We are officially two weeks into 2024, and while the last year was a booming success for many, that is no excuse to rest on your laurels!
January is the golden opportunity to set your business up for another twelve months of success. By taking the time to reflect on your wins and losses from 2023, you can use this knowledge to rework your marketing strategy throughout Quarter 1.
Boost your engagement, increase sales, and improve your business's overall performance with these four foolproof steps.
Your target audience should always be your top priority. It is crucial, especially at the start of a new year, that you continue to entice customers back to your business.
An effective marketing plan that informs these potential customers about discounts and products that they deem valuable will do just that.
You need to utilise your online platforms now, whether that be via blogs, social media, emails, online networking groups, or something similar. Remember: consistency is key, especially when it comes to specific audiences.
This is why it is worth considering reviewing your content from last year and identifying the commonality between your language, imagery, and aesthetics - across all platforms. This will ensure that your brand is represented concisely.
Emails are somewhat different, but don't let that throw you off the ball.
If you regularly publish email content such as newsletters, then make sure you review your subscriber list, reevaluate your content, and ensure that it is aimed towards your current target audience.
First things first, forget all about last year's performance - it's a new year, and that means a shiny new clean slate to start from scratch.
Every business owner desires a strong digital presence, but without a complete online brand audit, not many will be able to achieve it. But worry not; if you're confused about what to do, then we have you covered.
You want to gather all of your data metrics from each platform and determine whether or not elements, such as ad campaigns, emails, website visits, and many more, need any adjustments. It is important to take note of your content and website design, as well.
Is it user-friendly? Easy to navigate? Can your website be viewed on mobile effectively? If the answer is a resounding no, then you need a refresh - and fast!
Be sure not to neglect your social media profiles, either. Ensure that you keep on top of things by optimising any content with targeted keywords, and while you are at it, go and update your profile bios, banners, and profile pictures, which can help reflect your target audience better.
These steps may seem small, but they make a difference - trust us!
The start of a new year is the perfect time to review how your paid advertisements performed over the course of the previous year.
Don't worry if you don't have any setup and running, either.
This is an ideal time to start. If you are an ad first-timer and you are unsure of how they can aid your business, we will start by outlining the benefits.
Paid advertising can help your business reach hundreds of thousands of people with just a click of a button; it is a quicker alternative to organic marketing, which may not always yield the expected results.
Paid advertising allows you to target specific areas and audiences. This could include behavioural targeting, interest targeting, and keyword targeting.
Additionally, these paid advertising platforms, such as Google and Facebook Ads Manager, have various tools to help you measure and clearly understand your Return on Investment (ROI).
Speaking of measurements, if your business regularly utilises paid ads and you wish to adjust them throughout Quarter 1, it is time to pull up your metrics and analyse, analyse, analyse! Look deeper into the details like ad spend, engagement, and ROI.
This will enable you to determine which campaigns worked the best and which ones did not.
As a result, moving forward through Quarter 1, you are less likely to waste precious time and resources. Even the smallest adjustments to your ads can yield new and exciting opportunities for you and your business.
All of this is well and good, but unless you have set goals in mind for Quarter 1, you'll be stuck up the creek without the proverbial paddle.
These first few goals will help to set the pace of your business for the rest of the year, so it is important to take it seriously.
To set these goals, you're going to have to take a trip down memory lane. This means reviewing every nook and cranny from the past twelve months.
Note your accomplishments and even your failures, and don't forget to analyse last year's KPIs and metrics and compare them to those of previous years. The devil really is in the detail.
Start gathering the all-important key metrics, too. From conversion rates and customer acquisition costs to website traffic and engagement rates.
They will help you to identify patterns within your consumer's behaviour, ultimately allowing you to prepare for the year ahead in advance.
