Geoffrey Moffett

December 28, 2023

Social and Digital Marketing's Significance for Northern Ireland's Small Businesses in 2024

It's astonishing to see how many small businesses in Northern Ireland still haven't completely embraced the power of social and digital marketing in the fast-paced, technologically-driven world as we move into 2024. 

It makes sense to be hesitant—traditional approaches have proven effective for many years; why change what isn't broken? But in order for these companies to survive and grow, technology must keep advancing and customer behaviour must shift.

Beyond just keeping up with the times, social and digital marketing has several advantages. They greatly improve brand recognition, to start. Having a regular presence on social media sites like X, Facebook, and Instagram can aid in developing a devoted fan base. Businesses can also maintain consumer engagement and interest by rapidly sharing updates, news, and deals.

Additionally, social media and digital marketing are economical approaches. The cost of traditional advertising techniques can be high, especially for small businesses. On the other hand, time is more important than money for a lot of digital marketing strategies like SEO and content marketing. Targeting specific demographics is an extra benefit of paid web advertising, which is frequently more affordable than traditional techniques.

Reaching new audiences worldwide is arguably one of the biggest benefits of social and digital marketing. Having a strong social media presence and an amazing website can draw clients from all over the world, reaching a wider audience than just Northern Ireland.

Consider a local café in Belfast as an illustration. They might draw visitors to the city with interesting social media postings that highlight their coffee and warm ambiance. Alternatively, a craft store that ships its goods all over the world might employ SEO to entice online buyers searching for distinctive handmade goods.

A carefully thought-out approach is essential for social media and digital marketing success. While social media post management tools like Hootsuite or Buffer might be helpful, Google Analytics offers insightful data on website traffic and user behaviour. In order to draw in and keep consumers, companies should also think about using content marketing and producing interesting blogs, films, or podcasts about their sector.

Let's look at a a successful digital marketing campaign from a small firm located outside of Northern Ireland as an example. In 2023, "Baked by Melissa," a US-based bakery, used Instagram to advertise its small cupcakes. They enhanced sales and brand recognition by producing aesthetically appealing postings and articles that highlighted their items. This example demonstrates how tiny businesses may leverage the power of digital marketing through strategic planning and inventiveness.



About Geoffrey Moffett

Hey!  I'm Geoffrey and right now 110% of my time is focused on building Triovia, a digital and social media marketing education company.  

In this small part of the internet I blog about thoughts, stories and ideas.