1. The Effects of Digital Marketing on Small Businesses
Tyler Pavlu

2. 1

3. What is this project about?
This project, my topic of interest, is about the benefits and effects of digital marketing (and social media) on small, growing businesses.
Small businesses, in a lot of ways, get the short end of the stick. Less money, less market share, less chances to stand out and make a name for themselves. The same is true for their online presence as well. They don't have the large marketing teams that a large, worldwide corporation has nor the ability to realistically reach as many people.
In addition, a lot of small businesses, especially those in more rural areas, don't believe in the value of social media and digital marketing in general.
This project hopes to explore that and prove that digital marketing can make a difference in a local business, that a company does not need to have a million dollar marketing budget to make a difference.

4. What is Digital Marketing?
Defining Digital Marketing has a brilliant definition of what digital marketing is. It is “the marketing of products or services using digital channels to reach consumers”.
Digital marketing is not just social media and not just over the internet. Digital marketing is an umbrella term for all marketing in a digital format, whether that is through the internet, mobile phone, or other digital displays. o

5. The Importance of Digital Marketing
Digital marketing has grown exponentially in the past few years. This is largely in part to the advances in technology. You're never far away from the internet. It's not only on your computer or laptop, but your phone, your tablet, your game system, your television, now even your watch! Online advertisements can reach just about anyone.
The importance of digital marketing is the reach in which you can get yourself out there. It's more exposure than traditional media in most instances.
To put it in context, if you put your advertisement in the local newspaper, it'll be seen by people in your town, but maybe not the next town over. Same with a billboard. However, if you use SEO or maybe boost a Facebook post it'll be seen by people perhaps all over your state. Traditional media is limited in a lot of ways. Even a television commercial is limited in that it usually can only be seen at certain times as opposed to an online video which can be seen at any time.

6. Digital Marketing Examples
Facebook: An easy way to build a community, ask for feedback, and get the conversation going.
Twitter: Great for getting your information out there, whether its a new product or service, an upcoming event, discounts, or any changes to your hours.
SEO: Using places like Yelp, Google+, and Bing Places can help with your search engine results while getting some advertisement. Time and cost effective!
QR Codes: Offline digital marketing! Create a QR code that leads to your website of choice. Your Facebook page, Twitter account, website. Create one and display it in your store. o i

8. Benefits of Digital Marketing In General
Digital Marketing, much like normal marketing, has one undeniable purpose. To increase sales. Everything that digital marketing achieves, which we'll get into that in just a second, is done so to try to make that conversion from fan to customer.
Digital Marketing's many benefits:
Increased SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Connect with customers and fans online
Ability to analyze and adapt to trends by studying the data that comes from digital marketing
Building an online community through your shared content

9. Benefits of Digital Marketing In General 2
Increased SEO: The benefit of this is possibly one of the biggest, most important ones because this opens the door to many of the other benefits. The ability to differentiate yourself in search engines and to have a wider range of people able to find your online profiles.
Connecting with fans and customers: The ability to receive and deal with complaints and issues online. Great for showing your customers how willing you are to correct a problem and ensure customer happiness.
Ability to analyze and adapt: Digital marketing is data. Big data to be exact. Nearly everything a customer does online is caught and cataloged and is ready to be discerned for trends to better fine-tune their experience.
Building an online community: Your content can get reactions and from there, you can spark conversations and a loyal following. That loyal following is likely to buy your products more often plus keep your posts active and increase the likeliness that it'll be seen by more people

11. Benefits of Digital Marketing On Small Businesses
Small businesses benefit from digital marketing in a lot of the same ways that large corporations do, but they're not always the same.
Small businesses dont necessarily have the tools, the means, or even a reason to analyze big data to determine trends.
Large, countrywide or worldwide businesses do not typically have trouble with brand awareness. They're typically well known. Small businesses are not.
Small businesses greatly benefit from social media's ability to create a following for yourself. The content you put out there can attract the attention of people in your area. Targeted marketing for a radius around your business is a big help.

12. Works Cited
Bonelli, S. (2016). Digital marketing trends to grow business.  Corridor Business Journal,  13(3), 18.
Canada, Newswire. "Digital Marketing Dissonance." ["RobHalfDigitalMktg"].  Canada Newswire, 20 Oct EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=bwh&AN= CANADANWCANADAPR.C5887&site=ehost-live.
Digital Marketing, I. (0005, November). Digital Marketing Institute: 展hat Really Works for Digital Marketing? New Book Offers Industry Insider Look.  Business Wire (English).
Has digital marketing replaced traditional marketing?(2016).  PR Newswire Europe Including UK Disclose,  Retrieved from accountid=33575
Marsland, L. (2015).  Digital marketing] defining digital marketing. Cape Town: SyndiGate Media Inc. Retrieved from PR, N. (2015, May 14). 7 Digital Marketing Tips to Expand Your Small Business.  PR Newswire US.
4 Tips to Get Your Business Started on Social Media. (2016, September 19). Retrieved July 30, 2017, from
Coleman, A. (2012, August 14). How social media can benefit small businesses. Retrieved July 30, 2017, from social-media
Council, F. A. (2017, March 30). Digital Marketing Strategies Small Businesses Should Adopt. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from strategies-small-businesses-should- adopt/#2dd df
Creating a digital marketing plan for Start-ups and Small Businesses - Smart Insights Digital Marketing Advice. (2017, January 09). Retrieved July 27, 2017, from planning/marketing-strategy/digital-marketing-plan- start-ups-small-businesses/

13. Works Cited
How Should Your Business Do Online Marketing? [Guide]. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2017, from
Jones, N. R. (2015, December 09). 6 Major Benefits of Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses. Retrieved July 30, 2017, from businesses/
Joseph, J. (2016, July 13). The Small Business Cheat Sheet for Cost-Effective Digital Marketing. Retrieved July 28, 2017, from digital-marketing
Lesonsky, R. (2017, July 24). Local Small Businesses Get Smart About Digital Marketing. Retrieved July 28, 2017, from small-businesses-get-smart-digital-marketing html
Odell, P. (2017, July 27). How to Craft Localized Digital Marketing Strategies. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from
Qualman, E. (2015, April 14). 6 Benefits of Social Media for Small Business Owners. Retrieved July 30, 2017, from owners/
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