Alright listen up. If you’re a small business owner and you hear the words “digital marketing” and immediately want to fake your own death, I get it. It sounds like some Silicon Valley tech nerd mumbo jumbo. Like great another thing I gotta pretend to understand while also fixing the Wi-Fi and restocking the toilet paper in the bathroom.

But here’s the deal. Digital marketing is just a fancy way of saying “getting people online to notice you and give you money.” That’s it. It’s not rocket science. It’s just marketing but with phones and the internet instead of yelling at people on the sidewalk with a sign.

Let me walk you through it in plain English.

Your Website Is the Face of the Operation

If your website looks like it was built on a calculator in 2003 then we got problems. Your site should be simple. It should tell people what you do, how they can buy from you, and ideally not take fifteen years to load. People don’t wait. If they click and it spins for more than two seconds they’re gone and they’re ordering from Chad’s Candle Shack down the street.

Social Media Is Just You Being Normal Online

You don’t have to be a TikTok star. Just post stuff that shows you exist. Take a picture of your morning coffee and say you’re open. Show off a new product. Do a little dance if you’re into that sort of thing. Social media is free and it works. Don’t overthink it. You’re just talking to your customers like they’re real people. Because they are. Unless they’re bots. But that’s a whole different thing.

SEO Sounds Like a Disease But It’s Actually Important

This is the part where you make sure Google knows you exist. You want to be the first place that shows up when someone types in “best pizza in Hoboken” or “where to get my disgusting dog groomed in Toledo.” That means using the right words on your site and maybe writing a blog or two. No one wants to do this but it’s how the game is played. Suck it up and write something.

Email Is Not Dead It Just Needs to Be Less Annoying

Email marketing is still a thing and it works if you don’t make people hate you. Don’t send 12 emails a week. Don’t make it all about you. Be cool. Say what’s new. Offer a little deal. Maybe tell a funny story about how your delivery guy knocked over a display of wine bottles and you almost cried. People like that stuff.

Paid Ads Work If You Don’t Blow Your Whole Wallet

Throwing a few bucks at Facebook or Google ads isn’t selling out it’s just smart. You don’t have to spend your mortgage payment. Even five bucks a day can get you in front of the right people. It’s like handing out flyers but less depressing and you don’t have to wear a chicken costume.

Bottom Line

Digital marketing is just telling people you exist and giving them a reason to buy from you instead of the big boring chain store that has the personality of a wet sock. Be real. Be funny. Show up online. That’s literally it. You’re not trying to win an Oscar you’re trying to sell some damn cupcakes or cut some hair.

You got this. Now go log into Instagram and post something before I come down there and do it for you.ent source.