‘Tis the season of joy and surprises! And what brings more joy and surprises than an advent calendar? Finding and cherishing a new treasure each day is an idea we love here at BG Digital Group. But instead of trinkets or candies, we get excited for new marketing tools. We also have a true passion for sharing knowledge that could help potentially grow and better your business.
If you follow us on Instagram, you know our marketing experts came together to share 24 digital marketing tips on everything from SEO to design! Find them all below.
Web Design
Whether you’re a coding whiz like our Web Developer, Susan Driggers or you’re utilizing a builder such as WordPress, your web design is crucial. Your website may not be the first thing a potential new customer sees, but when they do visit, you want to make sure it portrays your business correctly. Regardless of the service you provide, there are some key points to remember.
Implement calls-to-action.
Implementing your calls-to-action could be the difference between a customer diving deeper into your website or leaving. CTAs should be definitive and authoritative and also act as a guide.
Create a navigation menu that guides users through your site.
Another way to guide users throughout your website with ease is to create a navigation menu that is easily identifiable. In the name of web design, it’s very easy to get caught up in the “decoration” aspect of creating your website, but too much can be a distraction.
Don’t be afraid of white space.
Don’t be afraid of white or blank space!
Minimize text.
This also applies to text. Be genuine, be concise, and convey your message without being too wordy.
Stay mobile-friendly.
And in the day and age of mobile devices being in almost everyone’s pocket, make your web design mobile-friendly. You never know how someone will discover your business and you want your website to be enjoyable on any device.
SEO
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is essentially the process of improving your website’s reach through search engine traffic. And through an audit, you can really delve into the metrics to see how your website is performing. Before all of that, here are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to SEO.
Create content for your audience, not Google.
Always create content for your audience, not Google! No matter the size of this search engine giant, your audience should come first, cater to them. Catering to your audience could mean increasing internal linking.
Increase internal linking.
Internal linking is beneficial for you and the user as it guides them from one page on your domain to another with ease.
Re-launch top content.
Now, take a moment to think about a festive holiday dinner spread, now think about those amazing day-after leftovers! The same concept could apply to your popular content. Relaunching top content can bring fresh new energy to content that has already performed well.
Invest in long-form content.
Connecting with your audience can come in many forms. But when it comes to SEO, investing in long-form content, such as videos or blogs, really raises the bar.
Leverage topic clusters.
Long-form content is also beneficial in the fact that you can utilize it in topic clusters. Creating multiple forms of content all covering a broad subject creates a strong framework which creates a stronger SEO.
Social Media
During the holidays, almost all of your favorite platforms are filled with pictures and posts that encompass the holiday season. And we can take a couple notes from these casual posts!
Keep social media social.
It’s all in the name. Social! Keep your social media platforms social and don’t be afraid to engage with your followers.
Utilize all the platform’s features.
A great way to engage is by utilizing all features. Whether it be polls on your story, or fun, short videos, be involved!
Post genuine content.
In the world of social media, there can be a lot of one-dimensional content, so make yours matter. Posting genuine content helps you build a connection to the individuals who support you or may even be the push that gets someone to hit that follow button.
Follow the 80/20 Rule.
Since every platform is ever-changing, a perfect formula for posts that will perform well every single time, is sadly not a thing. But there is a pretty trusty rule to follow. The 80/20 rule states that “80% of your social media posts should inform, educate, and entertain your audience, while only 20% should directly promote your business.”
When your page is set up effectively to maximize your marketing, all of your posts don’t have to be strictly about your business. Participating in trends or even just staying up to date is an effective way for you to meet that 80% of more casual content.
Stay on top of trends.
Invest time into researching the newest trends for social media. Participating in and demonstrating your knowledge in trends has the ability to engage and excite your followers.
Advertising
Knowing your brand and your market is another great key to better business. Take a look at Macy’s for example. Every year they put on a phenomenal Christmas parade that includes something for every age, and is aired on multiple channels. This is done while they simultaneously run one of the biggest holidays sales that also caters to every age group.
Tailor ads to a target audience.
Identify and target your market, and you can boost this by tailoring your ads. Reaching your target audience is also another hurdle, but it is one you’re able to cross when you advertise on multiple platforms. Understanding your demographic will better help you understand where you should focus more of your efforts.
Advertise on multiple platforms.
You must keep in mind that different platforms also cater to different demographics. When you advertise on multiple platforms, you’re able to reach a larger number of consumers.
Appeal to emotions.
After identifying and understanding your audience, build your connections. Appeal to them on an emotional level by conveying that you can be of assistance in their situation. Appealing to emotions enough that it inspires them to take action is the basis of storytelling in advertising.
Leverage storytelling.
Your storytelling should help a consumer understand why they should care about your business at all. And it has proven to be very effective. Storytelling builds a connection that goes deeper than just being transactional. Describe that feeling they’ll get, that strong emotion it’ll invoke, that something special that comes with the services you provide.
Focus on benefits over features.
In relation to storytelling, help convey to your consumer, the benefits over the features. Before someone utilizes your businesses’ services, they want to know what they get in return, and they’re not referencing those services.
Design
Small businesses have the biggest personality, and if anyone understands that, it’s us! Meshing your brand into an effective and cohesive design presents itself as quite the task.
Create a branding guideline.
To get started on the right track, create a branding guideline. Have your guideline include things like your color scheme, and font style. This will help you see how things will look when it all comes together.
Create a mood board for your designer.
Also consider creating a mood board for your designer if you have one. Creating a mood board with a collage of the feelings, colors, and images you want your design to express helps your vision come to life.
Choose fonts that align with your brand identity.
Have you ever looked at a billboard or magazine cover and something just feels off? It’s probably the font! Choosing font styles and sizes that align with your brand identity can really make or break the cohesiveness of the design as a whole.
When it comes to logo design, keep it simple and easy on the eyes.
We are blessed with a very talented Art Director, Susan Yates, who has years of expertise in graphic design and logos. If you decide to utilize a logo builder, a good rule to keep in mind is to keep your logo simple and easy on the eyes.
The goal is to have your brand clearly identifiable through your logo, this applies to the color of your logo as well.
The holidays are about giving and we’re more than happy to do just that. With so many experts on our team, the knowledge of the marketing field is immeasurable. Implementing and being aware of the tips mentioned can give your business the ultimate marketing makeover. If you’re looking for help creating a campaign, or even just implementing the tips mentioned, don’t hesitate to give us a call today!
