The New Year is again upon us, and if you blink too slowly, it will be June. So before that happens, here are five ways your business can develop its online marketing strategy for the better.
- Find your tribe and where they “live”
Social media marketing is an effective and essential (in 2023) way to reach potential customers and grow your business. However, if you want to take full advantage of the various social media platforms, it is important to identify which ones are relevant to you, your business and your audience. There is little point in taking a steak to a vegan potluck, afterall, so don’t be that guy. Keep your tribe in mind. Research where they are most active and invest your time and energy in those places, especially as you are starting out on your social media journey. Research each social platform, and decide where you want to put your energy. According to Career Foundry, the top 10 social media platforms in 2023 are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
- Invest in Content Marketing
Once you have identified where you want to be, invest your time and energy on producing content that is engaging, informative, and relevant to your audience and develop a plan to post consistently and frequently. Some tools for creating and scheduling posts;
- Design
Canva – This super user-friendly design tool is both great for newcomers andmore experienced creators alike. With a drag and drop editor and over 250,000 templates that can be customised to match your brand, you can start designing your first posts for 2023, in minutes.
The premium options also offers social media scheduling for up to eight platforms and 1TB cloud storage.
- Scheduling
Meta (queue a cry of rebellion from the more experienced digital marketers among us) – If, like me, you have a few extra grey hairs courtesy of Meta, that shouldn’t necessarily put you off of using it’s Business Suite in 2023. Pop a chill pill and schedule your Instagram and Facebook accounts quickly and for free with Meta Business Suite. Easily switch between posts, stories and paid ads with the click of a button.
- Content Ideas
The obvious places, are the best places to start! For example, your social media followers. Take note of who your ideal audience is following, and how they are engaging on your chosen platforms and then create content around topics they are interested in.
Another useful resource is Quora, this is a forum where people ask questions about anything you can imagine. Just type in a search query relevant to your industry and you will start finding questions and threads of conversation that you can draw inspiration from.
- Embrace Video Content
Videos are not only great for catching the attention of potential clients. In 2023, video is essential! Studies have shown that video builds trust, is more memorable, offers value in ways you wouldn’t imagine, for example offering a lightning-quick introduction to your businesses products or services and on some social platforms, videos are considered more favourably.
LinkedIn’s algorithm favours relevant content, so as long as your video offers value, you have a good chance of your posts being seen. Videos should be no longer than 3 minutes and a native video is better than sharing a link from somewhere like YouTube. LinkedIn users are reported to be 20 times more likely to share video than any other content types.
- Use Influencer Marketing
Influencers have the power to reach a large audience and can be a great asset in your marketing strategy. Reach out to influencers in your niche and collaborate with them to help boost your business’s visibility.
If you are overwhelmed by the prospect of reaching out to a famous influencer, don’t worry, because in 2023, nano-influencers should be your focus. These are people with a small, but niche audience who are highly engaged. They post entertaining, value-added and helpful content.
There is no cost involved in reaching out to a nano-influencer with a collaborative idea and just see what happens. Before you know it, you could be making sweet collaborative music with a number of nano-influencers, helping to reach parts of your audience you didn’t think you could get to, as well as developing creative and strategic partnerships.
- Experiment with AI and Automation
AI and automation can streamline your marketing processes and make them more efficient.In 2023, the team at Lightwell Digital, are staying on this train and experimenting with all the ways that AI and automation can help us to bring more value to our clients.
Automation tools for email marketing can save you time and your business, money. We love Mailchimp. When combined with your website, it can be a powerful lead-generating tool, that doesn’t suck up a lot of your time.
Let 2023 be the year you refine or redefine your online marketing strategy, and remember it’s never to late! Now, go and be great.
Image cred – DeepMind, Unsplash