New Year’s resolutions may feel a bit cliche for a business. But setting goals is essential for improvement, especially after this last year. After all, there is not much more we care to say about 2020.
BCI Media understands that many of the marketing resolutions set by business owners last year didn’t hold far beyond March, and that’s OK. The pandemic required our communities to adapt in ways they could not have imagined. But, adapt they did and together, we all endured one of the most challenging years many of us will ever face.
The impact of the pandemic on our friends, families and communities felt insurmountable at times. In 2021, we stand hopeful for a return to a semblance of normalcy, knowing the road will likely remain rocky for a time. This past year required rapid transformation in the way we conduct business and market brands. Many of those modifications will remain and our resolutions should capitalize on those changes. With that in mind, here are our top digital marketing resolutions for 2021.
Prepare for Google’s Core Web Vitals
Google is set to make a major algorithm update in May of 2021 that will put new emphasis on user experience. The Core Web Vitals update will consider loading, interactivity and visual stability of your website as key elements for Google page rankings. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly by now, you’re officially behind the curve. Google algorithms already favor mobile-optimized websites over non-optimized sites and that practice will increase with this update. Search engines will start to suppress websites with slow site speeds especially if they aren’t built with mobile-first in mind. BCI Media clients who use our ongoing search engine optimization (SEO) products, you’re in good shape. However, you can still expect to see some shuffling on Google’s (SERP’s) first page for your industry keywords. Check your site here for free to see where you will rank when this update takes place.
Create exceptional, user-focused content
Content marketing is a powerful and relatively low-cost way to establish the authority of your brand. Marketing is not the same as advertising. Advertising speaks only about your brand. Marketing expands the conversation and speaks about your client’s needs. When you create high-quality, compelling content that solves customer problems you put yourself ahead of the competition. This is the year to start thinking about a content strategy from a higher level. It’s easy to believe that talking nonstop about your brand is the way to get noticed, but one-sided conversations don’t benefit anyone. Look to see where you can provide users with content they actually care about, that engages them with your brand. Provide information that genuinely answers questions, rather than leaving people searching for more.
Invest in Video Marketing
We said this last year, and we’ll say it again, video is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing. Videos have the potential to generate 10 times more user engagement than standard text or image posts. Movement attracts an audience. On average, site visitors spent about 2.6% more time on a webpage with video than without. Video ads have an average click-through rate (CTR) of 1.84%, the highest CTR of all digital ad formats. Video creation and distribution can take time and money but the return on investment (ROI) of these efforts will be comparatively higher.
Rethink Your Paid Media Strategy
Stop sending mass ads to people who aren’t in your target market. If you’re pressing the “Boost Post” button on Facebook or Instagram, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Take time to analyze data and figure out exactly who you should be spending money to target. Make sure that the money you spend is being used on the right platform for your business, and is targeting your primary audience. For instance, LinkedIn is better for B2B companies while health and wellness brands may find more success on Instagram. It can also be helpful to look through your campaigns to see if you can redesign current ads to improve engagement with your audience. Just because something is doing well doesn’t mean it can’t be improved for better results.
Community Alignment and Brand Transparency
After all of the turmoil 2020, consumers are shifting to brands whose ideology aligns with their own. Whether your brand has a local strategy or a global one, understanding your audience, and the communities you serve is more crucial than ever. Consider launching 2021 with a brand awareness and perception survey. A lot has changed this past year, which may mean what your customers expect from your brand has shifted as well.
Set yourself up for success in 2021
As you look to 2021 and set your goals, one thing to remember is that metrics are likely off for 2020. Some businesses may need to look back to 2019 to get a more accurate view of key performance indicators. At BCI Media, our team strives to set every client up for continued success year after year. We offer personalized SEO Packages, Social Media Marketing, Web Development, Video Production, Targeted Display Advertising and more. We’re all looking ahead to 2021, wishing everyone a new year of health, opportunity and success! Contact us today to see how we can help you Dominate Digital in 2021 and beyond.