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Ten Tips For Improving Your Online Presence This Year

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Improve Online Presence|Ten Tips For Improving Your Online Presence This YearOnline presence is a big thing for many businesses nowadays and it often contributes to the amount of success the business has, as well as helping sustain the organization for as long as possible. When you’re willing to adapt and change with the times, your company is likely to flourish and grow even more so.

If you haven’t already thought about improving your online presence this year, then now is the time to do so. Here are ten tips that will help boost your online presence.

Figure Out Who And Where Your Audience Are

Firstly, figuring out your audience is the main objective when it comes to improving your online presence. You need to figure out who it is that your audience is and where your audience is in order to properly connect with them and promote your business and its products or services.

There are some great tools and software that you can utilize in order to understand who your audience are, the behavior of your audience and where they’re likely to be. That way, you can direct your content and the right type of content to those that will engage with it the most.

Get On Social Media

Social media is the place to be when it comes to generating more of a reputation and awareness for your business, particularly when it comes to your brand. If you’re not already on some form of social media platform, then it’s better to do so now than to do so later.

There are lots of social media platforms so you may find that it’s useful to experiment with one or two until you find the right ones that suit your intentions as a business.

Hire The Experts

There are tasks and responsibilities that are important to outsource where you can. When growing your social media presence and online presence in general, you may not have all the knowledge available to do it successfully. For some, it might be that you need to hire the experts in order to make it happen.

That’s why having a digital marketing agency for example, is a great opportunity to pull in those resources that you need for certain parts of your online presence that need expert knowledge.

Focus On SEO

SEO is a big part of boosting your presence online as a business. It’s all about knowing the best forms of content, what keywords perform well to rank you higher on the search results, etc. SEO is also changing and evolving as the internet do so too.

It’s therefore useful to have a team member or outsourced agency to help with SEO and making sure it’s being done right. The use of search engine optimization is one that’s becoming increasingly focused on.

Try Out Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is something worth giving a go, especially as these influencers often have a bigger influence on their audience than some celebrities do. From micro-influencers with less than ten thousand followers to those with hundreds and thousands to millions of followers, it’s worth making use of this growing industry.

It’s also a fairly new domain for marketers to utilize and therefore it can be an affordable option for all businesses looking to promote their brand through other influential figures. As with any type of marketing, it’s good to do your research. Whilst some influencer marketing will prove plenty of ROI, others might not.

You want to find influencers who match your target audience, they post regularly and receive plenty of engagement on their posts regardless of whether they’re sponsored posts or not. The more you do your research, the more success you’re likely to have because you end up picking the right influencers for the campaign.

Maintain Your Branding

Branding is an essential part of any business because when you’re consistent with branding, more people will end up recognizing you online.

Maintaining your brand image is important and when you’re building your brand, it’s good to stay consistent. That means knowing what your brand image is from the start and sticking with it. Not many brands have rebranded and when they do, it’s usually very slight differences, especially when they’ve been operating for years. After all, you don’t want your customers to become confused or forget who you are.

Branding is critical to maintain and to continue promoting across all your platforms and channels where possible.

Interact With Your Followers

Followers are your biggest advantage when growing your online presence. The more you’re interacting with them, the more they’ll likely spread the word about your business to others that will also convert to customers. Make an effort to interact whether it’s through the comments section of your social media or from direct messages or enquiries you receive.

Create A Mailing List

A mailing list is another avenue of communication that you want to develop with your audience. There’s an exclusivity that comes with a mailing list and if you can create one and start adding to it now, who knows where it will be in a year down the line. It could become a great source of information for those who are looking for more on your business. It’s also a data source for you as a business to look at ways of interacting and nurturing these leads.

Collaborate & Promote

Collaboration and promoting yourself as a business is a big tick. When you’re working with other businesses instead of seeing them as a threat, you’re going to end up thriving! Network and get out there to help inspire and create connections that could open doors for your business.

Roll Out The Content

Finally – roll out the content. There’s no limit to how much you can be churning out on a daily business and it’s important to do so. There’s so much noise and activity online that it can be hard to stay above it all and to get noticed yourself. Generate content and don’t be afraid of putting too much out there.

5 Effective Ways to Drive Website Traffic

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Drive Website Traffic|5 Effective Ways to Drive Website TrafficThe COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the consumer landscape online more than ever before.
A digital strategy is a must for any business’s marketing efforts. The main goal is to drive users to your website, learn about your brand and make a purchase—ultimately helping your business grow.

In this blog, we’ll touch on the most important components you should add to your digital efforts!

Content

The very first thing you should do to expand your website’s presence is to create content! This could be building out more pages, such as About Us, service pages, and most importantly, blog articles.

Hone in on your unique value proposition when you’re writing. Think about the most common questions you get when potential customers are inquiring about your product or services. Write content directly addressing these concerns. You will be able to build trust by establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Your content should be educational and entertaining–all while offering value to your website visitors.

Try to position your brand offering as the solution to your consumers’ pain points.

Don’t forget to incorporate Call-To-Actions throughout your website and blogs–in moderation, of course! It could be a link to another helpful article on your site, download a handy eBook, or filling out a form to contact your sales team.

Note: While you create content for your website, combine it with SEO strategies for better results.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) is the continuous process of improving your website to rank well in search engines such as Google or Microsoft Bing. SEO will be the primary driver of organic traffic to your website.

It encompasses a lot of items, such as on-page and off-page SEO and technical SEO. We won’t get in the nitty-gritty as there are countless articles online you can find on each of them, but here are some SEO strategies you should be working on to rank higher in search engines:

  1. You should be optimizing for keywords. What are users typing into the search query, and how do you show up for them? Have a keyword strategy in place to enrich the relevancy of your content.
  2. A determining factor of your ranking on search engines is the relevancy of your content. If someone expects a specific topic or answer to their search query and you don’t deliver it to them? They’re going to leave, resulting in a higher bounce rate, and Google will ding you for that.
  3. Ensure your website is easy to navigate and has a fast loading time. People expect a seamless experience on your site, and there’s no doubt they will leave if it’s not up to par.
  4. Set up an XML sitemap. It is a file that shows a list of the most important pages of your website. It helps search engines understand your website structure and can crawl all of your pages (which makes them rankable on search engines).
  5. Work on getting backlinks: connect with trustworthy websites with higher domain authority and ask for a link back to your website. This will increase your domain rating as well, making you more likely to rank on search engines.

You can use tools for your SEO needs, such as SEMRush or Ahrefs. Both are robust, data-driven tools you can use to check the health of your website and how well its SEO performance is and pinpoint opportunities for improvement.

Paid Advertising

Digital advertising campaigns drive paid traffic to your website. If your website isn’t ranking on search engine results or is has weaker SEO, paid advertising enables you to show up for your desired keywords.

The traffic you drive will be high-quality. This is because you will be able to control your ads:

  • You’ll be able to design and customize the ad messaging
  • Decide which audiences you want to reach
  • What websites or channels your ad should be shown on
  • Where you want to direct the user to (Homepage? Specific product page? Dedicated landing page?)

By building a paid strategy with your business goals in mind, whether to increase brand awareness or drive conversions, you can effectively drive results that will grow your business.

What makes paid advertising effective but complex is, every business’s strategy varies. That’s why it’s crucial to pinpoint which channels your target audience is at and serve your ads to them at the right place and time.

Some digital channels include:

  • Paid Search (Google, Bing, Yahoo etc.)
  • Display (across the internet, on millions of websites)
  • Social Media
  • Video (Youtube etc.)
  • Over-The-Top (video streaming platforms such as Roku)
  • Digital Out-Of-Home (digital billboards at high foot-traffic areas)
  • Mobile advertising (app stores, in-app etc.) and so much more

It takes trial and error and constant monitoring and adjustments to ensure your ad dollars are used to their full potential.

We highly recommend you try out more than one type of paid channel to see effective results. A good combination to start with is paid search, social ads, and display ads. You will be able to capture people who are actively searching for you, retarget people who might have visited your website but didn’t convert, and stay top of mind!

Programmatic advertising is a new form of advertising that businesses of all sizes are jumping on board with. Instead of going to each publisher and negotiating a deal to place your ad on their site, this process is automated through machine learning ad tech. It grants you access to countless ad publishers, widening your audience reach more than ever. Another perk is that it centralizes your advertising channels where all the data can sync together. Consider looking into a programmatic advertising platform or working with an advertising agency to help manage your paid advertising campaigns!

Social Media

Studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled more people online, social media included.

Some of the most popular social media channels include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Pinterest, etc. They are great channels to engage with your audience, especially to share the latest news via photos, videos, and captions.

They are also useful to promote your website and branded content. If you have a new blog article, announce it on social! You want to maximize exposure online.

Do note that you shouldn’t spread yourself too thin by trying to be on every channel. Let’s say you’re a law firm. Perhaps having a social presence on Instagram wouldn’t be isn’t as effective as LinkedIn. Think about where your target audiences are likely to be and work on creating content for those channels!

Online Directories Google My Business

Another way to help people find your website is to list your business on online directories.

You will be able to list your business’ contact information (name, address, phone number, etc.), office hours, services, and a link to your website. This enables more people to come across your business online, potentially driving more traffic.

One of the most prominent “directories” is Google My Business (GMB). When people are looking for a product or service, they are likely to turn to Google. By having a GMB listing, your business is more likely to pop up in the search results.

Google My Business also allows you to share updates such as seasonal offers or updates like blogs. Just like social media, you can cross-promote your content and entice people to click through to your website!

It is vital that you continuously deliver a great website experience for your users and amplify your efforts with these strategies, which are meant to interweave. By combining efforts to drive both paid and organic traffic, you’ll be consistently bringing in quality audiences.

We hope these tips give you a better insight into what areas to focus on in your digital marketing strategy!

Top Tips For Starting A Construction Business

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article | Top Tips For Starting A Construction BusinessStarting a construction company can be a smart move. There is always a need for skilled construction companies and it can be work that is incredibly rewarding and enjoyable, plus you will find that every project is different so it can be varied too. While there are many perks to starting a construction company, you will also find that it does pose a few challenges and it is quite different to starting a typical office-based business. With this in mind, read on for a few tips that will hopefully help you to hit the ground running and find success.

Secure Enough Funding

One of the biggest challenges for starting a construction company is securing enough funding. There are many startup and ongoing costs to cover, such as vehicles, equipment, staff, materials, marketing and insurance. You need to have a high-quality business plan in place, calculate your startup costs and then find ways to secure this funding. A few options for securing funding include:

  • Investors
  • Bank loans
  • Crowdfunding
  • Grants
  • Savings

Recruit The Right People

One of the biggest challenges when starting a construction company is recruiting the right people. Obviously, you want to find people that have the required skills and knowledge to take on different kinds of projects, but this is not the only consideration. You also need to make sure that you are recruiting people that will be a good fit, have a strong work ethic, good communication skills and the right personality for your business. Keep in mind that you can use training to bring people up to speed, so it is smart to focus on finding those that will be a good fit.

Rent Heavy-Duty Equipment

When you take on construction projects, you are likely to require heavy-duty equipment like cranes for lifting. You will find it best to rent this equipment from specialists, such as Birmingham crane hire companies that can provide you with industry-leading equipment for affordable prices. They will be able to make the best recommendations based on your needs and ensure that your projects go smoothly.

Create A Strong Online Presence

As with any industry, you need to have a strong presence online in order to win over potential clients and compete with other companies. You should invest in professional web design and digital marketing to create a strong presence for your brand and then use social media to promote your business, showcase your work and engage with potential customers. It is hard when getting started, but you need to build an online portfolio of your work that will help you to show your experience and what you are capable of.

Encourage Word-Of-Mouth Marketing

Word-of-mouth marketing remains hugely important when it comes to construction, so you need to encourage this within your network in order to find new opportunities. You will also find it helpful to network at every opportunity to build brand awareness and to form important connections that could lead to more work down the line.

Hopefully, these tips will come in useful and help you to find early success with your construction business.

More Tips For Happier Employees

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Happy Employees|More Tips For Happier EmployeesTaking care of your employees is the quickest way to future-proof your business. Satisfied employees are more productive. They are motivated to achieve great results and not afraid to work hard to get there. Additionally, they are more likely to stay with the company. We’ve reviewed the essential leadership tips to create a happy place for your employees in a previous article.

Indeed, one of the biggest problems that employees recount is workload. Many employees find themselves overworked or underworked as a result of poor work management processes. This can happen when businesses don’t make the most of existing services. Often when employees complain about the workload, the complaint goes unnoticed. It is the manager’s role to welcome feedback and encourage employees to talk openly about their problems.

But improving the management function and relationship is only one of the possible areas of work to increase employees’ satisfaction. As a business, maximizing mental health benefits and engagement can also significantly help the team’s happiness.

Improve the workplace environment

Most companies fail to realize the importance of the work environment. Stressful and hectic are words frequently used to describe an unhealthy workplace. But what about small or dark workplaces? Indeed, the mind naturally registers light factors, square footage, and even temperature as factors linked to the overall wellbeing of the individual. A small and cramped office, for instance, can feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming. When relocating isn’t an option, the business could consider an extension project to improve the workplace. It’s worth mentioning that there might be foundation removal costs to expect with extension improvements. Another space-related complaint addresses natural light access. Businesses with a high number of windows and/or skylights tend to record higher levels of satisfaction.

Consider perks they want

Do perks make your employees’ lives better? The answer is yes. Valuable and desirable perks can not only attract but also retain employees. Indeed, perks highlight the business culture and understanding the company has of its team. In other words, the right perks tell the employees that the business has got their backs. Therefore, the top priority of any company is to open the discussion with the team. While it can be tempting to ask people what they want, you are unlikely to get a satisfying answer. Instead, focus on their pain points.

A shorter workweek, for example, could help reduce stress levels, fatigue and free up more time for friends and family.
Mentoring and coaching services can help employees build their careers and achieve their goals.

Introduce a mood-lifting “employee”

Office pets are an excellent boost for employee morale. Countless studies show that petting a dog or a cat can significantly lower your blood pressure and help reduce anxiety. Therefore, in offices where there is no severe pet allergy, the addition of a cute pet could have many mental health benefits. Pets bring a form of companionship, even if employees only see the pet during the workday. As workplaces suffer more and more with loneliness, spending time with a pet could help bring people together and reduce isolation. Additionally, pets can also encourage the team to take more regular breaks and look after their health.

Hopefully, these few tips can encourage companies to prioritize mental health in different ways in the office. Contrary to common belief, offering access to therapy services is not the most important thing a company can do for mental health.

5 Steps to Create a Happier, More Positive Environment at Work

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Positive Work Environment|5 Steps to Create a Happier, More Positive Environment at WorkOne of the most challenging parts about working is that you are stuck in an environment for eight to ten hours a day, five days a week. If your workplace feels like one big headache, it might be time to make some changes! The following blog post will teach you five ways to create a happier and more positive environment at work.

Talk To Your Colleagues

While you can’t always control your supervisor or manager, you can start by improving the environment at work to one that encourages happiness. One of the most effective ways to do this is through a simple conversation with others. Start small, but be consistent in your efforts to connect with people daily, both inside and outside of work hours.
People are happier when they feel heard, valued, and appreciated.

By making time to talk with your coworkers, you’re building rapport to lead to a more positive work environment that encourages happiness in all areas of life. Discussing career goals or how the family is doing helps make strong connections between people at work. It doesn’t have to take a long time. Even five minutes of conversation over a cup of coffee can go a long way towards making for happy coworkers and, in turn, more satisfied employees.
This is why it’s essential to make small talk with others during the day and outside work hours—chatting about topics from weekend plans to favorite restaurants builds rapport and trust among team members.

Create A Space That Makes You Feel Good

Pick an area to work on first. Maybe your desk is cluttered. You sit in front of a window that gets minimal sunlight, or the air conditioning never seems to be working just right for you. Something small might have a huge impact! Please make sure everyone who comes into contact with this space has access to their cleanliness supplies so they can keep it clean.

If you can’t change your environment, try to improve the way you interact with it. How do you handle stress? Do certain situations or people make this worse for you? If so, what could be done differently, and how would that positively affect others? It is essential to create a positive work environment for your employees. A happy workplace can boost the productivity, creativity, and engagement levels of workers. This will ultimately lead to more revenue generated by the company.

Appreciate Your Employees

The best way to create a happier work environment is by doing little things to make people feel appreciated. It’s essential for everyone at the company to feel like they are making an impact and knowing their efforts matter, so sharing positive feedback regularly can go a long way.

When someone does something outstanding, be sure to acknowledge it publicly – in a team meeting, through email, or even by sending out an all-company group message. This will let everyone know that their contributions are seen and valued, which helps create a happier work environment for everyone involved.

Another way to create a happier work environment is by doing something out of the ordinary. Just make sure you aren’t breaking any company rules when planning these activities! Bringing in donuts on certain days or taking everyone out for lunch can turn someone’s day around and help them feel appreciated at their job. People are much happier when they feel like their opinions matter, so try organizing brown bag lunches with employees where everyone has an opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns about work. Appreciate your employees by looking after their employee wellness.

Being Open And Honest

Another way to create a happier work environment is by being open and honest. This includes having real conversations about how people feel, giving negative feedback when necessary, and not sugar-coating anything out of fear that it might hurt someone’s feelings. Just be sure to take everything you say, intending to help them improve rather than discouraging them.
When people feel like they can speak honestly and openly, it creates a happier work environment. No one wants to be told what to do or how to behave every minute of the day; we want constructive criticism that will help us improve our performance and build better relationships at work. When you open yourself up in this way with others, not only do they appreciate it, but you will also feel happier at work yourself.

Being Positive And Constructive

It’s essential to be positive and constructive in the workplace. This means always looking for ways things could improve (even when everything seems perfect). It’s much easier to find what needs improvement rather than that which is already doing well. This can be applied to everything in the office, from interpersonal relationships with colleagues or clients to how work gets done and projects are completed.

By being positive, you can help make the workplace a happier environment, which leads to more creativity. You also learn something new about your work or even yourself by looking for ways to do better. This is not only fun, but it makes good business sense as well!

Positive environments include having good relationships with coworkers, feeling valued and acknowledged by managers, an atmosphere of trust between employees and employers, etc. Employees who feel that their bosses care about them will be more productive than those under unappreciative or apathetic management. If you think that your work is not valued, then you will probably be less effective.

Positive attitudes also play a significant role in whether or not employees are happy and satisfied with their jobs. If they’re feeling great about what they do day-to-day, the chances are good that the positive feelings will remain long after quitting time. This can result in increased retention rates and even reduced turnover.

There are many opportunities to be more positive at work, both for yourself as an individual contributor or on a team where you’re responsible for the outcome of your project.

In conclusion, today’s workforce is filled with many different types of people who all have unique preferences and styles regarding how they like to work. While this can make for a very vibrant and exciting environment, sometimes the number of differences between employees’ personalities or working habits gets in the way of team cohesiveness and productivity, which leads to a less optimistic, more stressful work environment. To create happier and more productive employees, managers and team leaders need to implement practices that help build up employee morale while accommodating each individual’s personality traits and working habits.