Where Are Small Town Businesses Spending Marketing Dollars in 2024?

Small town business owners are veering more towards online channels to allocate their marketing budgets. The year 2024 sees this trend advancing with a variety of online marketing strategies taking the lead. Gone are the days where a placement in the Yellow Pages is considered effective…

Here are some of the key areas where small town business marketing dollars are likely to be invested:

1. Social Media Advertising:

- Social media ad spend globally was expected to surpass $300 billion by 2024, displaying the substantial investment in this channel¹ .

- As of 2021, 55% of small businesses in the US were advertising on social media, utilizing platforms like Facebook and YouTube to reach their audience² .

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising:

- The projected amount to be spent on search advertising globally in 2024 is $190.5 billion, with a typical ROI of $2 for every $1 spent on PPC​​³.

- SEO remains pivotal as 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and 53.3% of all website traffic comes from organic search​⁴​.

3. Local Online Directories:

- 58% of consumers use voice search to find local businesses, and 50% visit a store within a day of a local search, emphasizing the importance of local SEO and online directories​⁵​.

- 64% of small businesses have recognized the value of establishing a local SEO presence, which includes listing in local online directories​⁵.

4. Content Marketing:

- Content marketing revenue was poised to reach $107 billion, with 97% of marketers affirming that it delivers a higher ROI compared to other marketing strategies​⁶​​⁷.

- About 42.4% of small businesses spend less than $500 each month on content marketing, indicating a steady investment in this domain​⁸.

5. Email Marketing:

- Email marketing continues to be effective with a staggering ROI of $42 generated for every $1 spent, and 81% of small businesses utilizing email to acquire customers​⁹.

6. Video Marketing:

- 44% of users generated sales using videos, and 93% of brands acquired new customers through videos posted on social media¹⁰​.

- 88% of marketers agreed that video has improved their ROI, with a notable increase in video uploads and video marketing platform usage​¹¹​​¹².

These trends underline a movement towards digital platforms that offer a measurable ROI, enhanced customer engagement, and a broader reach compared to traditional marketing channels. The shift demonstrates the evolving marketing landscape, where leveraging online channels has become imperative for small town businesses to stay competitive and achieve their business objectives.