Which digital marketing channel should a small business start with?

For most Cornwall small businesses, the right order is Google first, then reviews, then one social channel, then paid ads. Google is where people go when they already want what you offer, so a complete Google Business Profile and a findable website come before anything else. Reviews back that up and win the map pack. Only then does social media earn its place, and even then one channel done well beats three done badly. Paid ads come last, once you know what converts, because they cost money the moment you switch them on. Trying to be everywhere at once is the most common way a small business burns its first 3 months of effort with nothing to show for it.