It’s nearing the end of 2018, and for all you business owners that means taking the time to revisit your digital marketing plan and do some serious refining.

Here are some concrete ways to get started:

Optimize Your Website

Every so often, your search engine rankings will fluctuate. It’s normal. Trends change and as a result, so do user demands. That’s why leading up to the new year, it’s important to get an up-to-date website audit. A website audit will provide an analysis of your site’s performance and speed, user metrics, indexed pages, meta data, you name it. What better way to outrank your competitors?

Size Up the Competition

Speaking of competitors...

It’s never a bad time to take a beat, do some industry research, and make sure you’re ahead of the game. Are your competitors offering something you’re not? Are they using new digital trends you haven’t yet heard of or have been avoiding trying out? In essence, do what they’re doing—but do it better.

Look at New Social Media Trends

Yes, social media marketing is very much still a thing. And if you’ve been avoiding it up ’til now, it’s time to change the game and embrace it. Some 2019 SM trends to keep in mind are:

• Visuals first—text last. Think high-res photos, infographics, artwork…anything to catch the eye.
• It’s all about video marketing. In case you haven’t heard, 80% of online content we consume is video. Get on that.
• Going “live” is in. It’s interactive, it’s transparent, it’s authentic…it’s powerful.
• Get a chat box. An easy, effective way of enhancing your consumer interaction experience online.
• Look out for WhatsApp. This could be the customer communication channel of choice for the simple fact that it’s easy. The app enables you to chat with customers internationally through text or video with zero fees.
• The rise of Instagram. After Facebook, Instagram is the second most popular SM platform. Just because your business isn’t visual-based, like a graphic design studio is, doesn’t mean your business can’t benefit from this platform.

What Next?

So, you know how to begin planning for your marketing strategy, but how should you go about assigning a budget, tracking, and measuring your campaign? We’ll cover that in next week’s blog: Building Your Marketing Strategy for 2019: PART II.

Awkward Media remains a top SEO company in Toronto because we stay on top of changing digital marketing trends. If you’re ready to put your 2019 campaign into action, give us a shout or speak to one of our experts at 647 849 1082.