There is a question that most small business owners should answer today: are you using online marketing activities to help your business grow? If the answer is yes, well and good; you’ll benefit from the tips that follow. If your answer is no, however, you definitely need to bring your A game.

You might fire back with a question of your own: Why do I need digital marketing? The answer is simple: about 80% of customers rely more on the Internet to help them find and choose a local business.

Here are 10 fresh tips for your digital marketing strategy that could quite possibly end up saving you more money in the long term.

1. Optimize the URL you use for search ads.

For example, if your URL is www.thedarksideofclothing.com, and your business is a store that sells Halloween costumes, the vague relationship between your URL and your business will not help customers or search engines. Use a URL that’s easier to remember and identify. The same problem exists when the business owner uses their own name (common among local businesses) instead of words connected to their product or service. If your URL already contains your business name that’s related to your product, you can save text space on the ad.

2. Include target keywords when you write headlines.

This will increase the chances of your ad or webpage appearing whenever a user types in those keywords. Make sure the target keywords match the context of the page; it must be a semantic and syntactic match to the page.

3. Tell customers what to do.

Strong calls-to-action (CTAs) still work on the majority of customers that see an ad or visit a website. “Click for a 50% discount” is a good example. Create a call-to-action that is aligned to what your page is about. A good example is a “Call Now” button on your Contact Us page.

Create a call-to-action that is aligned to what your page is about.

4. Write properly.

Capitalize the first letter of the major words on your ad, but don’t use ALL CAPS. Remember to punctuate correctly, as well. Check the grammar of your content. The last thing you want is for customers to see grammatical errors and judge you for these.

5. Update your website.

Are you using the same website from five years back? Time for an update. This is digital, so changes are to be expected, and they are expected to happen fast and often. So why would you not update your site to make it faster, more useful, and more attractive?

6. Build your site for mobile.

This is an important development you should never ignore. Why? Because traffic from mobile web users is now heavier than that from desktop computer users. Not only that; up to 80% of local mobile searches lead to a purchase. Make sure your website is mobile responsive; it should load on all types of devices and browsers.

Traffic from mobile web users is now heavier than that from desktop computer users.

7. Start a blog.

A blog page in your website is an important and useful addition. It helps establish your authority in your industry and it also helps in search engine optimization (SEO). Create a publishing calendar to keep track of your posts.

8. Use business listings.

Upload information about your business on platforms like Yelp and Google+ Local. You’ve got the phone book for offline use, and these platforms for the online equivalent. Yelp and Google+ Local will also make it easier for customers to find you on Google Maps and Apple Maps.

9. Engage with customers.

Social media makes this easy. Be on Facebook and similar social platforms so you can keep updating customers about your business, such as when a new product is about to drop. Create a Facebook page where customers can follow your business for any updates on your products or services.

10. Invest in SEO.

Learn SEO, or if you would rather focus on your business, buy SEO. A good SEO company can make your business get on the first page of search results pages after some time. Perpetual ranking power is always a good thing.
As with anything digital, developments happen all the time, and these require your full attention to keep your marketing strategies effective. Once you’ve got this all figured out, however, you will enjoy its positive effects for years.