The Pandemic Era has ended and now we’re left to navigate a marketing landscape that changed dramatically in the past 2 years. More businesses than ever are active online, pushed into the digital marketing space in 2020. But unlike in 2020, consumers no longer spend all their time online. Travel has resumed, in-person school is back in session, and stadiums and entertainment venues are back at full capacity. This has created an imbalance between the demand of digital advertisers and the attention of the audience. There’s more competition for fewer leads. Consequently, media costs continue to increase.
So what’s a business owner to do? Resist the temptation to pull all your budget out of digital marketing. While the costs are going up, that does not mean it’s an ineffective tool. You run the risk of cutting off a very viable lead source for your business. However, it is important to understand that you won’t see the same Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) that you had in 2020 and 2021. If you’re looking to keep your lead volume consistent, you’re going to have to spend more for it.
Don’t have more to spend on digital marketing?
Now that we’ve established that media costs are up, here’s how you can make sure you’re spending your budget more efficiently.
1. Improve Your Website Visibility.
- Get Google Verified - If you haven’t gotten your business listing Google verified, it is time to do so. By verifying your business, you improve your local SEO listing results. It’s a free and easy way to quickly make an impact.
- Start A Blog - Businesses with blogs get 55% more site traffic than those that don’t have them. And blogs are still one of the top ways to get discovered by new customers online. They can help you build your reputation and authority in your industry in addition to improving your site’s SEO value.
- Add Eye-Catching Visuals - Search Engines are becoming more visual than ever, now is the time to add images, infographics, and embedded videos to your website. Just be sure to include a keyword in your visual’s title and image alt text.
2. Make The Most of Google
- Optimize Your Google Business Profile - Fill out every section of your profile, including Photos and Q & A. The Q & A section can also help you appear in voice searches as answers to questions users ask their smart devices. Also, be sure to post regular updates, at least once per week.
- Get More Reviews - Reviews are the #1 way your business is ranked locally on Google. The higher and more recent your reviews, the better your business will rank. Also, if you haven’t already, it’s time to implement a review generation policy. Ask your satisfied and loyal customers to review you if they haven’t already. And don’t forget to respond to those reviews when you get them.
- Run Google Local Service Ads - Local Service ads are a great way to get in front of customers who are actively searching for your services in your area. They also appear above Google Ads in search results. Local Service ads are not available for every industry, so be sure to check that your industry qualifies. (Please note that Local Service ads are found under your Google Business Profile, not in Google Ads.)
3. Create Brand Awareness Capital
- Post Consistently On Social Media - Organic social media pages may not have quite the reach they used to, but social media is still one of the top places customers go to research new businesses. By keeping a consistent cadence of content on your page, you are helping current customers stay up-to-date with your business while letting prospective customers know that you’re open and active. It’s also a great customer service tool with quick responses to messages, comments, and reviews.
- Don’t Wait. Collaborate! - Find other relevant brands, organizations, and people to work with on guest blogs, social media, or in-person events. This is especially valuable when they have a larger or new-to-you audience. Influencer marketing is still relevant and looks to continue growth in 2023. Just make sure that whomever you choose aligns with your brand's values and standards.
- Don’t Underestimate the Power of Brand Awareness - While you may spend the bulk of your ad dollars on driving leads and sales, you cannot afford to overlook the necessity of brand awareness campaigns. People won’t buy from a brand they don’t know. So make sure you’re keeping your brand messaging clear and consistent. It might not drive direct leads, but it will keep your brand top of mind and increase your know/like/trust factor in the marketplace.
If you need help preparing your brand for 2023, schedule a call with the Brand3 team to get started today!
