Amidst the fierce competition, growing a startup is like running an uphill marathon with unpredictable obstacles ready to challenge the business journey at every step. Building a market-ready product or service, securing the right funding, hiring the right people, and acquiring high-quality leads are just a fraction of the responsibilities plaguing startups. Building a startup requires immense work, resources, learning, and risk-taking which is underscored by studies that showcase only 20% of startups are able to survive for more than five years.
Despite the odds being stacked against new entrepreneurs, startups have the opportunity to reverse them by avoiding making this fundamental mistake; skipping on digital marketing. In a digital-first world, it's impossible to stand by the notion that goods and products sell themselves, as it implies waiting for customers to accidentally stumble upon your product or service. This approach is nothing more than a myth, as success is about crafting a well-planned strategy that encompasses digital marketing.
In tandem, digital marketing agencies can help startups overcome potential hurdles by setting them in the right direction leading towards growth.
Reaching the target group
Opening a new business is never easy, especially because people are unaware of your startup, products and services. As a result, it’s only logical that people will have their reservations and might even question your solutions. Given that a customer's purchasing power is influenced by trust, brands need to cultivate this trust by boosting the credibility of their product or service.
However, boosting credibility is no longer about making claims about the quality and value of your product. Instead, it's about providing social proof by connecting with people who are not affiliated with your startup. The best way to achieve such credibility in the market is by promoting user-generated content which builds trust, as consumers tend to value the feedback shared by their peers rather than the brand.
Enhancing website traffic
Today, every individual begins their customer journey by searching for a product or service online which makes having a website a non-negotiable. While most businesses are able to set up a website that serves as the foundation for expanding reach, building the brand name, and generating leads, the majority of them struggle with driving website traffic which is crucial for boosting sales.
Against this backdrop, digital marketing agencies can help startups by optimising their content for search engines. This type of content, optimised for search engines, has the capacity to stay relevant and fresh for a long period, thereby enabling startups to attract visitors, improve search engine ranking, drive website traffic, and establish themselves as leaders in their niche.
Driving conversion rate
There might be cases where startups successfully manage to enhance website traffic, but struggle with driving conversion rates, leaving all their efforts in vain. That said, low conversion rates can be associated with several factors including poor website navigation, mobile unfriendliness, unclear CTAs, lack of credibility, and unappealing product page copy.
In regards, digital marketing agencies provide assistance with identifying the primary cause of low conversion rates and accordingly offer the right strategies to boost CTA. For instance, startups grappling with unclear CTAs, need to leverage the right call-to-action cues depending on the niche of their product or service. At the same time, using the right keywords and creating a sense of urgency by capitalising on the fear of missing out (FOMO) is an impactful tactic to increase conversion rates.
Bottomline
Building, expanding, and growing a startup is undoubtedly overwhelming. Being riddled with hurdles at every curve, startups require allies that can help them grow. As a result, digital marketing becomes a strategic imperative for startups seeking to improve visibility, elevate brand awareness, and foster a market reputation. With the guidance of digital marketing agencies, startups can build a thriving, evolving, and growing business culture.
This article is penned by Ramashish Bhowmik, Co-Founder, Adbuffs.
Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.