The Essential Digital Marketing Checklist: Boost Your Small Business in 2024
Hello and happy summer, my fellow small business besties—it's been a minute since we talked. If you're ready to tackle the key elements in my ultimate digital marketing checklist, keep reading!
I know that owning and starting a business can be somewhat overwhelming. OK, it's incredibly overwhelming at times. But I understand there's so much to consider and many different ways to do one thing. Then, you add digital marketing strategies, which can sometimes be like trying to understand organic chemistry. But I'm right there with you, and I am here to do what I do best: simplify things for you and your business to establish a solid online presence, attract beloved customers, and drive that growth through the ceiling! Let's get into it!
#1: Build a Professional Website
I could list all sorts of reasons why having a professional website for your business is critical, but the two main reasons are credibility and convenience. Your website is the first interaction potential customers have with your brand, and a well-designed, professional website (without run-on sentences and wobbly calls to action) creates a positive first impression that establishes your credibility.
Once your credibility is established and they return to your page, they have 24/7 access, allowing potential clients to learn about your products or services, contact you, or make purchases at any time. Your website is your business's building block; to simplify it, you want to try and find a one-stop shop provider!
Sites like GoDaddy, Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress help you choose a domain name and provide hosting all in one place. Their user-friendly tools help you design your site, including everything you need, from templates to SEO features. All you have to do is pick a platform, choose a domain name, and use their tools to build and launch – easy peasy!
If you're wondering what essential pages you should include on your website, wonder no more! (don't worry; we'll go over what content you need on each in another post)
Home
About
Services/Products
Contact Us
Think of your website as your business's window front. It must always look lovely and enticing, with irresistible innards.
#2: Create Social Media Profiles
If you don’t understand social media or its importance for businesses, let me put it into perspective: over 200 million consumers visit at least one business profile daily, and around 130 million people engage with shopping posts monthly. In essence, social media can be massive for your business. Here's some pertinent information to get you up to speed:
Platform Selection: Personally, I would choose at least three platforms to start on, but you need platforms that align with your target audience. You can find some good information on a Google search, but I would start here first.
Profile Setup: Now that you've chosen your platforms, it's time to complete each profile with professional photos, bios, and contact information. Of course, if you need help writing any of this content, contact your friendly neighborhood copywriter.
Content Strategy: The key to social media success is consistency. Whether you want to post something daily, twice a day, or once a week, you'll need to develop a content calendar to post on a schedule.
Engagement: Once you've mastered your content schedule, you should hone in on engaging with and responding promptly to comments and messages. This will increase your visibility and foster community engagement.
Advertising: When possible, utilize paid social media ads to reach a bigger audience and drive traffic.
#3: Develop an Email Marketing Strategy
We all roll our eyes at the number of emails we get on any given day, but there's a reason you should think twice. Email marketing campaigns have a high ROI (return on investment) and, in some cases, a $36 return for every $1 spent. Whoa!! That's a pretty hefty ROI. So, if you want to get on the email chain, here's some insight into getting started:
Email Platform: There are many tools out there that help you automate your email efforts easily. So, you want to check out sites like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or ConvertKit. These sites help you build your campaign and let you see the finished product before it goes out. Plus, they are incredibly user-friendly.
Segmentation: To reach unmitigated ROIs, you must set up your emails for your target audience. Depending on your products and services, you might have several different audiences, so getting the target correct is a big deal.
Content: Content is king, and this is becoming truer with each passing year. With your content, you want to hook 'em, book 'em, and leave no room for doubt. Creating valuable content like newsletters, promotions, etc., can get the ball rolling. As an extra tip, make sure your emails are personalized. The more personal, the better the response.
#4: Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)
If you're down to get that organic traffic to your sites, you want to ensure they are optimized for search engines. Many folks see the acronym SEO and make a run for the hills, but there's nothing to it once you understand how it works. So, here are some things that need to be in order before you expect any traffic:
Keyword Research: Google Keyword Planner is fast, easy to use, and gives you tons of metrics to plan your keyword research. Paid keyword planners like Ahrefs and SEMRUSH can also be incredibly beneficial if they are within your business budget.
On-Page SEO: On-page SEO is crucial because it helps search engines understand your website's content and identify its relevance to a user's query. By optimizing, you increase your chances of ranking higher in SERPs, attracting more organic traffic, and providing a better user experience.
Technical SEO: Whatever web host you choose, you must ensure that a couple of things are running in tip-top order, and some of the most critical factors are ensuring that your site is fast and mobile-friendly.
Local SEO: To improve your SEO, you must optimize your My Business profile. This, along with building local citations, is crucial.
#5: Content Marketing
At the risk of sounding repetitive, you must understand one thing about content marketing: CONTENT IS KING!!! Wait, let's clear that up; VALUABLE content is king! If you take anything away from this section, let it be that. Content marketing does several things, but most importantly, it can establish your brand as a leading authority in your field. Below are some mediums for content, but remember that you need to figure out which kind of content works best for your business.
Blogging: A blog on your website is a great way to inform your audience and establish credibility in your field. Additionally, businesses that focus on blogs get 67% more leads than ones that don't.
Video Content: As our social media platforms transform into the video stratosphere, video content is becoming necessary. This type of content can increase your reach and capture your audience's attention more effectively.
Infographics: Who likes a better graph? It's boring, but the truth is that it combines content with concise information regarding your product and probably your customer's pain points—therefore, it can be a great tool to grab some clients.
E-books: Downloadable resources on your website in exchange for email sign-ups are where it's at. Everyone loves a good freebie, and you can exchange information about your products/services while starting to secure that ROI we discussed in email marketing. It's a win-win!
#6: Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)
Unlike organic traffic, which takes time to build momentum, Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be an exceptionally effective strategy for driving immediate traffic to your site. This immediate influx of traffic enhances visibility and provides valuable data on consumer behavior, enabling you to refine your marketing strategies in real time. If it's in your budget, by all means, take advantage.
Platform Selection: First, decide which platform (s) you need according to your target audience. You can use platforms like Google Ads, Bing Ads, or social media ads.
Keyword Selection: This is where your Google Keyword Planner will come in handy. It would help if you chose relevant keywords for your search ads so that they will be seen.
Ad Copy: I can't say enough about the copy (writing)! It must be compelling and have potent calls to action.
Landing Pages: Landing pages are critical in advertising. They are where you direct all the people who see your ads. So, it's imperative to ensure that you design high-converting landing pages that match your ads.
Monitoring: If you're serious about advertising your products/services, you must regularly analyze and adjust your campaigns to improve their performance.
#7: Analytics and Reporting
If you haven't already figured this out, advertising is a lot of trial and error. You might roll your eyes at this one because it has that techy feel, but you need to know that tracking your performance is essential to understanding what's working and what needs improvement. And just a secret from me—you don't have to be a tech genius to figure out how to track and analyze. It's pretty simple.
Google Analytics: Set up Google Analytics to monitor your website traffic and user behavior. This will also help you know how to adjust or bolster your ads.
Social Media Insights: I can't stress this enough, especially for a start-up: Use the platform-specific analytics tool to measure engagement and growth. This will help you determine what you need to change or add regarding your content.
SEO Tools: Utilize tools like Google Search Console and SEMrush for SEO tracking.
Email Analytics: Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and conversions within your email platform.
Regular Reports: Generate reports to review your progress and adjust your strategy.
#8: Customer Relationship Management
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is about keeping your interactions with current and potential customers in tip-top shape. Using CRM software like HubSpot, Salesforce, or Zoho CRM lets you keep detailed records of all your customer interactions. This helps you manage contacts better and track and nurture leads through the sales funnel. And there's a big plus: your CRM can provide excellent customer service and support, ensuring your customers always feel valued and heard.
#9: Online Reviews and Reputation Management
Keeping a positive online reputation is super important because it can sway potential customers' decisions. First, claim your business on popular review sites like Google My Business, Yelp, and any other platforms specific to your industry. This way, you can manage how your business is presented and connect directly with your audience.
Encourage your satisfied customers to leave positive reviews; it's a great way to boost your credibility and attract new clients. Remember to respond to reviews, whether glowing or critical. Doing so promptly and professionally shows you care about thier opinions and are committed to great service. Also, use tools like Google Alerts to keep an eye on what's being said about your brand online so you can stay on top of things and address any issues quickly.
#10: Stay Updated with Digital Marketing Trends
If there's one thing you want to take away from this ultimate digital marketing list, take this: Staying updated with digital marketing trends is key since the landscape changes at lightning speed. Here are some essential tricks to keep your strategies effective:
Follow industry blogs like Moz, HubSpot, and Neil Patel for the latest insights. These blogs are packed with invaluable tips and updates to help you stay ahead of the curve.
Consider enrolling in digital marketing courses on Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning. These courses can deepen your knowledge and skills, keeping you on top of your game and ready for new trends.
Networking is also crucial, so join industry groups on social media or attend virtual and in-person events. Connecting with other professionals can provide fresh perspectives and opportunities to learn from the best in the field.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it- that's the ultimate digital marketing checklist! Now, I know it is a lot of information all at once, but don’t let it overwhelm you – and if it is sending your brain over the edge with too many ideas all at once, know that it's OK to take it one step at a time and STAY CONSISTENT! So, whatever phase you're in, get in there, roll up your sleeves, always ask too many questions, get creative, and watch your business soar! Until next time, my small business besties!
