With 2019 now in full swing, the chances are that you’re busy in the office and have had little time to think about the bigger picture of your business.

With all of the best will in the world, many entrepreneurs plan to sit down and review their marketing and expansion plans at the end of the calendar year, but for one reason or another simply never get around to doing so.

However, as we enter into challenging political and economic times – particularly in the United Kingdom, China, and the United States – there’s never been a more important time to future-proof your business and extend your marketing campaigns to reach a wider audience.

Below, we’ve put together five Digital Marketing Resolutions to make for your firm in 2019.

Build brand awareness

Brand awareness is something that many businesses overlook, and with the ease of Social Media advertising and pay-per-click advertising, brand awareness in some industries is not as important as it once was.

That’s even truer if you sell your products and services on sites like eBay or Amazon – optimization is key, and your personal brand awareness is irrelevant.

But focusing on building your brand in 2019 can help to set you apart.

Whether you sell bikes or business loans, being able to position your business as an authority figure will allow you to sell more products and services and increase the loyalty of your customer base. That’s vital.

There are lots of ways that you can increase your brand awareness, including social media, SEO, public relations, advertising, and delivering an awesome level of services when people buy from you.

Review your entire strategy – on and offline – and see what improvements you can make so that you can cement your brand in people’s minds when they need your stuff.

Rank at number one for a competitive term

It’s easy to throw hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month at PPC and social ads, but if you want to enjoy long-term growth and a steady flow of new customers, then search engine optimization is the way forward.

Rather than paying Google every time someone clicks on an ad, surely it makes sense to invest in SEO and rank at the top organically?

In 2019, make it your aim to rank for one or two competitive terms that you don’t already.

Use keyword planner and analytics tools to see what keywords and phrases your customers are searching for online, and then optimize your website for those keywords in your content.

The key is to choose keywords that have a steady flow of monthly searches but are not too competitive.

A one-man-band catering company in London, for example, might not rank for ‘catering’, but will rank for ‘catering in Knightsbridge’. Specific, long-tail keywords are easier to rank for and more likely to deliver a concentrated audience that’s ready to buy from you.

Refresh your website

When was the last time you gave your website a lick of paint?

With so many digital marketing techniques and platforms to consider in 2019, maybe you’ve let your website fall by the wayside – but if it’s not driving traffic and encouraging customers to buy from you, then it’s not doing its job.

In that case, you should look to a Tusla web design company like U Thrive Marketing when you’re ready to upgrade and expand your website, and work with a web design expert to develop features that will keep clients coming back again and again.

Perhaps you could invest in a content marketing strategy and add a new blog post to your website every week, or maybe you need to think about landing pages and add some new ‘sticky’ content that will encourage people to sign up for a mailing list or a free trial of your products.

There are endless possibilities when designing a new site; go back to the drawing board, do some research and you’ll soon have a website that goes beyond expectations.

Nail social media

Social media is another popular digital marketing technique that many businesses overlook. In some industries, where products and services are dry, then it can be tough to get an audience involved and engaged, but it’s certainly possible with the right content strategy.

If you cannot find the time to do your own social media management, then outsource to a company that can – that way, you won’t have to worry about managing every aspect of your business, and you’ll know that you have a social media expert who is accountable to you.

Think about experimenting with different platforms – sign up for Pinterest, try out Snapchat, and consider the latest social media craze TikTok.

All offer varying levels of engagement and return on your investment, but having a presence can increase brand awareness and keep your name in people’s minds, so they’ll come to your website when they’re ready to buy.

Think about public relations

Finally, do not overlook the power of public relations. In today’s digital-obsessed world, we’re used to paying for coverage and advertisements, but there still value in the good old fashioned press release.

Whether you’re taking on new staff, launching new products or celebrating a milestone, write a press release and distribute it to bloggers, news outlets and magazines in your niche, and you’ll naturally receive coverage and links back to your site.

Again, if you’re struggling, then you could hire a public relations expert in-house, or outsource your work and have a company do it on your behalf.

The more you help by supplying images and quotes, the easier it’ll be for them to write interesting, newsworthy PRs that will be published online, so get involved and come up with your own stories in house.

Wrapping up

There you have it – five awesome digital marketing resolutions to make in 2019.

As a growing business, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, so by taking a step back and planning for 2019 and the 2020s, you’ll be able to grow and thrive in your market. Good luck!

The post 5 digital marketing resolutions to make for your business in 2019 appeared first on Muffin Marketing.