Everything your SME needs to know about digital marketing

Small businesses are the lifeblood of the main street and, more often than not, the TikTok trailblazers. Often it’s the smallest businesses that go the most viral (we’re looking at you, Good Squish). 

Thanks to their size and loyal customer bases, SMEs are the driver of local economies, but with competition high and budgets tight, small businesses still need to work to prove their worth in an industry full of Nikes, Apples, and PLTs. 

Enter: digital marketing.

To stand out against the competition, increase traffic, and drive conversion in a world seized by rising inflation, getting to grips with the world of digital and e-commerce marketing couldn’t be more important. 

In this blog, we’ll look at different types of e-commerce and digital marketing and share top tips for SMEs. 

Welcome to every small business’ must-read guide. 

Why is e-commerce marketing important for SMEs? 

Thanks to the multitude of digital platforms available to us nowadays - websites, mobile, apps, and social media -  e-commerce is no longer just for the big dogs. Now, anyone based anywhere can sell their products and promote their brand online. 

The world of e-commerce marketing primarily focuses on promoting online stores and platforms to attract customers. Through social media, digital content, search engines, and campaigns, e-commerce marketers work (hard!) to engage these potential shoppers and drive online purchases. 

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth emphasizing how important e-commerce marketing is. From building brand awareness to boosting online sales, it’s the make or break of the online world. 

So, let’s dive in… 

Boosts brand awareness 

In the digital world, geography is a thing of the past. Businesses are no longer limited to their zip codes - now, brands can reach global audiences 24/7. After all, the internet never closes. 

Cost-effective 

‘Traditional marketing’ can be on the pricier side, but digital marketing is often seen as its more affordable (and more superior) younger sister. SEO, email marketing, and social media come with a low price tag… and often a higher ROI with more tangible data points.

Data-driven marketing 

Digital marketing produces data. That’s just a fact.

Every step of the way, e-commerce marketing can offer insights into customer behavior, preferences, and shopping habits, all of which can help marketers better target their audience, boost spending, and drive results. 

Want to get a slice of the data pie? Pion’s verification platform Student Beans enables brands to offer exclusive discounts to the consumer groups most valuable to them, and in exchange for these discounts, you’ll collect zero-party data. These insights can then be used to help brands build more bespoke, full-funnel campaigns that target consumers on an individual basis. 

Types of e-commerce marketing 

Building (or boosting) a digital marketing strategy for your e-commerce may seem overwhelming at first - after all, there are so many possibilities. 

So, before we dive specifically into the world of SME marketing, let’s first take a look at what’s on offer. 

E-commerce platform

This is step one. The very beginning. E-commerce marketing 101. 

An e-commerce platform is essentially just the software that enables businesses to build their online stores and oversee sales. We’re talking Shopify, Squarespace and Wix. 

Although there are many options when it comes to e-commerce platforms, the best are user-friendly and accessible. 

At Pion, we’ve build a verification app that’s compatible with any SMEs using Shopify. You can find out more here. 

Content marketing 

They say content is king, and they ain’t wrong. 

Content marketing involves creating and sharing content, from blog posts to infographics, all with the aim of attracting (and retaining) your target audience. 

Content marketing is essential when it comes to building brand awareness, establishing your brand as a leader within its sector, and educating audiences. It breeds consumer loyalty and boosts conversions. As we said, it’s king.

But what good is content if it doesn’t appeal to your audience? That leads us nicely to our next point... 

Understanding your audience 

 To connect with and engage Gen Z, you first need to understand what makes them tick. After all, understanding the wants and needs of your audience will help you craft a marketing strategy that works for them. 

And that’s where we come in… 

Introducing: collab packages. 

At Pion, we’re the student experts, and we can help you connect genuinely and authentically with young people. Let Student Beans, as an extension of your team, power your Premium Brand Hub with a multi-channel, always-on content feed to Gen Z. Work with our expert editorial team to create original written and visual content that genuinely resonates with Gen Z. 

And that’s not all - you’ll also be able to add your own content to your Premium Brand Hub, meaning you can call out current campaigns.

Find out more here. 

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Email marketing 

Ah, email. Our trusty old friend. The OG facilitator of high conversion rates. Email marketing can be used to create a direct line of communication between customers and brands through targeted campaigns, newsletters, and promotional messages. And a bit of personalization never goes amiss either…

Social media marketing 

We couldn’t talk about marketing without mentioning social media, could we?TikTok, Instagram, X, Pinterest… all of these open the door to millions of potential customers across the world for brands. In fact, Pion data has revealed that 83% of those aged 16-24-years-old use TikTok and 70% of students get shopping inspiration from social media. And with the bite-sized content, storytelling and communities comes trust: 30% of Gen Z trust TikTok creators more than creators on other platforms. And what does trust equal? Sales. At Pion, we’re experts in advertising. Especially when it comes to Gen Z. Our team of experts are on hand to elevate your brand strategy and brand values. From social media magic to brand hub spotlights, we can help you target students at the right time, on the right platform. 

SEO 

Search engine optimization (SEO)  is the undercover assassin of the digital marketing world. It’s everywhere all the time, but if done well, you shouldn’t even notice it. SEO plays an important role in boosting businesses’ online visibility, and ultimately involves optimising a website to push it higher up the ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. Done badly, SEO can be pretty destructive. Done well, SEO increases organic traffic, which in turn increases the flow of customers to a site, conversion rates and business growth. 

Paid advertising 

When organic search doesn’t cut it, paid advertising can help you reach the desired volume of traffic to your site. This can be used to expand visibility and reach wider audiences. Ready to level up? Feature your offer across Student Beans’ website and app by investing in on-platform media. Secure the desired amount of impressions and your ad will feature across our website and app to reach customers at their point of conversion. Find out more here.

Influencer marketing 

The bread and butter of digital marketing, influencer marketing is intrinsically linked to increasing brand awareness, aligning Gen Z with your brand and reaching campaign goals. 

But finding the right creator to work with your brand is crucial. It’s a big job: from analysing data to building relationships, there’s no rest for the wicked. 

But, good news. At Pion, we’re here to help with our Student Beans Creators offering. 

‍Pion’s Student Beans Creators uses peer-to-peer marketing to connect young people with brands - they’re multichannel creator campaigns produced by Gen Z, for Gen Z. And with everything tracked from impressions to engagement, we’re your one stop shop for reaching influencer marketing success.

Top tips for SMEs

So we’ve dived deep into the world of e-commerce marketing, but how does it help you, a small business? How can you take your e-commerce marketing strategy and take it to the next level? Well, don’t worry. With our top tips, your small business marketing will make waves in no time…

1. Use personalization  

When it comes to boosting engagement, personalization is key. Everybody wants to feel a little bit special, don’t they?! 

Whether it’s including a prospect’s name in the subject line of an email or recommending products based on a user’s behaviour, implementing personalization encourages people along the buying journey. After all, why waste time searching for something when you’ve just plonked it right in front of them?!

At Pion, we collect zero-party data through our verification platform Student Beans. This zero-party data enables brands to build brand equity with their customer base. Ultimately, it enables brands to gather data for their email marketing, for example, but also to reward customers with a better shopping experience. What’s not to love? 

2. UGC 

Free marketing? What’s not to love! Especially for those on a budget… 

User generated content (UGC) helps to authentically drive traffic to your store thanks to the online recommendations of friends, family, and other trusted sources. 

UGC could come from reviewing platforms, social media videos or hashtags, to name but a few. 

3. Build a loyalty program 

One purchase is great, but ideally, you want a shopper to come back again, and again, and again… 

Whether you’re a start up or a small local business, offering a loyalty programme acts as an incentive for customers to continue shopping with you, and whilst it may take time, it’s the key to repeat business, retention, and referrals. 

4. Offer a discount 

Hold on to your hats, we’re about to hit you with a killer stat… 

45% of Gen Z look for a discount every single time they make a purchase. And 85% would try out a new brand or retailer if they offered a student discount. Say hello to a whole new wave of shoppers.

Yep, you heard us right. That’s a considerable amount of young shoppers. 

Offering a discount is a powerful tactic when it comes to attracting new customers or driving repeat businesses. Why? Because it offers genuine value to customers.

When it comes to offering discounts, small businesses have a huge advantage over larger brands: you don’t need big budgets, the latest equipment to appeal to Gen Z, that’s not what they want. They want value, quality, and authenticity. 

Use Pion’s verification technology, Beans iD, and create secure, gated discounts in minutes to boost sales and unlock new audiences. SMEs with less than one million web traffic can sign up to our Starter plan with no upfront cost!

P.S. A bonus top tip for you: don’t just reserve discounts for notable occasions, like birthdays and Black Friday. Students are looking for discounts all year round, and tapping into that will help your brand really stand out. 

5. Create an e-commerce marketing funnel 

The marketing funnel: our one true love. 

Understanding and optimizing each stage of the funnel is crucial for effective e-commerce  marketing, so let’s break it down real quick. 

1. Top of funnel - The process of making customers aware of your business (think social media posts, content marketing or SEO). 

2. Middle of the funnel - You’ve captured someone’s attention with your brand/product, but still need to win them over. This is when people start visiting your website, subscribing to your newsletters or following your social pages. 

3. Bottom of the funnel - Signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours! You've convinced the shopper that you’re the brand for them and they’ve hit the almighty ‘buy’ button. 

Each stage of the funnel requires a different strategy to push the shopper onto the next stage, and achieving that is a sure way to reach digital marketing success.

Final pointers 

So, to summarise, some key actionable takeaways for you to mull over. 

1. Set goals based on industry benchmarks. 

Depending on your sector, location (and a few other variables), there are certain standards you can measure yourself against: these are industry benchmarks. Consider goals like click-through rates, conversion rates, website visits, and customer acquisition costs. 

Basically, keep your enemies close!

2. Break down your strategy into small tactics. 

None of us can do everything all at once, which is why it’s important to pick a lane. 

For each digital marketing channel, choose a goal and stick to it. Focus on what you think will have the most ROI and what’s most accessible to you. 

3. Focus on new and long term customers 

Marketing doesn’t stop after a sale is made. In fact, post-sale is one of the most crucial times in the buyer’s journey - after all, you want them to come back, don’t you?! 

Once someone becomes a customer, it’s up to you to nurture the relationship in order to boost long term loyalty. This will also encourage the shopper to share their positive experience with their peers (online and offline!).

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