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Where Should I Advertise My Business Online?

3 Practical Channels to Build Leads

For many entrepreneurs, especially newcomers, there’s a tendency to become engrossed in the daily grind rather than focusing on long-term growth. Being time-poor typically results in too much time working in the business, rather than on it. This can take its toll on generating new leads and bringing in more customers, because the time spent on day-to-day operations takes precedence. If you’re such a business owner seeking efficient and worthwhile marketing solutions, and find yourself asking “Where Should I Advertise My Business Online?”, here are three key online channels to use when seeking to enhance your lead generation.

Social Media – For Targeting

The online realm, especially social media, can offer a highly cost-effective and scalable avenue to advertise your business. The reach potential and active usage of platforms like TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram mean businesses have access to thousands of potential customers – and those who know how to market effectively to their target audience can see their online leads increase significantly.

Your key to success? Understanding your target audience. Craft unique profiles for every kind of customer you wish to attract. Ensure the content you share resonates with them. And while regularly updating is vital, it’s equally crucial not to overwhelm them. After all, a steady stream of engaging content can keep your brand fresh in their minds.

Google Ads – For a Wide Reach

There are people out there searching the internet for exactly what you provide – so how do you reach them at that point in the purchasing decision? Google Ads is often the answer. According to Statista, Google’s share of the search engine market is 83.49% worldwide as of July 2023 – indicating that this is the place people are going to in order to search for what they want.

Google Ads, when implemented effectively and maintained regularly, can put your business in front of potential customers right when they are looking to buy. The flexibility and scalability of Google Ads means that you can start small, with a lower budget, and strategically target specific search terms and keywords that apply directly to your business. Once you get some traction with that, tweak your targeting, increase your budget, and experiment with different search terms to diversify your ads between competitive and less-competitive searches.

Electronic Direct Marketing (EDM) – For Loyal Customers & Referrers

EDM or email marketing can be your bridge to fostering brand loyalty. Even simple things like putting together a newsletter once a month with interesting and relevant articles for your audience (or potential audience) can be an effective way to nurture brand loyalty and add value for your current and future customers. An example of the lead-building capability of EDMs is the provision of purchase incentives, special deals and offers that people can unlock just by signing up to your newsletter. Once you’ve built up a database of emails, keep in touch with your audience by sending relevant, useful, and interesting content, or specials that they might be interested in.

Take it a step further by segmenting your email database – this could be customers and non-customers; by interests; age groups; gender; or any other demographic or characteristic that you feel is relevant. Once you have a segmented database, tailor your content to those segments to ensure your messages are targeted and hitting the right notes.

What Now?

No matter where you are in your business journey, whether you started last week or have been in the game for 20 years, cultivating leads remains paramount. The challenge lies in consistently finding innovative ways to attract and retain customers. By taking the time to advertise your business through online channels like social media, Google Ads and EDMs, you’ll be making steps to build up your brand as a trusted name in your industry, and place your products or services at the top of the pile.

If you’re looking for insights into the health of your brand, McKinley Plowman Brand Plus offers a complimentary initial consultation. Delve into your marketing strategies with us, chart out your aspirations, and we’ll guide you in bridging the gap. Visit our website for more information or contact us on 08 9325 2411 (Perth) or 08 9301 2200 (Joondalup).

written by:

Ben Hart

Ben joined the McKinley Plowman team in 2017 as a Marketing & HR Assistant, after completing a Bachelors degree in Marketing & Management from the University of Western Australia. Ben has since stepped up to the role of Marketing Manager and oversees the marketing activities for MP+ and many of our clients.

Ben enjoys helping clients take their businesses to the next level with thoughtful marketing strategies, innovative solutions, and timely reviews to ensure great outcomes. When he's not in the office, you'll find Ben playing football (soccer), watching it, or reading about it.