About This Column
This monthly column on Online Business Canada is intended to inspire action. You know digital transformation is critical to growing your business, but there are so many moving parts and so much to learn! It’s easier to navigate if someone points you in the right direction so you can take the first steps. You don’t have to master anything right now, you only need to move forward and learn as you go.
If one growth tip doesn’t work for your business, pick another one and try that. If you do that over the course of a year, you may be surprised at how much your business has grown and how clear your path is to further growth. A custom strategy will naturally emerge from your efforts, all from trying something new every month.
Content for this column will vary from month to month. We’ll cover what’s trending, motivation, tools, diversification, funding, actionable Canadian data, expert quotes, and how & where to grow your business online over the following month. New posts will be announced in our newsletter, so sign up to ensure you don’t miss a single month of growth.
Grow Your Canadian Small Business Online in August
August may not be the end of Summer on the calendar, but it’s often viewed as such by consumers. Back-to-school shopping peaks this month, especially for tech and clothes. Speaking of apparel, Autumn/Winter clothing takes over the fashion scene this month.
Businesses are already thinking well into Q4, including booking influencers and applying to be included in gift guides. For instance, we’ve already received holiday gift guide pitches for All Natural Pet Care, Online Business Canada, and CanadianFamily.net, and our Q4 content calendar of promotional opportunities will be released in August. Gift guides fill up quickly, but influencers can create a lot of content between now and the holiday season. Ask them what’s on the table and let them know how they might fit into your holiday marketing campaigns.
The following bite-size tips reveal fast ways to grow your Canadian small business online this month.
[DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website.]
TIP 1: Social Media Stories Grow Sales
A recent BDC survey found useful, authentic content engages Canadian consumers and drives sales more effectively than advertising on social media. 71% of Canadian business owners surveyed found content created by brands to be most helpful when learning about new products, services or the brand itself, followed by influencer content (54%) and paid ads (41%).
“We found that people now discover products, services and suppliers in a more fragmented, more digital and more demanding way,” states the report. “Customers are increasingly cross-checking information across multiple channels, including search engines, social platforms, reviews, recommendations and now, AI tools, before they make a decision.”
Consumers today want to find out (as quickly as possible) how a product fits into their life and what it can do for them. If you provide that information and make their journey as seamless as possible, you’re much more likely to make the sale and gain a loyal customer.
Storytelling isn’t just for social media. Take your amazing content across multiple touchpoints, from your blog to product pages. You can optimize for AI discoverability while you’re at it. AI systems look to multiple sources to determine which product or website should be recommended. Current indicators are it responds best to content that focuses on user intent, which you can easily bring into this strategy, and then amplify it through all channels.
“As we consider AI, I think what we need to consider first is where are the opportunities,” Chris Parsons told Retail Insider. “The opportunities are in our product display pages, the content that we provide, the usefulness, the tips on cleaning products or how to use a product.”
Top quality content is critical to the success of this strategy. AI can’t produce this caliber of writing. If you don’t have a writer on staff, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn it’s quite affordable to contract out. For example, Canadian Digital Media offers professional content creation by Canadian writers, as well as free content for syndication.
TIP 2: 2026 Back-to-School Shopping Journey
The back-to-school shopping journey moves through several retail formats & channels in 2026, and it isn’t at all linear. Their top destinations, based on last year’s data from Deloitte, are mass merchants (83%) and online retailers (68%). Meanwhile, a Canadian Caddle/RCC report predicts far more in-store shopping this year, but that doesn’t mean just as many aren’t also shopping online. The report found only 17% of Canadian consumers won’t do ANY back-to-school shopping online.
The 2026 Back-to-School Shopping in Canada research conducted by Caddle asked Canadians about their use of AI for back-to-school shopping, specifically for planning.
“Parents Are Open to AI Assistance for Back-to-School Planning 44% of parents already use or would be very interested in an AI-powered tool to build shopping lists, find the best prices, compare products, or recommend local stores. Another 17% say they would consider it if it clearly saved time or money. Only 29% prefer to plan entirely without AI—creating a clear opportunity for retailers to stand out with smart digital solutions.”
The importance of reviews in the Canadian back-to-school shopping journey is impossible to miss, with 71% checking reviews while shopping in-store, and 78% researching items online before buying. 78% changed their mind because of reviews this year. Check out Top Review/Rating Websites For Your Canadian Business to up your online review game.
Get creative with product reviews by influencers & bloggers too. Ask them about opportunities to recommend your products or services in best/top lists, tips, unboxings, or in other related content. Expect to pay for it, because they can’t pay their bills with free products.
Note: Our Q4 content calendar for Online Business Canada, CanadianFamily.net, and All Natural Pet Care comes out in August. Let me know if you’d like to receive it, or if you have other inquiries about gift guides and sponsorship opportunities on our websites: Business{at}CanadiansInternet.com.
If you’re trying to corner the back-to-school market, here are 20 Ways Canadian Online Retailers Can Win Back-To-School Sales.
Speaking of schools, check out Computers for Schools Plus (CFS+) to donate digital devices & accessories to Canadian Schools via Industry Canada. It’s safe, environmentally friendly, and tax deductible.
TIP 3: Growth by Acquisition
Many companies buy up other companies for a number of reasons, but it usually revolves around growth in one form or another. It can also give you a jump start if you’re interested in becoming a digital entrepreneur but don’t want to start from scratch.
To determine if an online business is a wise investment, you’ll have to perform the same due diligence as you would for purchasing an offline business.
Some standard pre-purchase questions you might ask are:
- Is it viable and feasible for you?
- Is there an existing business license, trademark or patent?
- Is the logo and branding in place?
- Is it profitable? How much does it earn annually? Is it growing?
- What expenses do they have? What is the cost of customer acquisition?
- Is there any debt or overdue taxes?
- What’s included? Inventory, contacts, apps, and so on.
- What kind of reviews does it have? Does it have a BBB rating?
- Do you have ideas to improve and grow the business?
Read How to Find, Evaluate & Buy an Existing Online Business for further guidance.
TIP 4: Video Growth
Video is bigger than ever, and there are more platforms for showing it. According to a Leger study, 68% of Canadians said they have a YouTube account and 33% have a TikTok account. Daily use of YouTube was at 40% in 2025, and half as many for TikTok.
“The power of video cannot be underestimated in today’s marketing strategies,” says HubSpot’s State of Marketing in Canada report. “Our survey revealed that platforms such as YouTube (89% increase in usage) and TikTok (49% increase in usage) have been key drivers in connecting with audiences and boosting ROI for brands in Canada, with this influence projected to further increase.”
If you (like myself) don’t like to be in front of the camera, there are several options online. Synthesia AI Video Production, for example, facilitates the easy creation of studio-quality videos with AI avatars and voiceovers in 140+ languages.
TIP 5: August Content
Grow your traffic, grow your business! Timely content can differentiate your business while generating traffic that converts.
Note: We post a list of holidays & observances (monthly, weekly and daily) for marketers in the Online Business Canada Facebook group. There’s a lot of them! You’re bound to find some that are a perfect fit for you business.
Following are just a few August holidays & observances with promotion potential:
Back to School Month
Home Business Month
Wellness Month
Family Fun Month
Inventors Month
Sandwich Month
Shop Online for Groceries Month
Canning Month
August content themes and slants can include summer, recreation, landscaping, heat safety, fire safety, water safety, travel, and time with family. Canadian civic holidays on August 3rd include NT, Nunavut, and Ontario, along with Saskatchewan Day, New Brunswick Day, British Columbia Day, Heritage Day (Alberta), and Natal Day (Nova Scotia). Terry Fox Day is observed in Manitoba. Regatta Day is celebrated in Newfoundland on the 5th. The Yukon celebrates Discovery Day on the 17th. Senior Citizens Day is celebrated in the US on the 16th. The US observes Women’s Equality Day on the 26th.
TIP 6: Business Books Worth Reading
Here we share quick quotes from business books we’re reading to help your knowledge grow with your business, and your business grow with your knowledge.
“…You are not trying to just rank for more terms on AI platforms. This isn’t about GEO. This is about a whole new way to think about your customers and business.
The emergence of AI and future developments should change how you think about marketing, product, sales, customers, positioning, and brand. And rightfully so. The companies that grow the fastest in this market will be the ones that take on the challenge of helping their customers in a world with AI.” ~ AI Marketing Blueprint: 7 New Rules for Driving Pipeline and Revenue, by Shiv Narayanan.
Incremental Change
Changes spread out over the year will combine into powerful results. When growth based on technology overwhelms us, we can make small changes to continue growing and develop further as we feel our way through it.
How will you grow your online business in August? Please share your ideas or questions in the comments below, or join us in the Online Business Canada Facebook group.
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Last Updated on August 2, 2026 by Melody McKinnon, Online Business & Marketing Manager
