If hindsight’s 2020, then what can we say about 2021? One thing is for sure: none of us expected a global pandemic to last this long. But the advancements we saw for small business marketing in 2020 and 2021, including a mass migration to digital marketing for small businesses, are setting us up for growth in 2022. So, let’s take a look back at what’s new, and how to use it better this year.
A Rise in Small Businesses Websites
After being driven indoors for isolation and remote work, commerce went crazy online. Oberlo reports that in 2020, 51% of small business owners increased the number of online interactions they had with clients. That could explain the number of small businesses flocking to finally get a website up and running: While 36% of small businesses did not have a website in 2020, that percentage decreased to 28% for 2021.
It’s a huge victory for growing local businesses to expand their reach digitally. We think every business, no matter how big or small, should maintain a website.
The hurry to bring business online, though, raises key questions about website marketing best practices. Certainly, there are areas to improve! Here are few questions to ask yourself as you review your website and plan for 2022:
- Are there forms on my site to capture user info?
- Is my website easy to navigate?
- Do I have any broken links?
- Are there clear paths to conversion for my customers?
- Have I connected Google Analytics to my website for data collection?
The Video Marketing Takeover
Video isn’t just popular, it’s taking over. Invideo and Hubspot report that, in 2020, 96% of consumers increased their online video consumption. Plus, 9 out of 10 viewers said that they wanted to see more videos from brands and businesses.
And while video production may seem expensive and time-consuming, it’s almost certainly worth it for your business to hop on the bandwagon. After all, 89% of video marketers say video gives them a good ROI.
When it’s time to turn a critical eye to your video marketing or plan out your 2022 video debut, use these questions to guide your content:
- Are you able to come up with 50-100 video ideas?
- Do you know where to find assets like stock images and free sounds to use in your videos?
- What are the goals of your videos?
- What analytics are available on the platforms you’re using like YouTube and Vimeo?
- Are you following best practices when shooting and distributing your videos?
By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic — 15 times higher than it was in 2017. – Cisco
How to Plan Your Small Business Marketing in 2022
The past two years have taught us that we can survive and thrive through the unexpected. Now, let’s get organized and tackle these new challenges with more confidence than we’ve ever had. Bringing your business into the digital world was a huge first step toward local and widespread success. You should be proud of that!
We can help you perfect and perpetuate your online presence to make all that hard work worth it in 2022. Whether you work 1-on-1 with a mentor to map out your next big project or you hand the reigns to our expert via web support or digital ad packages, we’ve got you covered.
And if you’re determined to keep DIYing your digital marketing, check out these training sessions to help you plan for your best year yet:
