It is a quickly changing world for businesses, and keeping up with the latest in marketing is more complicated than ever. With AI at the forefront, digital marketing is changing daily. So what exactly should a business focus on? Where should a small business spend their business marketing dollars for the best return on investment?

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is optimizing your business’s digital presence (including its website and business listings) for search engine results. The goal of SEO, or search engine optimization, is to get new customers from search engines like Google or Bing by being discovered by appearing on the first page of an internet search.

Companies are realizing they are getting a better return on investment (aka ROI) with SEO versus paid advertising. Yes, paid advertising may get you quick results in the short term, but these ads are only good as long as you continue to pay for them. Advanced SEO may take longer, but the results are higher and longer lasting.

Here is where businesses tend to mess up. They start strong with their SEO plan but get discouraged when they do not get immediate results. SEO takes time. Companies are competing against others that have been out there in the digital world for much longer and are firmly established.

After one year of SEO, there may be some increase in ROI, but it’s really after two years when the benefits actually kick in. It is a waiting game; only those with perseverance reap the long-term benefits.

Learn more about SEO here.

Content Creation (Blogs)

Content creation is the best way to establish authority while keeping your website viable. Whenever a new keyword-rich blog or article is added to a website, search engines recrawl the site, and ratings are positively affected.

AI is changing the content creation game globally. While most businesses say they will invest in AI tools this year, the remaining small portion feels that AI quality is not up to their standards. My business is in that minority. I find that AI-generated text lacks personality and does not give enough emphasis on important keywords.

Learn more about how to write a blog that will get seen here.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is still going strong, and businesses continue to rely on it as one of the pillars of their marketing efforts. It is one of the most economical long-term ways to reach a targeted market.

When businesses add a subscribe feature to their website, they create a custom email list of potential customers who have already expressed interest in your service or product. It’s a no-brainer.

Learn more about Email Marketing here.

UX/CRO

If you are unfamiliar with these acronyms and have a business, it’s time to understand precisely what they are and why they are essential.

UX is everything related to the experience of a viewer on your website. From overall perception, ease of use, clarity, simplicity, and focus, a UX-designed website draws potential customers in, then keeps them there as long as needed to get your point across.

CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) encourages users to follow the ideal pathway on your website to achieve specified targets. This includes clear CTA(Call to Action) buttons, dynamic and compelling product or service pages, location-specific content, and more.

So, while marketing is important, having a website built with UX/CRO in mind will funnel those casual viewers into paying customers.

Podcasting

For overall benefits, podcasts are similar to blogs. Both give you a platform to share your knowledge and expertise, building your credibility and creating trust in your brand.

Podcasting is on the rise! Dive in and take advantage of this up-and-coming yet still unsaturated market.

Community Building

Community building connects a brand to a specific community. It uses a platform to create a connection, communicate, exchange values, and build trust and recognition.

Community marketing provides a better customer experience by providing authentic touchpoints like customer feedback, fast response to complaints, and encouraging referrals. It may emphasize loyalty programs so customers will become repeat customers. The best community-building programs will help you make your products or service more accessible, authentic, and individualized while reducing any “mass-marketing” feel.

Paid Ads

Search engines like Google and Bing and every social media platform offer companies the ability to pay for ads. There are as many ways to advertise as there are platforms, so research and expertise is key before experimenting. As a whole, search ads seem to be trending up with most businesses, while traditional ads like display, banner, and social media ads are trending down.

If you want to venture into paid ads, be sure you work with a reputable company certified in all digital ad types that can help you spend your advertising dollar well.

Need Help With a Plan How to Spend Your Business Marketing Dollars?

Not only do you have to be an expert in your field, but also at marketing yourself so potential clients or customers can find you. No wonder there’s no time to do it all and/or do it right the first time.

With over 35 years of experience in technology, marketing, and design, Charlotte’s Web Designs, LLC offers exceptional services to help your business get started or take it to the next level, including marketing, branding, logo design, web design, SEO, custom graphics, and more. After working with over 100 small companies and never receiving anything less than a 5-star Google review, I am fast, small business budget-conscious, creative, and will be in your corner every step of the way.

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