It?s 2016. If you?re still paying your bills by dragging out the calculator and writing out calculations — and if your main form of advertising is still the phone book — you?re in trouble. There are numerous ways to bring your marketing practices up to date. Keep them in mind so that you don?t fall behind the times.
The Benefits of Mobile Advertising
Did you know that more than 50% of online usage now occurs through mobile devices? If you?re not thinking about your business in terms of mobile, you?re doing it wrong. It?s good to have an app or mobile friendly website for your business so that consumers aren?t dealing with bad website formatting and tiny buttons. It?s even better to have ads specifically for mobile since this is a rapidly growing industry and it?s an increasingly important one for small, local businesses that gain traction through Google searches — not through phone books.
IT Managed Services
IT managed services are important for getting your business streamlined. Small businesses often assume that it will be more cost effective to bring these sorts of things in house. In most cases, though, businesses simply lack the infrastructure to have a good IT team. What this means is that information handling and security is not always what it should be. IT managed services can provide around-the-clock assistance, as well as constant security and help with updates, etc. It?s worth the investment — and often cheaper in the end to outsource, anyway.
SEO Services
Why does SEO matter? Simply put, because search engine results matter. Did you know that 70% of online users ignore paid ads (PPC) and instead rely on organic search results? If you?re not ranking at all for relevant keywords, you?re going to get hurt. Keep this in mind and consider getting help with your content creating and help with social media posting. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in PPC, though; rather, marketing firms should help you come up with an approach to online marketing that hits all the major players. That way, you’re not accidentally missing out on a large chunk of potential audience.
Better Web Design
Did you know that 40% of users will navigate away from a website if it takes longer than three seconds to load? It’s clear that good website design impacts whether a user will trust your website or not. This isn’t the place to hire your cousin who just graduated from college; you’ll want to make sure you hire a professional for the job, who will also help you manage your website moving into the future.