Best Marketing for Small Businesses: What Works Now (and Why)

Vickie Christensen | September 18, 2025

What Is the Best Marketing for Small Businesses?

The “best” marketing is the mix that predictably creates qualified leads at the lowest blended cost. For most small businesses and local pros, that means a tight foundation plus two traffic lanes: own your local presence, then layer one organic and one paid channel you can maintain.

Start With the Non-Negotiables

Google Business Profile: Complete categories, services, products, Q&A, and fresh photos. This is the front door for “near me” searches.
Website built to convert: Fast, mobile-friendly, with one service per page, clear forms, phone number in the header, and reviews.
Reputation engine: Request 2–4 Google reviews weekly; reply within 24 hours.

Your Two Traffic Lanes

Organic lane (compounding)

Local SEO: City and service pages; internal links; FAQ blocks that mirror the questions people ask.
Short-form video: 30–60 second clips answering a single question; repost to GBP, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and LinkedIn.
Email list: A monthly “Tips + Offers” note converts curious visitors into customers.

Paid lane (controllable)

Local Service Ads or Search Ads: Great for intent like “emergency plumber” or “DUI attorney near me.”
Boosted offers or lead forms: Low-lift way to test audience and creative on Facebook/Instagram.

Which Platform Is Best Right Now?

There isn’t a single winner. Choose by intent and your capacity to produce content.

If people search for you by need: Google Business Profile + Search Ads.
If trust and visuals sell the service: Instagram Reels + Facebook + YouTube Shorts.
If B2B or referral-driven: LinkedIn posts + lead magnets.
If you need fast wins: LSAs or narrowly targeted search campaigns.

The 30-Day “Best Mix” Plan

Week 1: Fix GBP, add 5 services, upload 10 new photos, publish 2 FAQs.
Week 2: Build a single high-intent service page and one city page.
Week 3: Record 4 short videos answering top questions; schedule weekly.
Week 4: Launch a small paid test, $20–$40/day, on your top intent term or a retargeting audience.

What Type of Marketing Is Most in Demand?

Demand follows attention and intent: local search, reviews, short-form video, and conversion-focused websites remain the highest ROI combo for small businesses.

FAQ

What is the best way to market a small business? Own your GBP and website, then run one organic and one paid channel you can sustain.
What is the best marketing platform for small business? If your service is searched, prioritize Google; if it’s visual or trust-driven, add Instagram and YouTube.
What are the 7 Ps of marketing? Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, Physical evidence; use them as a checklist on key pages.

Want the foundation set up for you? Wellman Works’ Local Lift-Off delivers a tuned GBP, high-intent pages, and a 30-day content + ads plan.

Vickie Christensen of Wellman Works Ltd. in Cameron Park, specializes in getting your business found on the Internet. I use my wealth of knowledge in the technical and marketing field earned over the last 30 plus years. I love working with businesses and making them more successful because that makes our community stronger.

Years of digging in and looking for the solutions that big companies can afford brought me, as a small business here. What I've spent years studying and applying to my own businesses are available to you.

Internet Visibility and Brand – you have found the person that listens and understands and will help you understand. It is my mission to give the opportunity that large companies have to your business and to promote the ethics of the Rotary 4-Way Test: In all things we do and say; Is it the Truth, Is it fair to all concerned, Will it build good will and better friendships, and Will it be beneficial to all concerned.

I look forward to hearing from you and discovering how I can best help you.

For digital business card https://bit.ly/VickieBusinessCard

Please call or text me at 916-835-5704 or make a quick call appt. at https://meetwithvickie.com email at: vickie@wellmanworks.com