India’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are to play a major role in the country’s race to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025. The total number of SMEs in the country is estimated to be at 42.5 million of which 43% participate in online sales. Web-enabled SMEs have increased customer reach and make higher profits. The sector is growing exponentially and will account for 22% of the country’s GDP by 2020.

Online advertising allows brands to have a global reach and target customers that are demographically appropriate for your product or service. Brand engagement is higher with advertising, as companies can interact with customers in real time and respond to comments and concerns quickly. It requires little start-up capital as compared to traditional methods of advertising and is the most cost-effective.

Leveraging advertising tools while selling online needs to be backed by engaging and unique digital content. The title, category and description must have relevant and accurate keywords. For this, a deep analysis of top-searched keywords will help. Seamless navigation, quick loading times, and innovative methods of making products searchable are also important.

Tools like sponsored products, headline search ads, display ads, etc. are among the most commonly used. Sponsored products from Amazon are designed to enhance visibility through customised selection for different campaigns. Ads appear right where customers will see them and sellers can bid on relevant keywords to display to shoppers. Such targeted ads, as well as online reviews bring in new customers and maximise sales. Aside from providing free unique content, reviews reactivate the site for enhanced SEO efforts.

Visibility is an investment in success. While quality is just as important, the reality is that business is first and foremost a popularity contest. People will only choose you if they know who you are, so choose your tools wisely and use them well.