you a chance to humanize your business when it comes to the type of content you share. After all, people buy from people, and this can be an excellent step for you to take when it comes to your business. You might want to think about having a strategy when it comes to the sales posts and also the other content that you share. Sharing topical posts means that your audience can also find interesting things on your feed, and they are more likely to engage with you.

Is it time to think about outsourcing your marketing?

Sometimes marketing can become such a priority for your business, that it may be time to think about offloading it off your plate. As a business owner, you have a lot to think about when it comes to the business and getting it off the ground, so it may be that marketing has become more full on as you focus on reaching out to the right customers and clients. Maybe it is time to think about outsourcing your marketing? You could look at using a digital agency that could specialise in creating a content strategy for you. Or you could take the plunge and either freelance it to an individual speciality or hire someone who can do it for you. This will free up time for you and also means that marketing becomes the focus for someone else, meaning that mor content will be created.

Start a business blog

When it comes to your website and getting seen online, often search engine optimisation needs to be a priority for you. However, you may have already focused on all of the keywords when it comes to your website, so what else is there? A business blog can be an excellent way to enhance on this. You could look at starting a separate domain, or making it an extension of your website. You can share posts about your products and services, or you could look at things such as topical posts that will be of interest to your customers and clients. Starting a blog is easy, and it can even be used as content towards your social media content strategy, and an excellent way to expand your reach and be seen more in search engine results.

Responding to your audience

One of the biggest mistakes that business owners can make when it comes to their marketing and social media is not responding to comments or direct messages. In order to build up an organic audience and following this is an essential. It can take up a lot of time, which is why you may want to think about outsourcing your marketing. But at the same time, responding to the direct messages and comments means that you can encourage more engagement. These people will have taken time to comment on your posts and content, and so it is only right to make them feel valued by responding back to them.

Working locally on your advertising

There is a new found trend these days for shoppers or people looking to give their business to people who are local and are small businesses. Supporting businesses like it used to be decades ago. So are you taking advantage of this? Do people in your local area know about your business? The chances are they don’t. Advertise locally in stores or community magazines. This can be a great way to expand your reach. You could also do this online. Many platforms like Facebook have specialized groups and pages that could be dedicated to your local area, and advertising on there can be a great option. This might be through your online blog and sharing your posts, or genuinely just sharing your website. You could also be involved in local events including donation and sponsorship or even having a stall or pop up shop there. You could even work with local charities for a mutual arrangement. There are so many different options that you consider when it comes to the local community, and it could open up a whole new customer base that you may not have considered before.

Trying out social influencer marketing

Finally, there has been an influx of people becoming social media sensations or having a large and engaged audience in all different genres. These people are normal, and more down to earth than celebrity. They could be a blogger or vlogger on YouTube, they may be just someone who posts great content online, but the differences are that their audiences are engaged. This could be great coverage for you and asking to work with them on advertising campaigns or reviews could be an amazing way to gain some exposure. They will naturally share your products and services, and their audience will more likely respond to the advert. They will have to declare it, and there may be a fee involved for the time it takes to create the content, but it is definitely a new avenue to explore.

Often when it comes to your business, you can be so tempting to focus on the background things and shy away from where you can make the most difference. But being proactive can work in your favour, and trying one or all of these suggestions could work for your business. Let’s hope one of these marketing suggestions gives you the results that you want and need to allow your business to continue to thrive.