When money is tight, it's hard to know where marketing dollars will do the most good. Should you redo your website, run ads, hire someone for social media, or invest in SEO? The answer depends on your business, but the order you do things in matters a lot.
Here's the order I usually recommend for small businesses. Each step makes the next one work better.
1. Fix the leaks first
Before spending anything to attract more people, make sure the ones already finding you can reach you. Check that your contact form works, your phone number is correct everywhere, your hours are current, and your site works well on a phone. These fixes are usually quick and cheap, and they recover leads you're currently losing.
2. Your Google Business Profile and reviews
For local businesses, this is often the best return available, and it costs little more than time. A complete, active profile with steady new reviews can bring in calls without any ad spend.
3. A website that converts
Every other channel, from ads to social media to SEO, sends people to your website. If it's slow, confusing, or hard to use on a phone, you'll pay for visitors who never become customers. A solid website is the foundation that makes every other investment pay off.
4. SEO and helpful content
SEO takes time to build, but the results keep working without paying for every click. Start with on-page basics and local listings, then add helpful articles that answer your customers' questions.
5. Paid ads, once the foundation is solid
Ads can bring results quickly, and they're useful for new businesses, seasonal promotions, or competitive markets. They work best once your website and tracking are in place, so you can see which clicks actually turn into customers.
Whatever you spend, track it. Set up Google Analytics and call tracking so you can see which efforts produce leads, then put more money into what's working.
A note on spreading too thin
A small budget spread across six channels usually does less than the same budget focused on two. Do a few things well, measure them, and grow from there.
Figuring out what's worth your budget is a big part of my consulting work. I'll look at where you stand today and give you honest advice on what to fix first, what's worth paying for, and what can wait.
