No matter your industry, you likely understand the importance of digital marketing. If you don’t have a solid digital foundation, you’re likely to get left behind when it comes to your competition. You’ll have less of a reach, and your target audience might not have a full understanding of who you are.
But, not all digital branding is equal. What works for one niche might not be as successful for another.
Building a brand and showcasing what your company has to offer is essential to your overall success, but it’s important to know how to do that with a niche audience.
With that in mind, let’s discuss a few of the most popular industries and how the digital branding process changes depending on your niche.
The Healthcare Industry
On the surface, it might seem silly to think about marketing when it comes to healthcare. After all, it’s something everyone utilizes, whether it’s a routine doctor visit or emergency surgery. But, with so many healthcare providers and specialists in the world, marketing in this niche serves multiple purposes. First, it helps you stand out from your competitors. More importantly, it helps to grow patient engagement and can make it easier to nurture long-term relationships with your patients.
Digital marketing in the healthcare niche “humanizes” your brand. That can be helpful for those with medical anxiety or people hesitant to see a doctor. It’s also extremely helpful for niche practices that treat very specific conditions.
For example, using technology to better connect with current and potential patients will make a big difference in and out of the office. Some of the best ways to engage with people online include:
- Utilizing multiple social media platforms;
- Connecting with the right influencers;
- Becoming an expert in your industry with blog posts;
- Using video marketing.
You can also promote in-office technology through digital marketing. For instance, if you are a physical therapist making use of virtual reality to improve patient outcomes, be sure to emphasize this in your branding. While most people recognize VR for its entertainment purposes, many prospective patients may not know that this technology can allow them to experience real-world situations without the risk of furthering their injury, reduce their healing time, and improve their strength and mobility. If you’re in a niche healthcare market and you want to stand out, highlighting any state-of-the-art, modern technology you’re using to improve patient care is essential.
The Financial Sector
The financial industry is the largest in the world. It’s also highly competitive. Building a brand centered on relationships and trust will make a big difference in this niche market. When you’re dealing with people’s hard-earned money, they want to know they can trust that your business to take care of it properly.
Building trust and forming relationships requires all of the suggestions listed above. Having a digital presence and making sure your brand stands out can be done through social media, by using influencers, and by showcasing your expertise.
You can also take things further by creating an online omnipresence. Wherever people go to look for financial guidance, your brand name should pop up. To accomplish that, make sure your business has:
- An optimized website;
- A strong social media presence;
- A relevant blog;
- Directory listings;
- A Google My Business page.
You can also boost your digital presence by getting featured in popular publications. Working with influencers can work in this niche market, but you’ll have to be very picky about who you choose to work with. When anyone is talking about money, it’s very easy to come across as “gimmicky”, and people might think something that sounds too good to be true is a scam.
Instead, lean into your extensive financial knowledge and connect with trustworthy digital publications like the Wall Street Journal, IBD, or Forbes. The more recognizable names you can attach your brand to, the better.
Small Businesses
When you’re building a small business from the ground up, creating a digital brand might not seem like a top priority – especially if you’re a brick-and-mortar business in one location. But, growth and expansion should be a goal for every business, no matter how small.
Building your brand isn’t just about gaining a wider audience. It’s also about fostering relationships with your existing customers. Thankfully, as a small business, you have a bit of wiggle room to get creative since you know your locale. Larger corporations don’t always have that luxury.
Start by building a better brand from within. Your business is only as good as the employees you hire, and fostering a professional environment of diversity and inclusivity is not just a great PR move, it’s a way to include multiple creative voices in your marketing strategy and everyday business practices. If you’re not sure how to increase diversity efforts in your business, try some of the following tips:
- Offer training that promotes inclusion;
- Establish employee resource groups;
- Improve your hiring practices;
- Publicly promote diversity.
In addition to diversifying your business, foster employee wellness and make sure your team is taken care of. Not only will that increase their loyalty and productivity, but happy employees are more likely to lead to happy customers.
From a digital standpoint, there are plenty of things your small business can do to boost your online presence without breaking the bank, starting with increasing the visibility of your website. Strategies like site optimization, creating relevant content, using email marketing, and making your website mobile-friendly are all fantastic solutions to boost your digital presence. A business website is often the first impression someone will have about a brand. Attracting people to your site and making sure it’s a reflection of who you are and what you do is essential.
Of course, the same suggestions still apply when it comes to social media. Utilizing social media platforms to build your brand locally or globally can be a lot of fun when you have a small business. You might see more opportunities to connect with individuals. You can use your creativity to put together videos, show behind-the-scenes efforts, or even hold small local contests to boost interest.
Niche industries don’t have to fall behind when it comes to marketing and standing out. Whether you have a lot of competition or you just want your target audience to know more about your niche, building a digital brand is one of the fastest and most effective ways to do it.
