{"id":4708,"date":"2026-07-01T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entrepreneurship.asu.edu\/blog\/?p=4708"},"modified":"2026-06-26T17:47:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T17:47:09","slug":"essential-digital-marketing-tips-for-new-businesses-and-first-time-founders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entrepreneurship.asu.edu\/blog\/2026\/07\/01\/essential-digital-marketing-tips-for-new-businesses-and-first-time-founders\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential Digital Marketing Tips for New Businesses and First\u2011Time Founders"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo by ASU Media<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Why do some new businesses gain traction quickly while others struggle to get noticed? Often, it comes down to understanding a few key digital marketing basics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you’re launching a startup or growing a small business, knowing where to focus your time and budget can make all the difference. From social media and email marketing to search visibility and customer engagement, the fundamentals still matter, and they’re more manageable than you might think.<\/span><\/p>\n

At its core, marketing is getting the right people to notice what you\u2019re building, understand why it matters and eventually think, \u201cOkay, wait\u2026I actually need this.\u201d Good digital marketing doesn\u2019t need to be flashy, but it does need to be clear and relatable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start with the Who and the Why<\/b><\/h3>\n

First, you need to figure out who you\u2019re talking to. And no, \u201ceveryone\u201d is not the answer (even though it\u2019s tempting to think so). The more specific you are, the easier everything becomes. It could be stressed college students, side-hustling creatives or gym beginners who don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing but are trying anyway. When you know your people, your content basically writes itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next is your value proposition, which is just a fancy way of saying, \u201cWhy should anyone care?\u201d Try to focus less on what your product <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> and more on what it <\/span>does<\/span><\/i>. \u201cI sell planners\u201d is fine. \u201cI help overwhelmed students get their life together\u201d is way more interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

People often get stuck down a rabbit hole when it comes to identifying their brand, which is important, but also does not have to be perfect just to get started. According to Kylee Wojack, Social Media Manager for <\/span>Student-Made at ASU\u00ae<\/span><\/a>, \u201cestablishing your brand doesn\u2019t need to be complicated. The most important thing is representing your values and staying true to yourself. Consistency is also valuable. As long as you show up, your reach continues to grow.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to simplify it, your marketing foundation is basically:<\/span><\/p>\n