In the online marketing world, there are dozens of tools that you can use to “make your job easier”. The problem is, sometimes you don’t know what the tools are best used for. You can waste a lot of time using a tool that’s not right for the job, or using the right tool but using it improperly.

YOUR WEBSITE

My view on websites is that they should be central to your online presence. Almost everything you post on social media should be referencing what is available on your site. Think of it this way: if it’s worth saying on social media, it’s worth having on your site as a more “permanent” resource.

Making a website like this creates authority, which is what Google’s looking for in a site. Want your SEO efforts to pay off? Then make your website better. Pushing all your good content out via social media may get you likes and shares, but it won’t do any good for your site. You’re investing money in your site through design and hosting at the very least. Maximize your investment and build an awesome asset!

EMAIL MARKETING

Yes, I know. Email is for “old people”. “Millennials prefer texting.” Yada yada yada. The majority of working people use email daily for work and personal use. Email reaches people across all demographics. Don’t buy into the BS that a certain segment of society doesn’t use it, because it’s not true. HOW people use email is different. Older generations may be more used to checking email on a desktop or laptop. Younger people may check using smartphones. Regardless, they’re checking email, so learn how they’re checking and respond accordingly. Email on a smartphone? Your template had better be responsive. Personalize your messages and tailor your lists to adapt to changing usage patterns. You can use “old” technology in new and better ways.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Personally, I see people giving up on social far too soon. Why? Because it takes work. Reposting will only take you so far. If you have nothing to say that your audience will find valuable, then don’t say anything. Cat photos? Unless you can relate it to your business, please don’t. If you’re in business and you don’t have a lot of time, look at using automation to help with your social media duties. You can set up scheduled posts days, weeks or months in advance. Those same automation tools can help keep you informed about responses etc., so you won’t drop the ball when a scheduled post inspires a ton of interest. Again, you still need to put in the work when it comes to content generation, but there are ways to make things go easier.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Unless you’re in the top 10 results for every conceivable keyword search your audience might use to find you, SEO is never complete. There’s always more you can do to stay on top and ahead of your competitors, who if they’re smart, are trying to get to be in the #1 position themselves. At the very least, you should be monitoring your positions on a monthly basis. Anyone who tells you SEO is dead simply doesn’t understand how search engines work. Google (and the others) are constantly evolving and innovating as they strive to bring the best possible user experience to their users. Sites that don’t evolve will be left behind.

CONVERSION RATES

This is the most important statistic most people ignore. Whatever you do on your website, email marketing, social media platforms or SEO can be measured in terms of lead generation. If you’re not generating leads, you’re not getting anywhere. Period. If you have 100 visitors to your website and you don’t have any calls, emails, subscriptions to newsletters or your blog, something needs to change. Otherwise, your investment is producing zero ROI, and nobody likes getting nothing for their money.

When you have so many tools to choose from, it can be tempting to use all of them at once. That’s a great way to cut off a finger! Focus on one. Make sure you’re using it properly. Figure out your strategy, your processes, and make sure it’s integrated into everything else. Only then should you introduce a new tool. Demonstrate mastery, then repeat.

Demonstrate mastery. You do it in your business. You can do it with your online marketing. We can help 🙂