Online Presence Checklist for Small Business Owners

Dec 14, 2023

Small business owners are used to juggling many responsibilities all at one time. One of the areas where small business owners often need extra support is marketing. The "next big thing" in marketing tactics seems to change frequently, and these tactics are often not on a small business owner's radar.


Before going down the rabbit hole of all the new technologies and tactics in 2024, you need to start by making sure your base strategy is solid; this includes making sure all of the nuts and bolts of your marketing strategy are accurate, up-to-date, and optimized for the best results. 


The marketing strategy includes countless details, so we've created a checklist of some essential, more digestible action items to watch to ensure your 2024 has a solid start.


Updated Logo 

Some of the most popular brands worldwide are ubiquitous enough that marketers can show the logo without a business name in an ad, and most individuals will know which company the ad is for (e.g., Nike, McDonald's, famous car makers, etc.). Your small business doesn't need to be on this level – but you should have a strong logo that your customers and local community can recognize you by.

 

It may be time for a refresh if you last updated your logo a few years ago. You may not need a complete redesign, but you should ensure you have digital assets for your logo in different sizes, any necessary formats, and the ability to access these files regularly.

Google Business Profile

If your business is at the top of the page in a Google search result, prospects and customers can find your business quickly. Getting your Google business listing and Google business profile set up is crucial. It's also essential to ensure your business hours, address, phone number, email, and website are listed correctly in the listing. Adding pictures of the exterior and interior of your business also helps prospects and customers get the information they need.


Review Platforms

Many customers rely on reviews to choose which business they will work with. Some customers will take their time elsewhere if a company has no reviews or only negative ones. Many review platforms are on the market, so small business owners should focus on starting with the basics. Get Google reviews set up, and begin sending review campaigns to your current and past customers (and if your business is in person, ask for reviews in person, too). 

Social Media Accounts

Ten to fifteen years ago, it seemed silly for every small business to have social media accounts. But the digital world moves fast, and small businesses must utilize social media to stay caught up. The good news for small business owners is that you don't need your social media accounts to have "viral" content and thousands of followers to see the benefits. Creating profiles for your small business on relevant platforms and regularly posting can improve visibility and boost your online presence.


Matching Information 

The last thing small business owners should do online is give mixed signals. If a prospect sees prices, hours, or other information on the website different from what they see on social media, this confusion can motivate them to buy from a competitor. As you build your online presence, take some time with your team or a set of fresh eyes to ensure all business information matches up across platforms; if you have old social media accounts or websites that you no longer use, delete or archive them to avoid confusion.


Website Basics

In today's digital world, a robust website may not "make" you, but a weak website can certainly "break" you. Even if your small business does not have an online store/eCommerce aspect, a well-designed website is crucial to the success of your business. At the minimum, your website should have a home/landing page, pages describing any services or products you offer, the background of your business (i.e., "About Us"), and a contact page with a form. 


Web design is a complex process that can take time, effort, and money. If your small business focuses on the basics, start with a simple design incorporating branding colors from the logo. A great way to add a personal touch to a small business website is to include organic photos of your storefront, employees, operations, and products. Many websites are full of stock photos – so having your images on your website can help your business stand out.

Work With Cole-Dalton Marketing Services

This list covers basic techniques for improving your online presence and marketing efforts and can serve as a benchmark for small business owners as we enter 2024. While exciting new technologies and marketing trends are sure to take shape this year, having the basics down sets up small business owners for success. 


Even though the tactics in this checklist are basic, the implementation can still be beyond what your small business can do with your current staff. Our team at Cole-Dalton Marketing Services specializes in helping small businesses improve and maintain their online presence. We can take on any task listed in this checklist, along with email marketing, content marketing, social media management, video production, and more. We have years of experience helping small businesses succeed in digital spaces and beyond. 


Contact us today to get started!

Forecasting the Next Ten Years of Marketing

10 Apr, 2024
Marketing is gearing up for significant changes as we enter the new decade. With new technologies, shifts in buyer behavior, and changes in consumption culture, the way businesses reach out to customers will look very different in the coming years. While we can't say what marketing will look like in 10 years, we can examine emerging trends and strategies to forecast its future. Here are some predictions experts are suggesting could take shape moving forward. Increasing Personalized Advertising Personalized marketing should undergo even more profound transformations in the coming decade, leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics to forge deeper customer connections. With the ability to glean insights from vast amounts of data, companies will craft highly tailored ads and messages that resonate with individual preferences and behaviors, fostering stronger brand-consumer relationships. From dynamic content customization to predictive marketing algorithms, the era of hyper-personalization will redefine how businesses engage with their target audiences on a one-to-one level. Advanced Device Communication The proliferation of voice-enabled devices and virtual assistants heralds a new era in consumer engagement, requiring marketers to adapt their strategies to communicate effectively through these mediums. As voice technology continues to gain traction, companies must anticipate the rise of voice commerce and tailor their approaches to accommodate this emerging trend. By leveraging conversational AI and natural language processing, brands can deliver seamless, personalized experiences that resonate with consumers, whether shopping, seeking information, or interacting with digital assistants. Wider Use of Virtual Reality Virtual reality (VR) is poised to become a ubiquitous tool in the marketer's arsenal, offering immersive experiences that transcend traditional advertising methods. With VR, brands can transport consumers into captivating virtual environments where they can interact with products and services unprecedentedly, fostering deeper engagement and brand loyalty. As VR technology becomes more accessible and sophisticated, expect to see a proliferation of immersive marketing campaigns that leverage the power of virtual experiences to captivate audiences and drive conversions.

The Power of Storytelling

12 Mar, 2024
Marketing tends to focus on analytics and systems, but we sometimes forget about one powerful tool that has existed since the beginning: storytelling. From our ancestors telling ancient myths to be passed down for the generations to come to modern-day brand narratives, stories have held the power to inspire and connect in all different ways. Today, consumers face a constant bombardment of advertisements and catered content; using the power of storytelling in marketing campaigns has become critical for businesses, especially smaller firms aiming to create meaningful connections with their target clients. Why Storytelling is an Effective Strategy When a brand uses storytelling to convey its message, it connects with the audience emotionally. By telling a compelling story, marketers can create a memorable experience for consumers, making them more likely to remember and engage with the brand. Additionally, storytelling allows marketers to communicate the brand's values and personality more authentically. Instead of bombarding consumers with sales pitches, storytelling enables brands to share their stories and build trust with their audience, increasing brand loyalty and customer engagement. The Emotional Resonance of Stories At the heart of storytelling lies its ability to bring out emotions and create profound connections on a human level. Unlike traditional marketing messages focusing solely on product features or sales pitches, stories can engage the audience's imagination, stir empathy, and spark genuine interest. By weaving narratives that resonate with their target audience's hopes, dreams, and challenges, small marketing firms can create a powerful emotional bond that transcends transactional relationships. Building Brand Identity and Authenticity Storytelling is a potent tool for small businesses to authentically define and express their brand identity. Through compelling narratives that reflect their values, mission, and vision, small firms can differentiate themselves from competitors and carve out a distinct identity in the minds of consumers. Whether recounting the founder's journey, highlighting customer success stories, or showcasing the company's commitment to social responsibility, storytelling allows small businesses to humanize their brand and foster customer trust and loyalty.

A Guide to Employee-Generated Content

13 Feb, 2024
In a world of "influencer marketing" and brand deals, companies can easily overspend their marketing budgets and get caught up in the frenzy. An influencer may feature your product or brand only for their videos to perform poorly. At best, you lose out on the money spent sending the product to the influencer and whatever you spent on hiring them. At worst, your business gets a bad reputation online, and customers don't take your brand seriously. Consider that influencer marketing is just the "shiny new toy" in marketing. In that case, companies should continue to produce consistent, cost-effective outcome. One source for this? Your Employees. Employee-generated content refers to any videos, pictures, or copy that employees publicly post about their position and the company. Find out the benefits of employee-generated content (EGC), what this content can look like, and how to implement EGC into your overall strategy. What Does Employee-Generated Content Look Like? The beauty of employee-generated content is that it can take many forms. Any content your employees make that involves details about their role, the company itself, or the relationships they've developed with coworkers or customers/clients can be EGC. A simple, straightforward EGC piece can be an employee spotlight for new hires or veteran employees. You can choose to craft employee spotlights as infographics with a picture of the employee along with some fun facts about them, write a long-form piece from an interview with the employee speaking about their time at the company, or even long or short-form videos with the employee speaking on their experiences. While these methods may require the help of a graphic designer, copywriter, or videographer, the idea is that the employees generate the content by speaking about their experiences and introducing themselves. Other ideas for EGC pieces might be "day in the life" videos following a specific employee throughout their day, reflections employees have from conferences or professional development opportunities, employment milestones or recognitions, or even just pictures employees take with each other or showing what happened that day. There are limitless options and iterations for employee-generated content, and the key is to find out what works well for your business and why.
More Posts
Share by: