How Small Businesses Can Win Online in 2025
Let’s be real—trying to stand out online as a small business can feel like showing up late to a crowded party. Everyone’s already there, talking, posting, and sharing. But here’s the upside: people love supporting small, local businesses. They just need to know you exist—and they need to feel a connection with you.
If you can show up online in a way that feels real and approachable, you’ll be surprised at how many people will root for you. Here’s how to do it.
1. Be Personal, Not Perfect
Nobody wants to feel like they’re talking to a faceless corporation. You don’t need to have glossy, big-budget branding to win online. In fact, being too polished can sometimes make you look stiff or distant.
Show the behind-the-scenes stuff: the messy workshop, your morning coffee before opening up shop, the little wins (and the hiccups) that happen day to day. People love getting a peek at the real humans behind the business.
If you’ve got a story—how you started, why you do what you do—tell it. If you’ve got a team, introduce them. Let people see your face. The more relatable you are, the more likely they are to trust you.
2. Lean Into Short-Form Video
Look, we’re all glued to our phones, and scrolling short videos is basically a national pastime at this point. TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts—they’re not going anywhere.
Don’t overthink it. You don’t need a fancy camera or perfect lighting. Your phone and a bit of good natural light will do. Show off your product in action, share a quick tip, walk someone through your process. Keep it short, keep it human, and keep posting. The more you do it, the more natural it feels—and the more the algorithm will work in your favor.
3. Highlight Your Happy Customers
People believe other people way more than they believe businesses. That’s why customer reviews and testimonials are pure gold.
Ask your happiest customers to leave a review or share a quick video talking about their experience. Screenshot the nice comments. Repost them on your site, on your social media, even in your stories. If someone tags you in a post, thank them and share it.
This isn’t just bragging—it’s social proof. It shows new people they can trust you because real customers already do.
4. Make It Ridiculously Easy to Reach You
There’s nothing worse than wanting to contact a business and having to hunt down their email address or phone number.
Make your contact info impossible to miss—buttons, links, Google Business Profile, all of it. If you can, add a chat option to your site or social media. People want to connect fast. If they can’t, they’ll just move on to someone else who makes it easy.
5. Stay Active on Google Maps
This one gets overlooked all the time. Local search is massive. When someone’s looking for, say, a plumber or a bakery, they usually just Google “near me.”
Keep your Google Business Profile fresh—upload new photos, check your hours, respond to reviews (yes, even the bad ones). You can even post updates right on your profile. It’s free, and it makes a big difference in how you show up in search.
6. Share Knowledge, Not Just Sales Pitches
You want people to see you as more than just a seller—you want to be the go-to person in your space.
That means giving value first. Write blog posts answering the questions you get all the time. Make how-to videos. Share tips and little nuggets of wisdom that help people. This builds trust, and when they’re ready to buy, you’ll be the first one they think of.
7. Keep Your Brand Consistent
Ever follow a brand on Instagram, click through to their site, and feel like you just walked into a totally different business? Yeah, that’s not good.
Make sure your logo, colors, tone, and even your vibe feel the same everywhere—on your site, on social media, on your Google profile. Consistency looks professional and makes it easier for people to remember you.
A Final Word
In 2025, people aren’t just buying stuff. They’re buying into stories, experiences, and relationships.
If you can show up online as a real person with a genuine story, share things that actually help people, and make it easy for them to connect with you, you’ll stand out.
And if this all feels like a lot or you’re not sure where to start—that’s literally what I do every day. I help businesses like yours get seen online and build real connections with their audience.
