Get Your House in Order - SEM for Small Business

There are many similarities in businesses; many shared pain points with owners, and more shared stories of bad experiences with "silver bullet theory marketers." I watched Google's AI #GML2024 conference yesterday and one thing is apparent - businesses that don't have their house in order will lose market share.

Photos, posts, videos, written content; reaching your targeted customer on the channel(s) they are on with dynamic, branded, split-tested creative (at scale) is the direction and setting goals is "...mission critical".

If you're a small business, you need tools to help you better understand your digital brand and how you're showing up among competitors:

• SEMRush / Simply entering your URL will give you a plethora of data / analytics on your website, competitors, keywords, rankings, backlink ideas, and much more
• Google Gemini and/or Chat GPT / Yes, there are more to consider but these are the big two. I like using both AI systems and using both outputs.
• GA4 / Ensure the newest version of your Google Analytics is connected and working properly. You can learn a lot by paying attention to your analytics and looking for trends (revenue by month, demographics of visitors, time on site, referring sites, monitor organic campaigns, and more)

I recommend the pro versions SEMRush and Gemini, because they're worth every dollar.

Start familiarizing yourself with these systems and prompt AI with everything you can think of and get comfortable with AI helping you. Microsoft has announced a new computer that will compete with the MacBook and it's completely integrated with AI. Our phones are next.

Dedicate time to learning more, follow more SME (subject matter experts) online, and understand that "Search" for tomorrow is much different than "Search" as we know it. It's more comprehensive and your business's products and services need to be there to maintain/grow market share.

.........

Gemini Prompt "What are the top marketing searches for small business owners? Be specific, I'm writing a LinkedIn article today about it with supporting social posts for other channels."

Core Search Terms (High-Volume, Competitive):

• Small business marketing: This is the broadest term, encompassing all aspects of marketing for smaller companies.
• Digital marketing for small business: Focuses on online strategies like SEO, social media, email, and content.
• Affordable marketing solutions: Highlights budget-friendly options for small businesses with limited resources.
• Marketing strategies for startups: Geared towards new businesses looking to establish a brand and gain traction.
• Local SEO: Emphasizes the importance of being found by customers in a specific geographic area.
• Social media marketing for small business: How to leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.

Long-Tail Keywords (More Specific, Less Competitive):

• How to create a marketing plan for a small business: A step-by-step guide on developing a comprehensive strategy.
• Best marketing tools for small business on a budget: Free or low-cost software and resources to help with marketing efforts.
• Small business marketing ideas on a budget: Creative and cost-effective ways to promote a small business.
• How to measure ROI on small business marketing: Tracking the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and spending.
• DIY marketing for small business: Tips for small business owners who want to handle their own marketing.

.......

Hope this article brought someone value today.

Comment/Emoji below!