Top 3 Internet Marketing Resolutions
Throughout the year we have listened as our clients, prospects (and yes even ourselves!) made promises and set elaborate goals for their online marketing initiatives. However, business happens. Every day, every hour something comes up that can just put all those grand ideas right on the back burner. Unfortunately, online marketing is one area that always tends to get shelved until some free time opens up.
In 2010 make a promise to yourself to not let that happen. Online marketing is important and you are either in the game or you're not. If you're not, then trust us, your competitors will be. So, all that said...we have taken our "Top 3 Internet Marketing Resolutions", gathered from all the feedback and conversations we have had this year, and are passing them on to you. Enjoy!
Pay Attention to Your Site
Your website is the face of your company and your most effective sales tool. If it is outdated, update it. If it could use a little aesthetic sprucing up, then spruce it up. One of the best ways to do this is to get your staff and your internet marketing firm involved. Have them periodically look at the site and provide new ideas, suggestions or even relay customer feedback. A site that gets stale can give the impression that your business is stale. Not to mention, search engines look for a site that is fresh, updated and continually posts new content and changes. They are in the business of providing the most relevant search results to their users, and if your site is not frequently updated, than in their eyes, cannot be providing relevant & timely information. Your site is a very important part of your business, treat it as such!
Content is King
There are many avenues you can take to get your messages across to your customers. In the online world, you can post them on your website, send them via email or even create a blog. Either way you slice it, creating effective, interesting and engaging content is key to customer interaction. Sure, everyone has promotions and special offers they run, and yes it is important to get that information out to your customer base. But be careful you don't turn into a "promo machine". After awhile, your customers will just start to relate all messages that come from you as a gimmick to buy something. That is the exact opposite of the goal you should be trying to achieve. Instead, disseminate helpful information, content that will automatically be interesting to your customers, engage them and get them to relate with your brand. For example, you can provide informational articles on hot topics from Going Green, office health & safety, reducing costs, or to being a more effective team player. You can even have fun with it by posting light and amusing material like a David Letterman style "Top 10 List" or go local and support local community involvement & events. It is also important to note that creating informational, keyword rich content is great for your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts.
Jump Into Social Media
Whatever industry you are in, this should absolutely be one of your 2010 goals. Social Media can be leveraged for your business in many different ways. Social Media sites are not going away, and incorporating them now into your online marketing strategy will put you ahead of the game. Sure, it can be confusing and intimidating at first, so start with the easy ones first. Take a look at Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. There are many businesses out there leveraging these channels. Take a look at what they are doing and see how it can be adopted for your business. You will never know unless you try. The added bonus is that if you create great content and pay attention to your website, as we mention above, you will be on the road to Social Media success (great content that people will actually like to read + an aesthetically pleasing, fresh site where they can view it)!
There are so many different aspects of online marketing you can incorporate into your strategy. Start with the above - who knows where you will go from there?
Here's to a Happy, Healthy & Profitable 2010!
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