by Brian Rovegno,
SBDC Business Advisor
The rush of the Holiday season can be an exhilarating and overwhelming time for anybody, but especially if you're a small business owner. Once the New Year comes around, it can be easy to let down and be complacent about the smaller details of the enterprise, especially your social media and marketing plans. 2021 was an unusual year, bringing many social and economic changes that will shift how organizations operate. Many trends that started in previous years will reach new heights in 2022, and others may fade or shift. If your business doesn’t recognize and account for these changes, or if your New Year complacency is pulling your proverbial turtleneck up over your face, here are a few tips to keep your momentum going into 2022.
HOW'S YOUR GOOGLE?
If you have a brick and mortar business, when's the last time you checked on your Google presence? Recently the interface that Google used to manage individual accounts, Google My Business, was renamed/rebranded/repurposed as your Google Business Account and managed through Google Maps and Search. All of that is just to say: if it's been a while since you reviewed how your business appears to the general public, now is the time to reacquaint yourself with Google's business services. Don't forget: Google Maps and Search are the most powerful tools for your business to be discovered, so be sure that the information within is accurate.
OPTIMIZE FOR MOBILE
Hopefully you have already checked this off of a 2020 or 2021 to-do list. If not, move it to the top of the list immediately. In 2021, 56% of ALL internet usage came from a mobile phone. Chances are good that your website is built on a platform that is responsive to both desktop and mobile internet browser parameters. It doesn't take much to make sure that your website looks GREAT on mobile browsers. Take your phone out and check NOW! You might be surprised at how different your website looks on your phone, and even more surprised at how much business you could be potentially losing to poor mobile responsive design.
CONSISTANT DAILY POSTS (CASTS)
If there is any New Year's Resolution you should make as a small business owner, it is this: "I resolve to spend at least 5 minutes every weekday posting SOMETHING on my social media channels." It's so easy getting stuck in the "I don't know what to post" rut that it's easy to forget: most of the time what you post isn't that important. JUST POST. Social media success is similar to success in fishing: every post you create is a line cast, every interaction is a fish nibble, and getting that like/subscribe/follow is like reelin' in a catch. All you have to do is establish a consistent schedule for your customers and followers. From here, it is up to you to engage with your followers, answer messages, read comments, and build a social media brand.
YOUR FACE AIN'T JUST FOR RADIO
2021 was when short-form video content exploded, thanks to TikTok. Businesses are turning to Facebook Live, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts to capture the attention of their target audience. If you haven’t invested in short-form videos, 2022 is the right time to start. Research has proven that short-form videos offered the 2nd-highest ROI in 2021, right behind influencer marketing. You've got a television studio in your pocket!
