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As customers grow more digital and attach themselves to their smartphones, they’re becoming more and more receptive to seeing ads found only in their area. While these new marketing opportunities give small businesses a competitive edge over big brands, only those that follow the trends will gain new customers.

So if you want to effectively market your small business online and be the next buzz word, apply these 3 marketing trends to ensure success.

Mobile Ads are Becoming More Local

Whether consumers love or hate them, targeted local ads are becoming the norm in digital marketing. According to predictions from local marketing agency Borrell and Associates 88 percent of local ads will be delivered to mobile devices by 2016. However, the power to tune your ads to the ears of your locals also comes with great responsibility and caution.

Everyday consumers are bombarded by ‘intrusive’ advertising that they’re not actually interested in. Mobile marketing that targets users’ phones can quickly infringe on consumer privacy. At the moment, mobile ads that target and lure require a sensitive touch and a talent for balance. But it has a lot of potential.

The right approach would be to give Steve a heartfelt thank you (and discount) for his loyalty or to tell Margaret about the new deals she might be interested in. Which brings us to the next point…

Personal Marketing Messages

Small businesses that want to keep pace with new trends should then establish more direct connections from specific locations. That means turning to location-specific social media accounts and email lists.

While a people may be happily glued to their smart phone, they certainly don’t want constant harassment from businesses. While perhaps not as intrusive as a knock on the door during dinner, mobile ads blasted out to every phone will certainly disgruntle a few people. Instead of spamming smart devices via mass sms, use a little bit of tact and some one-on-one to interest your prospective customers. As long as the message is all about them, you’re more likely to get a reliable lead.

Social Media Influences Purchase Decisions

Never underestimate the power of social media. Studies show people want to get their friend’s opinion before they buy a product. A Gallup survey found 35 percent of consumer’s decisions were influenced by social media. Another from Vision Critical found that 43 percent of social media users said they bought a product after sharing it or liking it on Facebook. In fact, social media is a gift that keeps on giving.

People are more likely to buy something if their friends or family bought it first. Therefore, ensure your marketing efforts are also targeting locals in your own back yard. In fact, if you’re not reaching out to locals via social media, consider a good portion of your marketing efforts handicapped.

Essentially, social media provides a free marketing campaign that requires little effort to manage, yet has huge revenue potential.

Use it to build stronger relationships with the prospective clients, existing customers, and leads. It’s better that you promote specific products and services especially with discounts and specials, as opposed to just your brand alone.

To learn more, contact us today!