Looking Ahead: Big Changes Coming to Small Business

The world of technology is bringing change to pretty much every aspect of our lives - from how we interact with one another; to how and where we shop, eat, or catch a cab; to how businesses compete for market share. Small businesses, particularly, are constantly faced with the growing challenge of making a name for themselves in the digital space. So how do you deal with it?

At RV Trader, we have the pleasure of working with thousands of dealers all over the country. While business goals or obstacles may vary, among our dealers, the underlying concern we hear remains consistent - how can I stay in front of my audience and truly compete in the marketplace? What will really make an impact and help drive the exposure, conversion, and ultimately revenue to make it all worth it? Keeping up with trends, having a high rank with various search engines, and having a social media presence doesn’t even scratch the surface, making this whole digital marketing thing a pretty big undertaking.

According to Google, Forbes Business, and other industry leaders, these are the top digital tools, techniques, and trends that have been and are going to help small businesses grow their presence well into the future:

• Think Mobile First: Savvy consumers have been spoiled by quick, easy, and informative web experiences in the palm of their hand - and the RV industry is no exception. According to socPub, 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly-designed mobile site, so between the rise in millennial buyers and the tech takeover, having a responsive site a must have for any business to thrive. In fact, according to a survey of over 350 small businesses conducted by The Manifest, one in five small businesses have identified updating and upgrading their users’ experience as a top priority in 2018. We imagine these numbers will continue to grow as the way we send and receive information continues to evolve into more digital platforms.

• Video Engagement Drives Results: That very same survey by The Manifest, also determined that video content is becoming a large part of their overall business strategy. Cisco even predicts that video traffic will account for 82% of all internet traffic in just four years. By now we understand that the amount of research buyers conduct before a purchase (and even before contacting a dealer) is vast, and consumers love to view videos as a part of that research. Video has the ability to greatly increase the likelihood of conversion just by adding that personal touch. Many dealers are already using video through YouTube, Facebook, and on their own sites to engage and inform their visitors, convey transparency, and establish validity all while greatly improving search rankings. Check out our recent blog on how to use video for your business.

• Content is King: Not unlike video, consumers and search engines really love content. In fact, 22% of the 350+ businesses surveyed by The Manifest said they were expanding their content strategy in 2018. Content not only gives a large boost to a site’s SEO, but it goes even further by informing and even persuading consumers to engage - whether it’s buying, clicking on a link, sharing, and more. Hootsuite identified that small businesses are leveraging video, blogs, infographics, and more to reach their buyers and have them coming back for more. So what is the key to good content? Keep it concise, relevant, localized, and conversational.

• Security and HTTPS: It’s no surprise, but with the increase in overall internet traffic and the ability to send/share sensitive information, consumers and businesses are more focused on security than ever before. Not having an secure website will not only impact SEO (Google announced in 2016 that sites lacking HTTPS certificates will be flagged as untrustworthy), but could damage a business’ reputation, raise concerns that consumer information may be compromised, and more.

While these ideas might sound simple, few small/independent businesses are actively working towards them. If you want to grow your marketshare and secure the sustainability of your business, it is crucial to stay up on the latest trends in the digital marketing world to see which tools might work best for your business.