Have the recent (and significant) changes to Facebook and Snapchat left you wondering ‘what now’ for your 2018 digital marketing plan?
Instead of focusing on the negatives, like how your Facebook business page has declined in reach, or how much you dislike the new Snapchat, use this opportunity to take stock of your online efforts, identify areas for improvement and expand into new channels.
Here are some ideas to help you identify areas for improvement:
Take another look at your social media strategy
If you’ve put all your social media efforts into Facebook, now’s the time to look at adding other social networking sites to your marketing mix.
Competitor analysis is a good starting point for your research. Looking at the social media channels being used by similar businesses to yours will allow you to identify which channels are working for them. Pay attention to where they have established a decent following on and are generating user engagement. These channels may be appropriate for you to use too.
Look at Facebook’s other features
Facebook is always evolving, so there may be new features you could consider.
Using your individual profile to join Facebook groups is a great way to network with other business owners and engage with potential customers. When joining groups, make sure you obey any rules around advertising and avoid taking a ‘spray and pray’ approach. Spamming groups with ads could have the opposite effect and turn people away from your business.
Facebook Marketplace is another feature gaining popularity amongst small businesses keen to promote their products and services. It’s free to post ads to Marketplace, so there’s nothing to lose by giving it a go.
Focus on website and search
In the race to get online, businesses occasionally overlook traditional websites and instead set up Facebook business pages as their primary digital presence.
There are significant benefits to having a website, with the major advantage being the ability to be discovered via search. With a large number of consumers researching online before buying goods and services, having an effective website will help put your business up front when people are searching.
If you do have a website, but it’s been neglected, put some time and effort into reviewing the content and refreshing the images as a way of breathing new life into the site.
When it comes to search, make sure you’re ticking the boxes with Google by having a ‘My Business’ listing and brand account. With the Google My Business service now offering the ability to publish posts, this provides the added benefit of showcasing products and services as part of your listing when your business is featured within Google searches.
Keen to learn more?
Our practical, low-cost small business workshops can help develop your skills in digital marketing and website development.
Our Digital Marketing Essentials workshop examines the range of digital marketing options available to help you understand what will work for your business.
Our Website Planning workshop can also help you determine what you need in a website and whether your best option is to build it yourself or engage a professional.
