The Washington Magazine

The Washington Magazine

5 Ways to Make Your Small Business Go Viral Online

Some small businesses are successful because they cater to a small, focused audience that appreciates the uniqueness of the products or services they offer. However, if you have the desire to reach more people than just your neighbors and friends, then you’ll want to take advantage of online marketing strategies that can help your business go viral online and become an industry leader in no time! Read on to learn about 5 ways to make your small business go viral online!

1) Create quality content

Whether you’re a copywriter, photographer, blogger or designer, content creation is at your core—but it’s how you market that content that matters. It isn’t enough anymore to simply create excellent content; today’s consumer demands proof of credibility in order to trust an online resource and share it with others. They want assurances that your business is worth their time and attention. You can achieve these assurances by learning how to grow your audience through SEO best practices.

2) Create an interesting giveaway

An effective way to get people talking about your business online is by running a giveaway with incentives. Maybe you’ll let entrants know they’ll receive a 10% discount on their next purchase if they enter, or maybe you’ll give away something really desirable, like a brand new car. Whatever you decide, make sure that there are plenty of chances for them to share it with their friends and family.

3) Utilize hashtags

Hashtags aren’t just for social media—they’re also a great way to be discovered by new customers. Use tags that are relevant, but don’t go overboard.

4) Engage influencers

Making your small business go viral online requires a multifaceted approach. That’s why it’s important to make meaningful connections with influencers. Influencers are anyone in your community that has influence over others, whether through social media or traditional marketing means (like email newsletters and TV ads). Build meaningful relationships with these people and they will naturally spread your message for you—that’s how you leverage their reach and make your small business go viral.

5) Analyze your social media success with your customers.

If you are currently using social media, or plan on doing so in your business in the future, it’s a good idea to analyze which platforms work best for your audience. The better you understand what does and doesn’t work for them, you can use that data when creating campaigns in the future. Use Facebook Analytics to determine where your users are coming from and how they interact with your business pages. This information will help you optimize and create relevant ads going forward.