For small businesses, the efficacy of a marketing strategy is more than about the metrics it can deliver. It’s also about giving you the results you need within your budget.

The examples below are methods that have proven to be very effective for me in building my business:

1. Facebook Advertising

Facebook has 2.8 billion monthly active users and 1.84 billion daily active users. Based on these figures, it certainly makes sense that Facebook advertising is included in every digital marketer’s toolkit for cost-effective marketing efforts. With Facebook advertising, you’re given an inexpensive, scalable platform that lets you market to virtually any audience.

It also gives you an opportunity to target specific groups and segment audiences based on demographics, geography, and even psychographics.

2. Content Marketing

When done right, content marketing can have a significant impact on your business. The important thing to remember is that content marketing is intended to pay off in the long term. Its effects won’t be immediate like paid advertising efforts; however, it has been known to attract and retain your desired audience and spur profitable customer action.

By creating high-quality content that highlights your expertise, is relevant to your audience, and is optimized for keywords, you can steadily build a loyal following in your industry.

3. Consistent Social Media

Social media for your business is a must. A lot of customers seek out a brand’s social media as a way to get in touch or research products and services. Simply staying active on your various platforms can help you build rapport with your core audience that ultimately leads to better customer/brand relationships.

Keep in mind, however, that you have to identify channels where your brand and your audience are most relevant. For example, if you cater to an older audience, it makes sense to focus on the organic growth of Facebook, which generally has an older user base. If your business is in fashion, or any industry that is anchored on visuals and aesthetics, Instagram is a great option.

4. Email Marketing

Email is not dead. I know there are many articles that say there are better options to reach your audience. However, I still believe that email marketing remains one of the cornerstones of digital marketing. It serves as a direct line to customers. It not only allows you to communicate with your core audience, but it also creates a platform where you can nurture prospects, so they become loyal customers.

The best thing about email marketing is the low costs, the wide reach, and your audience can easily be segmented to make it more effective. If you’re a one-man team (as small business marketers tend to be), you can also automate the process, so it takes up less of your time.

Hope my answer helps and gives you a better idea of how you can best approach your business’ marketing. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or join the conversation on our Twitter or LinkedIn.