Digital Marketing Dos and Don’ts For 2021

There’s no doubt that many business owners had a tough time in 2020. But as we prepare to embrace post-pandemic life, it may be time to start ramping up your marketing efforts.

While traditional marketing still has its place, this recent global health crisis made us rely on technology more than ever. As such, you’ll want to bolster your digital marketing strategy in 2021. Here are just a few dos and don’ts you’ll want to keep in mind as you develop that strategy.

Do…

• Improve Your Visitor Experience: The experience your site provides for web users is crucial. Both search engines and human visitors want to interact with sites that are fast, secure, responsive, and easy to navigate. Google’s Page Experience algorithm update will even further prioritize the need for UX. Now’s the time to make certain that your site is mobile-friendly, that it loads quickly, and that it provides no frustrations or barriers for visitors. Ultimately, this can improve your ability to rank and increase your conversion rates.
  
  
• Optimize With Local Keywords: If you run a small business, you’re probably looking for ways to level the SEO playing field. Utilizing local keywords continues to be a way for small businesses to stand out online. Instead of targeting overly broad search terms, perform keyword research with local SEO in mind. Pick longer keywords that more accurately capture your service area and the services or products your audience is looking for. This will make it more likely for you to show up in search results -- especially if you claim and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) page!
  
  
• Keep Creating Quality Content: Content, as they say, is still king. By consistently publishing fresh content to your site, you’ll have more opportunities to showcase your relevance and value to Google. This, in turn, can help you bring in more web traffic. Remember that this content should be more educational than promotional; while the occasional press release or product spotlight is fine, your main goal is to provide solutions to readers. Remember to cross-promote and repurpose this content for your other marketing efforts, like social media and link-building.

Don’t…

• Forget About Social Media: You may not love using social media platforms yourself, but your customers probably do. Social media use skyrocketed during the pandemic. In fact, Hootsuite reports that social media platforms gained 490 million users in 2020 alone. If your business isn’t active on social media, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities. You don’t necessarily need to concentrate equally on every platform (especially if your target customers aren’t active on Snapchat or Tiktok), but you should post consistently and connect with your customers on a regular basis.
  
  
• Neglect Your Online Reviews: Online reviews are just as valuable as personal recommendations for most consumers. If your business doesn’t have any reviews, it’ll be a lot harder for customers to trust your brand. That’s why you should include reputation management as part of your digital marketing strategy. If you want to generate online reviews, remember to ask customers to leave their feedback and let them know how much their support means to your business. When you receive a review, make sure to respond promptly and with empathy. Even if the review is negative, don’t panic! Treat this as an opportunity to showcase your customer service skills and let readers know how much you care.
  
  
• Put All Your Eggs in One Basket: Diversification is the name of the game -- and not just when building a stock portfolio. Having a diverse digital marketing strategy is crucial because it allows all of your efforts to work together. Because SEO and paid ads work differently (one is best for long-term results, while the other is more suited for short-term traffic boosts), they’re strongest when they’re used in tandem. Diversification can also ensure you’ll have a healthy lead funnel even if issues arise with one marketing channel. Because online trends evolve so quickly, having a diversified strategy will give you the best chance of success.
  
  

When you run your own business, you might be overwhelmed with marketing possibilities. Knowing which tactics to use (and which to avoid) can help you craft a more effective strategy and pave the way for long-term success. By keeping these dos and don’ts in mind, you’ll be in a better position to promote your business in 2021 and beyond.