Small business marketing made easy

Marketing a business in 2025 requires an online presence, period. While it can definitely feel like a big task, we'll show you what matters and how to achieve success, no matter the budget.

What is small business marketing?

Simply put, it's connecting with customers, getting their attention and buying your stuff.

For a small business marketing plan to succeed, you should have a clear idea of the following:

• Your business story: What makes your business stand out?

• Your ideal customer: Who are you trying to reach?

• Your brand identity: What makes your brand and products memorable?

• Online marketing tools: Using online tools like social media, search engines, and email to reach customers.

• Growing sales: How to reach new customers and keep them coming back.

• Staying on budget: How to market effectively without breaking the bank.

Setting your marketing objectives

Defining your marketing objectives is crucial for success. Start by identifying both short-term and long-term goals.

Short-term goals for a small business might include:

• Boosting website traffic

• Increasing sales

• Launching a new product or service

• Generating leads

• Building brand awareness

• Improving customer satisfaction

• Expanding your social media following

While long-term goals for a small business could focus on:

• Expanding market share

• Achieving sustainable profitability

• Fostering customer loyalty and retention

• Strengthening brand awareness

• Building strategic partnerships

Once you've set marketing objectives, it's time to begin outlining how to market your business to the correct audience in a way that matches your goals.

Understanding your target audience

You can't nail your small business marketing objectives without understanding your audience.

For starters, you've got to know who you're talking to. Creating customer personas is a fantastic way to visualize your ideal customers. Personas will help you visualize your ideal customers story, who they are and what they like and don't like.

In addition to customer personas, market research can help round things out. Ask your customers questions through surveys to get insights into what they actually like or dislike about your business. You can also check out what your rivals are doing to find opportunities where there may be a business gap you can fill.

Finally, analyze customer behavior and learn what makes them tick. See where they click, what they're buying, what types of devices they use and more. You can use post-purchase surveys to understand what influenced their purchase decision. This intel can boost your business by offering insights on what to sell, when to post and where to drop ads.

Digital marketing strategies for small businesses

Now that you've got a grasp on what your business marketing goals are and who your target audience is, it's time to build a marketing strategy.

In today's digital age, small businesses need to make effective use of different channels to stand out from the competition. It's helpful to break down marketing strategies through the lens of the various platforms that can help your business accomplish the marketing goals you've laid out.

Social media marketing

One of the most impactful ways to reach potential customers is by utilizing social media platforms effectively. These can provide businesses with the opportunity to create engaging, authentic content that resonates with their target audience. By regularly posting videos that showcase products, services, or behind-the-scenes moments, small businesses can foster a community around their brand and drive organic engagement.

Check out our guide to organic and paid content for small businesses on TikTok.

Email marketing

Email marketing is a low-cost, customizable, and effective way for businesses to connect or re-engage with customers. A successful strategy requires building an email list, crafting engaging content with clear CTAs, and optimizing for mobile users. Key campaign types include welcome, promotional, newsletter, transactional, abandoned cart, and re-engagement emails. Some best practices emphasize personalization, compelling subject lines, and data-driven optimization. You can use CRM platforms to automate different types of emails that nurture current or potential customers and keep them engaged with your brand.

Web design

Creating an engaging website and landing pages is equally crucial for small businesses looking to convert visitors into customers. Your website should reflect your brand identity, provide clear information about your offerings, and include calls-to-action that guide users towards making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. Incorporating visually appealing designs and user-friendly navigation enhances the overall experience, encouraging visitors to stay longer and explore more.

Search engine optimization (organic traffic)

Implementing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques is another vital aspect of a successful digital marketing strategy. By optimizing website content with relevant keywords, improving page load speed, and ensuring mobile compatibility, small businesses can improve their visibility on search engines. This not only increases traffic to your site but also enhances the chances of converting visitors into loyal customers. A well-rounded digital marketing approach that combines these strategies will enable small businesses to thrive in a competitive landscape.

Search engine marketing (paid traffic)

Search engine marketing (SEM) uses paid strategies, like Google Ads, to boost website visibility on search results. It involves keyword research, ad creation, landing page optimization, bid management, ad extensions, and performance tracking. SEM increases visibility, targets specific audiences, provides measurable results, offers flexibility, and delivers faster results compared to organic search though usually at a cost. If you're operating on a budget, consider focusing on cheaper advertising methods such as SEO and social media content.

Leveraging TikTok for business growth

In today's digital landscape, small businesses can significantly enhance their marketing efforts by leveraging TikTok, a platform known for its vibrant and diverse user base.

Create authentic content on TikTok

Want to stand out on TikTok? Ditch the boring stuff. Seriously. It's important to show your brand's human side and work to create entertaining videos that people can relate to and enjoy watching. Think behind-the-scenes goofiness, real people, and authentic stories.

TikTok users respond best when brands show up as part of their communities. To find your communities, try the Keyword Insights tool to discover the top keywords that resonate with your audience and industry. Start by looking up a hashtag that is relevant to your intended audience — for example, try #makeup or #skincare if you're looking to reach the beauty community on TikTok. From there, the tool will show you related interests and hashtags you can use to further explore beauty-adjacent subcultures and communities.

And don't underestimate the power of humor — 7 in 10 viewers say "making people laugh" is considered the most enjoyable aspect of watching TikTok ads.¹

Need inspiration? Check out the What's Next 2025 Trend Report to learn what audiences are responding to and how brands can become part of culture on TikTok.

Scaling your TikTok video production

Struggling with creative block or limited production budget? No problem! The TikTok Symphony suite of AI tools is designed to make content creation easier than ever.

You can ask Symphony Assistant to summarize trends, create TikTok-first scripts, brainstorm creative concepts, identify creative best practices, and more.

Once you're ready to create, Symphony Creative Studio can help bring your video ideas to life in just minutes. Much like a fully-equipped photography or video studio, Symphony Creative Studio consists of various features tailored to specific needs. You can generate and remix product videos, bring content to life with Digital Avatars, translate or dub videos in different languages, and optimize your existing content with TikTok-style editing capabilities powered by generative AI.

Reach your target audience with TikTok ads

Utilizing TikTok ads is another powerful way to reach your target audience effectively. With a variety of ad formats available in TikTok Ads Manager, businesses can tailor their campaigns to meet specific goals. These ads allow for precise targeting based on user interests, demographics, and behaviors, ensuring that your message reaches the right people at the right time.

If you're just getting started, make sure to follow the TikTok Fundamentals, our simple four-pillar framework for achieving results with your ad campaigns.

Depending on your specific marketing goals, you can also try the following:

• Increase video views by boosting organic posts with Promote

• Engage viewers with Interactive Add-Ons

• Find new customers with Lead Generation

• Drive app downloads with the App Installs objective

• Increase sales with Catalog Ads

Work with creators to expand your brand's reach

Collaborating with creators can further expand your reach and elevate your brand's visibility on TikTok. By partnering with creators who align with your brand values, you can tap into their follower base and gain credibility. Creators have the ability to create content that feels relatable and trustworthy, making their endorsements particularly effective.

Beyond being on-camera talent, creators can also function as marketing consultants, offering their expert knowledge on when, where, and how brands should appear to achieve maximum results.

Together, these strategies form a robust approach to harnessing the potential of TikTok for small business growth, driving engagement and ultimately leading to increased sales.

You can use the TikTok Creator Marketplace to find the right creators for your business, and work with them on any kind of campaign—whether it's an in-depth ambassadorship or a high-volume performance campaign.

Measuring and adapting your marketing strategy

Today's digital world moves at lightning speed and measuring your marketing plan is crucial to success.

While some measurement tools can be costly, many marketing tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console (GSC) are free and allow you to collect valuable data about your website's performance and user behavior. These tools provide insights into traffic sources, user engagement, and conversion rates, enabling you to see the success of your marketing campaigns in real time.

Once you have the necessary data, it's essential to analyze whether or not your campaigns worked. Look for trends and patterns that reveal what your audience liked. Are your ads driving traffic? Are users engaging with your content? By answering these questions, you can identify which strategies are working and which need improvement.

How to measure marketing data effectively

To measure success effectively, incorporate key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your goals. For instance, if your short-term aim is to enhance engagement on social media, track metrics such as likes, shares, and comments. For long-term goals, focus on metrics like customer retention rates and overall revenue growth. These KPIs will not only help you gauge your progress but also inform necessary adjustments to your strategy.It's essential to ensure that your marketing objectives align with your overall business goals. This alignment guarantees that every marketing effort you undertake supports your broader mission and vision. For example, if your business goal is to expand into new markets, your marketing efforts should target those specific demographics. By matching your marketing objectives with your business goals, you create a cohesive strategy that drives growth and enhances your brand's presence.Continuous measurement and adaptation will empower your small business to stay ahead of competitors and connect with your audience, ensuring sustained growth and success.Running TikTok ads? Learn how to best measure campaign performance effectively.

On a budget? Best free small business marketing strategies

For small businesses looking to make a significant impact without breaking the bank, leveraging free marketing tools can be a game changer.

Search engine optimization: Start with SEO to enhance your online visibility. Tools like Google Search Console and Ubersuggest can help you identify keywords that resonate with your target audience, enabling you to optimize your website content effectively.

Short form video content: Social media and video platforms are another excellent avenue for free marketing, allowing you to connect with your audience through engaging videos. On TikTok, a Business Account will allow you to unlock performance insights, creative tools, and exclusive account features for growing your business. Focus on showcasing your products, sharing customer testimonials, or even providing behind-the-scenes looks at your business. The more authentic your content, the better your engagement.

Organic blog content: Blog content is a powerful strategy that can drive traffic to your website. Use free platforms like WordPress or Medium to share valuable insights related to your industry. This not only establishes your authority but also helps in SEO when you incorporate relevant keywords naturally.

Content calendar: Implement a content calendar to plan and schedule your posts. Free tools like Trello or Google Sheets can help you keep track of your publishing schedule, ensuring you stay organized and consistent without any financial investment.

Business listing uniformity: If your business is online and has a physical storefront, take advantage of all of the free listing services available such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, Bing & many more. Ensuring your business is consistently listed across these listing services by way of matching name, address and phone number is an easy way to build free online authority for your business.