In fashion, black has always been a staple. In marketing print has been king for centuries. Since the late 90’s, though, that has slowly been changing. Now, just as it has in our personal lives, the digital age has completely changed the way we interact with our friends, family, clients, and even strangers. These days, the first place people turn for details about everything from a new plumber to a new oncologist is the internet. Without a website, social media, and reputation management, your potential clients are likely being sent to your competitors.

Too  Swamped for Social Media

As small business owners, often the first element of our business to fall off our plates (if it ever made it on there to begin with) is our digital marketing – namely our social media management. For some, social media has never made its way into our personal lives, and so we fail to recognize the benefit it can serve for our small business. For others, we get so caught up in the day to day operations that social media becomes a luxury we simply do not have time for. Then, there are some who have tried in the past but lacked the knowledge and skills to run social media marketing effectively.

Misconceptions Abound

There are a lot of sites out there that will tell you that managing your social media marketing and digital reputation is easy to do. While there are plenty of blogs and articles that can guide you through doing it on your own, many small business owners are realizing that, while it is possible, it’s not always as easy as it seems. Here are some things to consider:

• Time: Are you already very busy with day to day operations?
• Knowledge: Do you have a clear understanding of what purposes the various forms of social media can serve? Do you know how to run a successful social media campaign? Do you understand how to read and analyze data from Google, Facebook, and Pinterest?
• Skill: Are you a tech savvy person? Are you already adept at using social media?

If any of these areas are weak points for you, it might be a good idea to consider hiring someone to manage your social media and digital marketing. At UP Market Media, we understand how to make social media work for you to keep your business on the forefront of the digital marketing arena and your customers’ minds.

If you are managing your own social media accounts, there are some keys to making sure your business pops up on Google.

• Search Engine Optimization, among other things, involves filling your online content both from your website and your social media feeds with trending keywords that people are searching for.
• Posting links to your website on social media is can be helpful to driving up your ranking on Google and Bing. The more traffic your website gets, the more relevant you are to Google. Thus, the higher your ranking = the more likely you are to engage new clients.
• Using social media correctly can help a business reach the right kinds of clients or customers. Facebook is great for staying connected with your client base and building brand loyalty, Pinterest and Twitter help build familiarity with your company, and LinkedIn is great for businesses that lean heavily on connections and referrals.

Online Reputation

Another aspect of digital marketing that is often overlooked by small business owners is online reputation. All to often, business are completely unaware of their rankings on sites like Yelp!, Angie’s List, and Google. The bad part is that one bad review can send customers to your competitors. There are fantastic sources for keeping up with your customer’s impression of you as a business, and helping you maintain your online reputation. While not free, it is well worth the investment to either hire a firm to manage your online reputation, or pay for the service and manage it yourself. At UP Market Media, we have some the best software in the industry for helping you get and maintain excellent ratings online. So, you can go about the business of running your business!

Blog/Vlog? What’s the difference?

One final tool that is far too seldom put to use in companies’ digital marketing plans is blogging. Do you find that you’re frequently answering the same questions about your business? Are there misconceptions about your organization or your business that you would like to clarify? Blogging is a great way to increase a business’s search ranking while addressing just those sorts of questions.

Not a writer? Not a problem. UP Market Media has experienced content writers to manage your small business blog. We provide SEO content that fits your company’s style. We can even help you create video content that will help you connect with your customer base even more. Adding videos or a Vlog to your social media and website can also increase your visibility and relatability.

If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of managing your businesses marketing plan, give us a call. We can help you create a business marketing plan that meets your needs, and your budget.

If you aren’t still walking around in bell bottoms, you probably shouldn’t be relying solely on print media for your marketing either. While print can still be a very effective form of advertising, it is important to combine your traditional advertising with your online advertising. At UP Market – we are ready to help you. We can get you in a new marketing wardrobe that will have your company looking sleek and stylish again.

Request a free consultation online today, or give us a call (912) 536-4898. We’re ready to help your business move UP!