How to choose the right marketing channels for your small business
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should focus on Instagram, SEO, email marketing, LinkedIn or something else entirely, you’re not alone.
One of the most common questions I get asked by small business owners is: “What marketing channel should I actually focus on?” and it’s hardly surprising, as the amount of choices available for marketing your business these days can be overwhelming.
The truth is, there isn’t one best marketing channel that’s right for every business. What works for one business may not work for another. It all depends on your goals, your audience, your industry, your budget, resources, and your business stage. In this post we’ll explore some effective ways to help you narrow it down and choose the best marketing channels for your business.
Why there isn’t one “best” marketing channel
There isn’t one best marketing channel for every small business because every business has different goals, audiences and resources. Every business is also at a different stage. For example, the best marketing channels for a new business that has launched, may be different to an established business. Likewise, if it is just you running your business, it’s unlikely you will have the time to post on multiple social media platforms every week, but if you have a marketing team then this may be more viable.
Start with your goals
This is why I always advise clients: start with your business goals. What are your business goals for the next few months?
Then, decide on your priority marketing goals that support your business goals. Most businesses will want to generate sales or enquiries, but you may want to specifically attract your first customers, increase repeat customer sales, launch a new product or target new audiences. Maybe you want to build your personal brand, build your email list, or generate awareness and traffic rather than sales. It really depends on your business and goals. So start there and then decide on your biggest priority over the next 90 days. Then, set some marketing goals to help you meet those goals. I would probaly aim for 1-2 to stay focused, but this depends on your time and the resource you have available.
Let’s look at an example.
Let’s say you are a new service-based business that has recently launched. You need to find your first customers. You have zero marketing budget and it’s just you. If we look at the next 90 days, the highest business priority is to find your first customers. Your marketing goal to support this could be to generate X number of enquiries and X number of clients. You could also have a secondary goal to raise awareness of your profile/services in the local area. Now, any marketing activities you choose over the next few months should support those goals. If they don’t support them, then it’s not a channel to prioritise at the moment.
Think about your target audience
Once you are clear on your goals, you need to think about who you are targeting, and where they spend their time. Where might they go to find a business like yours? How do they prefer to consume information? What are their struggles and how can your business help?
If you are not sure about this then it’s worth doing some research. You can use AI tools like ChatGPT Deep Research to help you research your audience and their behaviour. Facebook groups or forums like Reddit can also be really useful. For example, you can find groups for your target audience and ask questions, or simply read the threads and you’ll notice repeated questions and struggles. If you have customers already, find out how and where they found you as this can be a big clue on which marketing channels to prioritise.
Let’s look at the service-based business example again. Their target audience is small businesses in their local area. Here they may find their first customers by reaching out to their network on LinkedIn, posting in local business Facebook groups, and attending local business networking events.
Choose one or two marketing channels to focus on
Once you are clear on your goals for the next 90 days, and you understand your audience and where they spend time, you can start thinking about which marketing channels to focus on. I would advise choosing one or two marketing channels that will help you to meet your goals.
Focusing on one or two and doing these well, and consistently, is more likely to give you better results than spreading yourself too thinly.
The channels you choose here will also depend on your budget and resources available - some channels are more resource intensive than others, and some require budget (like paid social ads).
To help you choose, ask yourself the following:
Does this channel support my business goals?
Does it fit where my business is right now?
Will it help attract my ideal customer?
Can I realistically be consistent, without sacrificing quality?
What’s my marketing budget?
How will I know it’s working?
It can be difficult to select a marketing channel or tactic if you have not used it before, because there is no guarantee it will work for you. Some channels also take time to build momentum, like content marketing, SEO and social media.
There is some degree of experimentation and testing here, but if you start with your goals and your audience, you will give yourself a better chance at success. You can always add more marketing channels as your business progresses, or remove those that are no longer helping you to meet your goals. The key is to focus and be strategic about every marketing channel you consider.
If you are a new business, have a look at what marketing activities your competitors do, and what works for them. This can be a good starting point. If you are more established, what has worked for you in the past? Do you know where your existing enquiries/sales have come from? If not, it’s worth collecting that data so you know where to focus your efforts.
Review what’s working
This brings me onto my next point - just because you’ve chosen your marketing channels, it doesn’t mean you have to stick with them forever. I would suggest reviewing your marketing channels every quarter and setting new goals quarterly if necessary as well. So each quarter, ask yourself questions such as:
What marketing channels are generating sales or enquiries?
What’s driving the most traffic?
What’s helping to meet the goals set this quarter?
What isn’t worth the effort?
Is it cost-effective?
Final thoughts
Overall, successful marketing is about understanding your goals, knowing your audience and focusing on the channels that are most likely to help your business grow.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is small business owners feeling like they need to be on every platform because that’s what everyone else is doing.
My advice is start small, stay consistent and remember, you don’t have to do everything. Quality over quantity. :)
– Louise
Frequently Asked Question
What is the best marketing channel for a small business?
There isn’t one marketing channel that’s best for every small business. The right choice depends on your goals, audience, budget and available time. Rather than trying to be everywhere, focus on one or two marketing channels that align with your business objectives and review your progress regularly.
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