Local, service-based business owners, like lawyers, dentists, and plumbers, have a lot on their plates. Not only are they running a trades business, but they also must deal with the daily tasks that come with growing the business.

Today, that includes a level of proficiency in digital marketing, which is often a prerequisite for sustainable growth and success.

And the list of focus areas in a comprehensive digital marketing strategy seems to grow every year:

• Website SEO
• PPC advertising
• Reviews and Reputation
• Chat
• Social media
• Email marketing
• …and so on

To make things even more complicated, today’s consumers expect local service providers to make the buying or hiring experience as painless as possible.

Think of the most successful brands today: consumers go to Amazon when they want fast shipping and the best prices.

They know they can count on Uber to quickly get where they need to go.

They buy Apple devices because they know they’ll all work seamlessly together.

All of these success stories are not only due to a great product or service, but years of marketing and branding efforts to help shape the image that their companies leave in potential customers’ minds.

The Internet has enabled businesses of all sizes to build up their brands, but, as a consequence, has also put additional pressure on their owners.

There are still steps that local businesses can take to shore up their digital marketing strategies, though:

With the advent of “smart” technology, some marketing companies can provide business owners tools that take advantage of artificial intelligence and machine learning to proactively help them grow.

These programs take your goals and budget into account, then automatically place ads in the channels that will drive efficient performance. Supported by AI, these tools take on-the-fly adjustments to ad campaigns, as well as provide a transparent view of how your strategy is actually performing.  Tech like this is nothing short of revolutionary for business owners who want to be in control of their promotional efforts without letting them take over their daily schedules.

Of course, this technological revolution has introduced scores of upstart companies that promise quick solutions to marketing problems.

Business owners should be careful, though, to avoid constantly chasing the next best thing. Look for companies that have experience solving real business challenges, that are familiar with the tasks business owners must accomplish throughout the day, and that have a strong reputation in your industry.

Testimonials cannot be undervalued — even in the digital age, long-term relationships are a strong indicator of a company’s ability to act as a partner, rather than a vendor. A partner you can trust to provide honest, accurate advice about your specific situation and work as an extension of your team, is one of the most effective ways to set yourself apart from the competition and empower your business to keep up with the pace at which modern digital marketing advances.

To put it simply, success with digital marketing in today’s landscape takes consistent effort, but is far from impossible. By placing their trust in the right digital marketing solutions, today’s business owners can set themselves up for growth and still have ample time and mindshare to devote to their unique duties.