5 Things every small business should be doing online - Episode 9

Its great to be back with you again at The Social Marketing Advice Podcast! This is your host Deb and I hope your week is off to a great start. Todays podcast is going to hit on a few notes. First, I will be digging into the 5 things every small business should be doing online right now. Then I will go into the Terrible Truth where I share the harsh reality of how much money you could save by outsourcing your marketing to an independent contractor. Lastly I’ll be sharing the latest and greatest social media platform updates you need to know. Ready to dive in? Lets go!

#1. Building/Updating Your Website Updating your website regularly is not a bad thing to do. It can improve your website's SEO, increase traffic, and prevent security threats. Whether it is adding new pages full of relevant helpful content, creating blogs, or enhancing the user experience, TOO MANY people forget this! Your website is one of the first places new customers will go to scope you out, see your legitimacy, and innovation. The details matter in today’s world! Dont believe me? Listen to these stats.

* Websites that are updated regularly have 434% more indexed pages than those that are not updated. * 72% of online marketers describe content creation as their most effective SEO tactic. * 61% of consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company that publishes high-quality content. * 57% of consumers say they will leave a website if it is not mobile-friendly. * 75% of people judge a company's credibility by the design of its website. (SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT!!!!!!)

Get the picture? Need I say more on this? I dont think so.

Creating Content For Social Media

This is an obvious one, however it isnt as simple as you may think! From leveraging different platforms, creating content, and engaging with the online communities, it is a lot of work. Now if you are a small business just starting out, there are a few things you can do on a weekly basis to at least get things rolling.

* Create and share high-quality content. This could be blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, or photos. Make sure your content is relevant to your target audience and that it provides value to them. * Post regularly. Aim to post at least once a day on each of your social media platforms. However, it's more important to post high-quality content than to post frequently. * Use relevant hashtags. Hashtags are a great way to get your content seen by more people. When you use relevant hashtags, your posts will show up in the search results for those hashtags. Keep in mind hashtags are becoming less relevant thanks to the AI technology, however I would still say to use a few hashtags still on Instagram, Twitter/X, and YouTube. * Engage with your audience. Respond to comments and questions, and participate in relevant conversations. The more you engage with your audience, the more likely they are to follow you and interact with your content. * Run contests and giveaways. This is a great way to generate excitement and engagement around your brand. You can give away products, services, or gift cards. * Partner with other businesses. Cross-promotion is a great way to reach a new audience. Partner with other businesses in your industry to promote each other's products or services.

Here are some additional tips for small businesses promoting their business on social media without a budget:

* Focus on one or two social media platforms. It's better to focus on a few platforms and do them well than to spread yourself too thin. * Use social media management tools. There are a number of free social media management tools that can help you schedule your posts, track your analytics, and engage with your audience. * Create a social media calendar. This will help you plan your content in advance and stay organized. * Repurpose your content. You can share your blog posts, articles, and infographics on multiple social media platforms. You can also create videos and images from your blog posts. * Use user-generated content. User-generated content is content that is created by your customers, such as photos, videos, and reviews. Sharing user-generated content is a great way to show off your brand and build trust with potential customers.

Now why should you maybe consider outsourcing your marketing? Social media marketing is a complex and time-consuming task. It requires knowledge of different social media platforms, as well as the ability to create and share engaging content.

* Small businesses often don't have the time or resources to manage their social media marketing in-house. Outsourcing to a social media marketing agency can free up their time so they can focus on other aspects of their business. * Social media marketing agencies have the expertise and experience to create and implement effective social media marketing campaigns. They can also help small businesses to track their results and make adjustments to their campaigns as needed.

* 72% of small businesses outsource at least one marketing task. * 80% of small businesses say that outsourcing has helped them grow their business. * 75% of small businesses say that outsourcing has helped them save time. * 70% of small businesses say that outsourcing has helped them improve the quality of their marketing. If you're a small business owner who is struggling to manage your social media and marketing needs, outsourcing is a great option to consider. It can save you time and money, give you access to expertise, and help you to improve your results. Maybe even book a consultation with me!

Creating a past customer experience. Small businesses need to appreciate their past customers. They are the ones who have helped you grow your business, and they are the ones who are most likely to refer you to others. That's why it's important to create and have a great past customer experience.

* 89% of consumers say that they are more likely to do business with a company that has a good reputation for customer service. * 71% of consumers say that they are likely to recommend a company to others if they have had a positive customer experience. * 64% of consumers say that they are willing to pay more for products and services from a company that they trust. * There are many ways to create a great past customer experience. One way is to follow up with them regularly. You can do this through email, social media, or even handwritten notes. Another way to create a great past customer experience is to offer them exclusive discounts and promotions. You can also give them early access to new products and services.

Here are some specific ideas for how to create a great past customer experience: * Create a follow-up drip email campaign that goes out a few times a year. In your emails, you can offer past customers resources, value, or just a friendly check-in. * Collect your past clients' birthdays or anniversaries and send them something special on those special days. This could be a discount, a gift certificate, or even just a personalized message. * Create a loyalty program for past customers. This could give them rewards for repeat business, referrals, or other activities. * Host events or workshops for past customers. This is a great way to show them that you appreciate their business and that you're interested in helping them succeed. By creating a great past customer experience, you can increase customer loyalty, boost word-of-mouth marketing, and drive repeat business.

Spending money to get in front of more people.

Spending money to get in front of more people is important for small businesses. Organic reach on social media has been declining for years, so it's becoming more and more difficult to reach your target audience without using paid advertising.

* Only 5.2% of Facebook page posts are seen by organic followers. * Only 2.6% of Instagram posts are seen by organic followers. * Only 0.6% of Twitter posts are seen by organic followers. here are many ways to spend money to get in front of more people on social media. You can run ads, boost your posts, or use a combination of both. The best approach for you will depend on your budget and your goals. Here are some specific tips for spending money to get in front of more people on social media: * Target the right audience. When you're running ads, it's important to target the right audience. This will help you to reach the people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services. * Use clear and concise ad copy. Your ad copy should be clear and concise, and it should highlight the benefits of your product or service. * Use high-quality images and videos. High-quality images and videos can help to capture people's attention and make your ads more engaging. * Test different ad formats. There are different ad formats available on each social media platform. It's important to test different ad formats to see what works best for your business. * Track your results. It's important to track your results so you can see what's working and what's not. This will help you to improve your campaigns over time. Spending money to get in front of more people on social media can be a great way to grow your small business. By following the tips above, you can make the most of your budget and reach your target audience.

Doing something different.

Small businesses need to do things differently when it comes to marketing. The traditional marketing strategies that used to work are no longer as effective. In order to reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals, small businesses need to think outside the box and try new things.

* 88% of consumers say that they are more likely to do business with a company that is authentic. * 72% of consumers say that they are more likely to do business with a company that is innovative. * 65% of consumers say that they are more likely to do business with a company that is socially responsible. * There are many ways to do things differently when it comes to marketing. One way is to try a different form of content. For example, if you've been writing blog posts for years, you could try doing more video content. Or, if you've been focusing on social media, you could start a podcast. Another way to do things differently is to partner with other businesses. This is a great way to reach a new audience and cross-promote your products or services. Finally, you can also try new marketing strategies. For example, you could try influencer marketing, content marketing, or social media marketing. Here are some specific ideas for how to do things differently when it comes to marketing: * Start a podcast. Podcasts are a great way to reach a new audience and build relationships with potential customers. * Do more video content. Video content is more engaging than text content, and it can help you to reach a wider audience. * Partner with other businesses. This is a great way to reach a new audience and cross-promote your products or services. * Try influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a great way to reach a new audience and build trust with potential customers. * Use content marketing. Content marketing is a great way to attract and engage potential customers. * Use social media marketing. Social media marketing is a great way to reach a large audience and connect with potential customers. By doing things differently, small businesses can reach their target audience, achieve their marketing goals, and grow their business. Additional tips: * Don't be afraid to experiment. The best way to find out what works for your business is to experiment with different marketing strategies and tactics. * Track your results. It's important to track your results so you can see what's working and what's not. This will help you to improve your marketing campaigns over time. * Be patient. It takes time to see results from marketing campaigns. Don't get discouraged if you don't see results immediately. Just keep creating great content, promoting your business, and building relationships with potential customers. THE TERRIBLE TRUTH

The harsh reality of how much money you could save by outsourcing your marketing to an independent contractor you trust versus having someone in house Outsourcing your marketing to an independent contractor you trust can save you a significant amount of money, especially compared to hiring a full-time in-house marketer. Here are some interesting stats: * The average salary for a marketing manager in the United States is $122,932 per year. * The average cost of benefits for a full-time employee in the United States is $20,950 per year. * The average monthly retainer for an independent marketing contractor is $3,000. Let's do a quick example: If you hire a full-time marketing manager, you'll be paying them a salary of $122,932 per year, plus $20,950 per year in benefits, for a total of $143,882 per year. If you outsource your marketing to an independent contractor with a monthly retainer of $3,000, you'll be paying them $36,000 per year. That means that by outsourcing your marketing, you could save $107,882 per year! Of course, the actual amount of money you save will depend on a number of factors, such as the size of your business, the scope of your marketing needs, and the experience of the independent contractor you hire. However, even if you only save a fraction of the amount in the example above, it's still a significant amount of money. Here are some examples of how much businesses have saved by outsourcing their marketing: * One small business saved $25,000 per year by outsourcing their social media marketing to an independent contractor. * Another small business saved $50,000 per year by outsourcing their content marketing to an independent contractor. * A medium-sized business saved $100,000 per year by outsourcing their entire marketing department to an independent contractor. If you're a small business owner who is struggling to keep up with your marketing, outsourcing is a great option to consider. It can save you a lot of time and money, and it can help you to achieve your marketing goals. Here are some things to consider when deciding whether or not to outsource your marketing: * Your budget. Outsourcing can be a more cost-effective option than hiring a full-time in-house marketer, but it's still important to factor in the cost of outsourcing when making your decision. * Your needs. What are your marketing goals? What tasks do you need help with? Once you know what your needs are, you can start to look for independent contractors who specialize in those areas. * The experience of the independent contractor. When hiring an independent contractor, it's important to look for someone who has experience in your industry and with the types of marketing tasks you need help with. * The quality of the independent contractor's work. Ask for samples of the independent contractor's work and read reviews from other clients before hiring them. If you're serious about saving money on your marketing, outsourcing is a great option to consider. Just be sure to do your research and hire an independent contractor who you trust to deliver high-quality work. In addition to the financial benefits of outsourcing your marketing, there are a number of other benefits that you should consider, such as: * Access to expertise. Independent contractors often have a deep level of expertise in specific areas of marketing. This can be invaluable for businesses that don't have the in-house resources to support a full-time marketing team. * Flexibility. Outsourcing allows you to scale your marketing efforts up or down as needed. This can be helpful for businesses that experience seasonal fluctuations or that are launching new products or services. * Focus on your business. Outsourcing your marketing can free up your time so that you can focus on other aspects of your business, such as sales, product development, and customer service. If you're considering outsourcing your marketing, I encourage you to do some research and talk to other businesses that have outsourced their marketing successfully. You may be surprised at how much money you can save and how much it can benefit your business overall.

SOCIAL NEWS:

Instagram new feature: This feature allows you to share a story on another user’s account, be it image or video. The user has to accept the content, and if they approve it, it will appear in their Story with their tagged handle.

Meta launched Instagram Meta Verified giving users the option to subscribe to this program and among other advantages, recieve the verified account checkmark. Meta Verified has taken quite a while to develop, because for one, it didn’t roll out to all locations, and second, because it was only for personal accounts and excluded business accounts… Until now! As you can see in the image next to the news, Meta opens this program to company accounts. You just need a company account on Facebook and can join the waitlist.

YouTube Studio * Clips in YouTube Studio: Creators can now view, manage and share Clips in YouTube Studio. * You can now create multiple personal profiles to organize your experience on Facebook – think one profile for the foodie scene you love and another one to keep up with your friends and family. * Each profile will have a unique Feed with relevant content and you can easily switch in between profiles without having to log in. * Soon, we’ll expand Meta Verified to businesses on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. * Testing will begin in the coming weeks for Instagram and Facebook businesses in select countries. We’ll expand to businesses on WhatsApp in the future. * A Meta Verified business subscription will include business authentication with a verified badge, impersonation protection, access to account support, and features to help your business stand out.

Remind people to subscribe, and see you next week!