As a small business owner, marketing your products and services effectively can be very challenging. Especially if you don’t have a huge marketing budget. It is also tasking and demanding because there are various marketing channels that provide different results for your business. You may be overwhelmed with the marketing process trying to figure out email marketing, setting an ad budget and implementing the best Instagram strategy. The end of the business year is always a good time to pause and reflect on the steps you took and prepare a strategy for the coming year. We’re interested in seeing your business flourish in 2019, so we’re sharing the top digital marketing tips for the coming year with you. These tips will definitely take your business to the next level in 2019.

1. Build engagement through user-generated content – Social media users are practically flooded with content every day. Users are tired of being fed content that they’re not a part of. It’s more important than ever to include users in the content creation process. Instead of creating content that you’re not sure your followers will like, you can rely on user-generated content to do the job and build higher engagement. Examples include Instagram story takeovers, or getting the best content from your followers’ pages (with their permission, of course.).This will create high engagement, promote organic growth and make your community stronger.

2. Take advantage of micro-moments – People are glued to their smartphones for hours. Research shows that people spend an average of 3 hours and 35 minutes on their phones. This means that you must have a solid strategy to capture buyers’ attention. Google has coined the term ‘micro-moments’, describing new consumer behavior. Micro-moments deliver your marketing message clearly and concisely in an interesting manner within seconds. People generally make split-second decisions on what to eat, what to purchase, where to go and when to do it. Micro-Moments that you should know about are:

To fully take advantage of micro-moments in 2019, ensure that you’re exactly where customers search for information the moment they need something. Such as Google, YouTube and Google Maps.

3. Social Media Stories- Stories are becoming increasingly popular on social media.  Stories are available on Snapchat,Instagram and Facebook. In fact, YouTube has just unveiled its own story format called ‘Reels’. It’s important that you add stories to your digital marketing strategy in 2019. You can create story templates for your followers to fill in as part of user-generated content. You can also post sneak peeks of products, do product reveals, do surveys, ask for reviews and conduct interviews.

4. Explainer Videos – Visual content is a goldmine for getting more reach and engagement on the content that you create. Your customer definitely has something they need clarity on. This is where your explainer video comes in. You can use a smartphone or professional camera to shoot short videos and edit them with free apps. Another option is to create a completely animated video. If you’re wondering what to put in an explainer video, here’s a short guide:

• Address the problem for the first 20 seconds.
• Introduce your product or service as the solution for the next 5 seconds
• Describe how the solution works for the next 30 seconds.
• Give a short and powerful call to action in the last 10 seconds.

Remember to sell the benefits of your product or service and not the features. Explainer videos work best when you think from the viewer’s perspective. Ensure it’s engaging and entertaining.

5. Claim your ‘Google My Business’ Page – Over 80% of searches worldwide are done on Google’s search engine. Google provides a tool that is great for small businesses. The ‘Google My Business’ or GMB tool can help you direct customers to your website, provide relevant information, interact with customers and control your business image. You can add detailed information about your business including pictures, your URL, location and contact details. Customers can also leave reviews on your page. A great feature that was recently added is the ability to create posts for your ‘Google My Business Page’. This helps you share important updates about your company. Proper optimization of your ‘Google My Business’ page will result in improved search rankings. Having your business listed on Google is important because it helps prospective customers find you easily. It also shows that you’re a legitimate business and can really influence their buying decision. Your GMB page helps you stay in touch with customers, get feedback and address negative feedback.
   
   In conclusion, these tips are just some helpful pointers showing you what to incorporate into your 2019 strategy. Make sure you spend time evaluating your business needs and goals before creating and documenting your final strategy.