Why you should be making the most of Small Business Saturday!

Small Business Saturday is one of the leading social media holidays you should be making the most of if you are an applicable business. There is no denying that people love shopping small, with 91% saying they would rather choose a smaller, local business over a large chain of stores. As a champion of local and small companies ourselves, at Kopa Marketing, all these companies should be shouting from the rooftops about what makes them unique. Whether you are a local family business or a small online retailer trying to carve out its place online, small business Saturday is a brilliant opportunity to promote your brand to interested consumers. 

This year's Small Business Saturday is set to be celebrated on the 3rd of December, so put that note in your diary now! Keep reading to find out precisely what this organic social occasion is and how you can boost your traffic and conversions with clever content.

What is Small Business Saturday?

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Launched in 2010, more than 51 million UK shoppers paid homage to the day in 2021. The day is designed to bring social traffic to smaller companies from all industries. In Wales alone, there are more than 9000 small businesses which gives you an idea of how many there are worldwide! Being small doesn't have to be a hindrance in the big wide world of eCommerce; that is exactly what the day is designed to celebrate. 

We are also fans of this social trend as it revolves around something other than discounts or incentives to shop with a business. Whilst you can, of course, include these if that is your call to action, it instead focuses on bringing awareness to companies and allowing consumers to see the company's value. You can use the day to share your story with it, being supported by like-minded consumers who want to boost small businesses to be sustainable.

It is also a great chance for B2B interactions which can be used as a form of networking. However you decide to use the event, it is a brilliant way to show your digital awareness of relevant organic holidays.

Why should you take part in Small Business Saturday?

Social calendars are bound to be busy for all businesses at this time of year, thanks to seasonal trends and festive traffic. The day is always celebrated on the first weekend of December, which means social traffic is already going to be swirling around at an exponential rate! Small businesses all over the country should be posting using the associated themes and hashtags, as the posts show you are a relevant brand. 

As a small business ourselves, we also understand how easy it is for you to lose view of what makes you unique when you are busy competing with big names and heavy traffic. Small business Saturday is a great chance to re-engage with your own story, as you are more likely to share your brand messaging authentically. 

Small Business UK Statistics

It is official; we are a nation of small-business fanatics! Check out some of the stats which prove this:

• The UK recorded more than 5.48 million small businesses in 2021
• This means that 99% of all UK business is classed as a small to medium-sized company.
• Small businesses account for 60% of all UK employment.

How can you participate in Small Business Saturday?

There are lots of ways that you take part in the social holiday, which include the following:

• You can use the traffic to launch new products or services at what time to highlight your business's work. Make sure you use relevant hashtags on socials and keywords with your product copy to make the most of this traffic.

• Sharing customer feedback and using the day as an opportunity to engage further with your customers is a clever way to improve engagement. Customers love to feel special, so it is essential to show that you are a company that cares about its followers. People also look to social media to inform their buying decisions, so sharing feedback and reviews associated with the small business hashtag is wise. 
• It's also a brilliant time to revisit your paid ads to ensure you have any small business or industry-relevant keywords catered for in your digital strategy. Whilst you won't want to bid for the main terms, you can look for what else consumers are searching for that would encompass both the small business traffic and your own industry terms.

• Social content is a must, with the prominent hashtags being #shopsmall, #shoplocal, #smallbusiness, #supportsmallbusiness, #smallbusinesssaturday, and #supportlocal.

• The day is also a chance for you to get creative with your marketing and share your brand story creatively that will stick in the consumer's mind. We are talking videos, infographics, professional graphics, and heartfelt copywriting.

We think it's a great chance to update your presence so that you can hit December and the new year with a solid digital outlook. You should, therefore, also use the opportunity to revisit your SEO and UI, as these are two elements that will mean you can harness the 'shop small' traffic all year long.

Do you want help getting ready to tackle the world of eCommerce as a small business? Get in touch with us today!

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