Proper search engine optimization effectively targets a particular target market using a local search engine like Yelp or Google. SEO strategies perform well. However, you will need to follow local SEO tips. You may not be using digital advertising in your online marketing plan when you are a small and local company. The use of specific SEO strategies can increase footfall significantly. We will highlight the tips for using a regional SEO strategy for your business.

What is your course of action when you want to find a nearby restaurant or auto repair shop? You look it up online! You may not realize it, but you’re already familiar with local search. What do you do when you wish to find a nearby restaurant or auto repair shop? You look it up online! You’re not the only one, either. By 2022, 78% of customers will have done at least one weekly internet search for local businesses. Therefore, if your company has a physical site or store, make sure those customers can find it! Local search engine optimization (SEO) is what you need to do.

Understanding Local SEO

Local SEO doesn’t have a formal definition, but the idea is straightforward. It involves improving your website to rank higher in geographically oriented queries. Users may receive results specific to that region if they mention the name of a city in their search or if the search engine deduces the user’s location from their device. A local search term would be “auto dealership in Los Angeles, California,” as an illustration. You’ll need to employ several strategies and tactics to optimize these local searches. Success at it will raise your company’s standing in local search results.

Tips To Use Local SEO

Here are a few local SEO tips you can use to make your website rank higher:

Determine How You Want Your Website to Rank Higher

Choose the search terms for which you want your company to appear. This will largely depend on the goods and services you provide. For instance, the likelihood is that you offer Security services if you own a local Security agency. Here, you want to evaluate your company’s services and identify some critical keywords buyers might use to find a company like yours.

To build a beginning point for your keyword research, create a list of these phrases. Later, you’ll use tools for local SEO to look up these terms, find geo-specific keywords, gauge the number of searches, and ultimately choose which keywords to concentrate on for your website.

Auditing is Key!

Determine what, if anything, is broken on your site and whether it has a solid base before you start optimizing it. You can find any technical or on-page SEO issues that might impede your website’s success by doing an SEO audit. Before you bother developing new SEO content, constructing backlinks, etc., you should take care of these difficulties.

You may work with an SEO expert who can thoroughly examine your website and provide you with a list of issues that need to be resolved.

Analyze Your Competitor’s Keyword Research

One of the objectives of local SEO is to rank higher than your local competition in local search. You must know the keywords they are ranking for and how to do this. You can use SEO tools to perform a competitive analysis to find out what keywords your rivals are ranking for, where their backlinks are coming from, and other information.

You may also check the keywords for which your website is already ranked. You can easily find out the keywords a rival ranks for organically by performing a search on their domain using your preferred SEO tool. If these terms are a suitable fit for your site, you can examine search volume and competition stats.

Using GEO-Specific Keywords

Consider that you run a Mexican eatery in Seattle, Washington. Step 1 involved identifying a few phrases that best described what your company has to offer. Step 2 involved investigating your rivals to find out the keywords they were using.

Combining these two steps, you may research these terms using SEO tools to look at search volume and level of competition. By including your location in the keyword search, you may also hunt for geo-specific keywords.

On-Page SEO

In addition to assisting search engines in understanding page content, effective on-site SEO also aids people in quickly and determining a page’s subject matter and whether it responds to their search query.

To put it simply, effective on-site SEO aids search engines in comprehending what a human visitor would see (and what value they would receive) if they visited a page, enabling them to consistently serve up what human visitors would consider high-quality information about a given search query (keyword).

Landing Pages Localization

Localized landing pages are websites made especially for organic local search placement. These pages should include informative material that appeals to your target audience and be optimized for the geo-specific keywords you’ve identified. The best practices for developing landing pages include:

• Composing keyword-optimized body copy.
• Integrating internal links.
• Adding images.
• Optimizing the mobile search.

When done correctly, you can also run paid advertisements on these landing pages to drive organic and paid traffic. To encourage users, you contact you, make sure to add appealing calls to action.

Pay Attention to Directory Listings

You can submit the details of your company to web directories. There are many internet directories, but the most reliable ones are Yelp, Yellow Pages, Bing Places, and BBB. Your objective should be to publish your information to reputable and, ideally, locally focused directories to increase local SEO by generating traffic and links.

Your company’s name, address, phone number, and website URL must be constant across all directories. Look for industry-specific directories to which you can add your company. Nevertheless, avoid spamming websites and avoid purchasing directory listings solely to obtain a connection. Not all directories are made equal.

Should I Consider Local SEO For My Business?

Local SEO is essential if your company caters to a particular town or region. And in the future, it will be even more crucial. Gaining additional local presence is beneficial even if you already employ an organic SEO strategy. You want to take advantage of the chance to get the attention of neighboring individuals who could become your consumers.

In addition to raising your company’s general online brand awareness, local search is a significant source of leads, sales, and foot traffic for local businesses. Why your company wouldn’t care about local SEO would be a reasonable question. The work and potential expenses associated with local optimization are the only severe arguments against investing. You shouldn’t be concerned about it, though. You may already be putting a local SEO strategy into practice without recognizing it, depending on your keywords and techniques.

Conclusion

An effective SEO strategy can do wonders for your business. 97% of search engine users have searched online to find a local business. And 46% of all Google searches were seeking local information. So, if a company doesn’t rank in local search results, it could miss out on valuable traffic and customers. The most efficient strategy to rank higher on Google Maps and become more visible in Google Search local results is to optimise your Google listing (also known as your Business Profile). However, you need a Google My Business(GMB) account linked to that profile in order to have access to your Business Profile and perform these adjustments. Your Business Profile, which displays in Google Search local results, will be updated once you complete all of the required fields in your Google My Business account dashboard.

Digital Engage specializes in on & off-page SEO. We know the most effective strategies to help your business grow and profit. If you’re a local company owner looking for a firm that knows how to rank websites using local SEO efforts and local SEO tools, then Digital Engage is the right place to go! Contact us today and book an appointment!

How many times have people visited their banks physically? This is an ongoing trend, and the pandemic will put a rocket under this one. Consumer banking has evolved. The transition to online banking. Traditionally, banking has remained relevant. However, digital services are gaining momentum. This article examines how to market financial services today and all the finance website marketing ideas you need to know.

There’s a reason every major company in the financial services industry does content marketing. Financial services companies face a difficult road when it comes to marketing. Growing a business is difficult for those in financial services. Digitalization has radically altered the game in the banking industry. Digital-savvy consumers want more from their banks. The latest regulations will limit your marketing opportunities significantly. Trust in financial institutions remains high even after the 2008 crisis but history demonstrates the lack of trust.

Optimize Landing Pages

Marketing ideas can be overlooked when looking for financial services businesses. A landing page is an advertising page specifically crafted for advertising purposes. People can visit these websites when they click on a hyperlink to this campaign. Using powerful words in your landing page copy Incorporating video into the page If you properly optimize your landing pages, you could see a noticeable increase in campaign conversions and receive a more significant ROI for your marketing efforts.

Optimized correctly, landing page optimization can significantly affect the site’s conversion. Check that the document contains the proper amount of information offered. There must be just enough information for you if there are any forms. Too many forms can make your page unresponsive or cause visitors on your site to abandon your page or even click on a button.

Neobanks

Neobanks have financed startup firms based in New York City. The aim of this is to get the best customers possible. Neobanks offer certain financial services but have no regulating powers for bankers. All transactions are done via the internet. There’s no exact location. I’m in the city. It is never face-to-face.

Occasionally, NeoBanks offers personal accounts. However, their main business comes primarily from small to mid-sized companies. Startups make up a significant proportion of their client base. Several Neobanks have branches in the United States. Fi money, FEMpay, Chime, and Varo are some.

Build a Secure Website

85% of customers are reluctant to purchase items from Amazon if e-commerce transactions are encrypted. With Website Design, sites should be HTTPS-ready when submitting the form. But not HTTP. Protect your company as well as your clients. HTTPS encrypts HTTP requests using TLS to increase scalability.

This time, Google comes into play. Search engines promise users an improved user experience, therefore, their ranking algorithm is favored by HTTPS. When consumers don’t see your page, they may see ads from your competitors on your site.

Streamline Customer Experience

A better customer experience increases a KPI by almost 90%. Conversion rates with a usable interface will increase by as much as 200%. User Interface is defined as the display or icon of the screen on any web application, mobile app, or device.

UX is how you get customers on your website. On-site – Off-site – Online – to buy, and then after. Together these factors will enhance customers’ experiences in financial services. You’ll want to take particular care when posting on your websites and blogs. Your colors, your layout. Everything matters.

Make Your Website Mobile Responsive

The number of users on the Internet is expected to rise to 2.5 billion in 2024 by 2020. Google announced the mobile-friendly aspect of its ranking algorithm a few years ago. Your website must also be responsive in this respect. So the same URLs and HTML make searching easier. A responsive website uses the same data but renders the screen differently depending on how the device is viewed. Consumers can abandon sites when they aren’t optimized for mobile devices.

Start a Blog

What’s the best way to get the word out on social media? How can I increase my search rankings by creating my blog? Blogging can have a significant impact on brands, mainly because marketing managers prioritizing blog posts will have 15 to 20 times higher returns on investment.

You can create a blogging website. You can cover almost any topic but remember to conduct keyword research on each page of a website, and to include these keywords throughout your article. Blogs generally contain between 250 and 2000 words, depending on the type and the topic you create.

Create a YouTube Channel

Another exciting marketing idea for financial companies is creating a YouTube channel. YouTube hosts nearly two million users worldwide. This is an amazing number you can contact through your bank. Video Marketing remains the main focus of the content marketing landscape. Cisco says video on Internet traffic is estimated to exceed 92% of consumers’ Web visits in 2020. People are incredibly passionate about video games and this trend is not dead yet. A YouTube channel is an open platform for videos.

Work With Influencers

Influencer marketing continues as brands struggle to expand digitally in the face of growing competition. Influencer marketing refers to social media marketing where a company partners with a person whose social influence affects its product or service.

Influencers pay to get endorsements, and brands have exposure to new audiences. There are many benefits to working with influencers, such as: Working with influencers with similar demographics to your own is important. So, there is an increasing number of prospective clients for you.

Invest in local SEO

Search Engine Optimization helps companies rank high in local search engines in the financial sector. Compared to normal SEO, the focus is mainly on local search results. The local packages contain Google Map results boxes on the Google search results page and underpaid advertising atop the Google search results.

This local package pulls out Google’s Business Account information so you need to claim and optimize your GMB account locally.

Leverage Social Media for Your Financial Services Company

Financial services firms have poor reputations in terms of trustworthiness. Try using the following social networking accounts. Approximately 95% of the population thinks brands need Facebook. Social media is one of the best ways to build trust with customers and clients while promoting your financial services business.

Using a good social media profile, potential customers can see how the business works out behind the scenes. You appear to have stepped straight into a Wolf on Wall Street. Social networks help mitigate the risks. Post pictures of your business that captivate a particular audience.

Why do Finance Companies Need Marketing?

The financial industry must create awareness and generate leads to attract new clients. Marketing helps finance firms deliver their message to a targeted audience through the correct channels. A marketing strategy for financial services should work with your offerings and target outreach toward relevant consumer segments or demographics.

At the right time, the right person may take the proper steps and look for your services. Financing firms must think about marketing ideas constantly. Innovative marketing plans are crucial in an enterprise to ensure the success of its business. You should refer to standard practices and regulations in your field as you consider and implement marketing strategies.

Have a Social Media Plan

Make social media planning an important task for any finance company. Brands cannot afford not to be on Facebook or Twitter. Statistics suggest that Americans have a median of 7.1 social networking accounts. When you don’t follow these social networks, there’s no chance for you to engage your audience. Your social profiles should reflect each platform you target your target audience. These platforms are all based on an algorithm for posting and should be considered for each platform.

Create Free Lead Magnets

Using free Lead Magnets on your website is the best way to attract new customers. Lead-Magnetic devices are free or cheaper services that businesses provide for the collection of customer information, which allows follow-up on sales activities. Lead magnets have many advantages in finance marketing initiatives. These people bring in new prospects. You solve their problems.

Conclusion

To conclude, we can say that finance websites struggle a bit more than other websites. Due to the type of content uploaded on finance websites, it isn’t easy to attract customers and clients. Getting published in local newspapers, industry publications, and more is a great way to build brand awareness through financial services marketing. But to make it interesting, certain factors need to be considered. From what we have learned, search engine optimization is a highly essential thing to incorporate in your website development.

Digital Engage is a digital marketing service provider. We provide social media marketing for your website. Our methods and techniques are guaranteed to show results for your website. If you have a financial services website that struggles reach to the audience, then we are the right people to go to. Contact us today!

Many businesses are still struggling to find the right SEO strategy for their business. They often fall back on old SEO myths that may have been true in the past but are no longer relevant in today’s world of search engine optimization. In this blog post, we discuss common myths about SEO and why they need to be put to rest if you want your website to rank higher than your competitors.

With so many new naysayers in the SEO world, it can be difficult to find a good SEO strategy. But you don’t have to take any advice from anyone who tells you that SEO no longer matters or is too complicated for your business’s needs.

You may think there are thousands of search engine optimization strategies and techniques, this might be true to some extent. The fact of the matter is that most of these follow the same basic concepts of SEO and search engine marketing techniques.

SEO Myths That Are Not True At All

You might’ve SEO doesn’t work for every business or maybe search rankings don’t affect your business and the classic, search engines don’t look at your website. These are the myths that SEO consultants are trying to debunk.

Search engines do look at your website, it does matter when you hire SEO consultants and SEO strategies can help any business grow their traffic and make more sales.

Let’s take a look at some SEO myths and debunk them.

SEO Is Too Expensive

The first SEO myth we’re going to debunk is that SEO is too expensive. This one has been floating around for a while, and it’s not necessarily wrong– SEO can be an expensive proposition depending on what your business needs are. However, when you take into account the return on investment (ROI) of SEO services vs the profit you make back on SEO, the price tag starts to look a bit more reasonable.

SEO is an investment in your business that will pay off over time as long as you use SEO services by knowledgeable professionals who know what they’re doing. The majority of SEO work can be done without spending any money at all– if you have content, you can pull of content marketing easily.

SEO Doesn’t Work For My Business

No SEO myth is more pervasive than the idea that SEO doesn’t work for everyone. SEO does not work based on some magical algorithm, but rather it relies on content and quality to rank well in search engines– meaning if your site has poor ranking and low domain authority because of bad content or a lack of user engagement, SEO can’t fix those things.

Many people think SEO is a one-time thing– it’s an ongoing process that requires updates and maintenance. For example, if you’re running Google ads, the search engine will notify you of changes to their algorithm. That means your site can be impacted by something as simple as changing long-tail keywords to short-tail keywords.

Search Engines Don’t Crawl Every Website

It’s of the common SEO myths that SEO can be done on one side and then the search engine will crawl every other website associated with it. Actually, most of the time SEO is applicable to your home page or landing pages only– for example, posting links back to your blog from social media platforms like Facebook should not require SEO.

Search Engines like Google, take a look at the content on your site and then consider how valuable it is to the people who visit. Google has an algorithm that determines what results are shown first in search engine queries based on: relevance, importance, popularity, authority, and trustworthiness of a webpage.

A Search Engine Wouldn’t Rank My Website At All

There are many ways to boost SEO, but most of them can be done without hiring an expert or spending money. For instance, if you have been blogging and link building content back to your website from the blog posts then search engines might see that as important content in which they should rank higher because the links lead directly to quality content.

It is just one of the unrealistic SEO myths that your website wouldn’t rank at all.

Ranking Factor Doesn’t Depend On Content

Another SEO myth is that if the content is SEO optimized, its quality does not matter as a ranking factor. This is not true and there are many SEO experts who have dedicated the past 15 years to prove that content is still king. Duplicate content or poor choice of keywords would depreciate your ranking significantly. You can also improve your existing content by incorporating the right keywords.

It doesn’t matter if you are an eCommerce company or a blog owner, website Google search ranking will depend on your content quality. The search engine algorithm might be able to detect keywords and keyword density in some cases but the users that come on your website care about the quality of your content.

My Competitors Are Doing It, So I Don’t Need To Do It

The SEO myth that many small businesses believe is that if the competitors are doing it, they don’t need to do it. This SEO myth will only hurt your website ranking in the long run because you won’t is able to compete with other competing pages on search engine result pages. You can improve rankings by just copying your top competitors and organic traffic will start flowing to your website as well.

User experience and browsing experience are what make a difference here, if your website is based on the right keyword phrases and delivers a punch in the content, you can beat your competition in organic rankings.

SEO is a Short-Term Strategy

Many SEO myths about SEO are that it’s a short-term strategy. The truth is that with content marketing, SEO can be long-term because you’ll have blog posts to continue SEO efforts over time.

You can also use link building to get more traffic, and techniques like content marketing to grow your traffic.

SEO Is Too Complicated For Me

Another myth about SEO is that it’s too complicated. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and SEO in itself can be very simple. If you have content marketing strategies already set up with SEO tactics integrated into your content, then SEO will not feel like a daunting task

The best way to get started is to hire an expert SEO agency or consultant.

Already have an SEO expert? Great! Keep them close and call on their expertise for any questions or problems you may encounter with your SEO efforts. You shouldn’t be doing SEO by yourself, so use all the resources available to give yourself a fighting chance in this competitive space.

What Should You Keep In Mind While Hiring An SEO Expert?

You cannot just hire an SEO expert without putting him through some filters. Some of them are:

-Be mindful of the person’s level of expertise and what they offer

-It is best if you are able to meet with your SEO expert in person before hiring them

-Ask for references from past clients or work portfolios. Make sure that their SEO tactics align with your content marketing goals

The benefits that come along when an SEO expert is hired:

-Improves your search engine rankings and organic search rankings

-Increases organic traffic to your website

-Builds links from other websites to yours. Links contribute towards SEO ranking in the SERPs (search engine results page) and are a valuable commodity for every business that has an online presence.

See, SEO isn’t so complicated or hard. The SEO myths that are keeping you from growing your business can easily be debunked with a few simple moves.

Some Final Thoughts

SEO consultants are debunking the myths that have been around for years about what SEO really is. They’re trying to educate business owners on how search engine optimization can help them reach a wider audience and increase sales in their online store. If you want more information, contact digital engage today! We’ll give you all the tips and tricks so your website stands out from competitors’. Don’t let any of these myths keep you from exploring one of the best marketing tools available to small businesses like yours.

Contact us at Digital Engage now if you’d like some advice on which strategies will work best for your company

Many business owners ask how to hire social media managers and how to do social media management. Others want to know how they can get their team members (inside or outsource) to manage social media properly. These are good questions, for sure, but how many of these companies have really thought through how exactly they should communicate with their audiences? Social media is more than just publishing posts on social media platforms. It is how you engage with your audience.

Social media platforms are one of the most visited websites online, with hundreds of thousands of people visiting them daily on a regular basis. More and more businesses are using social media as a way to communicate with their target audiences. This is how you use social media for marketing.

How to Do Social Media Management the Right Way?  

“Over 60% of people will unfollow a brand on social media when they see too many promotional updates from said brands.”

The key is to remember that social media is not just a place where you push out content. It’s also a place to chat, discuss and interact with your target audience.

Social research has shown that only 27% of marketers are doing social media marketing the right way, while 35% of marketers are using social media incorrectly. The highest percentage of businesses that are using it correctly are those that focus on social listening and responding.

Understand the Platform

In order to make social media marketing work for your business, you need to understand each platform.

Twitter is a fast-paced environment that’s best suited to brief, snappy updates. Whereas Facebook allows you more time and space to build longer (but still concise) posts or topics of discussion. Instagram and Pinterest are platforms that focus on Lifestyle and photos mostly, so you can get creative with the content you share.

Be Professional

As social media becomes more of a staple and permanent part of our marketing, it’s important to remember that we’re in the public domain on these networks. So be sure to use your profile as professionally as possible.

Direct Traffic towards Your Site

Hosting an event or a poll, or maybe trying a give-away for the first time? Be sure to include a link to your website, so people can participate and are instantly directed towards the page they’re looking for.

Create a Social Media Plan or Social Media Strategy

Managing social media every day can be a lot of work. So, create a social media plan that you can stick to, with things set in stone so nothing falls through the cracks and nobody’s left behind. This ensures that you cover every social media platform, all social media accounts, and all social media channels.

Ask yourself the following questions:

– To how many social media platforms am I going to publish content?

– What kind(s) of content am I going to post on each platform?

– What are the goals for posting content to each social media platform?

Use Social Media Management Tools

There’s a lot of work to be done managing social media, and there are tools that will make it so much easier. You can use social media management tools to schedule your posts or tweets in advance, create polls and quizzes, tag other accounts or manage all your social accounts from one dashboard.

Use Specific Hashtags & Links

Using relevant tags and hashtags in your social media content and social media posts can really make a difference in the number of people who see it. For example, if your business sells swimsuits and you post on social media about how to care for your suit properly, those hashtags can really help to reach people who are genuinely interested in that piece of content!

Measure Results

Once you’ve been putting out content for a while and interacting with customers, use social media analytics to take a look at how many people your posts are reaching. You can then use the analytics to figure out what kind of content people respond to, which will allow you to tailor your social media marketing strategy better!

Manage Your Time Wisely

If you want actively work on your social media marketing strategy, you’re going to have to carve out time in your schedule. There are a lot of different elements that go into social media management and it can be easy to make excuses for why something “wasn’t important” or “could wait.” Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you don’t need to devote any time to your social media management platform.

Be Consistent & Post Regularly

All social networks require you to post at least once every two or three days and some even require more than that. If you only post when you have something to say or share, your social media marketing strategy is doomed to fail.

Facebook will stop showing your posts if don’t post regularly and so will Instagram. Just link your old content like your blog posts if you don’t have anything new to post.

Make Sure Everything Is Relevant

If there’s one thing most social media users hate, it’s irrelevant posts on their social media networks. Only post about your products and services, with casual posts about the latest trends in your industry. Use social media as a tool to do customer support and lead generation.

All your marketing efforts will be in vain if you are not relevant to your content. Take the time to find out what your customers want and see how you can cater to their specific needs.

Know Which Social Media Network Is Best Suited For Your Business

It’s a myth that using all social media networks will benefit you in the long run. Pick one or two networks where you can really capture different audiences that truly belong to your niche. Effective social media content marketing can really up your game here.

Don’t post too often

Your social media accounts will lose their appeal if you are posting useless stuff all the time. Schedule your posts to maintain a reader-friendly tempo, and always come up with new content. People want variety; so provide it for them!

Pay Attention to What Other People Say About You Online

To be a trendsetter on social media, you should be aware of what is being said in various social forums about your brand, products, or services. This way you can use that information to your advantage by replying appropriately or even putting out a helpful comment using relevant keywords.

Don’t Tweet Personal Opinions When Promoting Your Business

Social media is not just another place where one can throw his/her personal thoughts without any repercussions. You need to be very careful while distributing information about your business – especially if you are the social media manager. You need to keep your personal and professional life separate at all times when it comes to social media. If you don’t want people getting angry with you, do not discuss personal opinions or beliefs on public forums such as Twitter unless they benefit your business in some way.

Provide Exquisite Content for Regular Users of Social Media

It is said that a person’s first impression lasts for 7 seconds, so you should make sure that whatever he/she sees during those few seconds is worthwhile and makes an impact. You can make this happen by providing quality content regularly via social media platforms. A lot of people have already been using social media sites like Facebook. Make a content calendar if you don’t have time to really go at it every day.

You can automate some of your activities, such as posting and tweeting at a regular interval.

Respect the Privacy of Social Media Users

As social media marketing becomes more popular among businesses today, an increasing number of people already know how to use it as a tool for getting themselves recognized by more potential clients. But be careful about sharing private information or photos which you don’t want to be shared publicly because this might just end up hurting your business instead.

Also, recognize that there are rules in social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter) that are set forth by the owners and administrators so you have to follow those rules if you want to successfully promote yourself on these platforms.

Get Easy Access to Other Social Networks

If your website relies on traffic then you must have social networks like Twitter and Facebook for easier access to your fans and followers. And keep in mind that if you are a blogger, just posting on your blog is not enough when it comes to increasing traffic because you have to engage with other people online as well for them to visit your website.

Get Social Advice from Websites & Experts

If you plan on doing social media marketing the right way, then you must also consider seeking advice from those who know what they’re talking about since this is something that still requires effort and time. For instance, if you need help with using social media effectively for branding purposes, seek out a professional who knows how it works (i.e SEO) so he or she can assist you in building a strong.

Hire a Social Media Expert

The best social media management experts are knowledgeable when it comes to social media as a whole. Since this is something that requires skill, proficiency, and effort, you have to look for someone who can do the job right

Time frame

The main thing about social media management is that you can do it around your schedule. In fact, one way of doing it is by using social media scheduling services which let you automate content posting across all your social accounts. This lets you generate more shares, likes, and traffic with less time spent managing your online reputation.

If you’re confused about how to effectively use social media management for business purposes, simply refer back to these tips so that nothing goes wrong. The last thing anyone wants or needs nowadays when it comes to their digital marketing efforts, in general, is not getting results because of a small mistake.

Conclusion

Social media is a powerful marketing tool that can be used to engage with your target audience. The key is understanding how it’s done, so you don’t get bogged down in the technical aspects of social media platforms. Let our team at digital engage help you create and manage an effective social media strategy using all the latest tools for success!

Contact us at Digital Engage today to learn more or request a quote.

Choosing the right web hosting service for your company can be a difficult task. There are many things to consider when trying to make a decision, such as: what type of website you have, how much traffic it gets, and which features you need from your host. In this article, we will explore the different types of web hosting services available today and explain some important considerations that should help with your decision-making process.

If you fail to choose the right web hosting service, you may find yourself facing some of these possible consequences:

-Delays in loading times for the website and/or blog posts. This can be frustrating for visitors who will become impatient with your site, which could lead to reduced customer conversions

-If only limited features are available on your site. If you decide not to upgrade, then this can cause serious problems in the future.

What Is A Website Hosting Service?

A website hosting service is a type of web hosting that allows users to create and upload websites. One can also use this for personal blogs or other types of content. The most common services available today are shared, VPS, managed WP (WordPress) Hosting with the latter being our recommended option because it offers more security and protection against attacks as well as all-inclusive features such as

• email management
• virtual private servers
• email hosting
• file storage space (depending on package),
• data centers
• phone support
• live chat
• cloud hosting
• website builder
• control panel
• Server resources

The downside of these options is that they’re usually pricier than shared hosting services but they do offer much better performance, reliability, and scalability in general which may be worth paying for depending on your needs.

Some web hosting providers focus solely on one type while others have many different hosting plans to offer, so you need to choose the one that works best for you.

Different Types of Web Hosting Services Out There

There are many different types of web hosting services available to businesses, and you need to do your research before committing.

Shared Web Hosting:

Shared hosting is the most common type of web host available on the market today. It’s essentially a service that allocates different websites or domains onto one server which means there are fewer costs for each business but it also may not offer enough resources if more than one site becomes popular at once because they share bandwidth and servers space among them all. They can become slow at peak times and may overload with too much traffic.

Dedicated Hosting:

This is the opposite of shared hosting, so one company only uses a single server for everything on their site which means there are no worries about having enough resources to manage all your content but it also carries the most expensive price tag out of all web host services available today. It’s typically not recommended because you might be paying more than you need to if you can get by on just shared hosting or vice versa.

VPS Hosting:

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server, which means that each business has access to an entire operating system as well as allocated memory space separate from other companies sharing the same hardware resource like in shared hosting. A Virtual Private Server helps in keeping a steady, dedicated, and streamlined performance.

How to Choose the Best Web Hosting Services?

There are many web hosting providers out there with different hosting features, but just like any other business, you need to make sure that the web host is reputable and reliable. Your IT services and business hosting depend on the type of hosting you choose, so it is really important to carefully pick the one that works best for your business. Your first step should be to do some research about your potential hosting service. Find out what people are saying about it on review sites like Yelp or Google Reviews because they can offer a more objective opinion than someone who may have an agenda for their own company.

Ask Around

You could also ask friends or family members if they’ve used any hosting options in the past – recommendations from folks you know will carry a lot of weight when choosing which web hosting provider to go with. You need to be able to trust the hosting provider you’re entrusting your business with and feel confident that they’ll be there for you when you need them.

If it’s not a popular web hosting service, find out what other businesses are using their services. Even if you don’t know anyone who has used them in person, look at testimonials on their site or those of competitors’ sites.

One thing to keep in mind is how much space your website would take upon their servers; shared hosting packages come with different amounts of disk storage and bandwidth so make sure to choose one that fits the needs of your business (or start small). You should also pay attention to whether they offer email – some providers charge by domain while others have pricing packages and hosting plans.

Some Benefits of Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting can get you many perks such as higher amounts of disk space and bandwidth, more control over your site’s resource usage, the ability to customize the software on your server.

Some other benefits of dedicated server hosting:

• Easily manage the availability and performance of the server.
• SSL Certificate keeps your website safe
• Get less downtime with dedicated hosting because there is no overload on a shared server.
• Dedicated servers are more secure and faster than traditional shared hosting because all resources are allocated to your website/application.
• A stable infrastructure will give you peace of mind that operations won’t be disrupted by other clients.
• They have a 99.9 uptime guarantee.
• They will help make sure your site is working smoothly.
• All the hardware has been vetted by the best security specialists
• Around the clock Customer support from the support team

Pros & Cons of a Web Hosting Service

In the world of IT, the decision of which web hosting service to use for your business can be a major undertaking. There are many factors to consider such as:

Pros

• Your website is always online
• Don’t let your server go down and shut you out of making a sale or connecting with clients
• Dedicated servers guarantee uptime which means more revenue for your business

Cons

• Might not be affordable for low revenue-generating businesses

• unmetered bandwidth costs a lot
• Outsourcing means depending on external factors

Things to Consider Before Hiring Web Hosting Companies

There are many different factors that need to be considered when choosing which web hosting service is the best fit for your business. We have listed some of these below:

Your Budget

If you’re on a tight budget but still want reliable uptime then shared servers might be able to meet both needs at once. However, if you don’t plan on making too many sales or connecting with clients through email then maybe it’s worth considering outsourcing instead in order to save money.

What Will Your Website Do?

Depending on what type of content your website has this could alter whether or not unmetered bandwidth would benefit you more than a limited bandwidth plan. If your site is heavy on audio or video content then you might want to go with a plan that offers unmetered bandwidth.

What Type Of Web Hosting Do You Need?

Do you have enough technical knowledge in order to manage the server and software by yourself, or will this be something that requires hiring someone else for assistance? If so, then maybe it’s worth considering managed services instead of unmanaged ones.

You can’t always afford to hire an IT company when things get complicated. Sometimes it’s better just do what needs to be done ourselves – but we don’t all know how to! That’s why we’re looking at different ways people are handling their web hosts; shared servers vs outsourcing, unlimited bandwidth vs limited bandwidth plans, and more.

Conclusion

Choosing the right kind of web hosting company is crucial for the future of your digital well-being. For many, it’s not just a matter of choosing between price and performance—it’s also about which host will best serve their needs going forward.

If you find yourself struggling to decide what services are essential or desirable, Digital Engage can help point you in the right direction with our years of experience and award-winning services. We know how hard it can be to choose when there are so many options available today. Contact us today by filling out a short form on our homepage and we’ll get back to you soon.

The year 2020 saw much disruption and transformative change. It may be decades before we truly understand how the many challenges of 2020 have affected technology, culture, and society.
And 2021 is a year of reaction to those changes, either as a counterweight against them or consolidation of emerging trends. Any business that hopes to survive into 2022 and beyond must consider the impact of these changes on its brand, consumer base, and marketing strategy.

The digital world has been at the forefront of many of this year’s most fundamental changes, from the proliferation of zoom meetings to the rising tide of social media activism. Let’s review how these changes have affected digital marketing trends in 2021.

Trend 1: The Remote Workplace Becomes a Long-Term Feature of the Digital Marketing Landscape

Many companies in nearly every sector of the economy have had to transition to remote work wherever possible during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the cause of this work variation hopefully remains a short-term phenomenon, it triggered changes in social norms, employee expectations, and workplace infrastructure that likely will outlast the COVID-19 restrictions.

Employees, particularly those without childcare obligations, who have become used to avoiding the daily commute, may reluctantly return to the office full time. Employers who have invested time and money in remote workplace infrastructure might choose not to abandon these options if they increase flexibility and cut costs.
Products and services that meet the needs of remote workers, freelancers, and others are likely to be in high demand in 2021. Marketing channels that reach remote workers will become vital for marketing efforts.

Trend 2: Cybersecurity and Information Security

Several confluent events give rise to a growing trend for cybersecurity as a consumer need and a practical challenge for marketers in 2021. First, the recent ransomware attack on the Colonial oil pipeline, coupled with other high-profile ransomware and hacking attacks on municipalities, hospitals, and businesses, has raised awareness of the dangers of cybercrime. The shift toward remote retail activity and remote work has left more and more consumers dependent on their internet connection for their finances and livelihoods.

Digital marketers have an opportunity to meet this pressing need by providing a sense of security. Businesses that offer products through e-commerce rely on consumers to trust them to securely handle their online data. Consumers will expect companies to restore their sense of control and safety, which faced threats on several fronts in 2020.

Trend 3: Marketing and Personal Connections

As a corollary to the trend toward remote working, consumers today long for personal connection. Even if they depend on digitally mediated communication for many aspects of their daily lives, they still want to feel close to friends and family members, seeking a sense of closeness and belonging.

For some consumers, family gatherings and family milestones act as this connection. Others might find kinship in social activism, whether face-to-face or in the digital sphere. Products and marketing initiatives must foster a sense of togetherness to resonate strongly with today’s consumers.

However, not leaning so heavily on belonging as a marketing theme out of respect for those who have lost loved ones to COVID should drive a firm’s decisions. Marketers will seek a balance, promoting personal bonds without putting pressure on those who still feel isolated.

Trend 4: The Many Faces of the New Normal

As people look forward to 2021, they also look back to 2019. Consumers will take a retrospective outlook as they reflect on what they have lost and what they want most to regain. Some consumers may reject social norms from the pre-COVID era, continuing to social distance or wear masks in some situations. Others will seek a wholesale return to a bygone era.

This backward look will be highly segmented and divided along social and political lines. An effective digital marketing strategy in 2021 requires a clear and rich understanding of what the consumers want, even if they don’t understand it themselves.

If we can turn even further back to the movie Citizen Kane, everyone has their pre-COVID rosebuds. This year, the marketing challenge must focus on finding those rosebuds and letting them bloom.

Although the digital landscape of 2021 remains undeniably complex, you don’t have to navigate it without help. Digital Engage, a digital marketing firm based in Tennessee, offers web design, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media management. Call (615) 997-0736 for a consultation today.

If you want to start a business or branch out from traditional marketing to digital marketing, you might wonder why it is so important to post relevant and engaging content on your website. After all, you might think, people, visit my website to learn about buying my product. Can’t I just put an informative blurb about my product on the website and rely on advertising to draw in customers?

Traditional product-centered advertising can still work in the modern world, particularly for established brands that already have a following. However, consumers have become increasingly savvy about recognizing the methods marketers use—and often no longer fall for them. Unless a potential customer already plans to purchase what you’re selling, they might tune you out before you even get to your pitch.

Good content in blogs, email newsletters, or other digital formats can change that dynamic and lead them to seek you out instead of deciding to ignore you. The new conventional wisdom says that only 20% of your marketing effort should include a pitch for the product or service. The rest should provide information for the consumer’s benefit—to inform, entertain, and engage. Let’s review four reasons why this content will pay off, even if it has little to do with what you’re selling.

Good Content Is What Your Customers Want

Consumers aren’t the captive audience they were fifty years ago. They have constant streams of media content at their fingertips. They do not—and will not—spend their valuable time reading boring sales-oriented advertising copy. Engaging content, such as tips, quizzes, opinion pieces, or even humor consistent with your brand, gives consumers a reason to gravitate toward your site. Once there, they’ll likely become more receptive to the occasional sales pitch.

Good Content Defines the Brand Beyond a Sales Context

What does your company stand for? If your company only focuses on selling products, it will be more challenging to get consumers to relate to your brand. They don’t spend every waking moment selling products, and they wouldn’t hang out with someone who did. Good content makes your brand about more than the product.
If your business is a law firm, educate your audience about the law in an approachable way. If you run a lawn care company, write helpful articles on landscaping, outdoor family gatherings, or anything else to help your audience enjoy their lawns. Content turns your brand from a salesperson into a mentor or a friend. Companies can also connect with potential buyers by sharing their commitment to popular causes and charities, such as the environment or cancer awareness.

Good Content Generates Buzz and Free Exposure

When people see good content, they want to share it and talk about it. Consider, for example, all those insurance ads on TV, the ones with strange mascots and weird antics. They often don’t have much to do with the product, but they entertain. Consider a lawn care company that holds a contest in the community to reward the best holiday lawn decorations or a cookware company that showcases their customer’s best recipes. If you put content on your site that people want, they will share it, and in the internet age, that can give you word-of-mouth advertising in places that your conventional marketing won’t reach.

Good Content Provides a Buffer Against Negative Publicity

Bad things happen to companies every so often. An executive might resign amid a cloud of scandal. A product might face a delay or a recall. In hard times, layoffs and cuts to services might shake customer loyalty. If your website focuses only on selling products, it sends a clear message. “We only care about selling products.” Web content for the benefit of your consumers shows them that they matter, even if they’re not buying anything at the moment. Web content praising your employees and helping their professional development shows that you care about your workplace. Of course, you can still be a caring, dedicated business owner without web content, but the content you provide goes a long way toward showing your customers who you are and what you value.

Digital Engage is a comprehensive, professional digital marketing firm based in Tennessee. We excel in web design and reputation management. Let us explore your brand image and core values with you and discover ways to convey your brand identity through your website and social media. Call (615) 997-0736 for a consultation today.

Websites are more than just pretty pictures; they’re excellent marketing tools designed with one goal in mind: getting customers interested enough in what you have to offer to purchase your goods and/or services.

An effective web presence can help you get new customers while keeping existing ones happy. Here are elements that will help set your website apart from competitors.

1. Lots of White Space

If you want your website to be light and easy on the eyes, make sure that it isn’t full of blocks or dense text. Instead, use white space by putting in more graphics than words to provide users with an optimal reading experience.

Lots of white space also means less scrolling, leading visitors directly back into conversion mode because they’ll see everything as soon as they land on your site without having to click around longer than they need to.

2. Content Writing

Content is king, so make sure you include as much valuable information on your website as possible. Include industry-specific content aside from general topics such as how-to guides or educational articles.
The more knowledge your potential customers acquire from your site means more opportunities for future sales.

You could also carry out thorough market research to identify and find terminologies or words used by the target audience to search for specific services or products.

This is important because it helps build a customer base that resonates with your product or service while also attracting new ones.

3. Elegant and Responsive Design

An attractive design is essential if you want to make your site stand out and grab attention. It doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive but it should look good on all devices so that people can find what they’re looking for on whichever device they’re using.

You’ll also want to make sure your site is responsive so that it’s easily accessible. This will also increase the likelihood of being found in search engine results.

4. Speed Optimization

Don’t overlook the importance of optimizing for speed. This makes your site faster and more reliable for everyone who visits it. To make sure your website is fully optimized for speed, here are a few tips:

• Make sure images are optimized for easy loading
• Minimize the number of requests to reduce latency
• Reduce the number of plugins
• Choose a CDN provider (this can be improved by using caching)
• Reduce the use of web fonts

5. Web Design and Layout

A web design featuring a navigation system with intuitive links will help customers easily navigate your website without getting lost or frustrated. You may also consider adding drop-down menus in addition to traditional top-level menus for increased usability and ease of access while browsing.

The navigation system will help with that, but you’ll also want to include a search bar at the top or side of your site so customers can quickly locate their desired information and products.

If there are any questions about where something might be located on your site, try adding navigational links such as an FAQ or “Helpful Hints” section.

Additionally, the layout of your site is a crucial element in how easily visitors can navigate your website. Ensure that you have an organized layout that makes sense to your customers and allows them to find what they’re looking for quickly and efficiently.

6. A Good Call to Action

Getting prospective customers to do what you want them to do can be like herding cats. It’s not easy, but it can be done. One important way to get your visitors to take the desired action is by adding a call-to-action button to help them take initiative.

7. Images

Did you know that images on your website do more than just make your design look good? Images are an important part of the conversion process and can help you convince someone to sign up for a newsletter, purchase your product or service, and more.

Here are some further reasons why you need to use more images on your website:

• They bring your content to life
• More clicks and views
• Fuel social media
• Higher search rankings

8. Testimonials

Testimonials work well in boosting credibility and reputation on any website. They are a great way to build trust with your visitors and show prospective customers how other people feel about the product or service you offer.

Testimonials are also important when you want people to feel confident about purchasing from you online. This gives them something real that they can rely on instead of just choosing randomly off the internet.

Ready to be ahead of the pack? Call Digital Engage today at (423) 397-2467 for a professional web design that will skyrocket your business.

When going through the buying cycle, customers do extensive research to ensure their purchase makes financial, logical, and emotional sense. The more time and money customers invest in your product or service, the more likely they are to research your business’s reputation and weigh it against that of your competitors.

Searching social media posts and browsing consumer sites with reviews are often a significant component of your potential customer’s research strategy. If your business has bad press or poor reviews, consumers will find it, and you will lose them to your competitors.

By implementing the online reputation management strategies below, you can build a positive brand image and ensure proper business representation.

Understand Your Audience

Interacting with your target audience is integral to online reputation management. Consequently, a thorough understanding of your followers and their needs and frame of mind are critical to ensure you use the correct tone, promoting optimal engagement.

For example, a daycare center’s brand voicing should be friendly, empathetic, and comforting, while a tax attorney’s tone should be informational, authoritative, and professional.

Build a Positive Image

Focusing on what you can control goes a long way towards effective reputation management. Building a positive image starts with your website and social media platforms, and it requires active ongoing management. This strategy involves the following:

• Verifying that the contact details on your website and Google My Business listing are correct
• Making your website user-friendly, with fast loading speeds and easy navigation
• Posting valuable, relevant, and authoritative content on your blog and social media platforms regularly
• Creating white papers to help readers make decisions or understand complex issues
• Adding positive testimonials from satisfied customers to your home page

Being active on social media and responding to comments, questions, and messages will promote engagement with your followers and build a positive brand image.

Cultivate Transparency

Businesses often make the mistake of trying to prevent negative comments at all costs. If you are not open to criticism and feedback, you may fall out of touch with your audience’s needs.

However, by being transparent, you establish open communication as a platform for building trust. Your followers may also view your willingness to learn from mistakes as a competitive advantage. Cultivate transparency by asking customers for feedback and addressing criticism publicly.

Provide dissatisfied customers access to a one-on-one communication channel where they can air their grievances. Doing so allows the opportunity to convert a potentially harmful public review into a positive one.

Monitor the Web for Brand Mentions

When someone posts a review on a consumer site, social media platform, or public forum, you must respond as soon as possible. However, scrolling through all platforms is time-consuming, and you will likely miss brand mentions. A tool for tracking brand mentions will notify you immediately when someone mentions your business online.

Responding to a negative review allows you to show that you care about your customers, and you should always be courteous, helpful, and professional. Never try to outwit a complaining customer or respond sarcastically. If a complaint is frivolous or overly critical, others will see it for what it is, and it won’t reflect negatively on your business.
Discredit Your Attackers
Being transparent doesn’t mean you have to put up with unlawful behavior or malignant online attacks against your business. If someone posts false information online, file a criminal charge or civil suit against them and do so publicly.

Discredit Your Attackers

Being transparent doesn’t mean you have to put up with unlawful behavior or malignant online attacks against your business. If someone posts false information online, file a criminal charge or civil suit against them and do so publicly.

Focus on Search Engine Optimization

If you have an optimized Google My Business listing, user-friendly website, and content-rich blog, you put your best foot forward where it matters most.

Almost all potential customers who want to learn more about your business’s reputation will do a Google search. With proper search engine optimization, you increase your control over the top search engine results, pushing bad publicity down and out of sight.

Search engines such as Google have highly sophisticated algorithms, which they use to select the most relevant results for their searchers’ queries. However, the relevance and usefulness of your web content are not the only factors search engines consider. Your website should also be easy to navigate with fast loading speeds.

Contact Digital Engage

A sound online reputation management strategy is critical to mitigate the consequences of bad press or negative reviews and ensure sustainable business growth. At Digital Engage, we can provide you with reputation management solutions as a comprehensive service package. Call us today at (423) 397-2467 to schedule an initial consultation and start managing your brand image.