As many New Jersey business owners can attest, there are many things that go into running a business. Marketing is one of them, and with Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest all the rage, it's important now for small companies to take advantage of these marketing opportunities in order to attract new customers and hold onto the ones they have. However, there needs to be a balance between spending hours a day on social media websites and avoiding them altogether.
Older entrepreneurs may not be as social media savvy as their younger counterparts, but by shunning digital tools altogether, they are missing out on opportunities to grow. With the average consumer in the United States using digital media for close to 15 hours a week, businesses need to stay connected to their target audience. However, 10 percent of small businesses don't even have a website. The percentage of companies not using social media is even higher -- almost 30 percent.
It's easy to get sucked into social media, which is why many small companies try to avoid it. They've seen other entrepreneurs spend hours a day updating Facebook statuses and posting photos online that they decide they want to spend their time utilizing other strategies. However, every company should have a website. They don't need anything fancy, just a clean and simple site that explains what the company does and how it can be contacted.
With just a website, there are many ways to optimize the text to make it easier for consumers to search and find. Advertising and promotions through similar websites are also good ways to help a business become a household name. A company doesn't have to utilize every media channel, but they should focus on at least a couple.
Source: USA Today, " Digital tools play big role in small business growth," Laura Petrecca, Oct. 7, 2013