2021 is here (but unfortunately so is the hangover of the decade called 2020)! Times are hard for small businesses everywhere and hopefully, with campaigns such as ‘Regenuary’ we will begin to see people opting local to help us all pull through this mess together.
However, just because your doors are closed that doesn’t mean you can’t improve your business. Spending a little time on improving your digital presence could be a catalyst for making 2021 your most successful year yet!
Our free tips are here to provide you with bitesize information that will spark your marketing minds and challenge you to think about what you can do for your small business. The weekly tips will also come with extra kickers and ideas on a small thing you can do to get the ball rolling or how to make 2021 the year your business smashes digital marketing.
Content is King – Weekly TIp #001
If you ask any of Digidol’s clients what the golden rule is, they will most likely respond in an (un)enthusiatic voice ‘Content is King’!
But what do we mean when we say content? For this tip, we will simplify content into different categories: website content and social content.
Website content is key to the constant battle of high rankings on Google. Like us, Google loves content. Regularly updating a blog, portfolio or service pages with high-quality content is an indicator to Google that you are providing users with value and naturally you will move up the rankings. So make sure you keep your website updated with good-quality content and watch those analytics figures build up!
Social content can be broadly described as anything you post on social media networks from posts on the timeline to time-limited stories. We are not going to pretend that remembering to post on socials is easy and at Digidol, we are (very) guilty of doing this ourselves (so don’t be too hard on yourself).
But the key thing to remember is that with everything going on it can easily end up that you are out of sight and out of the mind of your customers. So remind your followers and customers that you are around, and miss seeing them, and what you are offering until things are back to normal (whatever that is).
Actionable Tips
Quick Tip – Post good quality content on your social media right now to keep in touch with your customers, and remind them that you are still working hard! Whether it is a project you’ve completed, a behind the scenes snap or anything that your followers might enjoy – go post it now!
Be the King – Start 2021 off right, get a calendar (physical or digital) and create a social media plan. Mix up the type of posts you do from a weekly/monthly blog post, pictures of the team, a product you have for sale or projects you are proud of and anything else that your followers might like.
Think Outside your Bubble – Weekly Tip #002
Running a small business is not easy and it is so easy to get caught up in a world of your own. There’s a fine line between work hours and free time which can become blurred, leaving you to question what on earth is a free weekend?
Your business is everything to you and such a huge part of your life that you can sometimes become blind to some obvious little things that could make a big difference.
One of the easiest things to assume is that everyone knows who you are and what you do. You would be really surprised to realise how many local people don’t actually know what you do or even that your business exists.
Sometimes, you need to take a step back and look at your business from afar and not from within the small business bubble that surrounds you. Think about your business from the viewpoint of a complete stranger who is coming into contact with your brand for the first time.
For example, imagine you own a small family run bakery. You pride yourself on making everything fresh by hand with ingredients sourced locally. You know all this, you eat it, sleep it, breathe it and then eat some more (if your products are good). But is it obvious to a complete stranger?
If you walk in for the first time can they see your unique selling points? How do they know that everything is homemade or sourced locally? Yes, you all resemble each other behind the counter but do I know that this is a family business that has been passed down the generations?
Just because you live by and pride yourselves on your unique selling points, they may not be obvious to a complete stranger. Think about that!
Actionable Tip
Phone a Friend – It can be hard to fully escape your own bubble as naturally, it is hard to even just mentally disassociate yourself from something that takes up most of your time. So phone a friend and ask them to say what they see! This could give you insight into something that seems so glaringly obvious but you just haven’t seen it yet.
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Check Out the Competition – Weekly Tip #003
It seems obvious doesn’t it, and it is one of the first things people do when they make a new business plan. But saying that, when was the last time you checked the digital presence of your competitors? Or even checked to see if any new competition has entered the market?
But don’t just think small, look at how similar businesses to yours are thriving across the world. You might see a business exactly like yours in the USA or Australia doing something that’s working amazingly which you can replicate to enhance your product or service. Alternatively, you might just get some great inspiration for social media posts that get loads of user engagement and great blog content ideas!
Sometimes being creative is hard and you may be cautious to put a lot of effort into a project if you are not sure that you will see the returns. So take a peek at what everyone else is doing and remember that there is no need to reinvent the wheel!
Actionable Tip
Keep Friends Close, Competition Closer – Follow the accounts of some businesses similar to yours regardless of their location. This means that you can keep an eye on your competition or similar businesses to yours whilst just scrolling through your newsfeed.
Make sure to mix it up, if you only follow accounts exactly like yours then you are unlikely to see many new things. Even if you don’t really like the style or way certain businesses do things in your industry, that doesn’t mean that they won’t come out with an idea or concept that you love and you could adapt into your business.
Get a Business Email – Weekly Tip #004
Having a professional business email is actually really easy and can be relatively cheap. It can be seen as a massive trust signal to potential customers and it shows that you are serious about your business. Who would you rather receive an email from ‘DaveTheElectrician42@hotmail.co.uk’ or ‘Dave@TheElectricianMan.co.uk’.
Don’t just think about how it looks in an inbox also think about how it looks on your promotional materials. Why spend lots of money on high-quality marketing boards or printing on your vehicle to then add a cheap-looking email address?
One big tip when looking at a business email address is to avoid selecting the add-on option from domain providers who charge a monthly fee of around £2.99 for a business email. These add-ons are where they make a lot of passive income from doing literally nothing.
If you own a domain name and have a hosting server you can set up professional business emails for free. You can also reroute these emails through your regular email provider so you can still access all your business emails in the same place.
Actionable Tip
Email Like a Pro – Take some time to look at getting professional email accounts set up for you and any other key members of your business. It may only seem a small change, but sometimes small things go along way!
Monthly Summary
- Content is King – Create and share amazing content to help interact with your users and get traffic to your socials and website.
- Think Outside Your Bubble – Get a different perspective on your business and make sure that all your unique selling points are clear to see.
- Check Out the Competition – Always keep an eye on what is working and what isn’t working in your industry.
- Get a Business Email – It is really a lot easier than you think and can be set up in less than 15-20 minutes. Makes sure your email is as professional as your services.
If you are interested in finding out more about the digital presence of your small business and how it can be improved, get in touch with us at Digidol for a FREE 1-Hour Consultation!
