We like being honest with ourselves, so here are a few tough questions for you: When was the last time you actually took a good, hard look at your marketing strategy? How long have you been doing the same old techniques over and over? Have you even updated the copy on your website to optimize it for search engines?

If the answer is “no” or “a while” to any of these questions, it’s probably time to rethink your marketing game.

We recommend updating your strategy every two to three years. If you can manage it, every year is ideal. Why? Things like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques and social media trends are constantly changing. We understand that the nonstop change of digital life is enough to make anyone’s head spin. (It seems like there’s something new every week!)

The reality is that there are a ton of marketing tactics nowadays, including digital strategies. The market is only accelerating at a faster and even faster pace as the years go by. And if you aren’t keeping up with these trends as they pop up, you’re missing out on huge opportunities for engagement and brand expansion. Businesses have to be flexible to meet consumer expectations and needs. So, is your marketing strategy flexible?

What exactly has changed about the digital marketing industry? Well, a lot. Fortunately, Ghost Brands is here to help! 

Here are five strategies to catch up with the current trends.

   1. Engage with video on social media.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram thrive on video posts. Just this year, Instagram implemented the option to add up to 90 seconds of sound or music to static image posts in consumer feeds, making them similar to “reels” or “stories.” Why is this relevant, you ask? It gives Instagram users an experience more like TikTok, which is a short-form video feed. The videos themselves on TikTok range from three seconds to ten minutes.

These social media platforms are all the rage right now in 2023, and if you’re not on these platforms yet, we recommend jumping on the bandwagon (especially if you want to target the younger crowd). By utilizing these apps, you can build awareness for your brand, enhance the authenticity of your brand, and reach a whole new client base. The best part? These apps are easy on your budget, and you don’t have to invest a whole lot of time.

What we recommend: Post genuine, authentic videos that aren’t ads. Most users scroll right past ads in their feed, and you want users to view your content. Your videos should be short, to the point, and informational (as well as fun). And don’t worry — you don’t have to engage in all those trendy dance moves. We suggest posting short clips about your brand, your product, your company values, or even just a fun day at the office. You don’t even need fancy video equipment to record your posts — a smartphone will do the job just fine.

   2. Build a Google Business profile.

Google Business has been around since 2014. That’s right. If you haven’t built a profile for this platform yet, you’re about nine years behind the times. Fortunately, you can still catch up. It’s a free business listing from Google and allows you to provide details and photographs of your business. This includes your location, hours, services, and products. Bear in mind, however, that Google Business is only available to businesses that have contact with customers (such as a store or restaurant) or clients (such as plumbers or electricians).

Why is it important to have a Google Business profile? You’re missing out on major traffic if you don’t, not to mention it helps your website’s SEO value. Businesses with a profile are more likely to appear in search engine results when people search for nearby businesses using Google Maps. You can also control and update your information, business hours, and other essential details.

Another bonus: reviews. Reviews build trust in your business. They are a key element of social proof, and customers are more likely to visit your business if there are good reviews about it. What if you get a bad review? We recommend handling it with dignity. Reach out to the customer and offer to right the wrong. Potential customers will see your response — and that’s another way to build trust.

   3. Update your website.

While it’s true that you should refresh your website content regularly (about once every one or two years) with new copy and keywords, there’s a ton more that you can do to make your site friendlier for the digital age. 

For one, you want to ensure your site is responsive. What does it mean to have a responsive website? It should automatically adapt and deliver the best experience for your users, whether they’re on desktop, mobile, or tablet. A responsive site will help you reach more customers, increase conversion rates and sales, reduce the need for redirects, and provide a lower bounce rate.

You should also make sure you include local keywords in your metadata. This includes your page titles and page descriptions. If you have a blog on your site, try some fun posts now and then about your favorite local spots to eat or the top activities to try in your city. We suggest sprinkling local posts with informational posts related to your service or product. SEO trends for 2023 are focusing more on the local user experience, so you don’t want to miss out on this.

When reworking your website for the digital age of 2023, ask yourself: Is my site optimized for voice search? Virtual assistants such as Siri, Google Home, and Alexa are more popular than ever, and the way users search via voice differs from how they type on Google.

Speaking of SEO keywords, don’t resort to keyword stuffing. What is keyword stuffing? It is loading up your pages with specific high-value keywords and synonyms, and it’s an old SEO trick that’s significantly outdated. In fact, keyword stuffing can even negatively impact your SEO value, resulting in lower rankings in organic searches. Make sure your content is genuine, content-rich, and engaging.

    4. Engage your audience via email marketing.

Email or newsletter marketing can help drive engagement, especially if you have a strong CTA (call to action). What’s even better? You can automate your email campaigns, saving you time and hassle. With email, you can deliver fun, personalized content while driving conversion rates. Whether you’re simply looking to get more traffic to your site, bring more customers into your place of business, or are just looking for brand awareness, newsletters or email campaigns can do it all. It’s a great forum for self-promotion or giving a little something to your loyal customers, such as a freebie or a discount code to use on your website.

You’ll want an engaging, click-worthy subject line and pre-header text to entice your recipients to open your email, of course. With many email platforms (such as MailChimp), you can automate emails so they are sent directly to your customers with certain triggers (such as making a purchase or signing up for your newsletter).

You can do a lot with a newsletter, so have fun with it!

    5. Aim for organic engagement.

Maybe it’s true that we can’t state this enough: Engagement is key to building your marketing strategy. No matter what platforms or strategies you choose to advertise your business, you want engagement from consumers, other businesses, and anyone and everyone you can get (except for bots, of course). Without engagement, what’s the point of implementing any other strategy we’ve talked about? You could have the best, most efficient SEO content on your website, but if no one’s interested, who’s going to see it? 

Again, engagement is key. Think about influencers. Sure, they may get a lot of hate for how they make a living. The truth, though? Collaboration with influencers can drive sales (depending on your product or service, of course). It’s been shown that influencer-generated content outperforms branded posts: 61% of consumers trust influencer recommendations, which is much more than the 38% of consumers who trust brand-produced content.

The key to good engagement is building a relationship with the consumer. This revolves around the idea of brand values. Consumers are much more likely to buy from a company whose values align with their own. Values can be anything from a promise to reduce plastic waste (such as single-use packaging), producing cruelty-free products, or even donating a portion of sales to a particular charity. Promoting your brand values online can help drive engagement.

Feeling overwhelmed? We understand. If you’re not familiar with the ongoing and constantly changing marketing trends, it can be hard to maintain an efficient marketing strategy for your business. That’s where Ghost Brands comes in. With our team of experts (from social media to SEO copy and videography), we’re here to help.

If you’re ready to take your marketing strategy to the next level, contact Ghost Marketing today! We can handle your social media accounts, your website content, and so much more.