Starting your own business is always a daunting prospect. That apprehension can be exacerbated when the industry you’re entering is as competitive as something like digital marketing can be. There are thousands upon thousands of digital marketing companies, all vying for the attention of businesses, influencers, and anybody else who wants to avail themselves of this service. However, you shouldn’t let that put you off starting up your own digital marketing business; it can be immensely rewarding as long as you put the work in. Here’s how to start your very own digital marketing business.
Learn your craft
Since digital marketing is so insanely competitive, you’ll want to enter the industry knowing as much as you can about what you’re getting into. Do you know your SEO from your PPC, for example? Can you set out a logical, straightforward social media strategy for a client? What’s your approach when it comes to dealing with complaints? Clients will want to know the answers to all of these questions, and if you don’t come across as an authority in your field, then your business will suffer. Make sure you know the ABCs of digital marketing before you begin.
Get funding for your business
Acquiring funding is one of the most demanding and difficult parts of starting up a business. You need to approach investors with a concrete plan in place that shows exactly how you’re going to make a profit, and even then, you may struggle to get people interested in your idea. With that in mind, you’ll need to look at as many sources of funding for your business as possible. Talk to investors, but also to friends, family, and anyone else you know who might want to invest. Even taking out £1000 loans and using personal financing to fund your business can be a valid route to take.
Research your competition
No matter where your digital marketing agency’s focus is, you’re going to have fierce competition. Knowing who that is and what their approach is – and how it differs from yours – will serve as great ammunition when you’re establishing yourself in the digital marketing world. Just a basic Google search of some statistics can be of assistance; if you know when your competitors do their best business and when things start to flag, you can prepare for similar peaks and troughs in your own operation, for example. There are plenty of things like this you can research to give yourself a competitive advantage.
Show how you’re unique
Amidst a sea of similar-looking digital marketing businesses, you need to show clients why they should opt for yours over everyone else’s. The worst thing you can do in the business world is look “generic”, even if the digital marketing industry is awash with companies relatively similar to yours. Emphasise your unique voice and how you’re going to utilise your creativity to build successful campaigns for your clients. Don’t just demonstrate technical expertise; show clients how you’re going to win over customers’ hearts and minds as well.
Discover your niche
Your niche is where you’ll do your best business. What’s your strong suit when it comes to digital marketing? Are you best at building social media campaigns, or do you work better with Google ads? Are the kind of campaigns you build better-suited to the health industry, the automotive world, or the world of gaming and tech? There will be answers to these questions, and it’s important that you take them on board when you’re planning your business. You can’t be all things to all people; trying to stretch yourself too thin could result in your business suffering.
Build an excellent website
Your website will serve as a landing page for interested clients. As such, it should stand to reason that you should be enticing clients with that site. Building a professional-looking, intuitive website with great design and responsive elements demonstrates that you understand the online world, which is critical when it comes to digital marketing. Your site needs to communicate who you are, what you offer, and why prospective clients should choose you above anyone else. Make sure to include testimonials from satisfied customers if you have them!
Be on social media
It should be obvious that a great digital marketing agency needs a robust social media presence. If you’re not on social media, then it could make clients question whether you’re as knowledgeable about the world of digital marketing as you claim to be. After all, social media is a vital marketing tool, and any self-respecting digital marketing agency would know that. You should have a presence on all the major platforms: Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter are good places to start. Be on the lookout for emergent platforms as well, since early adopters are often rewarded.
Create content to help grow your business
One of the principal ways to grow your business – and to help you generate client leads so you can get customers – is to create content. You could, for example, make videos or blog posts showing other digital marketing agencies how to get off the ground. Alternatively, you could pick a subject within your industry that people want to know about and make content built around that subject. People respond much better to organic content than they do to bespoke ad campaigns, so this is a good way to establish yourself and build a lasting presence.
We hope these tips on how to create your very own digital marketing business have been helpful. It’s not an easy endeavour to build your own business; competition is fierce, and you’ll need a combination of dedication, perseverance, and luck in order to succeed. However, if you implement these tips, we think you’ll stand a much better chance of making it in this competitive world!
