Today, digital marketing is no longer an option. It’s an absolute necessity. As COVID-19 pushes more and more consumers to limit their store trips to essential items only, many are transitioning into purely online shopping. That means the sales teams used to closing in person, the indoor bar and grill that used to have a line out the door, and the mom and pop shops built on in-person customer service, all need to evolve. For many the overhaul of decades-old business practices can be nearly insurmountable. Now, more than ever, it’s vital that a business analyze its digital presence. Here are some ways to improve your digital presence today.
1. Index Your Business on Search Engines
A lot of businesses are maintained by word of mouth, reputation, and customer relationships. For some, the concept of inbound marketing may even appear slightly foreign. However, it’s now necessary. Ensuring that your business is properly indexed on search engines is a good first step, otherwise new customers will never be able to find your business organically. To check if your business is indexed, simply google your website address.
Be sure to Check Google my Business
Google my Business is a tool that allows business owners to manage and customize their indexed business listing.Your Google my business listing shows on the right side of the Google search results. It’s important this space shows the proper address, images, URL, hours, and description. If you haven’t already, add or claim your business listing on Google to make sure you’re set up for success. From there, you can customize your Google my business under ‘’business profile -> edit profile’
Getting your business on maps is a key part of local marketing. In order to index your business on Google maps, ensure your Google my Business account information displays the correct address. You will then need to verify and confirm the listed address, and wait for Google to approve. However, many users now have iOS devices, which come with Apple Maps, a different entity than Google Maps. If your business is not indexed on Apple Maps, you could be missing out on thousands of local mobile iOS queries. To index your business on Apple Maps, sign in using your Apple ID. From there, you will see all of the sites managed under your account. Select which site you would like to edit, then set your address, phone number and other important business information. After you’re done click save, and simply wait for Apple to approve your listing.
2. Start a blog
Blogs are one of the best ways to improve long-term SEO, while also demonstrating value to your customers. Here’s how it works: a potential customer has a problem. They weigh whether or not this problem is one they can handle, or one that needs external assistance. After deciding they need some help, more often than not they google that problem. That’s where content comes in handy. Blogs should be used to answer questions and solve problems, demonstrating value to those who find your content. They also make good shareable content, and can live as evergreen content on your site. When writing blogs, it’s important to use hyperlinks to relevant articles and sources, internal links to keep traffic funneled, and keyword search terms, or search terms that users are typing in consistently. A good tool to find the best keywords for your industry is SEMRush.
3. Start Email Marketing
Email marketing is a great way to keep contacts engaged, and nurture leads along the sales funnel. It can also help build brand recognition and demonstrate value to those not ready to buy. When creating an email campaign, make sure to use a company email if you don’t have one set up yet. Creating landing pages, or individual web pages to forward email traffic to, can ensure content interaction, and help push users down the funnel.
4. Post consistent, branded content
Content can come in many forms: whitepapers, blogs, testimonials, images, videos, longform content. However, consistently posting helpful content to your website, and sharing that content through social platforms can ultimately improve brand recognition, demonstrate value, and raise traffic. When posting content, be sure to follow brand guidelines for tones, colors, and logos at all times.
5. Perform a Digital Audit
Performing a digital audit on your operations is the final step you can take as a business owner. Take some time to thoroughly evaluate every aspect of your digital presence. Be sure to:
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- Look at content strength and relevance
- Read all the words on your website
- Evaluate your site from a user’s perspective
- Check your site on a mobile device
- Evaluate findings of an on-page SEO checker
- Evaluate email marketing efficiency
- Analyze social media accounts
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Call in the Professionals
When you need help with your marketing, look no further than digital advertising agencies like us at Forge Apollo. Here at Forge Apollo, we specialize in digital marketing, and generating custom content that gets seen and shared. We understand the challenges that face business owners in the wake of COVID-19, and are striving to help businesses across the country transition into the age of digital marketing.
