Start up’s adopt different strategies to survive birth pangs and grow. According to many world bank and other banking studies, about 50% businesses fail to survive their second birthday and all this because of too much optimism and spending on non-revenue generating processes, like a complex website, a big businesses accommodation, buying stocks which could not be sold.
Some common difficulties and possible solutions are discussed below.
Whatever be the level of preparedness in terms of product quality every business still needs time which may be 6 months to 1 year to create the right product offering and also to figure out the right advertising strategy that is sustainable and scalable.
ONLINE VS OFFLINE – Every business has a online client base apart from offline base which again can be influenced by online media and this segment is risky to ignore because it is easy to serve online customers and cost of acquiring is significantly less. It needs less manpower to manage compared to offline sales because of managing physical infrastructure.
ONLINE MARKETING MODES —This involves use of digital marketing, SEO, Pay per click, etc.
ONLINE MARKETING has two components,
1. Short term – goals revolve around achieving break even, putting out online ads, using and google ads.
2. Long term goals – In long term a business will try to make profits and continuing with Google ads means low profits, therefore permanent investment in Google my business & SEO or Search Engine Optimisation is a must.
| Benefits of GMB for businesses: |
Increased Online Visibility
∙ Your business appears in local search results, especially for “near me” or location based queries.
∙ Shows up on Google Maps, making it easy for customers to find directions.
Improves Local SEO
∙ Helps you rank higher in local search results.
∙ Optimized profiles are prioritized by Google in the “Local Pack” (top 3 local listings).
Customer Engagement Tools
∙ Customers can call, message, or visit your website directly from the listing. ∙ Businesses can respond to reviews, answer FAQs, and post updates.
Free Advertising
∙ A GMB profile is free, yet acts like an ad with photos, descriptions, and promotions. ∙ No ongoing ad spend required to benefit from visibility.
Customer Insights & Analytics
∙ View how customers find your business: searches, directions, calls, and website clicks.
∙ Understand what keywords or queries bring the most traffic.
Showcase Products & Services
∙ Upload photos, product listings, menus, and service offerings.
∙ Helps potential customers get a feel for what you offer before visiting.
Build Trust Through Reviews
∙ Collect and display Google Reviews. Responding to reviews helps build reputation and improve customer relationships.
Post Updates and Offers
∙ Share updates like promotions, events, or news directly on your profile. ∙ Keeps your listing fresh and engaging.
GMB can deliver great value to a business but finding good SEO company is difficult.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the ultimate tool for success, but finding reliable SEO agency like Seo made easy
Here’s a breakdown of the key benefits of SEO:
Increased Organic high intent Traffic
∙ SEO improves your website’s visibility in search engine results, leading to more clicks and higher-quality traffic without paying for ads. ∙ Organic search is often the largest source of website traffic for most businesses.
Higher ROI Compared to any Paid Ads
∙ Unlike paid advertising (e.g., Google Ads), SEO brings long-term results and doesn’t require ongoing ad spend.
∙ Once your website ranks well, you continue getting traffic without extra cost per click. Builds Credibility and Trust
∙ Users trust websites that appear at the top of search results.
∙ Good SEO involves high-quality content, backlinks, and a user-friendly experience, all of which improve your brand authority.
Better User Experience
∙ SEO involves optimizing website structure, speed, mobile responsiveness, and content readability.
∙ This leads to faster, easier-to-navigate websites that users enjoy.
Long-Term Marketing Strategy
∙ Unlike short-term tactics, SEO is an ongoing strategy that compounds over time. ∙ Once you establish rankings, it’s easier to maintain and expand them with consistent effort.
Improved Conversion Rates
∙ SEO attracts users who are actively searching for what you offer, meaning they’re more likely to convert.
∙ Targeted traffic = better leads and sales.
Local SEO = More Foot Traffic
∙ For businesses with physical locations, local SEO helps you show up in “near me” and map searches.
∙ It increases visits from nearby customers ready to buy.
Boosts Content Marketing Efforts
∙ SEO and content go hand-in-hand. Optimized content ranks better, and high-ranking content brings in more readers.
∙ This improves brand visibility, engagement, and shares.
Competitive Advantage
∙ Businesses that invest in SEO can outrank competitors who don’t. ∙ Being in the top results means getting a bigger share of your industry’s traffic and visibility.
Valuable Consumer Insights
∙ SEO tools (like Google Search Console, Analytics, GMB performance) provide data on what users search for, how they behave, and what they want.
∙ This helps improve products, services, and marketing strategies.
What not to do until you have not developed a proper reliable and scalable marketing strategy?
1. Do not invest heavily in anything that is not connected to direct revenue generation.
2. Do not overproduce, overstock etc. Understand the value of just in time management strategy.