As an audiologist, you run your own small business. While audiology and other healthcare fields are a bit different from other types of businesses, the same advertising trends and recommendations still apply. And the truth is that small business advertising and marketing change every year. So, here are the top small business trends to be aware of in 2019.
Social media comes out on top.
A recent study by The Manifest focused on the advertising and marketing campaigns of 529 small businesses. Among those businesses, 64 percent use social media regularly. This number far outpaced any other type of marketing, including online (49 percent), print (36 percent), events (34 percent), TV (22 percent), and radio (22 percent).
Within social media, Facebook has remained the one to beat. Of the small businesses polled, 86 percent reported using Facebook in some way. This is significantly higher than YouTube at 51 percent, Instagram at 47 percent, Twitter at 41 percent, and LinkedIn at 32 percent.
Personalization and audience targeting are key.
In the same study, it became apparent that the ability to personalize marketing messages and target specific audience niches were important parts of developing a marketing strategy in 2019. Small businesses with particular niches need to be able to tailor their message to their audience, and it is more cost effective to market that message only to that niche audience.
Newer marketing avenues, including social media, allow small businesses to specify whom they want to market to. For example, a small business that offers appointment scheduling software will want to market to medical offices, dental offices, hair salons, and other businesses that rely on scheduling software.
Google Ads remain popular.
When the small businesses were polled regarding their advertising channels, Google Ads was the most popular, with 53 percent of the participating small businesses using Google Ads. Other advertising channels polled at much lower rates, including banner advertising (37 percent), video ads (30 percent), retargeting (28 percent), and influencers (24 percent).
Change is inevitable.
While the above trends were clear winners in small business marketing in 2019, it is apparent from the study that small businesses must be ready to adapt over time. Perhaps being adaptable is the true hallmark of a successful small business marketing strategy. Among the small businesses polled, 67 percent reported that they would start using a new advertising medium in 2019.
These small businesses recognize that being willing to change their marketing and advertising channels and messages is what will help them thrive in the years to come. Social media changes all the time, as do consumer and marketing trends. Who knows – maybe Facebook won’t be the forerunner anymore within just one or two years!
To stay on top of the 2019 marketing game as an audiologist, you must take advantage of the biggest trends, especially social media, personalized marketing, and online advertising. If you haven’t yet, now is the time to adapt your marketing strategy to include these potential cash cows. AudiologyPlus is here to help you boost your online marketing presence. To discover how we can help, please contact us today.
