In a bid to help small business owners enhance their online visibility in a crowded marketplace, we sought insights from eight seasoned professionals, including CEOs and Marketing Managers. From leveraging backlinking to actively engaging on social media, these experts share their top strategies. Dive into their valuable advice and make your business stand out online.

 

• Leverage Backlinking 
• Prioritize Consistency and Authenticity
• Combine Multiple Digital Marketing Strategies
• Invest in Local Advertising 
• Optimize SEO for Better Visibility
• Maximize Your Google My Business Profile
• Offer Value-Driven Content
• Engage Actively on Social Media

 

Leverage Backlinking 

Backlinking is crucial to any small business marketing strategy to increase a website’s domain authority and brand visibility. Quality over quantity works best, and learning the basics of SEO and building high-quality backlinks has been fundamental in the growth of my business over the last 12 months, helping me to move many of my target keywords to page one of Google. 

 

My business hack for those just starting out is to define exactly who your target audience is, create your customer avatars, and then use this to create your business description to use when building backlinks. 

 

Start with listing your business in online directories;

BrightLocal conducted a consumer survey and found that- 

94% of consumers use a business information site to look up a local business.

It’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to increase your online business visibility and start bringing that much-needed referral traffic to your website.

 

Emily Maguire, Managing Director, Reflections Career Coaching

 

Prioritize Consistency and Authenticity

The best way that I’ve found to improve my online visibility is to be consistent. You can’t do it randomly and whenever you have time; you have to make time and do it way more than you probably think. You also have to be real. Don’t have bots do it for you, as people can tell when you aren’t posting comments yourself. Be genuine and post real, helpful, and legitimate information, and you will stand out online.

 

Ben Walker, CEO, Ditto Transcripts

 

Combine Multiple Digital Marketing Strategies

Small-business owners can boost their online visibility in a saturated online market through strategic digital marketing. We can achieve this by optimizing your website for search engines (SEO) to improve organic search rankings. Consistently creating valuable content related to hot tubs and sharing it on social media can engage your audience. Investing in paid advertising campaigns targeting specific demographics is also beneficial. 

 

Collaborating with influencers or industry partners can provide a wider reach. Encouraging satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, and actively managing your online reputation can also help. By combining these efforts, you can rise above the competition and increase your online presence.

 

Karl Rowntree, Founder and Director, RotoSpa

 

Invest in Local Advertising 

As a small-business owner, improving online visibility in a crowded marketplace can be quite challenging. However, a few effective strategies have been found. First, investing in local advertising, such as placing ads in local media or using billboards in high-traffic areas, can help boost visibility among the local audience. Second, leveraging online classified ad platforms and directories can expand the business’s digital presence. 

 

Last, optimizing the website for local search engine optimization (SEO) with relevant keywords and location-specific content can also enhance visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find the business when searching online. These combined efforts have proven to be valuable in standing out in a competitive online landscape.

 

Martin Potocki, CEO, Jobera

 

Optimize SEO for Better Visibility

If we’re talking dollars spent for value received, there are a few activities that will get you more benefits in improving online visibility than optimizing your SEO. This includes the basics such as optimizing your keyword rankings using tools like Ahrefs or Semrush, updating your meta descriptions and headings, lowering your loading speed, updating your mobile-friendliness, and general UX. 

 

But what you really want to ensure you have is high-quality backlinks from reputable websites in your industry. This might be tricky to secure, especially if you’re looking for sites with a high DR, but in many ways, this is the most important step for ranking high in most search engines.

 

Kate Kandefer, CEO, SEOwind

 

Maximize Your Google My Business Profile

Fully optimize your Google My Business profile. The way I see it, being lazy with getting all of those basics fixed and as clear as you can make them is a good way to leave a lot of visibility on the table. It doesn’t take that much time, but the consequences of not doing it can be pretty immense. People may have a hard time finding your business or, even worse, they may find your competitors instead since they have similar keyword rankings.

 

Onno Halsema, CEO, Contentoo

 

Offer Value-Driven Content

For small-business owners aiming to rise above the digital clutter, content marketing remains a powerful tool. By offering valuable, relevant content, whether it’s an even green content, an insightful blog post, or an engaging YouTube video, businesses can position themselves as authorities. Enhancing SEO and fostering genuine connections with their audience are added benefits. It’s about providing something of worth to grab attention and build trust in a bustling online marketplace.

 

Neil Hodgson Coyle, Content Marketing Manager, PRLab

 

Engage Actively on Social Media

Small-business owners can actively engage on popular social media platforms to enhance online visibility in a crowded marketplace. Businesses can establish a strong online presence by regularly sharing valuable content, interacting with their target audience, and participating in relevant discussions. 

 

Social media sites provide an ideal platform for showcasing products or services, connecting with potential customers, and building brand recognition. Businesses can strategically use hashtags and tag relevant industry influencers to expand their reach and attract new followers. The power of social media lies in its ability to connect businesses directly with their target audience, allowing for effective communication and fostering customer loyalty. 

 

Embracing social media as a marketing tool is paramount in today’s digital landscape, and it provides businesses with a cost-effective means to reach a wider audience and thrive in a crowded marketplace.

Saneem Ahearn, VP of Marketing, Colorescience