If you’re not getting the response you want from your online marketing program, it’s time for a check up. A few strategic tweaks can boost its performance. Here’s a checklist to get you started:

1. Identify success. Clarify the reason for your website. Some sites are built to drive sales, others to generate leads and some exist to provide information or shape your brand. You can’t measure success unless you identify your site’s goal.
2. Define your messaging. Your key messages should be in writing and easily accessible at all times. This will help you stay on point.
3. Review (or create) style guidelines. Consistency is key. An up-to-date style guide ensures your staff is using the right logos, images, themes and fonts.
4. Evaluate your possibilities. The key to a robust online marketing program is content. If you’re struggling to find quality content ideas, review your internal processes for insight. You may already have materials – testimonials, questions from customers, pictures from events – to feed your content stream.
5. Determine your capabilities. Perhaps you have content ideas but struggle with putting your thoughts into words. Or you have an idea for an infographic but no design skills. This when you should turn to a professional. Our team can help with a single piece or be your regular content producers.
6. Conduct a competitive analysis. Good business owners regularly evaluate the competition. Great businesses owners appraise trends throughout the industry. A strategic listening campaign can bring fresh ideas to your content creation process. It can also ensure you don’t miss an opportunity to get out your message.
7. Make images a part of your routine. We see many businesses struggle with collecting images. Put systems in place to build an image library. Keep cameras in key locations throughout your business and encourage your employees to use them.
8. Boost your use of online video. A varied content stream attracts attention. Videos are a great addition because they give you access to more promotional channels. Fact: YouTube is the second largest search engine, processing more than three billion searches every month.
9. Assess your site for user friendliness. Better yet, ask us to do this for you. Reviewing a website from a customer’s point of view is a challenge for many businesses because they are just too close to it. Our review will identify any barriers customers may encounter, and offer suggestions which will help your site visitors access the information they need to take action.
10. Review search engine strategy. Are you taking advantage of the best keywords? Are you being found in searches? I suggest businesses do a quarterly SEO audit. Chances are your best-performing sales person isn’t using dated information, neither should your website. Your website is the front door of your business. Keep it clean and accessible.