Quality data will continue to underpin your marketing, sales and business strategies, whatever your objectives and budget. Only 5% of small businesses say SEO was their most successful tactic in 2019, which may influence their choice to not focus on SEO in the future.Â, Nearly three-fourths (70%) of small businesses plan to increase their social media investment in 2020 to reach a wider audience, despite social media’s low conversion rate.Â. 2020’s hottest small business industries Small business continues to thrive across many industries. “We didn’t focus on our customers or on their pain points. Small businesses are getting more social (but mostly on Facebook). Constant technological change and increasing reliance on digital can leave people wanting for human connection. Mohammed Chaudhri, Head of UK Macro Forecasting at Experian added “The Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates at 0.75% points toward a sense of confidence returning to the UK economy.   Bolstering the economy further, consumer confidence grew by three points at the end of last year, according to one index.5 As long as you have the right product or service, and keep moving forward, this renewed optimism could pave the way for exciting business growth. At the same time, they provide valuable, organic feedback from customers that enables marketers to track trends and improve decision-making.7. Websites are the starting point for many customers in the buyer’s journey. About 70 percentof the shoppers we polled said they have visited a small business (either online or in-store) at least once a month since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. 1. Google understands the value of having nearby businesses come up first in results. Machine learning and AI are expected to feature in brands’ marketing activities, as the technology becomes more accessible. “Everyone buys things on the internet all the time. Don’t miss any tips and how-tos on small business marketing. Let me read one that just came in from a . Agility and innovation drive success – yet jumping on the latest consumer trends can be costly if they prove to be a flash in the pan. On top of that, SMEs have traditionally struggled to compete with big players because they don’t typically have the same resources to invest in marketing campaigns, IT infrastructure, staffing and other business functions. “Each day we would post two competing images [of famous paintings] on Facebook and let followers vote with a like or heart. However, there seems to be good news on the horizon at last. SMEs are the backbone of the UK economy, accounting for more than 99% of all private sector businesses.2 Being your own boss brings enormous rewards, although most understand the risks, investment and long working days required to be successful. Small businesses report pain points in areas such as HR, finance, and marketing/advertising. Not surprisingly, technology is going to be central to the success of any company, from major corporations using deep analytics to inform decision-making, to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) managing their operations using intuitive business apps. Sustainability and ethics will also shape business strategies and create new growth opportunities, in line with shifting consumer attitudes and purchasing behaviour. YouTube and Google both launched 6-second bumper ads as a way to offer brands a creative way to extend brand reach in a short time frame… Creating a high-quality mobile app is an expensive investment. Online sales accounted for more than a fifth of retail sales by the end of last year11 – an upward trend that is likely to continue through 2020 and beyond. Even if you already have a loyal customer base, 2020 is shaping up to be a golden opportunity to scale your company up sustainably, without being exposed to unnecessary financial risk. Businesses must have a reliable and informative website as e-commerce continues to grow.Â. Our research reveals that consumers showed up for small businesses. Unemployment remains at a record-low, wages have risen to their highest levels in over a decade, consumer confidence is on the up and firms of all sizes are innovating and expanding into new markets. Click on the button below and fill in your contact details and someone will be in touch with you shortly. Twenty-nine percent of small businesses plan to begin using a website in 2020 as they try to connect with customers digitally. Digital marketing is far from universal in the small business world: Nearly 1 in 5 small business owners do not plan to use digital marketing at all in 2016. Consumers, including the powerful Millennial market, are aware of the impact their purchasing decisions have on the environment and may turn to brands whose values match their own. Global economic growth, particularly in manufacturing, has been described as sluggish1, while UK high streets continued to struggle in the face of rising online competition and operating costs. The rate of change, whether in technology, consumer attitudes, the economy and regulation, mean that staying ahead of the curve is an ongoing challenge. Almost three-quarters of small businesses (70%) plan to increase their social media investment. We just focused all our messaging on our product. Throughout this report, we report on their answers with charts. This looks set to continue into 2020 but some will go a step further, using data captured via these applications to make better business decisions, react quickly to change – and potentially take market share from companies several times their size. 2017 Small Business Marketing Trends Report 2 We asked these small business owners a slate of ten questions, including a screening question to identify small business ownership. The Promo.com Small Business Video Marketing Trends study showcases the direct feedback of more than 500 marketers and small business owners from all over the world. There are more than 30 million small businesses in the U.S. competing for success in different industries.Â, Businesses will explore new marketing channels to impress customers while evaluating past strategies to see what worked.Â. Combined with our 2019 data of more than one million users, we found out exactly how SMBs create videos, reach their audiences and grow … Retail and business services are tied for the most popular small business industry, with both accounting for 13 percent of the total share. One-quarter of small businesses (25%) are also hoping to start using digital marketing, which can help businesses stand out amongst competitors.Â, Additionally, 22% of small businesses are looking to invest in mobile apps. Mobile apps can provide an additional channel for companies to reach clients.  Mobile apps are accessible anywhere and at anytime, which makes them a useful tool for growing businesses. Â, Small businesses must decide which channels are best to pursue for their own business success.Â, Small businesses do not focus enough attention on SEO and could be losing valuable customers.Â, Only 21% of businesses plan to increase their SEO investment in 2020. 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