With a massive COVID-19 vaccine rollout in progress… There is hope on the horizon!

Cue: *Gasp of relief!*

But the dust has yet to settle on the pandemic. In fact, we’re quite a ways from reaching any legit vestige of “normalcy.” And here in California, the latest lockdown order has been extended to…wait…what..oh yeah, it’s on INDEFINITELY!

Moreover, even when restrictions are lifted, it’s tough to say when public behavior will return to pre-pandemic patterns. The reality is, it could be years.

In the short term, many businesses have been forced to further scale back operations, while in-person contact is practically banned. All of which makes staying connected and engaged with prospects and clients more important than ever.

Meanwhile, digital marketing is your best avenue to maintain such connections given current circumstances. And in turn, underscores just how truly invaluable digital marketing has grown to become.

Of course, the power and importance of digital marketing is nothing new. And your organization is probably already using these tools to some extent. But now is the time to move beyond merely dabbling and genuinely LEAN IN to implementing digital marketing tactics. Particularly if you hope to see your business survive through 2021 and beyond as we collectively huddle in the shadow of so much looming uncertainty.

And toward that end, here are three digital marketing tools you should strive to master to help your business not only survive, but thrive for many years to come.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

There are no two ways about it. The internet is the key to your business getting found. In fact, beyond direct referrals, the internet is your MOST consistent source of new business.

But with the ever-growing crowd cluttering the interwebs, simply being online is practically useless. It’s imperative that your online presence, and most importantly, your website, is optimized to connect with your ideal client.  And this is why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is my top digital marketing recommendation for 2021.

The problem with SEO, however, is the goal post is CONSTANTLY shifting. Google and other search engines are forever refining the algorithms governing search results. Which leads to an endless game of “chasing the latest algorithm update.”

But this said, there are a handful of key pillars that anchor a solid SEO strategy, which I outlined here. And if you have these elements nailed down, you’re doing about as well as any business possibly can.

The key is to be vigilant and engaged in optimizing your website’s searchability, rather than just ignoring the issue.

Email Marketing

What’s the most consistently effective and cost-efficient marketing communication tool going? That’s right, it’s email marketing!

And why do I stress leaning in to email marketing? I’ll sum it up like this: Email marketing averages a 40 to 1 rate of return. In other words, for every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect to earn $40 in revenue. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find another marketing tactic with a better rate of return.

Equally important is the fact that email is ubiquitous. Everyone uses it. Young and old. Rich and poor. You name it. Plus, email has long, like more than 20 years at this point, been the preferred means of business communication. Which means it’s a medium that’s not going anywhere.

And finally, you can do sooooooooooooo much with email. Lead nurturing with a variety of triggered email sequences. Direct sales with promotional and product launch email sequences. Keep in touch updates with email newsletters and press releases. And just plain ole one off follow up emails.

In short, a prospect’s email address is marketing GOLD. And if your business isn’t leveraging email marketing, you’re missing out on a uuuuuge opportunity!

Social Media Marketing

Social media is another invaluable communication and engagement tool that offers small businesses access to an enormous and broooooooooad-based audience at little to no cost.

A couple of additional factors have made social media even more valuable of late…

First, while there’s a history of social media users objecting to commercial interests intruding into the social realm, that resistance seems to have susided and the concept of “social selling” is more widely accepted and embraced now than ever before.

And secondly, with most folks requested at home, leaving many stuck with little to do and more time than ever to do it, people are increasingly turning to social media.

These two factors alone make social media fertile ground for both new business development and fostering existing client relationships.

And again, much like email, social media is an incredibly versatile marketing channel… lead nurturing with content shares; direct sales with ads, special promotions and discount offers; and general keep-in-touch (and top of mind) follow up outreach are all options with social media marketing.

Social media is also a great way to guide prospects further down the funnel. You can move prospects from your social pages to your website, where you have the opportunity to convert them into email subscribers. And, as noted above, a prospect’s email address is marketing GOLD!

Struggling to Get Your Digital Marketing Act Together?

The tag team of not enough time and insufficient expertise are the banes of many a small business owner. And sadly, when these two roadblocks join forces, things don’t get done.

Fortunately, I’m here to help! If you need assistance with any digital marketing tactics, including, but not limited to, those described above, let’s chat: 310.466.7893 | ryan@ryananys.com