The U.S. Small Business Administration states that small businesses employed over 58.9 million people in 2015. Four years later, can you imagine how many people are employed by small businesses! As a leading marketing firms in Austin TX, we understand how important small businesses are for the local economy!

For many small to medium sized businesses, the rise of e-commerce and digital implementation can seem like a daunting addition. However, it doesn’t have to be daunting at all. One way to keep up with the latest trends is with marketing strategies and practices.

Hiring a professional

One way for a small business to adapt with the latest trends is implementing a digital marketing strategy into their everyday marketing efforts. In a digital world, customers and clients are checking out your online presence before ever entering a storefront. When a business owner hires one of the leading marketing firms in Austin TX , these owners can help save money by letting professionals handle the strategies. Get back to focusing on your own business and stay relevant in your own industry!

This gives your business that active presence online that customers and clients are searching for while getting the best unbiased opinion and work from a digital marketer. Another innovation for small business owners is adapting marketing automation.

Chatbots

For a small business owner, you can’t always be working. You’ve got a life, family and obligations outside of your business. A chatbot can provide that automatic response that customers are searching for and allow you to respond at a later date.

The chatbot allows for customers to ask questions and get the answers they want right away. A chatbot can also help customers and clients to book appointments and send them to the right pages on your website. This shows customers and clients that you care about their needs.

Need to take it one step further? Live chat is the next step for business owners alike. A live chat service is like chatbots, but allows for customers and clients to interact with someone over the phone or through video chat methods!

Virtual Reality

This is a new method of marketing that larger companies like Facebook, Pinterest and Google are breaking into the market. Virtual Reality (VR) is part of artificial intelligence which is machine learning that mimics human intelligence. VR allows for shoppers to try on a product before they purchase it by using their camera.

A great example of this for small businesses is a design studio, furniture or clothing store could allow customers to shop on their website and invision their purchase. If they’re unsure about how that color would clash with their current wall colors, a simple click on the item takes customers to a VR experience. This allows for them to virtually put the couch into their living room and see it before purchasing it.

Voice search content

By 2020, it’s predicted that 30 to 50 percent of all searches will be conducted with smart speakers. This can be as simple as “Google, where is the closest supermarket” to something along the lines of “Google, give me a list of the top marketing firms in Austin TX.”  As of now, voice search is just emerging for digital marketers as a new contributor for search engine optimization strategies.

However, studies and predictions continue to show the increase of voice search as a leading strategy digital marketers need to be ahead on. As a small business, how can you be ahead of the curve and beat large business conglomerates? Add search engine optimization strategies into your current marketing plan that can be optimized for smart speaker’s search results!

Overall, one of the leading digital marketing firms in Austin TX can help small businesses adapt and implement the future of marketing. For more information, contact us today.