406 Marketing & Design

Elements for Brand Clarity: Defining and Enhancing Your Brand Identity

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:18:58 GMT

Elements for Brand Clarity: Defining and Enhancing Your Brand Identity

In today's competitive business landscape, clarity in brand identity is essential for any organization wishing to stand out and make a lasting impact. Whether you refer to it as a brand script, brand identity, or story brand, what matters most is having a clearly defined message that encapsulates who your business is at a high level. Here are the key elements you need to define to ensure brand clarity for your organization.

Why You Exist

The foundational element of any brand identity is understanding and articulating why your business exists . This is your purpose, cause, or passion—something that goes beyond mere profit. This cause should inspire both your team and your customers, fostering a sense of higher purpose and commitment. It motivates your employees to get out of bed every morning and come to work with enthusiasm, aiming to make a positive difference in the world.

Your One-Liner

Next, you need a clear and concise one-liner that defines your unique selling proposition . This statement should succinctly communicate what you do, the problems you solve, the services you offer, and the benefits you provide to your customers. This one-liner will be instrumental across your website, sales pitches, and marketing materials, making clarity and brevity critical.

How You Operate

Clarifying how your business operates involves defining your core values and guiding principles . These values should reflect the qualities and behaviors you seek in your employees and serve as the standards to which you hold them accountable. Clearly defining these elements is crucial in driving your company culture and ensuring consistency in behavior and decision-making.

Your Uniques

Your uniques are the combination of factors that set your business apart from competitors . These are not just what you do but other specific attributes that distinguish your business. Even if one of these factors alone is not unique, the combination of three or four elements is what makes you stand out. Staying aligned with these uniques is essential to maintaining your brand authenticity and making strategic decisions that further your goals without diluting your brand.

What You Offer

This is straightforward: define the products or services you provide . Be clear and upfront about what your business offers, ensuring there is no ambiguity.

Your Credibility And Authority

Establishing credibility and authority within your industry is vital to building trust with your customers. Highlight your experience, share statistics that prove your expertise, feature referrals and reviews, and showcase portfolios of your work. All these elements demonstrate your capability and reliability, making customers more likely to trust you.

Your Ideal Customer

Identifying your ideal customer is crucial because not everyone will align with your core values and uniques. By understanding who the right customers are, you can better attract them and steer away from customers who may not be a good fit , saving time and resources.

Proven Process

Define your proven process to ensure that your ideal customer will have a great experience. This means establishing and following procedures that consistently fulfill your promises . Clarifying and adhering to these processes builds your credibility and ensures that your customers’ experiences match their expectations.

Call To Action

Understand what the first step your customer needs to take to engage your services . This could be scheduling an estimate, buying a product, or signing up for a class. Clearly define this step to streamline the customer journey from their first interaction to ongoing engagement.

Negative Results And Great Experiences

Lastly, identify and communicate the negative results customers might face if they choose a competitor over you. While this doesn’t need to be broadcasted loudly, understanding and subtly communicating these potential pitfalls can persuade customers of the value you provide. Additionally, promise and describe the great experiences they will have when working with you . When what you say aligns with what you do, it builds trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships.

By defining these key elements, your brand will gain the clarity it needs to stand out in a crowded marketplace, build stronger connections with your customers, and sustain long-term growth.

7 Reasons Why Your Business Should Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:47:04 GMT

When you’re trying to get your small business off the ground, there are so many different avenues you can go down. It can be tricky to figure out which options are the best for you.

You might have heard by now that curating a strong social media presence is an important part of establishing a business these days. And that’s definitely true! But, there’s nothing quite like search engine optimization (SEO) to boost your profile and get your business noticed in a crowded online space.

Why is SEO important, and how does it contribute to online success?

SEO makes it easier for potential customers to find your business online so you can finally start to stand out against even your biggest competitors. In fact, businesses that have invested in a solid SEO strategy can see an ROI of up to 200% on their efforts.

Not bad, right? Let’s get a little deeper into how exactly SEO benefits your business and why you need to invest in an SEO strategy, whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been in the game for a while.

Understanding the importance of SEO for business: 7 key factors

1. Increases website traffic

SEO helps your company’s website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), boosting organic search traffic to your site.

But what does this mean, exactly?

Basically, an optimized website cooperates with search engine algorithms, improving your chances of appearing on the first page of Google search. This increases the odds that a wider audience will organically discover your business online.

Organic traffic refers to website visitors who find you when researching your products or services, as opposed to intentionally searching for your site in the first place. And with 73% of clicks coming from organic searches , that’s a pretty valuable position to be in!

2. Improves Brand Visibility

When your website ranks better on search results pages , you’re naturally going to get more eyes on your business.

Getting your brand to a point where it’s super-visible online is no easy task. It’s an ongoing process that depends on a strategic approach to SEO.

With brand visibility comes brand credibility. Don’t overlook the benefits of climbing the ranks of search engine results – it may just lead to cracking your target market and getting the recognition you deserve from your dream customers!

3. Highly Cost-Effective

SEO is an ongoing investment. It takes continual maintenance and attention to make the most of your SEO efforts and keep your website performing as well as possible.

That said, it’s a much more cost-effective solution than paid advertising.

With PPC (pay-per-click) advertising , the host takes a cut of every hit you receive – it’s all there in the name!

But when you receive clicks and website traffic from your SEO efforts, you don’t have to pay a thing. You invest in the professional SEO services (which we can help you with!), and then reap all the rewards for yourself.

4. Enhances User Experience

Website optimization not only helps your website perform better on search engines, but it also boosts its overall performance.

Search engines favor websites with fresh, up-to-date content – and so does your audience!

On page SEO and off page SEO both streamline website functionality like loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and site navigation – all of which play a crucial role in end-user experience.

When 88% of online users are unlikely to revisit a website after a negative experience , it’s clear that user experience has a huge impact on your success.

5. Helps You Outrank Competition

As your search engine rankings gradually start to climb, your small business can start to compete with heavy hitters in your niche.

To get an extra edge of advantage, get super specific with your content to target your audience directly.

By performing keyword research for local SEO , you can identify the main words and phrases your target audience is using to search for your products or services online.

Pinpointing these local keywords is a great way to zero in on your niche and appeal to their search habits in those moments when they need you most.

6. Encourages Long-Term Business Growth

While everyone else is trying to go viral on social media, you can focus on growing your business in a more realistic and sustainable way.

Sure, social media is important. But if it doesn’t feel authentic to your brand personality, jumping on bandwagons and trying to keep up with what’s trending can damage the integrity of your business.

Instead, SEO allows you to invest in your future and grow at a sustainable rate so you can focus on consistent output of quality content.

Going viral is not a sustainable business plan. SEO is an important part of your long-term business strategy, boosting visibility in a sustainable way, and reflecting the growth of your business as you progress and expand.

7. Influences The Buying Cycle

SEO plays a critical role in influencing your audience’s buying cycle when they’re researching solutions and considering a purchase.

When your business appears on their search engine results page in those crucial moments, you not only increase your chances of making a sale simply by being present, but also by reinforcing brand recognition.

Keeping your website content optimized for targeted keywords and local SEO helps you guide potential customers through the buying process, encouraging the kind of trust that’s fundamental to brand loyalty.

Optimize your website for search engines and find your SEO success with 406 Marketing

At 406 Marketing, we help small business owners create a sophisticated online presence, attract their dream local customers, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

Let us take the stress out of your digital marketing efforts with expert website design , local SEO , website support , Google ads , and everything in between.

Reach out , and let’s get the conversation started!

How To Check If My Website Is SEO Friendly: A Basic Guide

Wed, 15 May 2024 21:32:50 GMT

How TO Check If My Website Is SEO Friendly: A Basic Guide

These days it can be extremely difficult to get discovered online by your ideal customers.

With so many competitors out there, all sharing the same online space, getting your business noticed in a crowded market can be a real challenge – especially when you’re running a small business.

In fact, the main source of traffic for all websites is organic , meaning most people find websites by looking up products and services on search engines. So, if your website isn’t search engine friendly, you’re at a major disadvantage.

But what exactly does it mean to have an SEO friendly site? And how do you go about making sure yours is up to scratch?

Let’s get right into it.

Understanding the importance of SEO friendly websites

1. Increases online visibility in a sustainable way

SEO friendly websites are much more likely to rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs), meaning online users don’t have to scroll down as far to find your website.

This increased ranking allows for improved online visibility for your business, taking the hassle out of discovering your website for potential customers. As a result, your website receives more organic traffic, increased engagement, and ultimately more conversions of website visitors into loyal customers.

Focusing on growing your organic reach rather than paid advertising is a much more sustainable way to set your business up for long-term success. Ads might see a spike in your website hits, but SEO steadily improves your search engine rankings over time to help properly establish your business online.

2. Improves User Experience

If you want to avoid losing visitors within the first few seconds, user experience is absolutely everything.

Search engines prioritize websites that offer a positive user experience. SEO friendly websites provide a better end-user experience by having:

Faster loading speeds
Mobile responsiveness
Seamless navigation
Intuitive content

Optimizing your website for SEO not only makes it more accessible for search engines, but for visitors and potential customers, too.

3. Increases customer trust and brand recognition

A huge part of establishing your small business online is earning the trust of your target audience. This is especially true today, when it’s getting increasingly difficult to know which sources you can trust online.

Websites that appear on the first page of Google search results are perceived as legitimate and reliable by consumers. And with 91% of customers feeling happy to buy from a brand once they realize they can trust them , your search rankings have a direct impact on your ability to do business.

Building brand recognition is an essential part of your small business’s ability to compete with the heavy-hitters in your industry. Establishing and maintaining an SEO friendly website keeps you visible on search engine results pages, generating that sense of trust online and ensuring you’re part of the conversation within your niche.

4. Saves Money On Digital Marketing

To make sure your website is truly SEO friendly, you first need to invest a bit of time and resources into getting it right. After that, it requires ongoing attention, analysis, and maintenance to keep it that way.

So, you might be wondering if it’s a worthwhile investment.

The answer is 100% yes! The benefits of investing in SEO far outweigh the costs.

Unlike paid advertising, SEO is a long-term solution, designed for sustainable results that continuously benefit your business over time. With regular tweaks and updates, your SEO efforts can continue to boost your business for years to come.

You can target your website’s SEO to really zero-in on your niche by focusing on local keywords your target market is using when searching for your products and services online.

Instead of forking out a fortune on an online advertising campaign, investing in search engine optimization as part of your marketing strategy is a much more cost-effective way to help you reach your long-term business goals.

5. Keeps your website up-to-date and high-functioning

The rules of the online space are rapidly changing and evolving – and search engine algorithms are no different.

They regularly update their systems and make changes to the way they operate, so if you want to keep your website performing at the highest possible level, it’s super wise to stay on the ball when it comes to SEO.

Keeping your website up-to-date and optimized for SEO ensures your website is always speaking a language that search engines understand so you can maintain a strong online presence that leads to success. How can you do this? Follow the blog at Search Engine Journal for info on the latest algorithm updates.

How to check if your website is optimized for search engines

1. Perform An Audit of Technical SEO

Assess the technical aspects of your website like your site speed, mobile-friendliness, and site structure to ensure they’re not affecting your website’s performance. Tools like Google Search Console are super useful for identifying potential issues and pinpointing ways to improve your site.

Action Items:

Conduct a Site Speed Analysis: Utilize tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate the loading speed of your website and identify specific areas for improvement to enhance user experience and SEO.
Check Mobile Responsiveness: Test the mobile-friendliness of your website using Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool to ensure it is optimized for users on smartphones and tablets, adjusting the design and layout as necessary.
Review Site Structure: Examine the overall structure of your website, including URL hierarchy and navigation ease, to ensure that it is logically organized and facilitates both user and crawler accessibility.
Utilize Google Search Console: Regularly use Google Search Console to monitor and resolve crawl errors, review search traffic, assess your website’s indexing status, and optimize visibility.
Implement Structured Data: Apply structured data where appropriate to help search engines understand the content of your site better, potentially boosting SEO by enabling richer search results.

2. Analyze Your On-Page SEO

Elements like headings and title tags play a significant role in how your website ranks. Make sure you've got enough relevant keywords in your meta tags and throughout all of your website text to register with search engine crawlers.

Action items:

Review and Optimize Headings: Ensure all headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) on your website are clear, appropriately placed, and include relevant keywords to improve SEO. Include your primary keyword in your H1 tag for each page on your site.
Update Title Tags: Check and update the title tags for each page to ensure they are unique, concise, and incorporate target keywords that accurately reflect the page content.
Enhance Meta Tags: Revise the meta descriptions for each web page to include important keywords and compelling descriptions that drive click-through rates from search engine results pages.
Keyword Integration: Conduct a comprehensive review of the website content to identify opportunities for integrating relevant keywords more naturally and effectively throughout the text.

3. Focus On Content Quality

Remember, when it comes to your website’s content, quality should always be your priority. Invest in professionally-written content that’s optimized for search engines and speaks directly to your target audience. And that goes beyond text-based content! Remember to use high-quality images and videos throughout your site, too.

Action Items:

Hire Professional Content Creators: Invest in professional writers and content creators to produce high-quality, engaging, and SEO-optimized text content that resonates with your target audience.
Incorporate Multimedia Elements: Enhance your website with high-quality images and videos that are relevant to the content, optimizing them for fast loading times and SEO (including appropriate tags and descriptions).
Regularly Review and Update Content: Establish a schedule for regularly reviewing and updating your website's content to maintain its relevance and quality, ensuring it continues to meet the needs and interests of your audience.

4. Review Your Site's Navigation

Take a look at your website structure to make sure you’ve got an SEO friendly website design that works across desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. It’s important that all internal links are up-to-date and in good working order; otherwise search engines will penalize your site.

Action Items:

Audit Website Navigation: Conduct a thorough review of your website's navigation on various devices including desktops, laptops, and mobiles to ensure it is intuitive, user-friendly, and SEO-optimized.
Check Internal Links: Systematically verify all internal links across your website to ensure they are functional and up-to-date, fixing any broken links to prevent penalties from search engines.
Optimize for Cross-Device Compatibility: Ensure your website design is responsive and performs well across all devices, adjusting layouts and elements as necessary to provide a seamless user experience.

5. Track Social Engagement

Social media, internal linking, and external backlinks can be useful tools in generating more traffic to your website. While these elements don’t directly impact your search rankings, the increased engagement and activity will!

Action Items:

Monitor Social Media Performance: Set up tools and processes to regularly track the engagement (likes, shares, comments) on your social media platforms to understand what content resonates with your audience and drives traffic to your site.
Enhance Internal Linking Strategy: Audit and optimize the internal linking structure on your website to encourage deeper navigation and longer visitor sessions, which can indirectly boost your SEO performance.
Develop a Backlink Strategy: Implement a strategy to increase high-quality external backlinks to your website, such as guest blogging, partnerships, and public relations efforts, to enhance site authority and increase traffic.

6. Use SEO Tools

There are plenty of search engine optimization tools and resources available to help you keep on top of your website’s SEO and maximize your performance. Google Analytics and Google Search Console are a great place to start.

Or you can call in the help of SEO experts who have access to industry-standard tools and insights to make sure you get the most out of your company website.

Action Items:

Implement Google SEO Tools: Set up and regularly use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your website’s traffic, search performance, and identify areas for SEO improvement.
Explore Additional SEO Tools: Research and invest in additional SEO tools that offer advanced features like keyword research, competitor analysis, and site audits to enhance your SEO strategy further.
Consult with SEO Professionals: Consider hiring SEO experts who can provide professional insights, utilize industry-standard tools, and implement best practices to optimize your website's performance effectively.

Do you have an SEO friendly website? Find out now with our search engine optimization services for small businesses

Testing your website's SEO friendliness on your own is an incredibly difficult task if you don’t have the skills, knowledge, or expertise to do it effectively.

At 406 Marketing, we specialize in marketing solutions for small businesses. We can help you establish an effective online presence through SEO friendly web design and development.

We'll also take care of local SEO, website support , Google ads , and so much more.

Ready to establish your brand online and finally connect with your dream customers? Reach out , and we'll get the conversation started!

Performance Booster: How to Optimize a Website in 5 Simple Steps

Tue, 07 May 2024 16:57:30 GMT

Performance Booster: How to Optimize a Website in 5 Simple Steps

As a small business owner, your company website is absolutely fundamental to your success – especially when it comes to competing with the heavy hitters in your niche.

Having a strong online presence plays a major role in attracting more website visitors so you can grow your business and achieve your goals.

Whether you’re running an eCommerce store or you’re selling your services online, your website is the backbone of your business. That’s why it’s essential to keep your website optimized, up-to-date, and performing its very best at all times.

But how exactly are you supposed to do that?

Don’t worry! As the experts in digital marketing solutions for small businesses, we’ve got you covered. Here are our top 5 easy ways to optimize your website and boost its performance in no time.

1. Perform search engine optimization on your website content

Content is a major factor in determining where your website lands on search engine results pages.

By optimizing your website’s content for search engines, you better your chances of ranking higher in search results, making your business easier to discover online.

So what exactly does optimizing for search engines mean, and how do you do it?

Simply put, search engine optimization is all about improving your website’s visibility. By identifying the relevant keywords your target audience is using when searching for your products or services online, you can incorporate them into your website text and help your site rank.

For small business owners who are busy tending to the ins and outs of running a company, it’s often best to enlist some help. SEO professionals have the expertise and access to the necessary SEO tools to help you climb the rankings and increase organic (non-paid) traffic to your website effectively.

2. Improve loading speed for website visitors and search engines

88.5% of web designers have found slow loading speeds to be the main reason for users leaving a website.

Website speed makes a huge impression on your website visitors, one way or another.

These days, online audiences expect websites to load in an instant. Visitors aren’t going to hang around for slow loading times, and they’re highly unlikely to return to your website after they’ve been frustrated with their experience.

Not only does page speed impact user experience, but it also affects search engine rankings, so you really can’t afford to let your website’s loading speed slow you down.

There are a number of things you can do to improve loading speed across all of your web pages:

Enable browser caching: This allows files to be stored locally on a user’s device so these elements can be loaded from their browser cache instead of having to redownload them when they revisit your site.
Minimize HTTP requests: By minimizing the elements on each web page, you reduce the amount of processing power and time required to load.
Optimize images and videos: Without compromising the quality of your visual media, compress their file sizes so they don’t take as long to download.
Use Content Delivery Networks: These networks distribute your website's static files across multiple servers worldwide, so files are delivered from the server closest to user location to reduce latency.
Optimize server response time: Make sure you’ve got a reliable website hosting provider, and that you’re on their most up-to-date hosting plan.

Sound a little overwhelming? Using a good website performance optimization tool like Google Pagespeed Insights can simplify the detailed process of sharpening your loading speeds.

3. Ensure your website has a responsive design

Having a website with a responsive design means its layout, navigation, and functionality are adaptable to mobile devices with a variety of screen sizes.

With 45% of all web traffic in the U.S. coming from mobile devices, it’s absolutely essential for all businesses to have a website that’s easy to access and use on phones and tablets. Just like with slow loading speeds, users simply won’t accept a website that doesn’t work on the device they’re using to research and shop online.

Mobile optimization is a significant part of attracting and keeping customers on your company website, and it plays a big part in search engine rankings, too.

To keep up with customer demand, Google considers mobile-friendliness an important ranking factor. So, optimizing your site for mobile users can help your website rank higher on results pages, making it more discoverable to new audiences.

4. Keep Everything Fresh and Up-To-Date

A truly optimized website is one that functions seamlessly and delivers necessary, relevant information to visitors in a clear, direct way.

Make sure your website’s content is fresh, up-to-date, and 100% accurate. Having clearly outdated information and photos on your website makes it harder for your audience to trust and engage with your online business.

Whether you’re doing a spring clean of your existing text, adding in new offerings, or posting a blog – regularly updating and posting fresh content to your website is a great way to keep audiences interested while helping your website rank on search engines.

Don’t forget to remove anything that’s no longer relevant to your business, keep your online store stocked, and fix any broken links to give your website the best chance.

5. Track Website Performance Using Tools LIke Google Search Console

Website optimization is an ongoing process.

Once you’ve spent some time honing performance and visibility, it’s important to continuously monitor its progress so you can continue to make adjustments and get the most out of your website.

Track your website’s core web vitals, like performance, visibility, and engagement, so you can discover areas for improvement and make adjustments accordingly.

Website optimization tools like Google Analytics can certainly help you with your optimization efforts. But, best practices in the online space are constantly changing and evolving. As the owner of a small business, you can’t be expected to look after everything on your own.

Why not enlist the help of digital marketing experts instead to tap into the true potential of your company website – without any of the stress?

Optimize your website with the help of the digital marketing experts at 406 Marketing

If you'd like to discuss an in-depth strategy for achieving prime website usability, our digital marketing experts would love to help.

At 406 Marketing, we have years of experience helping small businesses expand their reach online through website optimization strategies, website edits, monthly analytics, updates, SEO, and more.

Reach out , and let’s get started today!

What's The Most Important Page To Optimize On Your Website?

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:54:58 GMT

What's the Most Important Page to Optimize on Your Website?

Your company’s website is hugely important to the success of your business.

One of the most effective ways to ensure your website is performing well is to keep your website optimized for search engines, helping you rank as high as possible on search results pages.

Website optimization requires regular maintenance, monitoring, and updating. As a small business owner, you don’t always have the means to keep your entire website fully optimized at all times.

So, what are your options?

If you can only optimize one page of your website but aren’t sure which one will make the most of your efforts, don’t worry! We’re digital marketing experts, here to make things easier for you. And the answer is (thankfully) clear.

Your homepage is the core of your website. It gives website users a direct insight into who you are as a company, what you do, and who you serve.

It’s super important to keep your homepage content fresh and up-to-date for a smooth user experience, with plenty of relevant keywords to keep those search engine algorithms happy, too!

Let’s explore why you should optimize your homepage over any other page on your website.

Why is homepage optimization so crucial to the success of your website?

1. Helps you make a great first impression

Did you know that 88% of internet users won’t visit a website again after a negative experience ?

Your website’s homepage is the first impression visitors are going to get of your business online, so it pays to get it right.

Make sure all information is accurate, relevant, and positions your business in the best possible light.

By keeping your homepage optimized and up-to-date, you’re putting your company’s best foot forward, showcasing just how professional, reliable, and detail-oriented you are – which your potential customers will love to see!

2. Creates a seamless user experience and opportunities for fresh internal links

Just as your audience is going to be frustrated with outdated information on your homepage, they certainly won’t be impressed if its design and navigation aren’t up to par.

If it’s been a while since you’ve updated your website, you might need to reconsider how your homepage functions to avoid losing any website visitors to a competitor with a more user-friendly interface.

Access to information should be super simple and straightforward, with seamless navigation supported by clear calls-to-action. Make sure your homepage flows intuitively and that you’ve got a super quick page speed, as people simply aren’t willing to wait for pages to load anymore.

And don’t forget to replace any outdated or broken links so all vital information – every product listing, service page, blog post, and contact form – is clear and easy to access.

3. Strengthens the foundation of your website with homepage SEO

Fewer than 1% of people online will scroll to the second page of search engine results pages when looking for products or services . So essentially, if your website isn’t easy to discover online, your chances of reaching new audiences are seriously slim.

Your homepage is the most influential factor of your website’s overall ranking on search engine results. This is because search engines like Google prioritize the homepage when analyzing your site.

By keeping your homepage meta description (the descriptors that appear on Google search) and homepage content optimized with relevant, targeted keywords, your overall website performance will improve.

Of course, it's important to do local keyword research and pepper target keywords and key phrases throughout each page of your website, including all meta titles and meta descriptions. But, when you’ve got limited resources, focusing on your homepage will give you the best results.

4. Increases your chances of converting site visitors

Your website is a powerful tool for boosting brand awareness and improving brand perception among your target audience. But, the ultimate goal of building a website is to turn website visitors into customers, subscribers, or leads.

As the first page people are going to explore, your homepage is your strongest asset in making these valuable conversions. Highlight your key offerings while guiding visitors towards desired actions – whether that’s making a purchase, requesting a quote, or signing up for a newsletter.

The more people that engage with your homepage, the more organic search traffic you’ll get, too!

5. Offers invaluable insights and analytics

Your homepage offers incredibly useful data and insights into how visitors interact with your website.

By using analytics tools like Google Search Console, you can monitor your user demographics, preferences, and behavior. Understanding this vital information allows you to adapt your homepage accordingly, so you can ensure everything aligns with your audience’s wants and needs.

Google Analytics also allows you to track metrics like bounce rates, conversion rates, and how long people spend on your homepage. With this data, you can really hone in on what you need to optimize to get the most out of your company’s website.

You can also find out how many people visit your website from mobile devices. These days, tons of people search online using their phones or tablets, so it’s important to make sure your homepage’s design and navigation are responsive to mobile devices!

Rank higher on search engines and get your small business discovered online with 406 Marketing

Out of all of your web pages, your homepage really is the most powerful.

Your small business deserves to be found by the right audiences online – and your homepage can support you in achieving your goals.

We know that you're the best at what you do. It’s just a matter of maintaining a well-defined web presence so your dream customers can find you when they need you the most.

But, when you’re already busy making your products and services the best they possibly can be, you shouldn't have to stress about marketing, too. Let us take care of it for you instead.

At 406 Marketing, we’re passionate about helping small business owners create a sophisticated online presence, attract local customers, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

We can take care of everything – website design, creating landing pages, local SEO, website support, website optimization strategies, Google Ads, and whatever else you need to get you where you want to go.

Get in touch today, and let’s get the conversation started!

How To Leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO) To Grow Your Small Business

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:34:37 GMT

How to Leverage Search Engine Optimization for Growing Your Small Business

There are many challenges involved in getting your small local business off the ground.

Between perfecting your offerings and streamlining your internal processes to establish a loyal customer base, you’ve already got so much important work to focus on.

When it comes to growing your business online, it’s essential to get a quality marketing strategy in place. But how are you supposed to take that on when you’re already so busy?

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a marketing expert to start making steps towards building your online presence and boosting brand awareness.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the core fundamentals of driving people to your company website and attracting better quality leads to your business.

What exactly is SEO, and how can you use it to your advantage as a small business owner?

We’ve broken down the key elements of search engine optimization and how to make it work for you, so you can start generating more visitors to your website and build a solid customer base in no time.

Understanding The Basics Of SEO

So, what exactly is search engine optimization? SEO is the process of strategically updating your website in a way that makes it easier for more people to find your business online.

By using various techniques, you can target what your target audience is searching for online so that your website matches their search queries. Ultimately, this helps your website appear higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).

There are over 8.5 billion daily searches on Google , so if you want to stand out in a highly competitive space, it’s super important to incorporate SEO practices into your website’s content and design.

We’re about to let you in on all the top secrets of successful search engine optimization!

1. Keyword REsearch

Keyword research involves determining the most common words and phrases your audience uses when looking for your products or services online so you can target their searches.

Once you’ve identified your keywords using a keyword research tool, you can incorporate these key phrases into your content in a way that appears natural to the reader, but still hits the mark for search engine algorithms.

Use a free keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords for your business.
Make a list of the top 5 keywords you want to rank for that are closely related to your products or services.
Incorporate these keywords into the homepage and main product/service pages of your website.

2. On-Page Optimization

This kind of optimization refers to the content on your website, like your meta title tags and meta descriptions, website headings and text, and URLs. As well as ensuring you’ve got enough keywords in there, writing high-quality content that’s well-written and engaging is the best way to make your content more search engine friendly

For example, you can update outdated copy or publish a new blog post about something that’s super topical in your niche to drive more organic traffic to your website.

Update meta titles and descriptions on key pages to include your main keywords.
Refresh existing content on your website by adding keywords naturally within the text, headings, and subheadings.
Check your website images and add keywords to the alt text where appropriate.

3. Off-Page Optimization

Once you’ve got your own website content in order, it’s time to start generating traffic from other sources to improve your search engine rankings.

Try to build a strong network of quality backlinks from other reputable websites. You can do this by getting your products or services featured on a blog, writing a guest blog post for another company, and by investing in a solid social media marketing strategy.

Reach out to local blogs and see if they have any guest posting opportunities.
Start building relationships with other business owners in related fields to create a network for potential backlinks.
Regularly post on social media linking back to your website to help increase site traffic.

4. Technical SEO

Users aren’t going to be impressed if your website isn’t working properly or is difficult to use, and search engines won’t be either.

Make sure that your core web vitals like your website’s speed, navigation, and usability on mobile devices are all as seamless as possible so that your site can appear higher on search results. Don’t forget to fix any broken links, too!

Test your website’s loading speed using tools like Google's PageSpeed Insights and make necessary adjustments.
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly by testing it with Google's Mobile-Friendly Test.
Review your site structure and navigation for user-friendliness and make improvements as needed.

Search Engine Optimization Tactics

Now that you’re familiar with the basics, it’s time to get into the meatier parts that are really going to help propel your website up the search rankings.

Here are our top insider SEO techniques to help you achieve your goals and finally start to establish your small business as a real competitor online.

1. Optimize For User Experience (UX)

As mentioned earlier, your core web vitals are super important to the success of your website. In fact, Google and other search engines prioritize websites that have simple, intuitive navigation and offer a positive user experience.

Focus on improving your overall site navigation, speeding up loading times, and making sure your content is easy to read, use, and access across all devices to keep up with user demand.

Simplify your site’s navigation to make it easier for users and search engines to find important content.
Conduct user testing to identify any UX issues and address them.
Ensure all website content is easily accessible and readable, with clear calls-to-action.

2. Develop An SEO STrategy

A successful SEO strategy is supported by well-thought-out and researched content. Make sure you understand what you want to achieve with your efforts before you start creating yours.

Always ensure you’re publishing high-quality content that’s relevant to your target audience and grabs their attention off the bat. As well as creating new content, you can refresh outdated content with internal links and backlinks – which is great for link building – and update relevant blog posts with fresh information, too.

Make sure to mix up your content by incorporating engaging visuals into your optimized written content to further boost your SEO and make your website more appealing to users.

Set clear goals for what you want to achieve with your SEO efforts (e.g., increase traffic by 20% in 6 months).
Create a content calendar that includes topics based on your keyword research and industry relevance.
Monitor and adjust your strategy based on analytics and search engine updates.

3. Tap Into Local SEO

As the owner of a small business, it’s super important to optimize your website for your niche through local SEO to drive organic search traffic.

When you’re performing keyword research, make sure to dig deep into your local audience by identifying their search intent. This way, you can show them that you cater to their specific needs while including plenty of relevant keywords throughout your content.

Don’t forget to create a Google Business Profile to showcase your business, give further insight, tell visitors your opening hours, and allow a space for your audience to engage with your business, ask questions, and leave positive reviews.

Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile , ensuring all information is accurate and up-to-date.
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your Google Business Profile.
Include local keywords in your website content and meta data, such as the city or region where your business operates.

4. Stay On Top Of The Latest Trends In SEO

SEO isn’t something you just do once and forget about. It’s a long-term process that requires thought and attention.

Your website needs to be regularly maintained and updated, as search engines favor fresh content. Not only this, but SEO standards and best practices are constantly changing and evolving, too, so you’ve got to keep your finger on the pulse across the board.

Track your website’s performance to see how you can improve your SEO efforts with tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, designed to help you appear higher on Google searches.

Subscribe to SEO and digital marketing blogs to stay informed about the latest trends and updates. One of our favorites is www.searchenginejournal.com .
Attend webinars or local workshops on SEO to enhance your knowledge and skills.
Regularly review and update your SEO strategy to reflect the latest best practices and algorithm changes.

Rank Higher In Search Engines And Get Your Small Business Noticed Online With 406 Marketing

Looking to develop an effective SEO strategy but simply don’t have the time or resources to go it alone?

At 406 Marketing, we help small business owners attract local customers, create a sophisticated online presence, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

We'll also take care of your website's design, local SEO, website support, Google ads, and much more.

Reach out , and we'll get the conversation started!

Crafting a Compelling Brand Identity: The Essential Elements

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:43:17 GMT

Crafting a Compelling Brand Identity: The Essential Elements

In the bustling marketplace of today, establishing a distinct brand identity is more crucial than ever. It's not just about logos or color schemes; it's about crafting a narrative that resonates deeply with both your team and your target audience. A compelling brand identity serves as the compass for your business, guiding every decision and interaction. It's the story you tell and the values you embody. But what are the essential elements that make up a powerful brand identity? Let's dive into the core components that can elevate your brand from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Purpose Behind Your Brand

Every memorable brand begins with a 'why.' This isn't about profits or market share; it's about your reason for existing. What change do you wish to bring about in the world? This purpose should be the bedrock of your brand, inspiring your team and captivating your audience with a vision that extends beyond the bottom line.

How Businesses Can Define Their Purpose

Read The Book Start With Why by Simon Sinek: Apply it’s principles to help uncover your “why”.
Define Your Mission: Host a team workshop to articulate your business's mission statement. Focus on the impact you want to have on your customers and the broader community.
Share Your Story: Use your website, social media, and marketing materials to share the story of why your business was founded. Highlight the passion and purpose that drive your operations.
Community Engagement: Get involved in community projects or initiatives that align with your brand's purpose. This not only showcases your commitment but also strengthens your brand's connection with its audience.

Your One-LIner

Clarity is king in the realm of branding. Your one-liner is your brand's elevator pitch—the succinct statement that encapsulates what you do, the problems you solve, and the unique value you bring to your customers. This one-liner should be the beacon that shines across all your marketing materials, offering a clear and compelling snapshot of your brand.

How Businesses Can Craft & Integrate Their One-Liner

Check out this blog post for tips on crafting your one-liner.
Brainstorming Session: Gather your team for a brainstorming session focused on distilling the essence of what your business does into a single, compelling sentence.
Market Testing: Test several versions of your one-liner with a segment of your target audience to see which resonates the most. Use surveys or A/B testing on your website.
Consistent Application: Ensure your one-liner is prominently featured across all customer touchpoints, including your website header, business cards, and email signatures for consistent brand messaging.

How You Operate

Your brand's heartbeat is its core values. These principles dictate the behaviors and standards you expect from your team, shaping the culture of your organization. They are the non-negotiables that ensure your brand remains true to its essence, driving every decision and interaction.

How Businesses Can Define Their Core Values & Implement Them Into Their CUlture

Read this blog post from Harvard Business Review written by Patrick M. Lencioni on the importance of defining your core values.
Values Workshop: Conduct a workshop with your team to identify and define the core values that represent your brand. Make it collaborative to ensure buy-in from all team members. Come up with words that describe your core values, then turn them into sentences.
Internal Communication: Regularly communicate these values internally through newsletters, social media, meetings, and on your office walls. Make them a part of your daily conversation.
Recognition Programs: Implement an employee recognition program that rewards team members who exemplify your core values in their work and interactions.

Your Unique Factors

What sets you apart from the competition? It's not just about the services or products you offer but the unique blend of factors that make your brand uniquely 'you.' These distinguishing traits should be clearly defined and consistently aligned with, ensuring your brand remains authentic and focused.

How Businesses Can Define & Incorporate Their Uniques

Cohesive Leadership Team: Foster a leadership team with trust and alignment to set a clear, unified direction for the company.

Clarity and Communication: Clearly define and consistently communicate the company's mission, values, and goals to build a unified culture.

Align Human Systems: Ensure hiring, performance management, and rewards systems reinforce the company's unique values and objectives.

What You Offer

Transparency about your offerings is key. Clearly articulate the products or services you provide, ensuring your audience understands exactly what they can expect from your brand. This clarity builds trust and sets the stage for a positive customer experience.

How Businesses Can Clarify Their Service Offerings

Product/Service Audit: Regularly review your offerings to ensure they are clearly defined and meet the needs of your target market. Consider discontinuing those that don't align.
Clear Descriptions: Update your website and marketing materials with clear, concise descriptions of your products or services, emphasizing benefits and features.
Educational Content: Create blog posts, videos, or infographics that educate your audience about your offerings, how they work, and the problems they solve.

Credibility And Authority

Establishing trust is paramount. Highlight your brand's credibility through experience, testimonials, and a showcase of your work. Demonstrating your expertise and the positive impact you've had on others builds confidence in your brand and its capabilities.

hOW bUSINESSES CAN lEVERAGE sOCIAL pROOF tO eNHANCE tHEIR cREDIBILITY

Showcase Success Stories: Regularly update your website and social media with customer testimonials, case studies, or success stories that highlight your expertise.
Professional Development: Invest in continuous learning and professional development for your team to stay at the forefront of your industry.
Industry Engagement: Participate in industry events, conferences, and online forums. Consider speaking engagements or writing articles for industry publications to establish thought leadership.

uNDERSTANDING yOUR iDEAL cUSTOMER

Knowing who you're speaking to is critical. Define your ideal customer, understanding not just their needs but their deeper desires and challenges. This insight allows you to craft messages that resonate on a more personal and emotional level, fostering stronger connections.

hOW bUSINESESS cAN bETTER cOMMUNICATE tO tHEIR iDEAL cUSTOMER

Customer Personas: Develop detailed customer personas based on market research and existing customer data. Include demographic information, pain points, and aspirations.
Customer Journey Mapping: Map out the customer journey to understand all the touchpoints where customers interact with your brand, and optimize each for better engagement.
Regular Feedback Loops: Establish mechanisms for regular customer feedback, such as surveys or feedback sessions, to continually refine your understanding of your customer's needs.

yOUR pROVEN pROCESS

Trust is built on consistency. Outline your proven process to ensure customers know what to expect from your brand. This clarity in your approach not only sets expectations but also reinforces your brand's reliability and commitment to delivering on your promises.

hOW bUSINESSES cAN eNHANCE tHEIR cUSTOMER eXPERIENCE

Process Documentation: Clearly document your business processes, ensuring they are easy to understand and follow. Make these documents accessible to your team.
Quality Assurance Checks: Implement regular quality assurance checks to ensure your processes are consistently delivering the desired outcomes.
Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and refining your processes based on customer feedback and operational insights.

tHE cALL tO aCTION

What's the first step for your audience to engage with your brand? Define this clearly, making it easy for potential customers to begin their journey with you. Whether it's scheduling a consultation or making a purchase, this call to action should be straightforward and accessible.

hOW bUSINESSES cAN uTILIZE a mORE eFFECTIVE cALL tO aCTION

CTA Clarity: Ensure that your call to action is clear, compelling, and prominently displayed on your website and in your marketing materials.
Simplify the Process: Regularly review and simplify the process required to take the next step, whether it's making a purchase, booking a consultation, or signing up for a newsletter.
Explain The Process: Explain how customers can start doing business with you in less than 4 steps and add this to your website. This will help customers understand what they need to do to start working with you and will give them an overview of what the process looks like.
Test and Optimize: Use A/B testing to try out different calls to action to see which ones generate the best response from your audience.

aVOIDING nEGATIVE oUTCOMES

Highlighting what your audience stands to lose by not choosing your brand can be a powerful motivator. Without resorting to fear tactics, gently guide your audience to understand the potential pitfalls of going elsewhere, reinforcing the value of choosing your brand.

hOW bUSINESSES cAN hIGHLIGHT nEGATIVE oUTCOMES to mAKE A bETTER cONNECTION wiTH tHEIR tARGET aUDIENCE

Educational Content: Create content that educates your audience about common pitfalls in your industry and how your brand helps avoid them.
Risk Mitigation Plans : Develop and communicate clear risk mitigation plans for your customers, showing them how working with your brand minimizes potential negative outcomes.
Transparent Communication: Be transparent about potential challenges and how your brand addresses them. This builds trust and credibility with your audience.

pROMISING a pOSITIVE eXPERIENCE

Finally, paint a picture of the positive outcomes your customers can expect. This vision of success not only inspires but also cements the trust and loyalty that are essential for long-term relationships.

hOW bUSINESSES pROMOTE a pOSITIVE eXPERIENCE

Customer Success Stories: Share stories that highlight the positive experiences of your customers, focusing on the outcomes and benefits they've achieved.
Guarantees and Warranties: Offer satisfaction guarantees or warranties that reassure customers of the quality and reliability of your offerings.
Follow-Up Surveys: After a purchase or service completion, send follow-up surveys to gather feedback on the customer experience, use this data to make continuous improvements.

cONCLUSION

Building a brand identity is about much more than aesthetics; it's about defining the soul of your brand. By clarifying your purpose, values, unique factors, and the promise you make to your customers, you create a brand that resonates, inspires, and stands the test of time. Remember, your brand identity is the story you tell the world; make it one that's worth listening to. Ready to elevate your brand? Check out our Brand Discovery service that is specifically designed to help you clarify your brand.

10 Things You Should Do To Improve Your Google Business Profile

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:09:39 GMT

10 Things You Should Do To Improve Your Google Business Profile

As a small business owner, you’ve probably heard countless times before that your Google Business Profile is your company’s online storefront.

Well, that’s because it’s the truth!

Just as people walk by your physical store (if you have one) and decide whether or not to enter based on how your shop presents your business, online visitors will make their judgments based on their online research.

28% of all business now taking place online , so, it's essential that your business has a strong online presence if you want to tap into this market.

Creating a solid Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is an essential part of establishing your brand online so potential customers can easily discover your company, learn what you do, and how you can add value to their lives.

Whether you're a small local cafe serving the best coffee in town or a global corporation, an optimized Google Business Profile is the surest way to put your best foot forward online and connect with a wider audience.

So, how do you make your profile the best it can be to help you stand out from the crowd?

We’ve created a list of 10 easy things you can do to boost the visibility of your Google Business listing and attract better-quality customers in no time. Let’s dive right in!

How to take your Google Business Profile to the next level in 10 simple steps

1. Verify your profile

Once you’ve set up your profile, the first thing you’ve got to do is claim ownership of your business account on Google by verifying your profile and business name.

Doing this allows you to control what information is displayed and ensures your business looks legitimate and trustworthy in a crowded online space. Remember, no one wants to visit a shady-looking store – and the same goes for your Google Business Profile!

2. Fully Complete Your Profile

There’s nothing more frustrating for your audience than looking for more information about your business, only to find there's nothing there. It’s a sure way to lose out on potential business!

Make sure you accurately fill out all sections of your profile, complete with your business category, business description, address linked to Google Maps, website URL, business hours, and anything else your profile visitors need to know.

3. Include Personal, High-res Photos

One of the most effective ways to build online trust is to include personalized, engaging photos of your business and the friendly faces behind it.

Hire a professional photographer to take some high-quality business photos for your profile to give people a personal insight into your brand. Make sure to use an eye-catching cover photo that reflects your brand identity to set yours apart from other Google Business Profiles.

4. Encourage Customers to Share Reviews

Did you know that 95% of online users will read reviews before making a purchase ?

Getting your happy customers to leave glowing reviews of your products or services is an incredibly powerful way to convert your profile visitors into paying customers too. When you receive reviews and feedback, be sure to respond as quickly as you can to demonstrate just how attentive and caring your business is.

5. Make Use Of Google Posts

Google Posts are a great way to drive engagement to your profile and help get more eyes on your business online.

Give your audience even more insight into what’s going on by sharing regular updates, events, offers, or anything else they’d love to see from you. These posts are a great way to attract a higher volume of better-quality leads by delivering value directly to potential customers.

6. Optimize Your Profile For Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Just as your website needs to be optimized for search engines, your Google Business Profile needs to be written with Google search (and your readers!) in mind.

By focusing on local search engine optimization, you can climb the ranks on search engine results pages and make it easier for people to find your business. First, find out what keywords your target audience uses to search for local businesses just like yours online. Then, incorporate the relevant ones into your profile to land higher on local search results.

7. Ensure All Information And Business Hours Are ACcurate

It’s absolutely vital that you keep all information on your Google Business Profile account up-to-date and relevant.

Part of keeping your profile visible is regular maintenance and monitoring of business information. If something changes on your end, don’t forget to update your account! Whether you’ve moved business address, changed your hours, or have altered your offerings, make sure to let your audience know right away to avoid any unnecessary confusion.

8. Dig Into Google Business Profile Insights

Knowledge really is power, especially when it comes to understanding how your audience interacts with your business online.

Using the analytics provided by Google Business Profile, you can gain deeper insight into your customer’s online behavior and adjust your profile in a way that meets their needs and drives more traffic to your website.

9. Enable Direct Messaging & Booking

Having a direct line of communication with existing and potential customers is incredibly valuable to local business owners.

To really make the most of your Google Business Profile, make sure your messaging and booking features are enabled on your profile to make it easy for people to get in touch with you. There’s nothing more important to a positive customer experience than a seamless booking process and excellent communication!

10. Stay Active And Engage With Your Audience

Optimizing your Google Business profile is an ongoing process that requires continued consideration and management.

If you want your audience to engage with you, you’ve got to stay engaged online, too! Regularly check in with what’s going on, respond to any feedback or messages, publish Google Posts, and don’t forget to keep your Google Business account information fresh and relevant.

Take the hassle out of Google Business Profile optimization for your small business with 406 Marketing

When used correctly, your Google Business Profile can be a powerful asset to your small business. Make sure you’re maximizing the full potential of your profile!

If you'd like to discuss an in-depth strategy for achieving good website usability, our digital marketing experts would love to help.

At 406 Marketing, we have years of experience helping small businesses expand their reach online through Google Business Profile optimization, website updates, monthly analytics, SEO, and more.

Reach out , and we'll get the conversation started!

The Ultimate Guide For Powerful Lead Generating Websites

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 19:24:50 GMT

How To Get More Leads From Your Website

10 Elements Your Website Needs To Generate more Leads

As a local business owner, your website is often the first point of contact between your company and potential customers. It's crucial that your site not only captivates visitors but also efficiently converts them into leads. In the digital age, where competition is fierce and attention spans are short, having a website that stands out is more important than ever.

1. Unique Selling Proposition At The Top

Display your business's unique selling proposition (USP) prominently at the top of your website. It immediately communicates to visitors what sets your business apart from competitors, helping to capture their interest quickly.

A well-crafted USP:

Clearly communicates the unique benefit or value that the business promises to deliver
Resonates with your target audience
Addresses customer’s specific needs or challenges
Attracts the right customers

2. Implement Your Brandscript Into Your Messaging

Incorporate your brand value and unique attributes into various elements of your website. This creates a cohesive narrative that threads through every aspect of your online presence, resonating with your target audience and reinforcing what your brand stands for.

Communicating your brand's values and unique selling points:

Distinguishes your business from competitors
Helps potential customers understand why they should choose your products or services over others
Helps customers build a connection with your brand
Builds brand identity and loyalty
Guides customer expectations
Enhances credibility and trust

3. Engaging Headlines

Engaging headlines are what capture the attention of visitors and enhance user engagement. A compelling headline is the hook that entices users to delve deeper into your content. A well-crafted headline can also contribute to the overall SEO strategy, making content more discoverable in search engines.

Engaging headlines will:

Draw your audience in
Enhance website visibility
Improve user engagement and retention

Do This- Compelling headline that addresses customer’s desire for customization and suggests an improvement in quality of life.

"Customized Remodeling Solutions Tailored to Your Lifestyle"

Not This- Overly simplistic and lacking emotional appeal. It doesn't convey any unique selling points or benefits.

"Remodeling Services"

4. Efficient Content

Web users typically have short attention spans so they don’t read websites, they scan them. A well-structured website with clear, concise content contributes to a positive user experience. Navigation becomes easier, allowing users to find the information they need without frustration.

Make your content easy to digest as people scroll through
Focus only on what is relevant and important to communicate
Use short powerful statements that get to the point
Use more bullet point lists & way less paragraphs

Do This - Attention grabbing headline that speaks to a problem, supported with easy to digest bullet points.

Efficient Home Solutions - Transforming Your Space Without The Stress

Expert Renovations
Dependable Repairs
Seamless Painting

Not This - Paragraph with no headline that does not speak to a problem and just lists the services in a harder to digest way.

We're experienced in all things having to do with home repair. We build, repair, paint, renovate and all sorts of other things that you might not even have thought about but we definitely can do it.

5. Clear Calls To Action

Direct Call To Action - The First Step You Want Your Customer To Take To Engage Your Business (Sign up, Call, Contact, Schedule, Buy, etc). This should be easily accessible throughout every page. Include a Call To Action section at the bottom of every single page, within your menu, linked in your footer, on a contact page, blog page, and even within the page content itself. You want to make it as easy as possible for them to take that first step. This means no additional obstacles like extra clicks, waiting, scrolling, or load time.

Transitional Call To Action- Offer them a no risk, high value way to learn more about your industry, the problem they’re facing, and how you as the expert can help them. This could be a downloadable pdf, video course, checklist, or helpful tool. This helps you build credibility as a knowledgeable expert who can help them with their problem when they’re ready to take the next step.

6. Mobile Friendly & Responsive Design

A mobile-responsive website automatically adjusts its layout, content, and navigation features to fit the screen size and resolution of different devices, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience. Since a significant number of users browse on mobile devices, a responsive design ensures a seamless experience for all users.

7. Establish Credibility To Build Trust

Use customer reviews, testimonials, case studies, photo galleries, certifications, statistics, and trust badges to build trust and reassure potential customers about your credibility. These elements act as social proof, demonstrating that others have had positive experiences with your business.

8. Build Your Website As A Lead Generating Tool

The website is a critical touchpoint in the overall customer experience, serving as an entryway to your business. Understand how your website plays into the customer journey and funnel the customer through the experience accordingly. Your website should be intentionally designed to ensure a seamless transition from online exploration to direct contact.

To generate leads make sure your website:

Can be found online through a search engine
Establishes credibility & positions you as an expert
Educates qualified customers on the problem you solve
Communicates brand value & customer expectations
Facilitates engagement with clear calls to action
Loads quickly without errors

9. Speak To The Problem & Provide Your SOlution

Communicate the services you provide as solutions to the problems your customers are facing. Use headlines, short statements, and bullet points to outline the struggles you understand customers are experiencing and how by choosing to work with you, your business can alleviate those frustrations and provide them with a great experience. Paint a picture of what life looks like when those problems are solved.

10. Pursue Connection Through Authenticity

Prioritize authenticity in your website's content to truly connect with your audience. Your website should capture the essence of your business and the people behind it, providing a genuine glimpse into your world. Your content should be a relatable and engaging narrative that truly connects with your visitors, fostering a sense of trust and community.

Use real, original images that genuinely represent your brand and people
Avoid generic stock photos
Don’t use generic or vague content
Your text should reflect your unique voice, values, and experiences
Speak directly to the needs and emotions of your audience
Incorporate personal stories & customer testimonials
Share your story, why you exist and what drives your passion

Why Do You Need a Target Market & How Does It Help Your Business?

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 17:19:48 GMT

Why Do You Need a Target Market & How Does It Help Your Business?

As a small business owner in a competitive digital world, breaking through the noise and establishing a solid customer base can be a real challenge.

With a seemingly endless number of people searching for products and services online every day, it’s totally understandable if carving out your own path feels a little overwhelming.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to try and please everyone to get your business off the ground.

In fact, by finding your niche or target market, you improve your chances of creating space for your small business in an oversaturated market – and ultimately finding your success.

What Is A Target Market?

A target market is a specific bracket of consumers and potential customers who your products or services are intended for.

Defining your unique target market allows you to tailor your marketing efforts, product or service development, and overall business strategy to meet the unique needs of your ideal customers, making your business more attractive to them.

Factors like age, gender, income level, geographic location, interests, needs, and buying habits all play a part in finding the right audience for your business.

Whether you're a small local business or a multinational corporation, identifying and understanding your target market is essential for sustainable growth.

Benefits Of Having A Target Market For Your Small Business

So, you now know what a target market is and that it’s fundamental to the success of your business.

But how, exactly?

1. Makes Your Marketing Efforts More Effective

When you’re not in the industry yourself, it’s totally normal if marketing doesn’t exactly come as second nature to you.

Identifying your target market makes marketing your business so much easier. By narrowing your focus, you can tailor your marketing to a specific audience instead of blindly trying to appeal to the masses.

Not only does this take the sting out of things for you and allow you to use your resources more efficiently, but it also improves the overall performance of your marketing efforts.

Just as your business is totally unique, so is your target audience. So, a one-size-fits-all approach simply isn’t going to cut it.

By tailoring your marketing message for a clearly-defined audience, you’re much more likely to connect with and attract your ideal market and convert them into paying customers.

2. Generates Higher Quality Leads

While one of the main objectives of your marketing efforts is to attract more customers to your business, it’s essential that you’re focused on attracting the right kind of people to your brand.

A bad-fit customer can have seriously negative effects on your business as a whole – draining your resources, creating unnecessary issues, and ultimately, costing you time and money.

Creating a more personalized approach specifically aimed at your target market helps you generate better-quality leads.

This way, you’ll engage and convert customers that align with your company values and help you sustainably grow your business.

3. Improves Your Products & Services

Having a deep understanding of your target market’s wants and needs allows you to hone your offerings and enhance the overall value of your business.

With so much competition out there, it’s essential that you can meet the demands and expectations of your dream customers if you want to gain their trust online.

Tailor your offerings in response to market demand while still staying true to your brand values. Whether you’re developing new products or services or improving your existing ones, this insight is invaluable in creating a truly valuable experience for your target market.

4. Gives you A Competitive Advantage

These days, it’s absolutely essential for your brand to stand out from the crowd if you want to gain traction online.

When your ideal customers are browsing and researching online, they’re looking for a brand that speaks to them directly and resonates with them on a personal level.

Having a well-defined target market allows you to differentiate your brand by tailoring your products, services, and marketing messages to your specific audience.

This does more than help you build a distinctive brand identity. It also sets you apart from your competitors as a unique brand that understands their audience on a deeper level with a unique marketing strategy.

5. Strengthens Customer Relationships

When you understand your target market, you understand your customers.

At the end of the day, the best way to grow your brand is by connecting with your audience on a human level.

When you understand your target market's unique needs, pain points, and behaviors, you can provide a more personal and meaningful customer experience to them as individuals.

By focusing on targeted campaigns, you’ll be able to build stronger relationships with consumers, and more likely to increase loyalty and foster a healthy customer base for your small business.

6. Reduces Overspending On Marketing Campaigns

In general, small businesses spend 2-5% of their revenue on marketing , so the last thing you want to do is misuse some of that marketing budget by spending it on the wrong audience or channel.

Targeted marketing campaigns help you avoid unnecessary marketing expenses by focusing your efforts on an audience that is looking for and will respond to your products and services.

Don’t worry about excluding yourself from potential consumers. Zeroing in on your niche with targeted advertising will be much more effective in catching the attention of the right kind of people for your business.

You can spread your budget thin across countless channels to the broad possible audience… Or, you can concentrate on maximizing your impact by investing in the channels that are most effective in reaching and engaging your target market. We’d recommend the latter.

Reach Your Target Audience With Targeted Marketing From The Experts At 406 Marketing

When you invest time and effort into identifying your target market, you not only increase your chances of success but also build a foundation for long-term growth and sustainability.

That said, it takes a village to get your small business off the ground.

Don’t go it alone. Ensure you’ve got the right people behind you so you can reach your dream customers and achieve the kind of growth you’ve set your sights on.

At 406 Marketing, we help small business owners attract local customers, create an effective online presence, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

We'll also take care of your website's design, marketing strategies, local SEO, website support, Google ads, and much more.

Reach out , and we'll get the conversation started!

When Should You Update Your Website & Why It's Important

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 17:02:07 GMT

When Should You Update Your Website & Why It's Important

Your website plays a major role in your business growth.

But when you're already busy tending to the ins and outs of running your company, it’s understandable if taking on your own site updates and improvements doesn't quite make it to the top of your to-do list.

That said, your website is often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. It’s essential that you make a good first impression by providing a seamless user experience and positioning your business as the expert in your field.

75% of people will judge a business based on the quality of its website. So if yours isn’t up to scratch, you’re instantly cutting yourself off from tons of potential customers.

Think of your website as the online storefront for your small business. Just like a physical store, it needs regular maintenance and updates to keep things running smoothly, stay relevant, and attract customers.

When Should You Update Your Website?

You’re a small business owner, not a professional web developer. So, how are you supposed to know when it’s time for a website update?

We’ve made things simple for you by outlining 4 key signs your website needs a little refresh – or maybe even a total overhaul!

1. Outdated Design And Content

The first thing most visitors will notice about your website is its design.

When was the last time you updated your web design? Does it look a little more like something from the days of dial-up rather than the cutting-edge, slick layouts found in the highest-performing websites today?

Outdated design can make your business seem less trustworthy and relevant.

Especially now, when most people use their phones or tablets to research online, your website needs a responsive design, compatible with mobile devices.

73% of web designers believe responsive design is the main reason users abandon a website , so don’t cut yourself off from the majority of your audience online simply because your design can’t be viewed on their device.

As well as keeping your website’s design and interface super slick and modern, it’s essential that your content is relevant to your business and is easy to digest.

From web copy to images, make sure you only use high-quality content to legitimize your business and earn the trust of your target audience.

2. Slow-Loading Web Pages And Errors

Nothing is more frustrating than waiting for a page to load.

Now that we’re used to accessing information online at lightning speed, slow-loading websites will frustrate your visitors, causing them to leave your website before they even get a chance to look at it.

Broken links, 404 errors, and other technical glitches make for a poor user experience. Not only this, but it can have seriously negative impacts on your search engine rankings (that is, how high your website appears on search engine results pages).

If your website takes more than a few seconds to load, it's time to optimize it – because people simply aren’t going to wait.

3. Poor User Experience

User experience is everything when it comes to the success of your website, and if it wasn’t considered in the creation of your website, then now might be the time to give it an overhaul.

Visitors shouldn’t have a hard time navigating your website, finding information, or making purchases. All these issues stand in the way of completing your desired action and converting them into sales – which is the primary reason you built the site in the first place, right?

And again, it’s super important to factor in mobile responsiveness, as 55% of all online searches are now done on a mobile device.

Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and can be adapted to fit any screen size so people can have a positive experience of your business online, no matter what device they’re using.

4. Ranking Poorly On Search Engines

When it comes to discovering your small business online, your website needs to perform well in search engine results so you can grow your customer base and achieve your business goals.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of making your website more friendly to search engines by improving the quality of your content and how your website is designed.

By using the same keywords your target audience types into a search engine when looking for your products and services online, SEO helps place you at the top of their search results. This improves your online visibility – and when your audience can find you when they need you, you’d be surprised how much it can increase website traffic.

Keeping local SEO up to date means your website is more likely to appear higher on search engine results pages. This way, people won’t have to scroll as far to find your website, making it easier to find you and enhancing brand perception, too.

Why Is Updating Your Website So Important?

1. Enhances User Experience

A well-designed and maintained website leads to a smoother, more intuitive experience for visitors, resulting in longer page visits, increased engagement, and higher conversion rates.

The success of your small business relies on your customers being able to access information about your offerings and make purchases without any hiccups. So, there’s no room for giving your website visitors an excuse to abandon your website due a poor user experience.

2. Improves Search Engine Optimization

Search engines like Google prioritize fresh, targeted content and websites that provide an excellent user experience.

Keeping your website running smoothly and up-to-date with relevant keywords will improve your search engine rankings, and your ideal clients will easily find your small business online.

3. Increases Cyber Security

With online scamming and phishing at an all-time high, it's never been more important to factor in your website’s security.

Outdated software is more vulnerable to hacking and cyberattacks. By keeping your website's software and plugins updated, you’re protecting it against avoidable security threats and cyber attacks that could be detrimental to the survival of your small business.

4. Promotes Brand Recognition And Trust

A high-functioning website that looks impressive and is easy to navigate tells your visitors just how seriously you take your business and offers a positive insight into the quality of your products or services.

Maintaining a high-quality, updated website gives your small business a competitive edge , positioning you as a professional and making you stand out from the crowd, too.

5. Easier Management

Staying on top of website updates makes managing and further developing your website easier in the long run.

As your business grows, new content management systems and tools make it easier for you to add, edit, and manage content on your site to ensure it’s always relevant, represents the current state of your business, and is optimized for SEO.

Time To Update Your Website? Let 406 Marketing & Design Take Care of It For you

Working with professional web designers and developers removes the hassle of maintaining a cutting-edge website, allowing you to reap the benefits of organic traffic, brand visibility, and customer trust.

If you'd like to discuss an in-depth strategy for achieving sophisticated website usability and design across the board, our digital marketing experts would love to help.

At 406 Marketing, we have years of experience helping small businesses expand their reach online through website optimization, website edits, monthly analytics, updates, SEO, and more.

Get in touch today , and let’s get the conversation started!

10 Tips for Creating a User-Friendly Website for Your Small Business

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 18:59:11 GMT

10 Tips for Creating a User-Friendly Website for Your Small Business

Did you know that every $1 invested in user experience (UX) results in a return of $100?

Revamping your website's design to be more appealing to users might seem like a big job. But when done right, the benefits will certainly be worth the effort and investment.

Customers decide within seconds how they feel about your website, and its user-friendliness has a major part to play.

As the old saying goes, 'you never get a second chance to make a first impression,' and that couldn't be truer in the online world.

But if all of this seems a little overwhelming, keep in mind that one-third of small businesses don't even have a website. You've already taken a big first step by taking your business online.

The next course of action is to make your site more user-friendly so you can turn site visitors into paying customers.

In this guide, we'll explore 10 invaluable tips to make your company's website more user-friendly so that every click is another step closer to success.

Ready to get started? Let's go!

1. USE CLEAR AND CONCISE NAVIGATION

A navigation menu is a set of links or buttons that help users move around a website.

These menus are usually at the top or side of a webpage and usually appear as lists of links, icons, or drop-down menus.

Their purpose? To boost website usability by making it easy for users to find what they need.

If your navigation menu is too complicated, users will likely click out of your website and check out a competitor's site instead.

For easy navigation, we recommend organizing your menu items in a neat list and labeling them clearly for everyone to understand.

2. Choose An Attractive Web Design

Making a fantastic first impression begins with a web design that's not just attractive, but also user-friendly.

It's all about making sure your website looks great, works smoothly, and reflects your brand's unique style and identity.

Think of user-friendly web design as that initial spark that can transform a curious visitor into an excited and engaged customer.

3. Make It Work On Mobile

Many people use their phones to browse websites. In fact, more than half of people seeking a local business prefer to do so on a mobile device.

If your website doesn't work well on mobile devices like smartphones or tablets, potential customers may get frustrated and look elsewhere for the products and services they need.

But how exactly do you make your website more mobile-friendly?

Responsive design: Use a web design that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes so your site looks good on everything from big computer screens to pocket-sized smartphone screens.
Smaller images: Compress your images to load faster on mobile devices.
Easy-to-read text: Use clear fonts and make sure your text is large enough to be easy to read on mobile screens.
Fewer pop-ups: Avoid using too many pop-up windows, which can interrupt mobile browsing and be difficult to dismiss.

4. Improve Loading Speed

Your website's loading speed is simply the time it takes for a web page to appear. Waiting for a slow-loading web page to appear is like waiting outside for someone to open up shop and let you in. Trust us, website visitors don't like waiting around for pages to load, and the longer it takes, the more likely they’ll be to give up and take their business elsewhere.

You can boost your website speed by making images smaller, using a fast hosting service, and allowing browser caching.

5. Integrate Social Media

Adding social media sharing buttons to your web pages allows users to effortlessly share your content with friends and followers on their social platforms.

This not only extends your website's reach but also turns your target audience into brand advocates, promoting your business on their social media.

6. Provide Clear Contact Information

Don't make your website visitors hunt for your contact details!

Make sure they can quickly find the information they need by placing your contact details somewhere they're easy to spot, like the header or footer of your website.

It's also a good idea to offer various contact options so users can get in touch with you in the way that suits them best.

7. Create Engaging Content

Creating engaging content is another killer strategy to make your website more user-friendly.

It's all about offering content that goes beyond promoting your business – it should provide valuable information and resources to your readers.

You grab their attention and establish trust by delivering real value to your audience. Think of your content as a helping hand, providing answers, insights, and solutions.

Remember, the average internet user skims through content, so make sure the layout of your content makes it easy for readers to digest.

8. Include A Call-To-Action (CTA)

CTAs guide your website visitors on the path to your desired action. Whether it's encouraging them to sign up for your newsletter, request a quote, or make a purchase, good CTAs provide clear and specific directions to users about the next step they should take.

9. Use Legible Text

If you want your site visitors to stick around, it's crucial that the text on your website isn't challenging to read.

Opt for fonts that are clear and easy on the eyes. Keep the text size just right – not too small and not too big.

And most importantly, make sure there's a noticeable contrast between the color of the text and the background color.

10. Carry Out Regular Website Maintenance

Last but not least, don't forget the importance of regular website check-ups.

Testing for things like broken links, pages that take their sweet time to load, or content that's seen better days is crucial.

And when you find these little hiccups, be quick to mend them. This way, your website stays fresh and friendly.

All in all, your website's user-friendliness is the bridge between curious visitors and satisfied customers.

In a digital world where first impressions matter more than ever, the 10 essential tips shared in this guide will help transform your website into a welcoming, valuable, and successful platform.

Make your website more user-friendly with 406 Marketing

At 406 Marketing, we aim to make life easier for small business owners by creating user-friendly websites.

We take care of everything, from building a website that's easy for customers to find and navigate to making sure your site always runs smoothly. We even manage Google ads to boost your online presence.

Schedule a call with us today , and let's make your website a user-friendly haven where your visitors feel right at home. Your business will thank you for it!

What's More Important for Your Small Local Business – SEO or Paid Advertising?

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:09:55 GMT

What's More Important For Your Business - SEO or Paid Advertising?

Getting your small business off the ground can feel like an uphill battle.

Sure, you’ve got a few local customers who support your efforts, but is that really enough to reach your goals or even sustain your business long-term?

Establishing and maintaining a solid online presence is the only way to grow your small business successfully.

With the online market growing more competitive by the day, getting your business noticed is becoming increasingly difficult, especially for small, local businesses like yours.

Search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising are two extremely effective ways to increase organic traffic to your company’s website so you can reach an even wider audience and ultimately grow your customer base.

But, if you don’t have a huge budget to allocate to digital marketing just yet, investing in both SEO and PPC marketing may not be the most realistic strategy for you right now.

So, let’s explore the benefits of each approach so you can decide how best to increase your online visibility and grow your small business.

What Are the benefits of search engine optimization?

SEO is essential to any small business's success, yet more than half of small businesses haven’t invested in a professional SEO strategy .

Let’s dive right into the main benefits SEO has to offer.

1. A sustainable and cost-effective approach for small businesses

SEO is an organic way to increase your online visibility, meaning your target audience will naturally come across your website when searching for your products or services online.

When you optimize your website for search engines, you're essentially making it more relevant and accessible to users by including the keywords they’re using when they search.

Your website will rank higher on search engine results pages, making it easier for potential customers and clients to discover your business online.

Unlike paid advertising, SEO doesn't cost you every time someone clicks on your website. It's a long-term strategy that provides lasting benefits, especially for small local businesses on a budget.

2. Allows For Tailored, Local Targeting

Local SEO is particularly important for small businesses and offers massive potential benefits by allowing you to target people in your area directly.

Search engine algorithms can be pretty specific, so using focused keywords specific to your area and industry niche can make a big difference.

For example, optimizing your website for local search terms like "digital marketing in Great Falls, MT" can help you zero in on your target audience when they look for your products or services.

Local SEO tactics can improve your chances of appearing in Google's local map pack (the top results that appear on Google Maps), which helps to draw in nearby customers.

3. Increases Customer Trust And Credibility

Think about it – if you have to trawl through search engine results pages to find a specific website, how likely are you to trust it?

Ranking more highly in organic search results legitimizes your business and enhances customer trust.

Users often trust organic results more than paid advertisements, so focusing on SEO is essential to build that trust with your target audience.

The more reliable and relevant you appear to them, the more likely they’ll be to become loyal customers – and hopefully give you word-of-mouth recommendations down the road.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PPC ADS?

Is paid advertising really necessary?

Well, most businesses make $2 for every $1 they spend on Google advertising , meaning they see a 200% return on their investment, which is pretty impressive!

Now, let’s look at some of the other benefits paid ads can bring to your small business.

1. Unlock Instant Visibility For Your Website

PPC advertising – whether through Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or other platforms – makes your website instantly visible to your target audience across different online channels.

When you create a PPC campaign, you can appear in front of potential customers within hours, making it a hugely valuable investment for businesses looking to generate quick leads or sales.

2. Directly Target Your Niche Audience

Paid advertising platforms provide precise targeting options, allowing you to reach a super-specific audience.

This is crucial for small local businesses as you can tailor differentiating factors like location, demographics, interests, and online behavior to ensure the right people see your ads.

Creating a highly specific landing page is a great way to maximize the potential of your PPC ads. By offering valuable content to your audience at the precise moment they need it, you’re more likely to increase conversion rates and drive more sales.

3. Offer Flexibility And Scalability

Paid advertising campaigns are easily scalable, so you can increase or decrease your budget based on the results you're getting or what you can afford at the time.

This flexibility is particularly beneficial for small businesses, allowing you to expand your reach on a budget while adapting to changing market conditions or seasonal fluctuations.

So, Who Wins The Battle Of SEO VS Pay Per Click?

SEO and paid advertising can both be highly advantageous for your small local business, as they can both help you position your business as a real contender against your competitors.

While there are strong arguments for both, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution

Depending on your goals and needs, a balanced approach between the two might be the answer for your small business.

To get started, it’s a good idea to invest in a robust SEO strategy to help you capture your niche with local SEO and climb the ranks on search engines.

Once you’ve established your business on Google, boost your position by incorporating PPC campaigns into your growth strategy.

As with all digital marketing, it’s super important to maintain your efforts with ongoing monitoring and optimization.

A digital marketing specialist can give you valuable insights, analyzing which strategies are proving the most effective for your business, and where you can improve to ensure you’re getting the most out of your investments.

boost your website traffic and generate high quality leads with 406 marketing

Generating search traffic on your own is no easy task, especially when you’re already so busy with the ins and outs of running your business.

At 406 Marketing, we help small business owners attract local customers, create a strong online presence, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

We'll also take care of your website's design, local SEO, website support, Google ads, and much more.

Reach out today so you can improve your online presence and grow your business in no time!

7 Tips To Improve Your Digital Marketing As A Small Business

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:15:01 GMT

7 Tips To Improve Your Digital Marketing As A Small Business

As a small business, digital marketing can be a real game-changer. It can help you drive more traffic to your website, reach your target audience, increase brand awareness, and much more.

But digital marketing can be overwhelming, especially if you're just starting out. That's why we've put together a list of useful tips that give you insight into how you can help your small businesses improve its digital marketing efforts.

We know all about the challenges faced by small businesses, which is why our digital marketing tips are designed to be practical, effective, and budget-friendly.

Whether you're delving into the waters of digital marketing for the first time or looking to improve your existing strategy, these seven tips can help you grow your business online and achieve the success you deserve.

1. DECIDE ON YOUR GOALS

First things first, before starting any digital marketing campaign, you must define your goals.

It's important to question what you hope to achieve from your efforts. For example, do you hope to generate more leads, boost your website traffic, or improve sales?

Once you have decided on your specific goals, you can tailor your strategy to help you achieve these goals.

2. GET TO KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

For your digital marketing campaign to be a hit, you must know your target audience.

This includes understanding your target audience, what they want, and where they spend their time online.

With this vital information at your disposal, you can craft content that resonates with your potential customers.

How TO Find Your Target Audience

Define your ideal customer: Create a clear picture of the person you want to reach, including their age, location, occupation, hobbies, etc.
Analyze your current customer base: Review your existing customers to identify the types of people who've previously purchased your product or service.
Use social media listening: Monitor social media conversations related to your brand and industry to gain insights into your audience's interests and needs.
Engage with your audience: It's important to interact with your audience, whether it's on social media, in customer service interactions, or through email marketing, to build relationships and better understand their needs and interests.
Check out your competition: Look at it and see who they target. Analyze their messaging, promotions, and audience engagement to get a good idea of what's working and what's not working for them.

3. BUILD A STRONG BRAND

Your brand is more than just your logo or color scheme. It's the entire personality of your business, including your mission, values, and unique selling proposition (USP) - this is what makes your brand unique.

Building a strong brand is crucial to separating yourself from competitors and connecting with your audience.

To build a strong brand, start by defining your mission and values. Think about what drives your business and how you want to make a difference in your industry.

Next, develop a visual identity that reflects your brand message. This includes your logo, color scheme, typography, and other design elements that create a consistent look and feel across your website, social media, and channels.

It's also important to ensure your brand message is consistent across all your digital channels, including your website, social media profiles, ads, and email campaigns. This will help build trust and recognition with your audience.

4. CREAT VALUABLE CONTENT

Content is king in digital marketing. You must create valuable content that educates, entertains, or inspires your audience.

It can be in blog posts, videos, infographics, or social media posts. The key is to create content that your audience finds useful or entertaining. The type of content they actually have an interest in.

TIPS FOR CREATING VALUABLE CONTENT

Provide solutions: Offer solutions to problems your audience is facing. Provide actionable advice, tips, and resources to help them achieve their goals.
Create original content: Create unique and original content that isn’t available anywhere else. This can help establish you as a thought leader in your industry and build trust with your audience.
Use visuals: Use images, videos, and infographics to make your content more engaging and shareable.
Write for your audience: Write in a tone and style that resonates with your audience. Don't forget to use language that is familiar to them.
Be consistent: Consistently publish high-quality content that provides value to your audience. This will help build a loyal following of customers and establish your brand as a trusted source of information.
Stay up-to-date: Stay informed about your industry's latest news and trends, so you can create timely and relevant content for your audience.

5. Optimize Your Website

Your website is like your business's online shop window, so making it easy for people to find and use is essential.

To optimize your website, follow these helpful tips:

Make it mobile-friendly: Make sure that your website is user-friendly and compatible with all devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Carry out keyword research: Use relevant keywords and descriptions in your website's content to improve its visibility in search engine results.
Include a call to action: Use clear and visible calls to action throughout your website to encourage visitors to take action.
Use customer testimonials: Use customer testimonials and reviews to build trust with your audience.
Focus on navigation: Organize your website's content and make it easy to navigate.
Track user behavior: Use analytics tools to see how people use your website and make changes based on what you learn to improve its performance.

6. USE EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Social media is a powerful and cost-effective digital marketing tool that can help small businesses connect with a vast audience and engage with customers in real time.

To make the most of this digital marketing method, identify the social media platforms your target audience uses the most and create a content marketing strategy that aligns with your overall goals.

Email marketing is also a highly effective digital marketing strategy for small business owners. It provides an avenue to keep in touch with your customers and promote your products or services.

To leverage email marketing, build a targeted email list and send regular newsletters or promotions to your subscribers, providing valuable content that drives engagement and encourages conversions.

7. MEASURE YOUR RESULTS

Finally, measuring the results of your digital marketing tactics is essential when it comes to digital marketing for small businesses.

Handy tools like Google Analytics can help you track your social media engagement, website traffic, and email open rates.

This information can help you understand what's currently working for you and what's not. With this vital information, you can then adjust your strategy accordingly.

Overall, digital marketing can allow small businesses to grow and thrive online. While it can be daunting, implementing the right strategies can help you drive traffic, reach your target audience, and increase brand awareness.

GET HELP FROM THE EXPERTS!

Are you a small business owner struggling to make an impact in the digital world? Let our team of digital marketing experts help you improve your digital marketing strategy and take your business to new heights.

From defining your target audience and carrying out local search engine optimization to optimizing your website for search engines, we offer various services tailored to your unique needs.

How To Generate More Leads Using Your Google Business Profile

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 18:21:13 GMT

How To Generate More Leads Using Your Google Business Profile

Whether you’re operating a small local business or a massive global corporation, it’s essential to have a strong and consistent online presence.

With 252,000 new websites appearing every day, the internet is a pretty crowded place these days! If you want to stand out online, you’ve got to go all in on your business’s online presence, from investing in a user-friendly website to connecting with your customers across various social media channels.

One of the most effective ways to increase your online presence for lead generation is creating a Google Business Profile.

With an estimated 8.5 billion Google searches every day, a Google Business Profile can serve as a powerful tool for attracting potential customers and high-quality leads for your business.

What Is A Google BUsiness Profile?

Formerly known as Google My Business, Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows businesses to manage and easily maintain their online presence.

Whether people search for your business directly or for keywords related to your products or services online, your Google Business Profile appears at the top of Google search and Google Maps.

This is a quick and simple way for people to access vital information about your business, such as how to reach you, where to find you, and when you’re open for business. Your Google Business Profile also gives your audience a closer look at your business with images, Google reviews, and more.

How to use your Google Business Profile to generate leads and attract your dream customers

It’s super easy to harness the full potential of this free tool so you can start generating leads and organically reach your target audience in no time.

Let’s dive right in!

1. Create A STrong Profile

A super important part of the lead generation process is creating an effective Google Business Profile that truly reflects the quality of your business.

Just like on your website, it’s essential to present the best version of your business on your Google Business Profile. Don’t forget to include all the relevant information potential customers will be looking for when they’re searching online, including:

Business name
Business address
Contact information
Link to website
Hours of operation
Business category
Brief description of your business

A complete and detailed Google Business Profile is more likely to attract potential leads.

Now your profile is loaded with all the necessary information to make it easy for potential customers to understand your business. Next, it’s time to make sure your business not only sounds appealing but looks attractive too.

Use high-resolution images and videos to represent your business and showcase your products, services, and brand identity.

Let your audience get to know you and your business by including photos of your storefront (if you have one), your products, team members, and anything else that makes your business special to attract potential customers.

2. Showcase Customer Reviews And Engage With Potential Customers

In an online world, establishing trust is everything. That’s why great reviews can seriously impact sales by building trust between you and your customers.

In fact, 81% of Google users check online reviews before visiting a business or making a purchase. If you’re not sharing your positive reviews and testimonials online, you might be making yourself invisible to a significant portion of your target audience.

Encourage your happy customers to leave their personal reviews on your Google Business Profile so other people can see just how wonderful your business really is.

Google reviews also offer a fantastic opportunity for you to engage with your customers online.

Whether you receive positive or negative feedback, respond promptly and professionally to all reviews to demonstrate the level of customer care you provide and just how seriously you take their input.

You can also interact with potential leads by participating in your profile's questions and answers section. Remaining responsive on your profile is a great way to impress a qualified lead and encourage them to convert to a loyal customer.

3. Create Posts And Google Ads

With a Google Business Profile, you can create and share posts about events, promotions, and other important updates.

Posts are a great way to keep your profile fresh and engaging. At the same time, they provide the perfect opportunity to link to downloads, brochures, or landing pages and, ideally, receive their contact information in exchange for helpful resources and materials.

Sharing content relevant to your audience with a clear and compelling Call To Action is a highly effective way to promote online lead generation. Your business and expertise are invaluable! The content you post is another way to share that with the community you serve.

To further boost your visibility online, you can run paid Google Ads to promote your offerings and updates directly from your Google Business Profile, casting your net even wider.

4. Optimize Your Profile For Performance And Usability

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to optimizing your website’s content and design to rank higher on Google.

SEO can also be applied to your Google Business Profile by including the relevant local keywords that your target audience is using when searching for your products or services online so that it appears higher on Google search. (If this sounds a little confusing, don’t worry! We can help!)

In addition, Google provides valuable insights about how Google users interact with your profile, giving you a deeper understanding of your audience so you can tailor your content and strategies to respond to their needs.

5. Update Your Profile Regularly

Just as you need to keep your website content fresh and up-to-date, your Google Business Profile also needs to be updated on a regular basis.

Your profile will only be able to help you generate leads if it’s well-maintained. Consistent, strategic updates are key to keeping your profile ship shape.

This means updating any changes to your business – from your hours of operation to the products and services you currently offer – so that customers and qualified leads always know what to expect.

Don’t forget to engage with your audience by responding to any new reviews that come in and by continuing to post relevant and attractive content.

Create A Results-Driven Lead Generation STrategy With 406 Marketing & Design

To achieve your growth goals and get ahead in such a competitive space, you must constantly work on attracting and nurturing high-quality leads for your business.

When you make the most of your Google Business Profile, you can significantly improve the number and quality of leads you receive by reaching a wider audience and making a lasting impression.

We’re the experts in creating lead generation strategies tailored to your business’s unique needs and goals.

At 406 Marketing, we help small business owners attract local customers, create a sophisticated online presence, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

We'll also take care of your website's design, local SEO, website support, Google ads, and much more.

Reach out , and we'll get the conversation started!

How to Choose an LMS for Your Staff and Client Training

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 15:40:36 GMT

How to Choose an LMS for Your Staff and Client Training

With 60% of employers saying that talent gaps are having a major or moderate impact on their business, there’s no doubt that the demand for dynamic education is growing.

However, in such a fast-paced industry, expanding your knowledge while juggling existing operations can be quite a challenge — especially for small business owners!

Particularly when it comes to staff and client training, the ultimate goal is to adapt your business to be forward-thinking and agile as new opportunities arise. But at the same time, you also need to have your feet firmly on the ground to address more immediate concerns.

The simple solution? Finding the best learning management system for you (or ‘LMS’ platforms as they’re also known).

Helping you efficiently train staff or clients through exclusively online methods, LMS platforms are the ultimate professional learning solution. With flexible options to suit most companies, your small business can reap the rewards of intensive professional development without the commitment of large-scale training days or costly corporate training materials.

Sounds ideal, right? The problem is that when it comes to finding the right LMS platform for your small business, you’ll find that not all solutions are equal.

That’s why our team is here with all the facts to help you choose an LMS for your staff and client training that fits the needs of your small business.

Let’s get started.

Firstly, what is a Learning Management System?

In today's work landscape, lifelong learning has become an integral part of staying competitive. That said, with significant time, energy, and money needing to be invested in workforce development, many small businesses are finding it difficult to keep up.

This is where a top Learning Management System (LMS) can really help your small business shine.

With technology shaping learning in educational institutions, it’s no surprise that businesses are also recognizing the value of online training solutions to keep the learning cycle moving. With a faster and more effective learning process, companies of all sizes can adapt to changing circumstances and ensure their in-house teams and clients are on board with their next move.

But what exactly is an LMS platform?

In short, an LMS is a software application designed to help you deliver, track, and manage training and learning programs. Essentially, it acts as a hub for the creation, distribution, and management of courses and training materials you’d otherwise have to coordinate manually.

With customizable features, integrated assessments, and collaboration tools — the right LMS can be a game-changer for your business.

How can an LMS benefit your business?

Revolutionizing how you train your staff and clients, the benefits of an LMS platform are undeniable. From making education more accessible to ensuring individual learning styles are engaged more effectively, an LMS offers a whole new approach to professional training that can make a BIG difference to your business.

But beyond this, why use an LMS for your small business?

1. Streamlines Onboarding and Staff Training

Imagine having an intuitive interface that makes course creation a breeze. A good LMS platform offers exactly that!

Streamlining staff training by enabling you to create and deliver engaging employee training programs on any topic you like, you can educate your employees while also empowering them to learn more effectively .

For small businesses in particular, this method of course creation and training can be a great asset for future growth. Allowing you to build a concrete strategy for how you want your business to be run, you can ensure better control of your expansion and quickly bring new employees up to speed on your operations.

2. Enhances Client Relationships

The right LMS can also help improve customer and client relationships with targeted training, enabling them to make the most of your products or services.

By equipping your customers with valuable insights, you can enhance their experience, build loyalty, iron out any problem areas, and boost your bottom line.

Tip: Small businesses often struggle with ‘problem clients’ draining resources and taking away time from new opportunities. With the right eLearning content, such as video tutorials and instructional guides, you can offload client-related pain points and improve customer satisfaction almost instantly!

3. Elevates Sales performance

When it comes to your sales team, an LMS can make training seamless. Not only can it give your sales representative the knowledge they need to sell confidently, but it also enables them to enhance their selling technique with courses tailored to improve their performance.

The result? Increased revenue and a stronger sales force.

Additionally, if your small business doesn’t have a dedicated sales team — it’s good to know that an LMS can also do some of the selling for you! Let your LMS do the talking by creating demos or informational guides for your products or services and incorporating them into the sales process.

4. Simplifies HR Compliance Training

Even for small businesses, HR compliance can be a real headache. But did you know that an advanced LMS can significantly simplify the process of tracking and managing training requirements? With the right LMS, you can stay on top of your organization's HR policies and associated training courses.

Tip: The right LMS can also help you reduce staff turnover by keeping staff feeling more engaged and fulfilled. Improving employee retention means less training costs, more free time, and an opportunity to optimize a workforce you know is loyal to your small business.

What to Look for When Choosing an LMS

It might sound like an easy thing to research, but you’d be surprised by how much of a minefield the LMS sector is. With many platforms claiming to offer the same training features, it can be difficult to know which ones are the real deal.

To help, we suggest following these tips:

1. Look for a Simple and Intuitive Interface

It goes without saying that an LMS should always be user-friendly and allow you to create and update courses with ease. Even if the platform claims to offer advanced features, it should still offer an uncomplicated approach to course creation that saves you valuable time in the long run.

2. Opt for a Platform That Allows You to Use Your Own Branding

If your small business has worked on establishing itself as a brand, you’ll likely want to retain this branding across your learning materials — after all, they are yours! This is why customization options are so crucial. With the ability to integrate your own branding into educational materials, you’ll be able to ensure a more consistent and immersive user experience.

3. Research Platforms With Built-In Messaging Add-Ons

When it comes to learning, communication is key. This is why we always suggest looking for an LMS with built-in messaging features and discussion forums. These tools help promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing among learners, creating a more engaging and interactive learning experience.

4. Seek Out Reporting And Analytics Features

Think back to school. At the end of each year, we all got report cards to help us (and our parents!) keep track of our progress. Professional development should be no different. With reporting and analytics features, you can track learner progress, monitor course completion rates, identify areas for improvement, and even spot new learning opportunities!

5. Look For A Great SupporT Team

Even if eLearning courses are easy to set up on a particular platform, it’s always good to know that there’s long-term help on hand! Online learning can be somewhat of a process, so seek out an LMS vendor that offers assistance in the form of an onboarding specialist, ongoing support, and easily accessible online or phone contact.

Note: Most learning management systems will claim to offer customer support, but not all platforms will continue to offer this support after installation!

Ready to Find the Perfect LMS Platform for Your Small Business?

Investing in the right LMS platform for your small business can make a huge difference to not only the performance of your employees but also your business goals, growth plans, and client relationships.

With the ability to create learning materials and targeted courses to enhance key skills or address specific challenges, you can open up your business to a whole new level of success.

Especially with an LMS platform such as LearnRight, you can leverage advanced features through a user-friendly interface and maximize the impact of your training initiatives. With customizable branding, community messaging, progress analytics, and so much more — LearnRight is one of the leading LMS platforms on the market.

If you’d like to know more about LearnRight and how it’s helping small businesses all over the world, change their approach to staff and client training, feel free to request a demo and see the platform in action for yourself!

With LearnRight, you can create learning paths that make a real difference to your business, regardless of size.

About Nick Butler:

Nick Butler is the founder of LearnRight, an online learning management system for organizations and businesses.

What Are The Best Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses?

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 19:57:36 GMT

What Are The Best Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses?

As a small business owner, you probably already know just how important having a solid marketing strategy is.

Marketing helps you attract the right customers to the business, making them aware of the products and services you offer.

With 97% of people researching local businesses online, meeting potential customers where they spend the most time is a must.

But growing your small business online isn't always plain sailing. That's why we've compiled this handy guide to the best marketing strategies for small businesses.

So, whether you want to attract new local customers, retain existing ones, or expand your business to a new location, we've got you covered.

Take a look at these six marketing tactics you can start implementing today.

1. Focus On Social Media marketing

According to research from SCORE, as many as 77% of small businesses use social media to help boost brand awareness, deliver great customer service, and increase revenue.

Social media platforms have millions of active users. You can increase your brand's exposure to a broader audience by posting regularly and engaging with users.

Even better, social media marketing is a cost-effective way of raising awareness for your brand. After all, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are free.

Social media allows you to engage with your followers personally, responding to their comments and messages and creating a sense of community around your brand. This can increase loyalty and advocacy as your followers share their positive experiences with others.

Keep in mind successful social media marketing takes a well-planned strategy, regular content creation, and consistent effort. But the results will speak for themselves when you're willing to work hard.

2. Don't Overlook The Power Of Email Marketing

Despite the increase in popularity of social media and other messaging platforms, email remains one of the most effective marketing channels for reaching your audience.

Not only does email help you to keep in touch with those who want to hear from you, but it also lets you share valuable information with your subscribers and promote new products.

Like social media marketing, email is a particularly effective strategy for smaller businesses as it's affordable and allows you to market to customers on a tighter marketing budget.

By using professional email marketing software, you can also track opens, clicks, and other metrics to measure the success of your campaigns and any changes that could be made in the future.

3. Invest In Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Investing in SEO will help your local business improve its online visibility, attract customers, and build credibility and trust with your audience.

SEO achieves this by helping your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). This increases the likelihood of potential customers finding your business when they search for related keywords or phrases.

So how exactly do you invest in SEO for your small business?

Conduct keyword research - use keyword research tools to find the search terms and phrases your target audience is typing into search engines when looking for a business like yours
Optimize your website - once you've identified your target keywords, optimize your website's content to align with those keywords. Also, remember to ensure your website is mobile-friendly
Build backlinks - focus on building high-quality, relevant backlinks from reputable sources
Monitor your progress - track your website's performance using analytics tools to monitor your progress over time

4. Prioritize Excellent Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service can help build trust with your existing customers. Feeling heard, understood, and valued encourages your customers to share your business with others.

But what is the key to providing excellent customer service?

High-quality customer service includes:

Being responsive to customer queries
Addressing complaints quickly
Going above and beyond to exceed expectations

Listening to customer feedback and addressing concerns not only improves your reputation. It also shines a light on areas your business can improve upon.

After all, there is always room for improvement. When you take feedback on board, you can create an even better service in the future and attract more customers.

5. Improve Your Google BUsiness Profile

Improving your Google Business Profile will help increase visibility and attract more customers.

Here are some tips to improve your Google Business Profile:

Claim and verify your business: claim your business on Google Business Profile and verify your ownership. This will give you control over your business information and ensure that it's accurate and up-to-date
Add photos and videos: add high-quality images and videos of your business, products, and services to your profile. This will make your profile more visually appealing and help customers better understand what you offer
Encourage customer reviews: encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews help attract new customers and improve your search engine rankings
Respond to customer reviews: Respond to customer reviews, whether positive or negative. This shows that you value customer feedback and are committed to providing excellent customer service

6. Provide Valuable Content

You can engage your audience by sharing relevant articles, videos, podcasts, and other media online. This is known as content marketing and has many great benefits for small local businesses like yours.

It allows you to build trust with your target audience by providing them with information that is valuable, entertaining, or educational. When users find content useful, it leads to higher levels of engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares - all of which boost your posts.

Compared to traditional advertising methods like print and TV ads, content marketing is often less expensive and can have a longer-lasting impact. Content marketing is the way to go if you want big results on a small budget.

From social media and email marketing to investing in SEO and prioritizing customer service, many great marketing strategies can help your small business win more local customers.

We hope this guide on small business marketing strategies has given you the knowledge you need to increase your visibility, reach a broader audience, and grow your brand online.

Plan Your Small Business marketing Strategy With 406 Marketing & Design

Are you looking to win new customers and boost your business's online presence with a standout digital marketing strategy? Well then, our team of digital marketing experts would love to help!

At 406 Marketing, we help small business owners attract local customers, create a sophisticated online presence, and build trust and credibility with their audience.

We'll also take care of your website's design, local SEO, website support, Google ads, and much more.

Reach out, and we'll get the conversation started!

Why Is Website Usability Important? (And How To Improve Yours)

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 18:18:33 GMT

Why Is Website Usability Important? (And How To Improve Yours)

Have you ever visited a website and found it almost impossible to find your way around?

If the answer is yes, you were probably left confused, frustrated, and rushing to another website that provided what you needed.

Well, this is because the site in question had poor web usability. This is a term we use to describe the user-friendliness of a website. In other words, how easy it is for visitors to find their way around the site.

Many factors determine a website's user-friendliness, and understanding each is important for improving your own website's usability.

In this blog, we've shared the main reasons why usability is so important. You'll also find a list of steps to improve your website's usability and boost your small business's online presence.

Let's dive in!

Why Is Website Usability Important?

Here are three reasons why website usability is important.

1. Creates A Good First Impression

First impressions matter, and your website's user-friendliness is the first thing potential customers will notice when they visit it.

When users click on your website and find it easy to navigate to the information they need, they'll be happy to continue browsing.

But a website with a confusing layout, too much text, or no straightforward user journey makes a bad first impression.

With a wealth of online information, your potential clients will have no second thoughts about hitting the back button and visiting one of your competitor's websites instead.

2. Improves Conversions (Leads)

Conversions play a key role in the success of your small business. A conversion is when a website visitor completes the action you want them to - so, most likely, they give you a call or fill in your contact form.

Good conversion rates equal more sales and revenue, while poor conversion rates mean your business may be in trouble for securing future customers.

Fortunately, a user-friendly website provides a positive experience that encourages visitors to convert.

From streamlining the contact process to making it easy for site visitors to find what they're looking for, usability plays a big part in the conversions your website receives.

3. It Keeps People On Your Website Longer

Getting users to increase the length of time they spend on your website has many great benefits.

Besides the fact that longer user sessions lead to more conversions, they also improve your site's SEO rating and can increase the rate of repeat visits.

You can encourage people to spend more time on your site by:

Reducing your page loading time
Optimizing for mobile
Ensuring content is easy to scan and skim
Including relevant, engaging videos
Including reviews and customer testimonials
Include clear call to actions (CTAs)
Carry out user research
Have a great blog that’s updated regularly

Common Website Usability Issues

As we know, websites that are difficult to use scare potential clients away. But what does a website usability issue even look like?

Common website usability issues that we see regularly include:

The website not working on mobile devices
Slow loading speed
Too much text on a page
Broken links to other websites
Hard-to-read text
Poor color contrast
Missing/hidden contact information
Poorly-timed pop-ups
Bad web design in general
Poor navigation

By working to improve these issues, you can create a website that offers an enjoyable user experience for all.

How To Make Your Website More User-Friendly

Now that we understand the importance of a user-friendly website for your business's success, let's look at five steps you can take to improve your site’s usability.

1. Create Easy-To-Read Content

Website content that is easy to read and jargon-free achieves more conversions than overly complicated text.

Most people are in a hurry and want text that is easy to consume and scan so they can find the information they need right away.

Tips for creating easy-to-read content include:

Use short sentences and paragraphs
Sort content into organized sections
Use simple language
Break up text with images
Use a reading score analysis tool

2. Ensure It's Compatible With Mobile

According to a recent report, nearly 60% of all online searches are now carried out on mobile devices.

Being mobile-friendly means your website displays different versions depending on what device it's being accessed on.

Mobile devices have smaller screens than desktops, so a mobile-friendly website adjusts to give users a better viewing experience.

A mobile-optimized website makes it easy for users to interact with your website or purchase, no matter where they are.

3. Make Sure It's Easy To Navigate

Website navigation is the most important thing for promoting user satisfaction, with 94% of people naming easy website navigation as their number one priority.

Today's internet users expect simple, easy-to-follow navigation from the websites they visit.

It doesn't matter how good your content reads, how great your logo looks, or how many positive customer testimonials you've included. Users who can't navigate your website won't even get to see these things.

When creating your website's navigation system, it's important to ensure your menu is easy to read and that any drop-down menus are working correctly.

It's also essential to include clear calls to action (CTAs) that lead customers in the direction you want them to go.

4. Carry Out Regular Speed Checks

On average, if your website takes over three seconds to load, 40% of your visitors will abandon your site.

A poor loading speed creates a negative user experience and high bounce rates, affecting your site's rank on Google.

Tips for improving your website's loading speed:

Move your website to a better host company
Compress and optimize your images
Reduce the number of plugins on your site
Use website caching
Fix 404 errors
Avoid using redirects (if possible)

5. Conduct Website Usability Testing

Website usability testing is a way of evaluating how people are using your website.

A usability testing session involves getting real people to interact with your website and observing their behavior and reactions.

With a website usability test, you can determine any weak spots on your website that may be holding it back. In other words, user testing will help you uncover opportunities to improve the overall user experience.

From improving conversions to creating a great first impression, there are many benefits to having a user-friendly website.

We hope this blog has helped you understand these benefits and how active steps like usability testing, optimizing your site for mobile, and creating easy-to-read content can all help improve your website's usability.

Improve Your Website's Usability With 406 Marketing & Design

If you'd like to discuss an in-depth strategy for achieving good website usability, our digital marketing experts would love to help.

At 406 Marketing, we have years of experience helping small businesses expand their reach online through website optimization, website edits, monthly analytics, updates, SEO, and more.

Reach out, and we'll get the conversation started!

How To Promote Your Business At Local Events

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 14:32:31 GMT

How To Promote Your Business At Local Events

Attending local events like trade fairs, festivals, and business conferences is a great way to introduce your business to new customers and fellow entrepreneurs in your local area.

Unlike other forms of marketing, attending events doesn't have to cost a lot, making it ideal for small businesses on a tight budget.

The value of attending a business event is huge. One survey found that 95% of people agreed that better business relationships are built through face-to-face meetings.

But to make your event attendance worthwhile, you'll need to know how to promote your business and interact with other attendees effectively.

To help you out, we've put together a list of easy-to-follow steps to help you make the most out of any future events you attend.

Here’s how to promote a business when attending local events.

1. Have Business Cards At The Ready

Although technology has transformed business communications, one piece of printed branding that remains as important as ever is the trusted business card.

While mixing at an event, handing out a business card to potential prospects, customers, and local business groups is a great way to promote your brand and make a great first impression.

Not only does your business card share important contact information such as your name, title, email, website, address, and phone number, but it introduces people to your overall business image.

The company logo on your card gives a glimpse into your brand identity, as well as the fonts, colors, and paper you chose. Make sure you have a high quality, professional business card at the ready.

2. Be Active And Engage With People

While attending business events, it's crucial that you put yourself out there and spark conversations with people you think might be interested in what you have to say.

Networking at a conference can be a great way to form professional relationships, explore new areas, and boost your career.

This sounds great but starting a conversation with a stranger isn't always easy.

That's why we've shared some helpful opening questions to help you get chatting:

What do you do for work?
What brought you to this event?
What do you think about the event so far?
Are you familiar with any of the speakers?
How do you like working for your company?
What's your primary role at your company?
What projects are you working on right now?
How did you get involved in your field?

3. Talk With People In Your Industry

When networking at local business events, ensure you focus on those in your industry. After all, you don't want to waste valuable time chatting with people who won't be able to help your business.

Before attending an event, read up on industry news and trends so you'll be prepared to discuss relevant subjects. Ask for other people's thoughts on topics that are interesting to both of you.

When meeting people in your industry, it's important to remember that even if they can't help you directly, someone in their network probably can.

4. Have Freebies Or Giveaways At Your Booth

We now know handing out your business card to event attendees can have great results.

However, freebies and giveaways tend to have an even more significant effect, especially on prospective customers.

That's because everyone loves free stuff. Before attending an event, consider bringing along some free swag for the big day.

Pens, mugs, t-shirts, and tote bags, including your company name and logo, are always a good idea as they lead to further exposure and an added way to promote your business.

Also, community events are an opportunity to do a giveaway for new products or services you're looking to introduce.

5. Sponsor Events

Sponsoring an event in your community is one of the most effective ways for a small business owner like you to increase your brand's visibility.

Not only does sponsoring an event help to expand your network and create meaningful business relationships, but it also proves that you care about your local community.

Attaching your business to worthy causes helps cultivate a positive brand image, proving to new and existing customers that your company is reliable and trustworthy.

You may also receive extra exposure in press releases or in your local newspaper.

One survey found that 74% of customers are more likely to buy a product of a brand they were exposed to via event marketing.

Even if the event is only for a day or two, putting the spotlight on your business can have major long-term benefits.

6. Entice People To Sign Up To Your Email List

Organizing a giveaway is a highly effective way to get attendees to sign up for your mailing list. Every person who shares their email address with you will be entered into the competition.

Before creating a giveaway, choose an attractive prize that will make signing up for your mailing list irresistible.

Collecting customer email addresses in your database to use in the coming months is an excellent way to expand your business.

For best results, avoid overloading inboxes with too many emails or ads. Every email you send should have something of value to offer the receiver.

Attending events is a fantastic way to promote your business, build professional relationships, and win new customers.

From networking with people in your industry to offering freebies and giveaways to potential customers - attending events is an excellent method of business promotion.

If you'd like further assistance promoting your small business locally or on search engines, our team at 406 Marketing would love to help.

At 406 Marketing, our talented team has years of experience helping local businesses like yours reach their target audience online through search engine optimization, conversion focused website design , and other online marketing efforts.

To discuss an in-depth strategy for promoting your business online, reach out, and we'll get the conversation started!

Get in touch.

6 Simple Things You Can Do To Improve Your Website's Conversion Rate

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 16:07:30 GMT

6 Simple Things You Can Do To Improve Your Website's Conversion Rate

Getting a steady stream of visitors to your website may seem like a big achievement, but the truth is - it's only half the battle.

Website visitors are relatively meaningless unless they take action, whether that’s giving you a call, filling out a contact form, making a purchase, or signing up for your newsletter.

If you want your small business to succeed, you'll need to focus your attention on your website conversion rate, i.e. the ratio of visitors to your website that take the action you want them to.

This means turning your attention towards conversion rate optimization (CRO). CRO involves making improvements to your website so visitors want to stick around and do business with you.

In this blog, we've shared our six pro tips for optimizing your website conversion rate to make your website work better for you.

Ready? Let's go!

1. Make sure your content is valuable and easy to read

Excellent website content attracts visitors to your site and guides them towards your end goal.

To improve your conversion rate and reach your goals, the content on your web pages must be written with your site’s visitors in mind. This means speaking directly to your target customers, addressing their problems, and offering a solution they simply can't refuse.

A good content writer will be able to identify your brand's unique selling points (USPs) and describe them in a way that is well-written, straightforward, and easy to understand.

It's also a good idea to have a mix of content available on your website to appeal to different users. A variety of quality content, including videos or images, will provide an enjoyable user experience for all.

2. Easy Website Navigation

According to a recent Komarketing survey, 37% of users say that poor navigation and design makes them leave websites.

To prevent users from racing for the back button, you'll want to make sure your site has a simple, organized navigation. Think of your website's navigation as a road map to direct visitors to various pages and information on your site.

This roadmap is essential in encouraging visitors to browse your content, learn about your brand, and, most importantly, take the action you want.

If you're wondering how to improve your website's navigation, consider the following steps:

Keep it consistent
Divide categories clearly
Make all navigation elements clickable links
Use accurate navigation titles
Ensure every clickable image has ALT text
Ensure your search feature works

3. Have a Clear Call To Action (CTA)

It's pretty hard for users to take action if they have no idea what that action is.

Your call to action (CTA) should motivate your audience to take real steps toward becoming a customer or client.

There can be multiple CTAs on a page if there are multiple options for the user to convert.

For example, website homepages usually have multiple CTAs that lead them to your various service or product pages, depending on what they want to know more about.

Tips for creating a strong CTA to help improve your site's conversion rate include:

Kick off your CTA with a strong command verb (buy, get, sign up, order)
Take advantage of FOMO (don't miss out, last chance, sale ends)
Tell your audience what's in it for them (call today for your free consultation, receive a 10% discount)
Use persuasive language (save money, lower rates than ever before)
Make it visible (Your CTA should be the most noticeable element on the page)

4. Include A Contact Form

Including a contact form on your website gives customers a simple way to reach out.

Contact forms are more effective than simply sharing your email address. Visitors can contact you there and then and don't have to worry about writing an email.

To create a contact form that converts, keep it simple. Avoid including too many fields, as this can be overwhelming and turn people away.

According to a study by QuickSprout , a contact form with only three fields saw a conversion rate of 25%. The average conversion rate was reduced to 20% in forms with up to five fields and 15% with more than six.

After adding your contact form to your site, make sure it's working by sending a test submission.

5. Include Social Proof

Did you know 89% of consumers check a company's reviews before making a purchase?

If potential customers aren't sure about your product or service, they'll often look around and see what other people think about your brand.

If you want to prove that you're a trustworthy brand with plenty of happy customers, include a social proof section on your website.

Social proof can increase conversions by showing customers how popular a product or service is

There are many different ways you can include social proof on your website, including:

Testimonials
Endorsements
Press mentions
Data and statistics
Social media shares
Client and partner logos
Awards, certifications, and memberships.

6. Analyze Visitor Data

Tracking visitor behavior, and data is another way to help improve your site's conversion rate.

By regularly checking your average website conversion rate and visitor analytics, you can keep up with what works well and what doesn't.

If you dig through your analytic tools, you can discover a lot of helpful information about your users. You can see their age, gender, and location. This can help you plan future content for your website that will appeal to your audience.

You'll also be able to examine visitor bounce rate. This is the percentage of people who have viewed a page and bounced off or left the site. This is a great metric to understand what your website's page visitors like and dislike.

Your analytics will give you an overall bounce rate for the performance of your whole website and individual pages.

From improving your website's navigation and ensuring all your content is clear and easy to read, you can take many steps toward improving your website's conversion rate.

Boost Your Website's Conversion Rate With 406 Marketing

At 406 Marketing, our talented team of digital marketers has years of experience helping small businesses like yours expand their reach in the online world.

Our professional and reliable website support services include website optimization, website edits, monthly analytics, updates, SEO, and more.

If you'd like to discuss an in-depth strategy for improving the average conversion rates for your website, eCommerce site, or landing pages, we'd be happy to help!

Reach out, and we'll get the conversation started!

5 Of The Best Digital Marketing Tools For Small Businesses

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 14:57:42 GMT

5 Of The Best Digital Marketing Tools For Small Businesses

Digital marketing offers many excellent benefits for small businesses. You can promote your brand easier, target a specific audience, generate leads, and win more local customers.

Digital marketing, also known as online marketing, refers to all marketing efforts that take place online. With the industry predicted to reach $786 billion by 2026 , digital marketing is here for the long haul.

But if you want to create a successful and powerful digital marketing strategy, you'll need the right digital marketing tools.

There are many great marketing tools for local businesses, but finding the right options for your business can seem daunting when you've never used them.

To help you, we've broken down a few of the top digital marketing tools that would be a great addition to any marketing toolbox. We've also added a suggested platform for each to get you started!

1. ClickUp For Project Management

Project planning is necessary for every digital marketing campaign.

Project management software is an excellent small business marketing tool as it helps you keep track of your company's digital marketing campaigns, allowing you to stay organized, efficient, and productive.

With a good project management tool, you can handle marketing plans, reports, strategies, and other files all in the same place.

Project management tools ensure your project's work is completed as expected. In other words, it allows you to manage and monitor projects every step of the way.

ClickUp is one project management tool that aims to make your business life easier. It achieves this by making it simple to:

Track everything between project planning and project completion
Have teams collaborate with one another
Allocate tasks to the right people

ClickUp is a digital marketing tool that can be used in its simplest form. But the impressive software also offers over 1000+ apps to help with task management, time management, team collaboration, and reporting.

2. Klaviyo for email automation

As a small business owner, email marketing offers a simple, fast, and affordable way to reach your customers.

To make things even more straightforward, you can automate your email marketing to send the right message to the right people, at the right time.

This simply means email automation allows you to create personalized messages for your clients and customers. This way, you send them the tailored content they'll want to read.

Email automation is a crucial part of turning leads into customers. It also allows you to stay in touch with current customers regularly and to keep them up to date with the latest products and promotions.

There are many popular email automation tools on the market, with one of the most popular choices being Klaviyo .

Not only does Klaviyo deliver personalized experiences across email but across various other marketing channels like SMS.

3. Hootsuite For Social Media

Social media marketing is a great way for small businesses like yours to connect with customers and share your service with the world.

Social media posts can introduce your business to hundreds of thousands of potential new customers. You can use social media to engage directly with your followers and learn about their wants and needs from your company.

When running your brand's various social media pages, keeping all your accounts and information organized in one place can help you maintain a consistent tone of voice across all platforms.

Although it may seem intimidating for small, local business owners, there are plenty of online marketing tools to help make the process smoother.

Hootsuite is the perfect example of a social media management tool that lets you create, schedule, publish, and manage your social media from a single dashboard.

4. Surfer For Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a vital part of digital marketing for small businesses.

The role of SEO is to increase your company's visibility to potential customers on search engines such as Google. SEO includes optimizing your website's content and carrying out keyword research.

Having access to an SEO tool that is fast, accurate, and reliable to use will help strengthen your SEO strategy.

Surfer SEO is one excellent example of an SEO tool that can help you with the correct word count, keyword frequency, FAQs, and headings to use in your content.

Surfer SEO is easy to use, making it the ideal choice for those starting in the SEO world.

5. Slack For Communication

When it comes to creating a successful digital marketing campaign for your small business, communication is key.

Good communication helps to ensure your team members are on the same page and working towards the same goal.

Slack is a popular communication platform and a great choice when choosing small business marketing tools.

It helps bring a team together in one place so you can easily discuss a shared goal, project, or initiative.

Slack is also a great user-friendly choice for working on desktops, mobiles, and tablets. This makes it easier for you to keep up to date with projects and team members on the go.

Digital marketing is a powerful tool for small businesses. We hope this blog has given you some helpful insights into the types of digital marketing tools that can make your campaigns a success.

If you're looking to win new customers and make your business thrive with high-quality content, then our digital marketing team would love to help.

At 406 Marketing, our talented team has years of experience helping small businesses like yours expand their reach in the online world with a premium content marketing strategy.

We'd love to work with you too. Reach out , and we'll get the conversation started!

How To Build A Digital Marketing Strategy: 5 Tips That Actually Work

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 14:53:39 GMT

How To Build A Digital Marketing Strategy: 5 Tips That Actually Work

A solid digital marketing strategy is important for the success of any small business.

At the heart of it, digital marketing is about promoting your brand online through popular digital channels, like emails, videos, social media, and your company website.

Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing lets you target the customers most likely to be interested in your product or service, either by location or demographics. It also allows you to measure your marketing effort’s success and make any necessary changes to get the most out of your investment.

While it’s clear that digital marketing is important, it’s only really effective with a clear plan of action to inform and guide where you’re investing your money. So, you're probably wondering how to create a digital marketing strategy that gets you the best results for your business.

Below, we've outlined our top 5 tips for building a digital marketing strategy that actually works.

1. Set SMART GOALS

The first step towards building your digital marketing strategy is setting goals for what you hope to achieve with your digital marketing. If you don’t set digital marketing strategy goals, you're shooting in the dark.

One of the best ways to set goals is to use the SMART method.

SMART goals help you succeed by making your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely.

Setting SMART goals offers you a clear sense of direction and puts you on the path to long-term success.

What exactly are SMART goals?

Specific - what do you hope to do with your goal? For a goal to be SMART, you must ensure it contains one specific, clear metric.
Measurable - how will you track the progress of your goal? You'll have to define what data you’ll use to measure the goal.
Achievable - is your goal something your team can realistically achieve? You'll have to determine if your goal is reachable with your current resources and available time.
Relevant - how does this goal align with businesses' broader goals? Ask yourself why reaching this goal is essential.
Time-based - how long will it take to reach your goal? You're much more likely to achieve a goal if you set a deadline, as it gives you a clear target to work towards.

2. Identify Your Audience

Identifying your target audience is another essential part of digital marketing for small businesses. Your target audience is a group of people defined by the common characteristics they share, such as:

Gender
Age
Location
Hobbies
Job
Income
Marital status
Problems they’re looking to overcome

For example, your target audience might be women aged 25-35 in Great Falls who are interested in health and fitness. Targeting the right audience means your digital marketing efforts pay off.

If you're not reaching the right people with your marketing efforts, your message will get swallowed up online, and the customers you’re trying to win over will go to the competition.

How To Identify Your Target Audience

If you're unsure who precisely you should be targeting with your digital marketing strategy, then follow these helpful tips:

Analyze your current customer base
Look for trends in online customer feedback
Carry out market research and identify industry trends
See what your competitors are doing
Create buyer personas
Define who your target audience isn't
Audit your social following
Carry out customer surveys

3. Create High Quality Content

An incredible 60% of marketers create content daily to attract more business. Blog posts, podcasts, social media posts, and videos are being put out by companies at a staggering rate.

So, with so much content to compete with, how do you make your own stand out from the crowd? The answer is to create high-quality content that is of value to your customers.

When you offer users high-quality content, it keeps them engaged with you and encourages them to take action. Moreover, if users find your content valuable, they’re more likely to share it with others.

Tips For Creating High-Quality Content:

Understand your target audience's search intent
Use proper formatting based on the type of content
Create original and unique content
Stay up to date with online trends
Review and edit before you publish
Write for your readers, not yourself
Make your content readable and engaging
Keep your content up to date
Keep up to date with online trends

4. Invest In Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO (search engine optimization) is essential to your digital marketing strategy and the key to making your business more visible online.

Without good SEO, your target audience will struggle to find your business online. Instead, they’ll likely choose one of your competitors who rank higher on their search results page.

Along with making your business more visible to your target audience, strong SEO leads to:

Increased website traffic
Better quality traffic
Improved user experience
Increased brand awareness
Improved digital marketing return on investment (ROI)
Better long-term success

It's worth investing in SEO by hiring an expert who understands exactly what they are doing. Someone with the knowledge and resources to promote your website on search engines like Google.

An expert will also keep on top of Google's continuous updates to its algorithm and work to meet these changes.

5. Evaluate Your Strategy - Track Your Progress

Regardless of your digital marketing goals, monitoring and tracking your campaign's performance is vital. This is the only way to ensure you invest your time and resources in the right direction.

When you track the progress of your digital marketing strategies, you get insight into what's working in your strategy and what needs to change.

If you haven’t been evaluating and tracking the progress of your digital marketing efforts, then don't worry - it's easy to get started.

One of the simplest ways to track important analytics, such as how many visitors clicked on your website and how long they spent there, is to use Google Analytics.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer their own analytics, so you can see how your social posts perform. You'll be able to track what content users are interested in and post more of what they like in the future.

We hope you've found these 5 tips on creating a digital marketing strategy helpful. If you need more guidance, then the team at 406 marketing would love to help.

Our expert team has years of experience helping small businesses like yours increase their visibility and reach their goals online.

Get in touch today to get started .

How To Generate More Leads Using Your Website, SEO & Paid Search Advertising

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 15:35:49 GMT

How To Generate More Leads Using Your Website, SEO & Paid Search Advertising

Generating high-quality leads will give your business the online boost it deserves and turn your website visitors into paying customers.

SEO is always at the forefront of the conversation about lead generation, and for good reason. One study found that in 2019, as much as 53% of all traffic was driven by SEO. That’s over half your traffic!

However, driving online leads is rarely as straightforward as it seems, and SEO alone isn’t always enough. Generating online leads takes a combined effort, and you shouldn’t ignore other methods of bringing traffic to your website.

SEO can be an extremely slow process. It can be months after starting your first campaign before you notice any significant results. This is because it can take a while to build up everything you need to get noticed by your audience and gain Google's trust.

Sometimes you might even realize that the work you’ve put into your SEO campaign hasn’t worked, or you’ve been ripped off by a marketing company and wasted your time and money. This ineffective SEO won’t give you the results you deserve and could damage your search engine ranking.

So instead of spending months waiting to see results from your SEO campaign, only to realize you’ve been unsuccessful, find other ways to generate leads alongside your SEO efforts. This will give you a backup solution to help ensure your website gets noticed online by your audience while you’re waiting for your SEO tactics to start working.

Today we’re going to show you how to generate leads for your business using other methods and how to ensure the SEO work you’re doing will be effective for your company.

Can you use Google Ads as an alternative for SEO?

Google Ads is a paid online advertising platform that allows you to display advertisements, service offerings, product listings, or videos to web users.

It’s an effective short term alternative to SEO and a great way to drive your target audience to your website.

With Google Ads, you can time your ads to reach the right people at the right time on both mobile and desktop. Your company will appear on search engine results (SERPs) when your target audience seeks a product or service like yours via Google Search or Google Maps.

Besides boosting your website traffic, Google Ads is a cost-effective approach to generating leads and gives you control over how much money you spend per month, per day, and per ad.

Google Ads also allows you to measure the success of each of your ads so you can determine what’s working and what isn't in your current strategy and adjust accordingly.

You Can Also Generate Leads With:

Paid traffic from social media ads
Referrals from other clients or businesses
Guest posting
Working with influencers
Email marketing

Black Hat Vs. White Hat SEO

Despite being a slow process and not a quick fix, SEO still has a vital role to play in generating quality leads for your small business.

If you want to use SEO effectively, then it’s important to understand the difference between ethical and unethical SEO practices.

Black hat SEO goes against search engine guidelines by using underhand techniques to manipulate Google's algorithms. These unethical tactics include keyword stuffing, link buying, hidden content, cloaking, and more.

Black hat SEO methods may increase your search engine ranking in the short term but negatively impact your long-term chances of visibility. These methods might even get your site banned by search engines - which is definitely not the results you want!

Google and Bing's Webmaster Guidelines have discredited a list of black hat methods.

White hat SEO, on the other hand, uses ethical techniques to increase a website's ranking on the search engine results page (SERPs). Unlike black hat SEO, it’s always in line with Webmaster Guidelines and is above board.

Examples Of White Hat SEO Include:

Using keywords and keyword analysis
Link building
Writing content for human readers

How To Make Sure You Have Good SEO

To improve your SEO and secure a prime spot on the search results page, consider these five ethical SEO improvement tips!

1. Carry Out Keyword Research

Keyword research is the foundation of your local SEO campaign.

Through keyword research, you will discover the popular phrases and words potential customers in your area are searching on Google when looking for your products or services.

For example, if you’re an Italian restaurant owner, popular keywords in your niche might include "Italian restaurants near me" or "popular Italian restaurants." To increase your ranking on Google, you can include these phrases in your content.

When you carry out keyword research, it allows you to attract the right leads to your website. This will positively impact your site's engagement levels, conversion rates, and overall brand awareness.

To effectively carry out keyword research, you'll need to use a trusted keyword research tool to help you gather the important data you need.

2. Create A Google Business Profile (GBP)

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a free feature that helps you increase your company's visibility online.

GBP gives you total control over your company's appearance on all Google platforms, from search results to Google Maps. With GBP, you can provide essential details about your company, including its location, services, and products.

The platform is also a useful way to influence your local SEO and search ranking, making it an excellent opportunity to connect with customers in your area.

To get the most out of your Google Business Profile, take the following steps :

Claim your GBP
Complete every section of your account
Include updated contact information
Include applicable attributes
Write a business description
Answer questions
Read and respond to reviews
Add your products and/or services
Set up messaging
Maintain your profile

3. Produce Helpful Content

Earlier this year, Google launched its " helpful content update " as part of a larger effort to ensure users see more original, helpful content written by people for people when they search for something on the platform.

If you’re creating helpful content that works to solve customer queries and meets user intent, then Google will favor your website over those not making the same effort.

With the new update, Google will be able to root out content that isn’t valuable, making it less likely to perform well in search results.

According to Google, you can ensure your content is aimed at people and not search engines by following their long-standing advice and webmaster guidance .

4. Update Existing Content

While many businesses focus on churning out new content, the truth is that you can secure quality leads by updating the content already published on your website.

In fact, if you're only publishing new content, you're missing out on a huge opportunity. Updating your existing content helps increase organic traffic, improve conversion rates, and create better click-through rates.

When Google realizes that your content is fresh and more likely to meet user intent, you'll get a spike in traffic.

Tips To Follow When It Comes To Updating Your Content:

Review your current content and design
Evaluate your competitors' websites
Gather inspiration
Add powerful multimedia elements
Align your design to current trends
Perform simple A/B testing

5. Ensure your Website is Mobile Friendly

In 2022, it’s estimated that almost 54% of visits to the web will be done on mobile, compared to 46% percent from desktops.

Mobile-friendly websites boost your sales and conversions because they are easier for customers to access and use on the go.

Optimizing your website for mobile allows people to interact easily and engage with your brand across different devices without becoming annoyed or frustrated.

On the other hand, when your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you risk potential customers abandoning your site for one that is more helpful and easier to navigate.

Tips For Creating A Mobile-Friendly Website Include:

Use a responsive design
Simplify your navigation menu
Optimize call-to-action size and location on the screen
Get rid of pop-ups
Keep content short and concise
Optimize page speed
Optimize images

We hope this blog has helped you gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between SEO and lead generation.

If you’d like any further guidance, then the team at 406 Marketing is here to help you enhance your visibility and reach your goals in the online world.

We're masters at helping small businesses like you succeed online - get in touch today .

Red Flags To Watch Out For When Hiring A Digital Advertising Company

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 11:44:02 GMT

Red Flags To Watch Out For When Hiring A Digital Advertising Company

Are you thinking of hiring a digital agency to create ads for your company but are worried about choosing the wrong one? Here are the red flags to watch out for.

Choosing a marketing agency to help your business grow is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly - online marketing is not only a financial investment, it’s an investment in your company’s future success too.

The right advertising campaign has the power to help you increase your brand awareness, boost conversions, and even secure sales. It’s no wonder 63% of businesses have increased their digital marketing budgets this year.

As a business owner, your focus gets tied up in many tasks, which can mean marketing takes a back seat. Getting marketing off your plate and into the hands of professional marketers can be daunting: it can be difficult to figure out if a marketing agency is the real deal or not.

To help you decide if a company is legit, we’ve created this list of common red flags to look for when hiring a digital agency. These flags are questionable traits some agencies have that raises questions about their intentions to deliver you real results.

Things To Look For In An Advertising Agency

Before we take a look at the red flags to look out for when hiring a company to run your ads, it’s important to understand the qualities of a good advertising company.

The top three positive traits to look out for in a digital advertising company are the following:

Regular check-ins (monthly or quarterly) to go over your campaign metrics
Transparency - are they open and honest about what’s working and what’s not?
Integrity - If your ads aren't generating new clients for your business the ad agency should be the first to tell you

Now you have a better understanding of the qualities of a good ad company, let’s take a look at the red flags you should keep an eye out for.

Red Flag #1 - You're being sold on How Many People Saw Your Ad (impressions), Not On New Customers

Seeing that your latest business ads received a lot of impressions (people viewing the advert) and people clicking on them can be a great feeling. However, these analytics can be deceiving as they have the potential to trick you into believing your ads are more successful than they actually are.

If the marketing agency you hired to run these ads sells you on the high volume of visitors they receive without mentioning the amount of people contacting you as a result of your campaign - it's a major red flag.

Clicks and impressions do not necessarily equal success. Impressions indicate how often your ad appears on a search result page or Google Network sites, while clicks count the number of times users have clicked on these ads.

However, they are not a clear indicator of success and fail to show whether or not your website visitors are responding to your call to action.

The digital advertising company you hired should let you know when your goal has been achieved (whether that’s someone buying something or submitting a contact form). The more you see users taking your desired action, the more clear it is that your ads are working.

When the marketing agency you have hired sends reports during check-ins that only highlight clicks and impressions, there is generally a reason they are leaving out the rest.

There's a good chance the responses to your ads aren’t great, which means the agency is not doing the job you are paying them for.

Red Flag #2 - Too Much Of Your Money Is Being Spent On 'Management Fees'

When paying an agency to run your ads, your payments will be split in two. The first is the management fee, which is the amount the ad agency charges you to run, maintain, and optimize your ads.

The second is the ad spend, which is the amount you’re paying a particular platform to host your adverts.

For example, If you're spending $1500 a month on social media ads, it's important to know how much of this sum will be paid to the agency and how much will be paid to the platform.

If an ad agency doesn't make it clear where your money will be spent from the get-go, it's a red flag.

If you find that more than half of your money will be spent on management fees, you'll want to look elsewhere for an ad agency. Look for a fair split of at least a 60% - 40% split (60% ad spend and 40% management fee).

Red Flag #3 - The Ad Agency Is Unable To Tell You How Many Leads Your Campaign Has Generated

Conversions can take many forms, such as starting a free trial, filling out a contact form, subscribing to a newsletter, going to a particular link, or even watching a video.

To increase conversions, it's helpful to understand what brings more conversions to your business or website. To do this, you need conversion tracking.

Conversion tracking helps you understand exactly how many leads your ads have generated for your business.

If the ad agency isn't reporting on how many conversions (leads) your campaigns have generated, it’s definitely a red flag.

Without conversion tracking, the leads generated as a result of your campaign can not be calculated; therefore, you have no way of knowing whether your ads are effective.

Red Flag #4 - The company didn't do any work to your website or landing page

Your landing page plays a significant role in turning clicks into paying customers. When someone clicks on your ad, they expect to land on a page that's relevant to the ad.

In other words, your landing page should be an extension of your ad. If a user clicks an advertisement for a specific product, they should be taken to a landing page that continues guiding them on their journey towards a purchase.

Maintaining the same message from your ad to your post-click landing page helps create relevance and increases the likelihood of conversions and ultimately a sale.

Each stage of the marketing funnel should confirm to the customer that they have ended up in the right place and that the offer they wanted is only the click of a button away.

To ensure this alignment, the marketing agency working on your Google ads must be able to optimize your landing page.

Landing page optimization increases the worth of the ad spend significantly. If the company you hired is not optimizing your landing page to align with your overall intent, it’s less likely you’ll receive conversions.

Advice For Companies Working With Advertising Agencies

If you’ve already hired a digital agency to run ads for your business but are unsure whether they’re actually delivering what they should be, here are some questions you can ask to figure out what’s going on.

Questions To Ask Your Digital Advertising Company

Asking your digital advertising agency the right questions will help you figure out whether or not they are carrying out their job effectively.

If the agency running your ads can't answer these questions, then it’s probably a good idea to find a replacement agency to work with in the future. Questions to ask include:

How many leads did my campaign generate last month? How many leads did my campaign generate in the last 90 days?
What is my average cost per conversion (lead)?
How much ad spend was directed towards my ads in the last 30 days?
If the ad agency is providing 'all inclusive pricing' - How much is your management fee?

We hope you now have a better understanding of some of the biggest red flags to look out for when hiring a digital advertising agency - and have plenty of questions to ask to figure out if an agency is the right fit for you or not.

If you need some further guidance or help enhancing your visibility and getting your product or service in front of the right customers, we'd love to help.

At 406 Marketing, we are experts at helping small businesses just like yours flourish in the online world.

Start thriving online with some help from our team - get in touch today .

Gain More Local Business With Online Marketing

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:35:07 GMT

How to Attract More Local Business With Online Marketing

Some of the most loyal customers you can have are the ones close to your physical location. So, putting a strategy in place to attract more local business will always make perfect sense!

Attracting more local customers has several other benefits too. As well as providing solid opportunities to grow your business, it helps boost the economy in your neighborhood. Local customers also provide better control over customer relationships, increasing valuable word-of-mouth referrals. With sustainability also having an impact, it really is a great time to do local business.

Even though the digital age has sparked significant growth in global business, there have been some recent changes. The Covid-19 pandemic shifted consumer attention back to local products, services, and experiences. With consumers now searching for additional value, it's your chance to give it to them!

With such an open market and more competitors than ever, drawing customers back to your local business isn't easy. As with everything though, a change in perspective can make all the difference.

Instead of viewing the internet as something that’s taking your local business away, see it as an opportunity. The internet can help draw in more local customers than ever before! To get you started, we’ve listed seven ways of doing just that.

Know your audience and how to target them

‘Knowing your audience’ might sound like marketing 101, but when was the last time you examined your local audience? Separating your audience into smaller groups and profiling them is the key to defining your marketing approach.

While it might sound a little bit old-school, we’re big fans of creating buyer personas. Especially when it comes to local customers, the more specific you are, the better!

To start building your customer personas, focus on:

Age
Location
Interests
Behavioral traits
Pain points

After this, examine the social media channels these customers like to use and the type of value proposition that appeals to them the most. The best thing about local customers is that they’re much easier to read than customers further afield. So make use of your local knowledge and appeal to them in a way that non-local competitors can’t.

Tip: If you want your digital content to suit a more general audience, you can still do this. Use temporary content such as Instagram Stories to target customers in specific locations. This way, you can speak directly to local customers, without affecting the appeal of your feed to international audiences.

Ensure that your Google Business Profile is up-to-date

Did you know that over half of Google Business Profile interactions produce website visits? This is unsurprising considering the power Google holds over SEO ranking .

Google is often the first port of call for consumers with a specific pain point. But for local customers, having solutions available to them within their vicinity is a big selling point.

Sustainability and the local economy aside, customers recognize the benefits local companies provide. As well as faster delivery times (or pick-up), there's no hidden import charges or international customer service to worry about.

For your customers to associate local benefits with your business, they need to know that you're local! This is why creating and updating your Google Business Profile is essential.

Alongside your full address, check that your Google Business Profile has the following in place:

The opening hours that you operate
Your most recent contact details
An accurate and targeted description of your business

Without a Google Business Profile, you’re allowing your local customers to seek out alternatives. Show them that everything they need is already right under their nose!

Don’t forget! Make sure every section of your Google Business Profile is complete but don't forget to engage with reviews and questions too. The more information associated with your Google Business Profile, the better.

Have a local SEO strategy in place

Having a fully complete Google Business Profile will naturally help your SEO rankings. However, if you want local customers to find you easily, it’s always best to have a local SEO strategy in place.

If you’re operating businesses in multiple locations, it’s good practice to have individual pages on your website for each location. Claim local business listings for each location too! If you want more customers from a specific area, they need to know that you operate from there.

Local reviews carry a sense of authenticity that general endorsements sometimes lack. So, highlight reviews and testimonials from local customers wherever possible.

Join local Facebook groups

Did you know that using Facebook groups for business marketing is having a bit of a moment? As well as creating your own groups for nurturing customer relationships and sharing insights into your business or promotions, local companies are also utilizing local community Facebook groups.

While physical notice boards in stores still exist, and ‘neighborhood watch’ groups are still an active concept, everything gets a digital equivalent eventually. Nowadays, community groups on Facebook are the place to be if you want to know exactly what’s happening in your local area!

If joining a local community Facebook group, it’s a good idea to:

Engage in social listening to monitor what’s being said about your business in the group
Ensure that your business account's privacy settings allow your posts to be shared within the group
Make sure you can be tagged in relevant posts by others
Use the group to highlight promotions and local work carried out for satisfied customers (incl. photos and video)
Respond to both positive and negative feedback as soon as possible!
Ask happy customers to share positive feedback in community groups in return for a discount on their next purchase
Actively engage with groups using both your business page and private Facebook accounts (it’s good for customers to be familiar with the face behind the local business)

Tip: In the case of negative feedback posted in a Facebook community group, respond publicly to the customer by acknowledging the need to investigate the matter further. Then ask the customer to DM you directly with an outline of their issue. This takes the conversation away from the public eye, while still showing that you’re taking action to resolve the matter.

Network with local organizations and businesses

If your brand awareness needs some work, why not engage with entities that already have a strong presence within your local community? Partnering with local organizations and businesses not only helps raise your profile, it also helps authenticate your position and create a sense of camaraderie amongst those operating within the same area.

Establishing a network of partners within your area is a great technique if you plan on operating within a particular community long-term. The ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ sentiment can get you far in community environments, so show your support to other organizations and they’ll be more likely to return the favor.

Don’t forget! Before engaging with other local businesses, it’s important to ensure that your website is user-friendly and running smoothly. First impressions count and a bad website is a sure way to lose out on potential engagement.

Run local competitions and promotions

Online marketing has opened up a whole new realm of creativity and innovation for companies who previously may not have had much opportunity to stand out in these areas. With so many digital tools at your disposal, ways to engage with your audience are more open than ever. That being said, some marketing techniques still can’t be beaten.

Promotions and competitions are popular marketing techniques for a reason. Consumers love to feel as though they’re getting something for free (or are even in with a chance of getting something for free!). Additionally, customers who are already loyal to your brand love when this loyalty is rewarded. The psychology behind viral content marketing is fascinating, but ultimately, all you need to know is that promotions and competition campaigns really do work.

If you want to specifically target local customers with online promotions or competitions, ensure that you promote your campaigns in local online groups and, wherever possible, make use of shareable or user generated content .

An interior designer can ask followers to choose which completed rooms are the best. An online shop owner can ask Facebook followers to choose their favorite item and tag a friend. Ways to show potential customers that you’re local and that you're great at what you do are limitless.

Establish yourself as an authority

Collins Dictionary defines an ‘expert’ as “a person who has extensive skill or knowledge in a particular field”. Even if you don’t feel like you're an expert in your field, customers still want to feel like they’re receiving the best service possible for their money.

With access to experts at a global level, it’s up to you to convince local customers that you can hold your own. If you’re not comfortable labeling yourself as an expert, it might be better to let your content do the talking!

Blogs are a great way of getting others to see your knowledge and form a higher opinion of you and your profession. By sharing blogs with a local target audience, you can become the first person they think of when a need arises.

Tip: People who have never used your services will still recommend you if you give them enough reason. Within local communities, people like to talk — so give them something to say about you!

If you’d like to discuss an in-depth strategy for attracting local business, the team at 406 would be happy to help! Reach out and we’ll get the conversation started!

Can Google's Local Services Ads Generate More Leads For Your Small Business?

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:45:54 GMT

Can Google's Local Services Ads Generate More Leads For Your Small Business?

Local Services Ads are the ideal tool to help you connect with searchers on Google and highlight the services you have to offer. 74% of search traffic from all over the world comes from Google and Local Services Ads will push your business to the top and showcase what you do to customers in your local area.

If you're a service-based business and you're looking for a new way to increase the visibility of your website and drive sales in your local area, then Local Services Ads is a great choice.

Local Services Ads are different from regular Google Ads. They show up above all the other results - crazy, we know.

So, if somebody is looking for your services and you have an ad set up, it'll be one of the first things they see. What makes it even better is you only pay per lead - not per click.

But don't just take our word for it - let us show you all the benefits of Local Services Ads and how you can implement them for your local service business.

Why should you use Local Services Ads?

There are a lot of benefits to using Local Services Ads instead of Google Ads and other online advertising platforms.

Not only are Local Services Ads being better positioned on the SERP (search engine results page), but they also help you improve your credibility thanks to the green Google checkmark. 86% of consumers use the internet to find a local business so by using Local Services Ads you’re putting yourself in a great position to get the attention of consumers.

Local Services Ads are straightforward to set up and maintain too, making them perfect for anybody who wants a simple yet effective advertising campaign.

There are many other benefits to Local Services Ads, and today we're going to tell you about four of the most important ones!

Easily Show Up On The Google Search Results

Your ads will show up on Google a lot easier with the help of Local Services Ads. When a customer in your local area searches for your services, your company will be one of the first they see.

When somebody searches for a service on Google, they're taken to the SERP, and it usually includes a mixture of:

Google Ads
Local Services Ads
Local results
Organic search results

Opting for Local Services Ads allows you to push your company to the top of all the other types of results - even Google Ads!

This gives your service business a massive advantage since most people tend to click whatever is at the top of the search results.

Improve Credibility And Trust

Another great thing about Local Services Ads by Google is the Google checkmark next to your ad. This little green checkmark next to your ad shows your audience that Google verifies your services.

The green checkmark and the 'Google Guaranteed' or 'Google Screened' will show up if you're one of the three sponsored service ads.

This benefits both you and your audience because if a customer books through Google local services, they know they're more likely to get their money back if they're unhappy with your service. This type of reassurance means they're more likely to choose your business over your competitors.

Google Guarantees make sure you get qualified leads - not just clicks. It makes sure that the people clicking on your services are genuinely interested in what you have to offer and they'll follow through.

Your local service ad will also link to any reviews of your business on your Google Business Profile, and it'll highlight your star rating, which helps improve trust even more!

How Do You Qualify For Google Guarantee?

If you want your ad to qualify for Google Guarantee, you'll have to agree to a background check or provide proof of liability insurance.

It's worth it, as the Google Guarantee increases the trust your potential clients have in your brand. It also improves the user's odds of choosing your services over your competitors.

Get Specific, High-Quality Leads

By using and setting up Local Services Ads, your clients will be able to find you on Google with ease and contact you directly for your services.

Local Services Ads also require less maintenance yet still allow you to find targeted clients.

For example, you don't have to select specific keywords like with Google Ads. All you have to do is indicate what services your company provides with the service category.

You Only Get Charged When You Receive A Lead

One of the best things about Local Services Ads is that you can easily control your budget. You only have to pay when a customer gets in touch directly from your ad instead of every time they click on it.

With Google Ads and other ad platforms, you have to pay per click but paying per lead makes it easier to manage the money you're spending on ads.

This makes it the better choice because you won't just be paying for some random clicks from people interested in your business - you'll be paying for actual leads.

How to set up Local Services Ads?

Getting started with Local Services Ads by Google is easy and stress-free. It won't even take you a day to finish setting up - you'll be set up in a couple of hours!

What you have to do to set up Local Services Ads is:

Check if you're eligible
Add your business information
Include your region
Highlight your services
Update your business hours

Let's take a closer look at setting up Local Services Ads with these three steps.

Are You Eligible To Use Local Services Ads?

The first step you have to take when setting up Google's Local Services Ads is to check if your business is eligible for it.

It's easy to do this, don't worry. All you have to do is add your country, state, and service area ZIP code. Then you simply choose your service category and click 'Check Eligibility.'

Not all services and regions are supported by Local Services Ads, but many metro areas in the US are available. But small towns or areas with a small population don't tend to be eligible.

Some services like tailors, hair stylists, and seamstresses aren't eligible for Local Services Ads.

Here's an example of eligible Local Service Ads businesses.

Add All Your Details

If you're eligible for Local Services Ads, great. Now we can move on to adding your business details!

These details include:

Business name
Phone number
Your name
The among of people working for you
The year the company was founded

A lot of these details are used by Google to confirm the legitimacy of your company. It also lets your potential clients know more about your business without visiting your website.

For example, knowing how long you've been in business will encourage clients to commit to working with you.

You'll also have to add information about your area, including:

The area you serve
ZIP codes
Names of cities you work in

After you've filled all this information in, it's on to detailing all about the services your business offers. This section is more specific, and although it'll be tempting to select all the categories in hopes you'll show up more - this could damage your business.

If the services you've listed don't align with what your business offers, you could end up with low-quality leads. Nobody wants to pay for a dead-end, so stick to your business's services.

You'll also have to add in the hours you or your employees are available to take calls or emails from customers. Make sure you choose accurate opening times. You can select a 24-hour option, but if you're not available 24/7, then you're only making false promises to your customers.

Verify Information & Preview Your Local Services Ad

Now that you've filled in all your information, you'll be on to the last part of your Local Services Ad adventure.

Here you'll be able to preview what your ad will look like on Google and make any changes before submitting it to be finalized.

Make sure all your information is correct and check to see if all of this information is visible on your ad:

Your business name
The service area
Phone number
Google Guaranteed checkmark
Google Business Profile rating
Link to your reviews

For many businesses, Google's Local Services Ads are an incredible tool that will generate high-quality leads from local clients.

By using Local Services Ads, you'll be able to increase your conversions and improve your visibility and trust online.

If you're stuck and unsure how to set up the perfect Local Services Ads, then the team at 406 Marketing will be there to help.

Start getting more high-quality leads through the door - get in touch today.

7 Tips For Creating An Effective Email Marketing Campaign

Tue, 03 May 2022 13:59:27 GMT

7 Tips For Creating An Effective Email Marketing Campaign

Did you know that 2.4 billion emails get sent every day? That's a whole lot of emails, and the average open rate for an email is only 21.33% . So you really have to grab your reader's attention and entice them to open your email right from the start.

Creating an effective email marketing campaign is a difficult task. You have to provide your readers with unique, engaging, and valuable content so they'll be encouraged to work with you.

But how do you even start putting together an email marketing campaign that works for your small business?

Today, we'll walk you through seven tips that you can quickly put into practice for your email marketing campaigns. Start getting more clients by implementing these email marketing tips for small businesses.

Set SMART goals

The first step to any great email marketing campaign is to lay out SMART goals for your campaign.

What is a SMART goal?

A SMART goal is a goal that's:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-sensitive

Having SMART goals set up before you start putting together your campaign will help you steer your campaign in the right direction before implementing it.

SMART goals allow you to focus on your campaign's pain point. For example, if you want to gain more clients with your campaign, then your SMART goal could be ten new clients in a month. This is specific, it's easily measured, it can be achieved, it's relevant, and it has a time limit - one month.

This goal will allow you to focus your efforts on gaining ten new clients, and when you've achieved this goal, you'll feel great and inspired to continue producing excellent email marketing campaigns.

If you don't set any goals, then it'll be next to impossible to figure out if your email marketing campaign was worthwhile or if you achieved anything with it.

Create an email list

Creating an email list is the second step to building a brilliant email marketing campaign. By having a list full of eager, interested, and relevant potential clients, you'll be able to easily entice them to check out your products or services with your emails.

When you create targeted email lists, you'll be able to collect information on your audiences and segment them based on their location, interests, gender, demographics, and much more.

Segmenting your email list helps you understand the different audiences you're attracting and lets you target specific groups depending on their unique, individual interests.

Segmentation will ultimately result in a higher open rate too, and you'll generally see more conversion rates from emails explicitly tailored to specific audiences.

Use personalization in your emails

Personalization is a great way to get clients interested in what you have to say, and it makes the email mean a lot more to them when they read it.

The days of sending out an email to thousands of email addresses hoping that at least one person would open it are long gone. Nowadays, your viewers want a more personalized experience.

Having personalized subject lines and adding their first name to the top of the email will improve your conversions.

72% of consumers only interact with personalized content, and 84% of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is crucial when buying online.

Once you've got the basics of personalization down, you can throw in a few curveballs. Offer personalized deals, imagery, or calls to action based on customer data.

Your clients will appreciate being treated as part of the family instead of just another sale.

Always provide your readers with valuable information - don’t just sell to them

You can't just slap some text on a page, add a CTA and ship it off to all your potential clients. You have to compose emails that your readers will find interesting.

If your potential client opens up an email and all they see is sell sell sell, then they're not going to be very impressed with the content they're receiving. They might even click unsubscribe and walk away from your company - forever.

So, don't lose valuable clients by writing bad emails. Instead, compose emails that are full of relevant and valuable information. By providing your audience with interesting information, they'll happily consume the content you've provided. They might even be convinced to check out your services by the end of the email.

Write an attractive headline

Your headline is key to improving your open rate and getting more people interested in what your email has to offer. No matter how good the content of your email is, if you don't have an excellent, irresistible headline, then your viewer simply won't open it.

Readers need to be enticed to see what you have to offer from the moment they set their sights on your subject line - so make it enjoyable.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when composing a fantastic subject line:

Create urgency, use scarcity
Personalize it
Use emojis
Make it irresistible
Sum up what your email is saying in one sentence

Always include an irresistible CTA

If your email doesn't have a clear call to action (CTA) at the bottom, what was the point of sending it?

You want to get more clients through the door, right? Well, make sure you tell them precisely what to do next at the bottom of your email.

They've read everything you had to say, they've engaged with your content, they've learned about your new product or service, and if they reach the end without knowing what the next step is - they'll just close the email.

Give them a direct link to either the service or product page you were talking about, or tell them to contact you for a free quote or consultation.

Use analytics to track how well your campaign is performing

How will you know if your email is doing well if you don't use analytics to track its performance?

You won't!

Always check in with your analytics to see how each email is doing. You can check the open rate, see what links were clicked on, and look at how long people opened your email.

From here, you'll be able to see what kinds of emails are doing exceptional and what ones are failing miserably. This way, you can improve what's not working and help get even more clients through the door.

We hope our blog on developing an effective email marketing campaign has helped you figure out exactly how to set up an email marketing campaign that works for your business.

Do You Have To Update A Website? Does A Website Need Maintenance?

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:19:56 GMT

Do You Have To Update A Website? Does A Website Need Maintenance?

You just got your brand new website up and running. It took a lot of time and a whole lot of effort, but it's finally done - time to sit back, relax, and watch it bring lead after lead into your business.

You might think now is the time to take it easy. You've completed all the hard work, your website looks fantastic, and it's working exactly the way it should.

But, the thing is, your beautifully-crafted website is probably already out of date.

The frustrating reality of the internet is everything is constantly improving and evolving at an incredibly high rate. So, to stay relevant and secure, your website has to be continuously updated with new content, new security features, and new software to keep up with the fast pace of the online world.

73% of websites are currently running on outdated and vulnerable software and 87% of websites have high or medium-level cyber security risks. These are only two examples of why updating your website is so important.

Now, we're not talking about updating your website every single waking hour of the day - that's impossible! But, if you leave your website for a long time without posting a blog or updating your content, then it's going to go out of date.

Most of the time, not updating your website’s content is an easy fix. But not being up to date on your security or plugins can lead to serious problems!

Luckily, updating and maintaining websites is pretty straightforward. Plus, most digital agencies offer packages to their clients that keep their websites looking stunning and working perfectly all year round.

Today we're going to go through everything you need to know about making sure your website is updated and working as it should.

What’s involved in website maintenance?

Website maintenance includes a lot of different things but it’s essentially the upkeep of your website including the platform and the CMS you’re using.

Here are a few things you should definitely be maintaining and updating regularly.

CMS Updates:

Security patches
Updating plugins
Fixing bugs

Maintenance Also Includes Things Like:

Cross-browser testing
Device compatibility
Regular server backups
Content upgrades
Blog posts
Updating imagery
Plugin updates

If The Agency You're Working With Offers A Website Maintenance Package It'll Usually Include Additional Services Like:

Hosting costs
Minor future design edits
Development
Marketing
Support
Ongoing content updates

Why Does Website Maintenance Matter?

Having regular monthly website maintenance will keep your website:

Up to date
Safe to use
Working the way it should

Not regularly updating your website will leave your site vulnerable to:

Hackers
Bugs and viruses
Browser incompatibility issues

Let's take a look at five reasons why you should update and maintain your website regularly!

It Keeps You Secure From Hackers

Unfortunately, there are a lot of hackers hiding on the web, just waiting for the right moment to strike and steal your precious data.

Making sure your website is up to date will ensure the security of your data, especially if you're using an open-source platform like WordPress.

WordPress is prone to attacks from hackers because a lot of companies over the world use it. With thousands of themes, plugins, and add-ons available on the platform, it tends to be vulnerable to security issues. So, even the most dedicated security plugins on WordPress have to be updated to keep your site secure!

It's usually best to let your website developer complete these updates for you so you can rest assured knowing your website is secure for you, your employees, and your clients.

Having an updated and maintained website will also give your users peace of mind because they know the information they submit to your forms or the payment details they include aren't going to be leaked or shared by hackers.

It Improves Usability

Usability is another massive issue for websites that aren't updated regularly.

For example, if you're a small online store or have a booking system on your website, bugs will attack! Broken links and other issues will start cropping up from time to time, making it difficult for your users to operate your website.

The solution is easy! Make sure everything is updated so your visitors can easily use your website.

By having an updated and maintained website, you'll be able to ensure that your website is easy to use, navigate, and operate at all times.

If the usability of your website falters, you could end up losing clients just because they couldn't simply add a product to their basket. 88% of people are also less likely to return to a website if they had a bad experience. Be sure to check that your website is working perfectly by enlisting the help of a talented developer.

You’ll Provide Your Audience With The Latest Information

Your audience doesn't want to see the old stuff you sold over a decade ago. They want to see the updated, new version of your products and services. They want to know what's new in your world!

By providing your audience with all the latest information on what products you offer or what your services can do, you'll be able to entice them to convert and work with your business.

You should also demonstrate to your audience that you are capable of giving them an exceptional customer service experience because you know everything there is to know about your industry.

Give your audience the information they need to know so they can make an informed decision about working with you.

This could include:

Writing relevant and valuable blog posts
Updating your website copy
Sending out newsletters
Offering free downloadable

Show them why you're the expert in your niche and why you're worth their time and dedication by updating your content and your website.

It’ll Enhance Your Credibility

If your website looks outdated, doesn't load quickly, or has content that hasn't been updated in over a decade, then you're going to run into some credibility trouble.

By giving your website the love and attention it deserves, you'll be able to provide your audience with a fresh website every time they load up your site. This will enhance your credibility and frame you as a trustworthy company to work with.

But! If your website isn't updated, has security issues, and is just downright buggy as hell, then your visitors are going to leave and go straight for your competitors instead.

Make sure your website represents your brand in a positive light so you can continue to get more leads in through the door.

Your Website Will Perform Better On Search Engines

Did you know that keeping your website updated and maintained can actually boost your SEO ( search engine optimization ) and get your website higher up the search results?

By making sure your website works perfectly and doesn't have any security breaches, Google will see that you're a trustworthy business and suggest your site to its searchers.

Plus, if you're constantly upgrading your content and providing up-to-date information for your audience, Google will see this and boost your website to the top of the search results for relevant keywords.

Update your content and keep on top of the ever-changing trends in your industry to stay on Google's radar!

We hope our blog on why you should update and maintain your website has helped you realize the importance of website maintenance .

If you don't currently have a website maintenance package or think your website is in need of a little TLC, then our team would love to help you out.

We're the experts at improving websites for small businesses and would be happy to get your website back into top condition.

Start giving your website the love it deserves to keep you and your clients happy - get in touch today .

How Can You Tell If Your Website Is User-Friendly?

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 19:33:56 GMT

New Title

I bet you didn't know that 89% of website users end up leaving that site to work with somebody else because of a bad user experience.

That's a lot of potential clients to lose out on, all because your website wasn't up to their standards - and user standards are getting higher every year.

Users expect a certain level of accessibility when surfing the web: as they should, it is 2022, after all. The days of slow-loading websites with hard-to-use navigation are behind us.

One of the critical things to meeting your users' expectations is ensuring that your website is user-friendly.

If your visitor can't navigate your website or can't read your content, then you're in trouble. Not only won't they be able to understand what you're offering, but they also won't be able to find your contact information to get in contact with you!

But how can you tell if your website is user-friendly?

Today we'll let you in on five things to look out for when deciding whether or not your website is user-friendly, how you can improve your website and how you can make sure it stays user-friendly for years to come.

Does It Load Quickly?

Your website has to load quickly. If it doesn't, people will get bored of waiting and clicking away before you even get a chance to introduce your products and services.

47% of people expect a web page to load in two seconds or less, and if it loads any slower, they're gone.

Seriously, people don't want to do business with a company whose website loads as if it's using dial-up. They want a speedy website or they’ll click away to your competition.

Increasing your website loading speed will also help prevent the loss of 7% of your possible conversions .

How do you improve your website load time?

If you've completed a speed test and realized your website is taking too long to load, then try implementing these techniques to speed up your load time.

Minimize HTTP requests
Minify or combine your files
Reduce server response time
Choose the right hosting option - shared hosting, although cheapest, often takes a long time to load
Enable compression to make your files smaller
Enable browser caching
Reduce image sizes
Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network)
Don't use as many plugins on your site

If this all sounds like a complicated list of jargon, then bringing in an experienced developer (like us!) to help you reduce your load time might be the best option.

Is The Navigation Easy To Use?

Having a clear and simple navigation on your website is vital to its usability. If your user can't find what they're looking for in a matter of moments, then they're going to give up and leave your website.

Your navigation should:

Have a simple menu
Be clutter-free
Have a limited number of essential menu items

This means they can find exactly what they came to your website for without having to search for it.

But, these aren't the only things you should be concerned about when it comes to your navigation. Your navigation is much more than your nav bar and drop-down menus.

When building a user-friendly navigation system, be sure to include:

A detailed search option
High-quality internal linking
A clever 404 page - with links back to the main menu
Informative headers and footers
Access to the entire site map

If you've ticked off all of these for your navigation, then your users will have no problem finding their way around your website.

Is The Content Clear & Concise?

Content is a vital aspect of your website. It's how your visitors figure out what you do. It's how you show them why they should work with you.

If your content is wordy, confusing, or even a bit cryptic, then your users are going to find it incredibly difficult to decipher what it is you're trying to sell them.

Writing content for your website that your users can understand is crucial. It helps reduce your bounce rate and keep your visitors engaged with what you have to say for longer.

Having clear and concise content also helps to build trust with your readers and positions you as a knowledgeable industry figure.

Plus, readability can also affect your SEO (search engine optimization). When Google decides which websites are the most important, it scans your content for relevant and valuable information. This takes readability into account, and if Google can't understand it, your audience isn't going to either.

The best ways to improve your content's readability is by;

Using appropriate headings and subheadings
Adding in number or bullet lists
Avoiding long paragraphs or walls of text
Adding in a mixture of images to break up text
Using bold and italic
Avoiding using all caps
Using graphs or tables to break up complex information

Is The Design Pleasing To Look At?

94% of first impressions are related to your website's design. If your website isn't up to your user's beauty standards, then you'll end up losing a few potential clients.

First impressions are everything! If your user loses interest the second they see your website, then it might be time to get yourself some new design work.

An old or outdated design makes you look like an old, obsolete company. Consumers also get uneasy when they load up a website and it looks like it was made over a decade ago.

Giving your website the facelift it deserves is a great way to improve user satisfaction and increase your trustworthiness as a brand.

How Can You Make Sure Your Website Stays User-Friendly?

Keeping your website user-friendly at all times is the real challenge!

Improving your website's usability isn't a set it and forget it activity. You have to keep making sure your visitors have a positive experience every time they visit your website.

To keep your audience happy, consider booking a professional website audit to ensure your website is working in top condition.

A website audit will help you identify what's working, what needs improving, and what's not working.

We hope we've been able to help you figure out why having a user-friendly website is essential to your online presence.

Start improving your website's usability today by talking to a team of website experts.

The team at 406 Marketing is here to help you enhance your visibility and reach your goals in the online world. We're masters at helping small businesses, just like you, succeed online.

Start thriving online with some help from our team - get in touch today .

Can Blogs Attract More Local Business To Your Website?

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 17:23:37 GMT

Can Blogs Attract More Local Business To Your Website?

Growing your business online and attracting more local clients can be difficult at the best of times, but one of the best (and most cost effective) ways to attract and engage with new local clients is to blog.

Having a blog on your website and regularly updating it with interesting and valuable content can build consistent traffic for your small business. Blogging can attract new customers, improve loyalty in your current customer base, and help you become a leader in your industry.

Today we're going to show you five fundamental ways blogs can help your company get the attention it deserves and attract more local business in the process.

Regular blogging improves your Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

If you're blogging regularly and providing your audience with articles filled with relevant and helpful information, then you will enhance your SEO (search engine optimization). 72% of online marketers claim that content creation is their most effective SEO tactic.

When you write blogs, you want to answer questions the people in your niche and your audience are asking. So, when Google sees that you have a detailed blog post answering their questions, they're going to push your blog to the top of the search results.

Having a series of blogs and articles full of relevant keywords that quickly attract the attention of Google is exactly what you need to get seen online.

Plus, if you target your keywords, blog titles, and descriptions towards local specific problems, your blogs will appear in local searches too.

The more your blogs appear for your audience, the more likely they'll read them and consider buying from you or hiring you. This alone makes blogs a fantastic way to attract more local clients.

Blogging shows your audience that you’re an expert in your niche

When you write blog posts for your audience, you're showing them that you know a lot about what you do.

You know all the tips and tricks of the trade, and you're an expert when it comes to giving advice or coming up with solutions related to industry problems.

The more blogs you write and the more you show your audience the depths of your expertise, the more they'll come to realize that you're the go-to person for their needs.

Blogging can also help improve your credibility online

Being seen as the expert in your industry also increases your trust and credibility.

Blogs are rated the 5th most trustworthy source for learning about topics and gathering information. So, by frequently blogging, you'll build up trust, and your audience will come to see you as an authority figure within the industry.

This means that when they want to sign up to your services or services like yours, you'll be on the top of their list.

Trust isn't an easy thing to establish, but as soon as a reader realizes how much knowledge and experience is available through your business in the form of your blog, they'll trust you.

This trust will eventually lead them to become a customer, as 81% of customers say they have to trust a company before buying from them.

Blogging helps you to build a community around your business

For many small businesses, when they think of blogging, they usually centre everything around what they can do for their potential clients, but there are more advantages to blogging than you think.

With blogging, you can create a lot of networking opportunities. Every town and city has a collection of trustworthy and valuable blogs, but some stand out more than others as their industry’s go-to destinations for reliable information.

These blogs are often the ones that feature a lot of other local companies, as well as updating their blog on a weekly basis. They're the ones that have serious partnership opportunities.

By getting featured on blogs like this, you'll be able to expand your reach and develop strong proof points for your own content.

Simply observing what these blogs are posting about can give you new ideas for future blogs too.

Blogging Also Helps With Link Building

If you can continue to build a strong network thanks to your blogs, you'll be able to produce high-quality links for your website.

Backlinks do wonders for your website as they help improve SEO and get your website seen more by Google.

Don't forget to offer to link to blogs you read too. By linking to other blogs, you can establish strong connections with other people in your industry.

Blogs show how you’re different from other companies

The internet is a vast place. There are thousands upon thousands of websites and companies online, and that's just in your industry alone.

To help you stand out from the crowd, it's essential to differentiate your company from your competitors. One of the ways to do this is by having a consistent and regularly updated blog.

Your blog tells a lot about your company. It highlights your brand voice, shows your audience your unique qualities, and presents your business as the expert.

All this helps you differentiate from your competitors so you can be the one your audience wants to work with when they think of your company's services.

Blogs drive long term results

The best blogs answer questions that people are dying to know the answers to. These questions will be asked in the future by new people to the area and other companies that are fresh on the block.

By writing blogs that have evergreen content in them, you'll be able to use them for years to come. They'll continue to bring traffic to your website down the line and you'll continue to provide valuable information to a new group of potential customers.

You can also reap the long-term rewards of blog posts by writing guides and how-tos. These types of blog posts can quickly be sent to confused clients looking for more detailed explanations on some of the topics you might have covered in meetings.

Your blogs will continue to drive results because, unlike some social media platforms, your posts don't get buried and lost after a couple of days. They instead continue to appear on the search results for relevant keywords.

We hope we've helped you discover how setting up a blog can help improve your online presence, gain more traffic, and attract more local business to your website.

Start piecing together the perfect strategy for your content marketing today and begin your journey to receiving more high-quality traffic of local website visitors.

Our team is the right choice to help you out if you need some assistance with all that. We're masters at enhancing the visibility of small businesses online, and we can help you reach the top of the search results in no time at all.

Start thriving online with some help from our team - get in touch today .

Elements Every Website Should Have

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 01:08:05 GMT

Elements every service based business website should have.

10 Tips To Help Small Local Businesses Thrive Online

Sun, 12 Dec 2021 16:46:45 GMT

10 Tips To Help Small Local Businesses Thrive Online

It's a big wide world out there on the internet, and for small local businesses like us, it can seem incredibly intimidating at first. But there are ways you can build up your online marketing and promotional skills to thrive online.

Today we're going to let you in on some incredible tips for small businesses that are designed to help local companies compete in the online space.

Take a look at these ten tips so you can start making your mark in the online marketplace!

Set goals for your marketing - SMART goals

Without goals, nobody would get anything done. Goals are an essential part of running a business, and with them, you'll be able to streamline your business practices and feel like you’ve accomplished something everyday.

By setting goals for yourself, you can even increase your productivity by 20-25% , which can help you get to where you want to be with your business a lot faster.

The best types of goals to set are SMART goals. SMART goals are:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely

By setting SMART goals, you can avoid setting unrealistic goals that are nearly impossible to achieve (and make you feel terrible when you don’t reach them). You can set goals that you'll be able to reach, and every time you achieve one of your goals, you'll get fired up to do bigger and better things with your company.

Goals are a lot easier to accomplish when they're specific. This means asking yourself:

Who - who are you accomplishing this goal for?
What - what are you achieving?
Where - where are you achieving it?
When - when should it be completed by?
Why - why do you want to accomplish this goal?

Then figure out how to measure this goal.

How much?
How many?
In what timescale?
How do you know if you've reached your goal?
What is your progress indicator?

Next, ask yourself if it is an achievable and realistic goal to set for yourself? If the answer is yes, then move on to giving yourself a time limit. How long do you have to achieve this goal? When's the deadline for your goal?

Now that you've set up your SMART goal, you'll be able to push yourself forward and reach new heights in your industry.

Make sure your website is updated

Keeping your website updated is incredibly important to your online success. An out-of-date website looks unprofessional, untrustworthy and if you don't regularly update your security, it could be dangerous to your customers.

The top three things to keep updated on your website at all times is:

Security
Content
Design

Updating your security will keep your data and your customer's data safe from malicious hackers.

Keeping your content fresh will improve your SEO (search engine optimization). It'll also position you as a knowledgeable company to work for!

Staying up to date with your website's design means you'll look professional and trustworthy at all times. This will encourage more and more of your visitors to work with you.

Create a social media strategy

Did you know that 4.48 billion people are on social media? That's a lot of people, right! If you don't have a social media strategy set up and ready to go for your company, then you're currently missing out on a whole lot of potential clients.

A good social media strategy for small businesses includes:

Posting regularly
Creating a publishing schedule
Updating your bio
Highlighting your USPs (unique selling points)
Uploading high-quality images
Offering practical and valuable content

Build an email list & send regular email marketing campaigns

Emails should never be underestimated, and with the power of emails at your side, you'll be able to reach more and more of your target audience.

But, how do you build an email list for your great email marketing campaign?

Easy!

You can use that excellent social media strategy we just talked about to get your hands on some of your potential clients' emails. All you have to do is host a giveaway or two, and you can watch the email sign ups pouring in.

You can also create a lead magnet to attract your audience. Create a freebie to give away on your website in return for their email. They'll happily give their email to you if you offer them something valuable like:

A free guide
Access to a private course
Exclusive content
Video tutorials
A discount on services

Improve your organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

You won't get anywhere online if you don't work on your SEO.

SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it's how you're going to get your company's website to the very top of the search results.

You can improve your SEO by:

Writing high-quality content
Doing in-depth keyword research
Writing meta titles and keywords for all your pages
Adding keywords to your content
Updating your blogs
Enhancing your Google Business Profile
Getting other websites to link to your website

Don’t forget about your Google Business Profile

Google Business Profiles are one of the best ways to improve your local SEO. They're also brilliant for showing your audience that you're an authentic business that's reliable, trustworthy, and genuinely does what it says on the tin.

Optimize your Google Business Profile by:

Updating your bio
Adding high-quality images
Checking your opening hours are correct
Updating your location
Encouraging customers to leave reviews
Responding to reviews (good and bad)

Google Business Profile is also completely free, so if you haven't claimed yours yet, we'd recommend doing it ASAP, as you're missing out on a massive marketing opportunity. For more information on how to optimize your Google Business profile check out our other blog post here .

Ask for reviews and referrals

Reviews and referrals are a great way to secure new clients - word of mouth is advertising gold! When you get positive reviews from clients, display them on your website. 95% of customers read reviews before considering buying from a company - so they're really important for generating sales!

Negative reviews can also help propel your business forward (yes, really). If you respond to a negative review professionally and ask how you can resolve the issue, your audience will see that you have no problems fixing things if they have any issues.

If you receive a positive review from your clients, don't be afraid to ask them to refer your company to their friends or colleagues too. You can even offer them a small incentive to do so, like a coupon or refer a friend program.

Use consistent branding

If you're consistent, you're recognizable, and if your audience can recognize your brand out of the sea of others, they'll think of your company first when they need your services.

Consistent branding also makes your company look a whole lot more professional and will give your audience faith that you're a trustworthy and reliable business to work with.

Consider using influencer marketing

Influencers have been around for a while now, and they're not going to be going anywhere any time soon. Why? Because they're a fantastic tool to use for your marketing strategy.

Influencers are basically influential people on social media. They have thousands upon thousands of followers that eagerly hang on their every word. Their followers will happily try out any product or service they suggest, which is why using them in your marketing is a clever move to make.

Find an influencer in your niche with a relatively powerful following and message them with an offer. You can offer a free sample of your product or service to try out, and sometimes they'll take it, review it, and that'll be it. If they're a more significant influencer, they may charge you a small fee, but it's worth it for the tremendous exposure your company's going to receive.

90% of businesses say that influencer marketing has worked for their company.

Always keep track of your analytics

By keeping on top of your analytics and checking them regularly, you'll be able to see your improvements online.

This will also help you keep on top of your SMART goals, and you'll be able to see your progress towards achieving them.

Thanks to analytics, if you notice something that isn't working, you'll be able to fix it quickly. Without analytics, you could easily end up running a campaign for months without it making a difference to your business.

We hope this blog has helped you figure out a plan of action to improve your small business's online presence.

Start putting together your strategy today by developing a list of SMART goals, improving your SEO, and updating your website and social media.

If you need some assistance with all that, our team is the perfect choice to help you out. We're masters at improving the visibility of small businesses online, and we can help you get to the top of the search engines in no time at all.

Start thriving online with some help from our team - get in touch today.

Onsite SEO Helps Your Website Rank Better In Search

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 19:43:03 GMT

Ranking in search is one of the number one ways to drive relevant traffic to your website to help increase lead generation. Get found online for the right search terms. It doesn't happen by accident.

5 Ways To Optimize Your Google Business Profile & Get More Local Customers

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 20:58:28 GMT

5 Ways To Optimize Your Google Business Profile & Get More Local Customers

Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business) is a fantastic (free!) marketing tool that gets your business noticed by local customers. It’s also a great way to attract more clients to your door and increase the number of conversions and sales you receive from your website.

Having an up-to-date and fully-optimized Google Business Profile will help you:

Improve your online credibility
Increase your trustworthiness
Show you're a verified company that delivers on what it promises

But, how do you optimize your Google Business Profile listing? How can you improve it so more local customers see it and choose you over your competitors?

Today we’re going to help you out by outlining 5 of the most important things you should optimize on your profile to start getting more local traffic to your listing.

1. Optimize Your Bio

The first step to creating the ultimate Google Business Profile profile is to optimize your bio.

Your bio can only be 750 characters (not words), so you don’t have a huge amount of space to show your audience how excellent your services or products are.

This is why it’s important to outline exactly why your audience should choose to work with you as concisely as possible. Plus, Google only showcases the first 250 characters of your description, so be sure to grab their attention immediately.

When writing your GBP bio, try to avoid:

Adding in links
Using sales-speak or industry jargon
Stuffing keywords in wherever and whenever you want to
Using all capital letters
Writing spammy content

There is a specific area on your Google Business Profile where you can link to your website and social media, so you don’t need to put the links in your description.

Keep all your information relevant and think about what information your customers need to know about. You’re not trying to close a sale here! All you want is for them to click on your website or give you a call.

Here are some of the most important things to include in your Google Business Profile description:

Highlight your USPs (unique selling points)
Show off what makes you different from your competitors
End with a call to action
Use keywords naturally in your content

Google hates descriptions stuffed with keywords, but it’s ok to use them as a natural part of your content writing. Try to fit your main keywords at the start of your description, so they show up in the 250 characters.

Google doesn’t use descriptions in rankings, but your keywords are still relevant to what your business does, so include them anyway!

Top Tip: Always make sure your description reads well. Don’t compromise the flow of your writing just to add in a keyword here and there.

2. Encourage & Respond To Reviews

95% of customers read reviews before they decide to purchase, so try to get as many reviews on your Google Business Profile listing as possible.

You can gather reviews quickly by encouraging your customers to leave them after you’ve completed work for them or after they’ve made a purchase.

You can do this by asking them in person or shooting them a quick email a couple of days after you've closed the sale or completed the service.

Reviews get displayed on Google Business Profile as a star rating just beneath your company name. The star rating is an immediate indication to any potential customer whether you’re going to be a good fit for them. If they only see two stars and your competitor has four, then they’re going to go with your competitor over you without a doubt.

So, try to get as many positive reviews as you can to show your audience that you’re the right company to go with.

Don't Forget To Respond!

Getting reviews is only one-half of the battle. You also have to respond to reviews, including negative reviews.

If somebody leaves a positive review, then thank them and let them know that you look forward to working with them in the future. If somebody leaves a negative review, then responding to it is the opportunity to amend any wrongdoings.

You can turn any negative review into a positive by apologizing and offering your negative reviewer a solution. Future customers will also see that you have no issue helping them if they have a problem.

Reviews Also Dominate Local SEO!

Reviews play an important role in local SEO and can help your business get to the top of the search results in no time at all.

Why?

If a customer wants to find a business like yours and they search for one, Google will show them the nearest available business with the highest star rating. The higher the stars, the more likely you’ll be the first option for local searches.

3. Answer Any Questions

Answering customer questions on Google Business Profile is a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience. Not only will you see to their problems, but you’ll also be providing future customers with immediate answers to common issues.

By filling out your frequently asked questions section on your Google Business Profile, you’ll also be helping your local SEO because your answered questions can show up on Google!

When answering questions, try to use a few keywords to help boost the chances of them appearing in the search results.

Remember to provide relevant answers too! Your audience will thumbs up or thumbs down questions depending on whether they're helpful or not.

4. Add Links To Social Media & Your Website

Adding links to your social media and your website is essential to optimizing your Google Business Profile profile.

If you don’t add a link to your website, your audience won’t be able to find out more about you, your products, or your services. People will want to check out a business before buying from them, so make sure you link to your website.

Your social media is also important to link to. Having an active and up-to-date social media page will encourage your audience to buy from you. Why? Because it shows that you’re an active company. It makes you look more trustworthy, plus 90% of people buy from companies they follow on social media.

5. Update Your Images

A Google Business Profile is nothing without a flock of high-quality images to show off your office, staff, services, or products. Images make your company look more natural and human. Having pictures of your staff and customers can help your audience connect more with your business.

When updating your images on your Google Business Profile profile, make sure they:

Are high-quality and clear
Show your offices
Show off your products
Highlight your customer service
Show the humanity in your business - the people

You should try to update your images as often as possible, especially if you bring out new services or products or change location.

Are you having problems updating your Google Business Profile? Do you want some expert help to make sure your business stands out on the search engines? Here at 406 Marketing & Design, we can help your listing get noticed by more local customers.

Start improving your Google Business Profile today by getting in contact with our team of marketing professionals.

Conversion Strategy & Call To Action To Generate More Leads

josh@406marketing.com (Josh Dardis) — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 19:51:45 GMT

A website with a clear conversion strategy and call to action generates more leads. Identify your conversion strategy for transforming your visitor into a lead. Design your website accordingly. Have one clear call to action integrated throughout the website.

Website Design That Supports Your Customer Journey

josh@406marketing.com (Josh Dardis) — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 19:47:45 GMT

Understand the entire customer journey that a prospect must take to transform from "prospect" into "customer". Identify the role your website plays in that journey and design accordingly. Be specific and intentional about every element on your website to make sure it increases lead generation.

Website Messaging That Works

josh@406marketing.com (Josh Dardis) — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 19:40:08 GMT

Make sure to include these elements in your website messaging to increase lead generation. Be clear, get to the point, and call them to action. Don't overcomplicate the process.

Five Ways Local Businesses Can Stand Out in Search Engines

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 15:24:00 GMT

Search Engine Optimization Tips For Local Businesses

Five Ways Local Businesses Can Stand Out in Search Engines

It's natural for small businesses to lack enough funding for marketing. However, the modern world presents a low-cost option of increasing more leads for your organization — local SEO. Improving your ranking on search engines helps increase website traffic by targeting potential consumers searching for your service or living nearby.

You get to improve sales because your consumers find you rather than the other way around. Therefore, standing out in search engines is an excellent way for small businesses to gain more visibility without breaking the bank. However, how can you achieve this?

For starters, it isn't as simple as it seems. Today's saturated marketplace means that you need to utilize best practices for building a formidable online presence. Luckily, below are five ways your local business can stand out in search engines.

Verified & Optimized Google Business & Bing Listings

A straightforward way of exposing your brand to nearby searches is through verifying and optimizing business listings on Bing and Google. Every time you search for a specific service or product on Google, you get to view a small pack on top of the results page showcasing three local businesses on Maps. Understandably, these three establishments will get the bulk of traffic. Thus, making it a crucial consideration for local businesses.

The same thing happens with Bing — You get to view three local businesses offering the good or service you need on top of the results page. However, Bing usually lists about five establishments, unlike Google that lists only three.

All you need to do is set up a business account on both Google and Bing. Next, you have to set up your business by filling up all necessary information — including the name, products/services offered, hours of services, location, and so much more. Lastly, ensure you verify your business to ensure you get listed on local searches. You can registered your business listings on google here ( https://google.com/business ) and on Bing ( https://bingplaces.com ).

SSL Certificate Installed On Website

It almost seems like we hear of website hacking every month. Therefore, website security is quickly becoming paramount for all businesses. Having an SSL certificate installed on your website shows both search engines and visitors that they can trust your business.

In August 2014, Google announced that websites with SSL certificates will get a ranking boost. It is particularly crucial when your website processes customer credit card data. Securing your website makes it easier to rank highly, thus giving you the boost you need to improve your bottom line.

Optimized H1, H2s, and Meta Descriptions

Think of the H1s as the title page of your web page and the H2s as the chapter headings. While the H1s show the reader that the subject matter is relevant, the H2s give them a clearer picture. Meta descriptions provide a summary of your web page on the search engines. However, how do optimized H1s, H2s, and meta descriptions affect local SEO?

These optimized elements of your web page boost visibility on search engines by improving the website user experience. It makes it easier for users to determine whether your page provides the answers they need. These meta tags will also tell search engines exactly what your page is about, helping you show up for the correct search terms.

Valuable Content For The Searchers Intent

User intent, also known as search intent, is the visitor goal when looking up a query in a search engine. Most of the time, users need specific resources or answers to their problems while searching online. For instance, searcher intent is quite different for 'history of pizza', 'pizza recipe', and 'takeout pizza'.

The goal of search engines is to satisfy user intent, thus making it a critical consideration for SEO. When a user comes across irrelevant information for a specific search, it signals search engines that the information is mismatched. Therefore, you get a much lower ranking because your data is deemed irrelevant. However, having valuable content that matches intent means that you get a better ranking due to relevancy.

Include An SEO Optimized Page for Every Product/Service On Your Website

Creating SEO-optimized pages for each service or product you offer makes it easier for your consumers to find what they want. Doing this ensures your visitors do not need to peruse several pages to find a suitable product or service.

Start by ensuring you provide each product or service a dedicated page on your website with the basic SEO elements in place.

Let Us Help

Are you having problems ensuring your website stands out on search engines? At 406 Marketing & Design, we can help you show up in search engines and bring you more leads. Contact us today to leverage local SEO and improve your bottom line.

6 Dangers of Leaving Your WordPress Website Unattended

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:45:00 GMT

6 Dangers of Leaving Your WordPress Website Unattended

Ignoring your WordPress(WP) website update notifications might be one of the easiest things but also likely the most detrimental. Failure to update your website on time or leaving it in the hands of a non-experienced individual can wreak so much havoc on your business. By failing to upgrade your website on time, you are making your website vulnerable to malicious attacks as well as reducing its overall efficiency.

So what happens if you leave your website unattended for a long time? Here are six dangers:

1. Incompatibility Problems

The WP websites comprise multiple components. While the main WP team creates the core of the software, the themes and plugins are made by third-party organizations. Therefore, whenever WordPress releases an update, the developers of these apps update theirs too to make them compatible with the new WP version.

Thus, if you’re still using an old version of WP, a few themes and plugins will suddenly stop functioning on it because their compatibility no longer matches the version you’re using. The same also works the other way round. If you have updated the website but failed to update the themes and plugins, their old version will no longer function with the new version of WP.

2. Speed Issues and Website Lagging

When you’re using an old version of WordPress to power your business website, you tend to face website issues like redirected pages, slow loading speed, or navigation-related problems. By not updating your WP, you miss out on important bug fixes that could cause your site to malfunction.

3. Missing Out On New Features

Like any other software, WordPress developers add improvements and new features to existing versions. With these new features, WordPress sites have better functionality as well as features that translate to an improved user experience. Without any updates to your WP version, you’re at the risk of missing out on any new enhancements and features that can enhance your site and its user experience.

4. Loss of Valuable Business Data

The truth is you can’t keep running on an old version endlessly. Sooner or later, it will be obligatory to upgrade your WP website in order to keep it up and running. Nevertheless, if you have missed a number of updates, then you are at risk of losing a lot of essential data. This sudden update could also affect or break your website.

5. Your Website Could Be Hacked

While there are many reasons for your website to be hacked, outdated WordPress versions or themes/plugins can be one of the most prevalent causes. According to WPBeginner statistics, 86% of the hacked WP websites contain outdated WP plugins and theme versions. And the reason why hackers target old WordPress sites is pretty simple. When developers remedy security flaws in a particular version by releasing an update, it’s revealed that the specific WP version has a security flaw.

Cybercriminals only need to search for websites as well as themes/plugins using that old version and exploit it to their benefit. So, the more time you take to update your website, the easier it is for hackers to compromise it.

6. Lack of Online Support

Frequently, when a new update arrives, the users, as well as developers, tend to talk about it widely. Thus, if you require some online support to make changes to your older version, you’ll have to search for answers relating to the older versions extensively.

Wrap Up

It’s crucial to update your WP website to keep it safe and secure against cybercriminals. Prolonging updating by trying to run the maintenance by yourself or trusting someone who is unskilled can snowball into bigger and more problems that can even lead to complete site breakdown.

Again, regularly updating your website comes with a lot of benefits. The updates keep your site running at optimal performance and speed. This helps to enhance your SEO rankings, thereby improving your visibility, traffic, and revenue.

Ready to Get Going?

Do not hesitate any longer! At 406 Marketing & Design, we are a team that truly believes that your site should work for your business. We intentionally help you build/keep your WP website updated in order to professionally communicate your brand value, represent your business, show up in search engines, and, most importantly, generate more leads.

The post 6 Dangers of Leaving Your WordPress Website Unattended appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

Core Web Vitals and Your Website: Getting Ready for Google’s Latest Update

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:28:00 GMT

Core Web Vitals and Your Website: Getting Ready for Google’s Latest Update

Google’s number one priority is search user experience. Every year for more than a decade, Google has made new changes to how pages are ranked in search results. First the focus was on keywords and links, then they devalued sites that used keyword stuffing and link-buying tactics. Then long-tail keywords and keyword clusters developed, followed by the more recent promotion of websites with excellent mobile performance. In this time, core web vitals have been increasing in importance – with websites that perform better reaching higher page ranking results.

The Core Web Vitals Algorithm Update: Most Sites Don’t Reach the Bar

The most recent Google update, as of July 2021, focuses primarily on Core Web Vitals, is a set of 3 analytics that measure a site’s performance when a user lands on each page. Total performance will be used to weigh your SERP (Search Engine Results Page) ranking. Despite the fact that page performance has long been part of SERP ranking, Searchmetrics finds that only 4% of websites rank as high as “good” according to the top 3 Core Web Vitals ratings. Google has set a very high bar and most websites aren’t competitive yet.

This is good news and bad news. The bad news is that your website is likely in the 96% majority. The good news is that those websites who jump ahead to prioritize improving their Core Web Vitals performance have a chance to jump far ahead of the curve and competition and reach top page results for this algorithm update.

What are the Core Web Vitals?

Google chose three essential metrics to focus on with the latest update; loading, interactivity, and visual stability. These define a user’s experience when they first navigate to a web page.

Taking these three metrics into account, we can see why Google decided their importance. These web vitals indicate key elements of a user’s page experience – especially from the perspective of the search engine. To look at it another way, Google is basically asking:

To be frank, we as search engine users can appreciate the value of the update. After all, we want our search engine clicks to be fast, responsive, and not to rearrange while we’re trying to read or click. Now let’s look into the target range for each vital and how you can get your website ready to compete with this update in action.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

Also known as the loading vital, LCP measures how quickly users can reach the core content of the page. This means the product description and images, blog article, or service page that the user initially clicked to see. A “good” LCP rating needs to be less than 2.5 seconds from click to content completion.

All too often, the ads load faster than the page or the core content loads so slowly that users “bounce” right off the page. Search engines see this high bounce rate and lower the SERP ranking of any slow-loading pages.

To get your website ready for a high LCP rating, you’ll need to reprioritize how each page loads content. Loading the layout and core content first and then filling in the details will give your website a boost in LCP and deliver the desired content faster to each of your website visitors.

First Input Delay (FID)

Known as the interactive web vital, FID represents how quickly users can interact with your page. While you may have over 2 seconds to fully load the content, the inactive mode of your website needs to go much faster. Google wants to see less than 100 milliseconds for a “good” rating in the First Input Delay vital.

To improve your website, lighten the back-end weight of each page. Offload more into local resources or upgrade to faster methods that reduce the early interactivity delay. Ensure that your users can scroll and click on the page even if all your content is not yet loaded.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Finally, lock down that layout. Known as the visual stability vital, CLS is an important factor not just for Google, but for conscious user experience. We don’t count the milliseconds before a click, but we do all hate that jump-around effect when trying to click through a purchase or read through a blog article.

The solution to CLS shift is to set your layout in stone at the beginning of page load. Use placeholder frames for images not yet loaded and lock your button positions down as the page loads to minimize the mis-click risk. Watch out for mobile responsive layout changes and prepare for them, allowing the layout to adapt, then stabilizing it before content starts to load.

How Do You Check Your Core Web Vitals?

To check your core web vitals, add your website to google search console . Once you’ve verified your site click the ‘core web vitals’ tab to view your results.

Is your website ready to compete for Core Web Vital performance in the new Google page ranking race? Contact us today to build your Core Web Vitals strategy and streamline your page landing user experience.

The post Core Web Vitals and Your Website: Getting Ready for Google’s Latest Update appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

Basic Tips For Converting Website Traffic Into Customers

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 15:06:00 GMT

Tips For Converting Website Traffic Into Customers

Do you have a business website? If so, is your content impeccable, and does your site have the right page layout? Maybe your site has all the right elements, but you’re still failing to convert casual visitors into committed buyers. Here’s why a conversion-focused website is so important, along with what you need to include and what we have to offer.

What Is A Conversion-Focused Website?

You’re probably wondering what we mean by a conversion-focused website. The simple definition is that this is a website that’s designed to convert web visitors into committed customers. To do this, you need to use various types of conversion tools that are made for making your web visitors engaged as well as take action.

Consider how your website needs to serve as an entryway for funneling sales. Thus, it’s critical that your site presents an offer that shows how your products or services can solve problems.

Basic Elements Your Website Needs For Converting Visitors Into Customers

1. Your unique selling proposition (USP)

One of the main factors of a conversion-focused website is a unique selling proposition. In other words, how does your brand stand out from your competitors? Besides stating how your brand is different from the others, make sure you place your statement “above the fold”. In web design, above the fold means you put all the pertinent information you consider important up front or at the top of your page.

2. A Call to Action

A CTA or Call to Action is an especially critical component of a conversion-focused site. Put simply, a CTA is a marketing tactic used by businesses that prompts potential customers to buy their products and/or services. Usually, businesses use a CTA button. Even more important than the color, size and shape of your CTA button is where you place it on your page. The best place for a CTA is usually on your landing page, above the fold.

Besides having a primary CTA, you need to also include a secondary CTA for visitors who aren’t ready to make a purchase. Consider how it can be a good way for further engaging as well as capturing visitors who aren’t that interested in your primary CTA. Your secondary CTA should not be as prominent as your main CTA.

3. Relevant Trust Factors

Most people want to know if others have been satisfied with using your brand. Thus, one of the main things that web visitors look for when judging a business is reviews from customers. Besides your positive reviews, people want to see testimonials about your business. Other relevant trust factors may include examples of your work, testimonials, client logos and published writings.

4. Visible Contact Information

Be sure your contact information is easy to find. Most people look for a business’s contact information at the top of the page.

Other Considerations & Warnings

Don’t settle for a business website that isn’t customer-conversion focused. For more information on how we can help transform your website into a site that converts visitors into buying customers, contact us .

The post Basic Tips For Converting Website Traffic Into Customers appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

Attract New Customers With Your Google My Business Listing

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 22:26:00 GMT

HOW TO Attract New Customers With Your GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE

As a small business owner, you’re constantly on the lookout for ways to improve the online visibility of your brand and offerings. With so many marketing options and strategies in the online world, it can be difficult to pinpoint effective and cost-saving ways to reach customers for your local business. One often overlooked tool that provides a number of benefits to local businesses is the Google My Business listing. Learning how to effectively set up and update your Google business listing can help you increase your reach and attract new customers in your area.

What is A GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE?

Google Business Profile is a free tool and resource created by Google to help business owners manage their online presence and visibility throughout the search engine. The information included in your Google Business Profile is the same information used to connect customers searching for your business and search terms related to your industry through the search engine and Google Maps. Getting access to your Google Business profile is a simple process of claiming your listing and verifying you are the business owner for the location or locations selected.

HOW TO Optimize YOUR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE

An effective Google Business listing must be accurate and up to date to help build trust and awareness of your brand and ultimately lead to increases in sales and new customers. Take the time to go over the main elements of your Google Business profile to optimize your listing and make sure you are visible to the most relevant target audience and customers for your business. Here are some general tips for optimizing your Google Business listing.

Subcategories

Every business has different services or products that complement their primary purpose but may fall under a different category. With subcategories, you can select more specific services or products offered by your business to help customers looking for these specific offerings.

Business Information

Verify that your business name and vital information such as your location and phone number are accurate and updated quickly whenever a change is needed. Confirm that the information within your Google Business profile matches the information provided on your business website and other online sources.

Business Hours

Your business hours appear prominently on your Google Business listing from the customer’s view. Keep your schedule up to date to make sure customers remain informed at all times of your daily hours and any closures due to holidays or unexpected events.

Website

The ultimate goal of your Google Business listing is for customers to contact you directly or continue to your website for more information or to make a purchase. Verify that the website address for your business is accurate on your profile to direct traffic successfully to your site. With a website attached to your Google Business listing you can increase your search engine rankings if your website is set up properly.

Service Area

Google Business will ask you to specify not only your service area but how you provide services or products to your customers. Make sure to specify whether you have a brick-and-mortar location or provide services on-location for customers. Include the areas you service to increase your visibility within those locations.

Types of Services

Through your Google Business profile, you can list the types of services offered by your business. There are a number of preset options you can select or you can create custom service options for your listing to help customers discover all of your available offerings including services and products. Filling in the services sections can help increase the ranking of your Business profile.

Adding Your Logo

Your business logo is important to build your brand visibility and awareness with customers. Including your logo on your Google Business profile will place your logo alongside your business name in your business listing, reviews, and messaging within Google.

Cover Photo

Include a high-quality photograph of your business’ storefront to help customers find your location or to communicate something about your brand. Your cover photo will appear front and center on your listing when seen by customers.

Photo Gallery

Include pictures of your services or products within your profile to increase appeal for customers researching your company. Customers often lookup business online’ before making purchases and providing a gallery of offerings by your business can help them make purchasing decisions.

Business Description

Create a short but engaging description about your business that will let your potential customers know a little about your company.

Google Reviews

One of the most valuable resources of Google My Business listing is the ability for your online audience to easily read up on customer reviews and experiences with your business. Your Google star rating will appear directly below your name in search and map results within Google.

Build your reviews and ratings by asking your existing customers to share their positive experiences with your business on Google. Offer incentives such as discounts or special offers to show your appreciation to customers who take the time to review your business through Google. Positive reviews and ratings on Google show customers you are a trustworthy company and can lead to higher engagement and traffic for your business.

Posting to YOUR GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE

Stay engaged with the Google community by posting offers, images, and special events to your Google Business page from time to time to stay relevant and visible to your audience and potential customers researching your business.

How Can Your Business Benefit from using A GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE?

When customers search for your business through Google, the Google Business Listing is often the first information they will encounter. Businesses with complete and accurate Google Business listings are often viewed favorably by customers researching a business, and help to build trust in your brand. This resource is essentially a form of free advertising and marketing for your business. From your Google Business listing, customers should be able to get much of your business’ information including your services, hours, locations, and even reputation.

Making sure to keep this information relevant and up to date will help you continue to provide the best information to customers while directing them to your website and to contact your business for services or products. Having a fully optimized listing can also increase your search engine rankings giving you more opportunity to reach more customers. Take full advantage of this powerful and valuable resource to help build and expand your business’ online presence in your community.

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4 Ways to Attract More Local Business Using Your Website

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 18:49:00 GMT

4 Ways to Attract More Local Business Using Your Website

All entrepreneurs and marketing teams share one common objective: getting more customers. The internet offers different opportunities to sell your brand and attract leads to your site. However, most marketers and entrepreneurs face the challenge of drawing the right audience to their company website. If your site doesn’t get any traffic, then it’s chances of generating sales are slim.

So how do you use your site to generate traffic, attract leads, and generate conversions? Let us explore.

Practical Tips For Reaching Local Customers Through Your Website

Your company website is not just a static marketing platform. If you manage it correctly, you can attract more leads and convert your prospects into loyal customers.

Here are four practical ways to attract more local business through your website:

Leverage Google Business and Bing Business Listings

When using local search engine optimization (SEO), you can drive traffic through Google My Business and Bing Places for Business. Both platforms can efficiently grow your site traffic and deliver excellent results.

Either listing allows your business to show up whenever a customer searches for your services within your location. Appearing in the local results means additional visibility, and those looking for solutions can easily find you.

Google and Bing business listings also allow you to display your contact details and opening hours. This prevents clients from getting lost if they don’t know how to reach you or what time you’re operational.

Your audience can also access reviews about your services which can help you stand out from your competitors. If your business has twenty 5 star reviews and your competitor only has 3, chances are internet searchers will go to your business first. If your business isn’t set up on Google Business you can do so here . You can claim and set up your Bing business listing here . Make sure your listings are verified, and you’ve entered all necessary information; your address, phone number, website URL, primary category, secondary categories, and business description. It can also help if you add photos, encourage customers to leave you reviews, and create posts regarding promotions or special holiday events. These small details can play a huge role in making sure your local listing shows up when people are searching for what you offer.

Communicate Your Brand Value and Message

In the current competitive business world, it helps to have a strong brand identity. This comprises the story your brand tells, your company values, and the emotions you intend to elicit among your audience whenever they interact with your company. In essence, it encompasses your business personality and your assurances to clients.

Once you’ve understood your brand, you’ll be able to find the best way to communicate your value and message through your site. This should be the first thing website viewers see as soon as they arrive on your website. Consider crafting a unique selling proposition and placing that front and center on your website homepage. This will allow users to quickly understand the value your business brings and how you might be able to help them.

Make Sure Your Website Is User-Friendly and Optimized for Mobile

The site must not only have an excellent appearance but must also offer a seamless user experience to whoever’s visiting. They must be able to find whatever they’re looking for quickly and with ease. One excellent way to make your site user-friendly is to optimize it for mobile.

Nowadays, more people are on their smartphones. As such, you must ensure your site maintains a great structure even on smartphone and tablet browsers. You can easily find out whether it’s optimized for mobile by checking out how the site looks on different mobile browsers.

Most importantly, always include a call to action to tell your audience what they’ll do with the content you’ve just offered. Also, remember to guide the customers on how they can reach you locally.

Optimize Your Website for Search Engines

If you’re serious about growing your clientele through your company website, you must ensure your site is optimized for search engines. This not only attracts traffic to your site but also offers lots of opportunities to convert prospects.

Begin with keyword research to learn what your audience actually searches for. Also, look for popular, engaging topics within your niche. The next step would be to optimize your pages for search. You can do this by creating content that matches the “search intent.” Also, design brief and descriptive URLs and create compelling descriptions and meta titles.

Let’s use an automotive repair or mechanic shop as an example. This business should make sure they have a specific page describing their mechanic services on their website. If they specialize in Tune Ups, General Automotive maintenance, and transmission repair. They should create a unique page for each of those services. Let’s focus on automotive maintenance as an example. They should create an ‘Automotive Maintenance’ page on their website. It should include descriptions of what types of maintenance they perform, the URL of the page should be something like example.com/automotive-maintenance. The H1 heading tag on the page should be ‘Automotive Maintenance Great Falls, MT’ and the page content should answer questions the searcher might have. Doing this for each service will greatly increase the likelihood their website will show up in local search.

Key Takeaway

Most small businesses believe that once they’ve built a website, customers will just come. But it doesn’t work like that. The real job involves giving customers a reason to visit your site and optimizing your local business listings and your on page SEO to help increase your rankings. The above tips will help you generate leads from your site and convert them to loyal clients.

Still unsure of how you can get the most out of digital marketing? Do you want to identify and fix the loopholes that hinder you from getting more website visits? Contact us today for guidance or to learn if your site is fully optimized to attract local business.

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Simplifying Your Business Down To The One Thing You Want To Do

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:33:00 GMT

The post Simplifying Your Business Down To The One Thing You Want To Do appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

Why Every Local Business Needs to Focus on Their Local SEO

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 12:51:00 GMT

Why Every Local Business Needs to Focus on Their Local SEO

Brick-and-mortar businesses need to have an online presence if they want to remain relevant and competitive in today’s business world. It’s estimated that four out of five customers find the information they need online first before making a purchase. If you don’t appear in their online search, you are missing out on potential sale opportunities. To build an online presence, especially in the local community, you need to master local SEO.

What Is Local SEO

Local SEO is the act of optimizing your business listing so as to improve its rankings when a user enters a location-specific query related to your business. For example, if you have a beauty spa in Houston and a user enters the phrase “top Houston spas”, yours should appear in the top positions if your local SEO is done right. Many times, the user doesn’t even need to enter the location name to get local results. Google automatically track their IP address so it will display local results matching the user’s location.

Local Map Pack

A typical local search result page consists of two parts: a local map pack and the usual organic results. It’s the local map pack that local businesses want to target. In this part, Google will display a list of local businesses matching the query, together with pinpoints on the map showing where those businesses are located. This will improve user experience since the user can find what they are looking for right at the top without having to look through the rest of the results. Your problem as a local business is: How to appear in this local pack.

Google My Business

Google My Business has become the creme de la creme when it comes to local search optimization. It’s your way of proving to Google that your business is legit and really based in the location you claim it to be. It’s completely free to set up a Google My Business profile and you can do it in less than 15 minutes. Make sure to fill out as much relevant information as possible about your establishment since it will be your storefront.

Once your business listing has been verified, Google will display your listing whenever a user enters queries related to your business. What’s more, you will also appear on Google Maps and other popular map applications that use Google Maps’ API. Ever noticed all the nearby businesses that popped up whenever you zoomed in on a specific location on a map? You will be among them.

Having your business listed on Google Maps also means that when a user searches for location-based queries such as “Italian restaurants near me”, you’ll be listed if you are an Italian restaurant that happens to be located near the user’s location. Given that “near me” and “close by” search terms rose a whopping 900% over the last two years and 18% of local smartphone searches ended in a sale, compared to only 7% of non-local searches, it pays to appear in front of these searchers.

Optimize Your Website

To make sure Google and other search engines correctly display your listing for every related query, don’t misspell your business address. If your business has multiple locations, list them all on your website. Make sure your address is consistently written across all platforms and sites.

Since 76% of local searchers end up calling the business, make sure all your phone numbers are clickable on a mobile device. This way, a user doesn’t have to copy and paste your number in order to make a call. They can just click on the number and get transferred to their native calling app right away.

What about keywords?

Keywords should be at the core of your SEO strategy. A search for “hairdressers” will probably result in a list of hairdressers all over the world. However, a search for “Fairfax hairdressers” will narrow it down to only hairdressers located in Fairfax. If you are a hairdresser, which keyword do you think is easier to rank for? The latter obviously. If you haven’t done it already, revise your current target keyword list and make sure to include as many relevant local search phrases as possible.

Getting Listed in Local Directories

Besides Google My Business, don’t forget that there are many other directories where you can submit your business profile and make it easier for customers to come to you. Bing Places for Business, Yelp, and TripAdvisor are some other local directories that you can use to boost your business’s visibility and organic rankings.

Reviews, Reviews, and More Reviews

Did you know that 97% of people surveyed said that reviews are the number one factor that affects their purchase decision? Another research conducted by Harvard Business School found out that adding another star to your review score can boost sales by 10%. Since potential customers know nothing about you, except what they see or read online, they count on the reviews from current and past customers to evaluate you. Glowing reviews are like stamps of approval from customers who know you and endorse you. Potential customers love that.

If your business currently has less than four and five-star ratings on major review sites, especially Google My Business, it’s time to work on that. The best way to deal with negative reviews is to respond attentively and try to resolve the issue. This way, you may end up turning an angry customer into a brand endorser. Potential customers also see how much you care about your customers.

As you can see, local SEO is the key to success if you want to dominate the local market. By being found on Google Maps and getting listed at the top for local queries, you can see your sales shooting through the roof. Not many business owners are versatile marketers at the same time. That’s why it’s a good idea to work with a professional marketing agency that knows the local market well. They can help you achieve your marketing goals while you focus on what you do best: working on expanding the business.

The post Why Every Local Business Needs to Focus on Their Local SEO appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

7 Core Principles Of A Good Website Design

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 19:04:00 GMT

7 Core Principles Of A Good Website Design

There are 3 things that make a good website; how it looks, how it feels, but most importantly, how it works. All three aspects have a lot to do with your website design. As a business owner, your website directly impacts your overall sales since it’s the first point of interaction your business has with its clients.

Online shoppers are very impatient, and if a customer lands on your landing page and they have a hard time finding the information they need, they will leave. That is lost business! How do you ensure that your website provides you with a great conversion boost? Here are 7 design principles that work!

1. Mobile Optimization

The rise of smartphones and mobile devices have made it necessary for all websites to be mobile-compatible. More than half of your website traffic comes from mobile devices. This means that if your website has only been optimized for desktop devices, you will be losing out on customers browsing on their mobile phones and tablets.

Where do these clients go? To your competitors! Make sure your desktop design is adaptive enough to accommodate all screen sizes.

2. Easy Navigation

When a customer lands on your website, how easy will it be for them to find the information they are looking for? A web visitor is more likely to stay on your page if they find your design intuitive and interactive.

To maintain website design that is easy to navigate, you should:

If a website user finds your navigation confusing, they will leave your website to find the information they need elsewhere.

3. Consistency

This is one of the golden rules of website design. Consistency enhances user experience and has a great impact on your overall sales. It makes a website feel familiar and, therefore, easy to navigate.

As a customer moves from one page to the other, they shouldn’t experience much of a difference. Which areas should you pay the most attention to?

4. Simplicity

There is something captivating about a website that is clean, simple, and neat. When designing a website for your business, keep one thing in mind; you are doing it for your customers. A sophisticated website will make you feel smart, but your web visitors could find it difficult to navigate.

A complex web layout also tends to be frustrating to the users, and having too many elements on one page could be distracting. Don’t over-design your website. Keep it fresh and simple.

Simple websites are appealing, and they give users the perception that your website is easy to navigate.

5. Fast Load Times

Nobody wants to wait 40 seconds for a website to load. In fact, web users are very impatient and will not wait for more than 3 seconds for pages to load. You have to make sure your website has been optimized for speed.

Google has a free tool that helps you check your site speed and gives recommendations on how to improve it. In addition to optimizing your website code, ensure your images are also optimized so that they don’t slow the site down.

6. Great Content

There’s only one main reason people visit your website; to find a solution to a particular problem. If you are an ecommerce store, you will be providing them the solution with your products. If you are in the service business, your services are the solution.

The website content gives meaning to your products or services and prompts your audience to take the actions you’d like them to take. Furnish your website with content that meets your audience’s needs.

Quality content also comes in handy when you are optimizing your website for search engines .

7. Color Combination

There’s a very thin line between a color combination that is attractive and that which is distracting. Choose a color palette that creates your website a balanced design and enhances your audience’s user experiences. Too many colors would be overwhelming to users, so stick to 3 or 4.

Colors have been known to elicit emotional responses from people, so use a color combination that is prevalent in your industry. The best design practice is to use your brand colors on your website so as to enhance consistency.

Design an Aesthetically Pleasing and Functional Website

You could be designing the website for your business, but the truth is that it belongs to your customers. Think of it this way, they are the ones that will be interacting with your site, and if they don’t like it, they will leave.

Design a website that is simplistic in nature has a great color combination, is easy to navigate, is optimized for all screen sizes, and loads fast. With great user experience comes a lower bounce rate and higher conversions, and this is all dependent on how well your website is designed.

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The Most Important Section On Your Website

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 20:11:00 GMT

The Most Important Section On Your Website

It’s probably a good idea to start with the obvious: today’s consumers are impatient. They’re impatient waiting at the checkout stand. They want pizza delivery in 30 minutes or less. Whatever the service, consumers today want it faster and better than ever before.

But as edgy, impatient and easily annoyed as they are in “the real world,” multiply that by a factor of 10 when their world goes digital. There’s something about the internet that gets consumers exasperated and annoyed quicker. It’s one of the reasons that on average they won’t wait for more than 3 seconds for a website to load—if your site load time is slower than that, you can count on losing about 40% of site visitors—not to mention a whole lot of business. Now, that’s impatient.

What Are You Trying To Say?

The most valuable commodity in digital marketing isn’t clean data or smart analytics or killer content—it’s attention span, as in prospective customers for your business don’t have a very long one. Driven by the need to do whatever it is they’re doing at an ever higher rate of speed, internet surfers treat their attention span like a closely-guarded private bank account, as in, “OK, I’ll give you 5 seconds to tell me why I should care about your business.”

That means you need to get to the point as quickly (and compellingly) as possible, whether that’s in your promotional emails, in blogs, in social media posts—or on your website. And because your website is the face of your business and the heart of your marketing strategy, you need to make sure consumers “get the message” right away, without searching, and without scrolling.

What Precisely Does “Above The Fold Mean”?

The phrase derives from the days when newspapers were people’s principal source of information and news. Newspapers were divided in half on the vertical. Publishers knew that people would invariably check out the top half of the front page before the bottom, so they used to place (they still do) their most important content there.

When you think about it, the home page (or any page, for that matter) on your website is not that different from a folded newspaper. The first thing visitors to your site see is what appears when it first loads. And like those publishers in the heyday of print journalism, to grab their attention, you need to put what’s most important about your business in that real estate.

Is “Above The Fold” Still Important?

In a word, yes, and the reason is simple. Consumers on average focus about 80% of their attention on what’s above the fold.

Said differently, the concept of “above the fold” is still relevant, but not precisely in the way it used to be, this primarily because of the rapid expansion of mobile devices and searching. Today, more than half of all searches take place on smartphones, and on those devices, scrolling feels natural and right.

Today, the significance of what you place above the fold has less to do with concerns that consumers will never see all the things you want them to see and more to do with “setting the stage” for what comes next. In other words, what’s above the fold is important because it quickly tells customers and prospective customers who you are, why you’re better than the competition and, of course, what you want them to do next.

As Impact rightly notes, today what’s above the fold is all about keeping visitors on your site and inspiring them to take the next step on the path you want them to follow (read, buyer’s journey):

So, What Exactly Should Go Above The Fold?

The simple answer is, “it depends.” Every business is different, with different customers, different goals and different marketing challenges. What you place above the fold, in other words, is largely a function of what your business is all about and who your customers are.

That said, for the lion’s share of businesses, there are 2 simple rules for what should above the fold:

Tell prospective customers who you are: yes, we’re talking about your value proposition, so make sure you’ve taken the time to craft a value proposition that resonates with your target audience—and make sure you keep it short.
Let them test who you are for themselves: the call to action (CTA) you position above the fold should directly relate to (and reinforce) your value proposition. And, like your value proposition, keep your CTA short, generally no more than a couple words. So, let’s look at a couple examples of businesses that hit “above the fold” out of the park:

The Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce

The goal of this website is to increase membership in a community organization. That means demonstrating persuasive “what’s in it” for the target audience.

To achieve that goal, the designer includes a photograph of the downtown area, in this way creating a connection with prospective chamber members and demonstrating local bona fides. That is then linked to a powerful value proposition, “CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT YOU WITH OTHERS AND INCREASE YOUR VISIBILITY.”

Immediately, site visitors understand that, in joining, they can increase the presence of their business in the community and (by implication) sales of their products and services. The proposition is then joined to 2 compelling calls to action. The first, “Membership Benefits,” reinforces the value proposition with specifics. The second, “Join Today,” accommodates site visitors who need no further convincing.

By linking specific benefits to their CTA, the Chamber achieves its principal goal of increased membership. By providing scrollers a more nuanced description of “what’s in it” for prospective members, they reinforce their principal message.

Conclusion

Sites like these make website design look easy, sort of like Fred Astaire makes dancing look easy. It isn’t. Whether it’s what you place above the fold, how you design site navigation or the calls to action that inspire conversions, website builds can be both complicated and confusing. That’s where we can help.

To learn more about the ways our website design, local SEO and strategy and consulting services can help you achieve your top marketing goals—and take your business to the next level— schedule a call today.

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Does Your Website Answer Your Customers’ Most Common Questions?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 22:22:00 GMT

Does Your Website Answer Your Customers’ Most Common Questions?

Answering your customers’ questions can be challenging at times, but it can be a lot less challenging if you have a website designed to answer the questions you receive the most. There are multiple benefits to making sure your website to do this, including:

Let’s take a closer look at why you should set your website up to answer your customer’s most common questions.

What are your customers’ common questions?

Every business with customers will inevitably run into customers with repeat questions. These are issues that seem to keep popping up, no matter how often you answer them. Your customers may ask them via your website, over the phone, or if you have a brick-in-mortar store, in person. After a while, you understand that these questions aren’t going away and are just a part of doing business.

Whenever a customer comes to you with a question, you have to ask yourself two questions:

1. How can I answer this is as efficiently and effectively as possible?
2. Does my business have the ultimate solution they’re looking for?

You’ll want to compile the common questions you receive from your customers. You can collect these from phone calls, in-store requests, emails, or information collected via your website. Once you’ve identified the questions, now you should gather the answers.

What are the solutions you offer?

When you start reviewing these common questions, write them all down and go about determining the answers to each one. This is where you can figure out whether your business and your product or service offer the ultimate answer the customer is seeking. Assemble all the common questions in one place – a Word document, notepad, or whiteboard works, wherever you take notes. You can then compile all the answers to those questions in the same place. Make sure your questions and answers match the information your customers are seeking. They don’t have to be word-for-word recreations of your customer’s questions, but they should include the keywords your customers are using (this will be important later).

You now have a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) along with the answers to those questions. Now you can use these, and inbound marketing, to attract more customers.

What is inbound marketing?

Inbound marketing is the practice of developing digital content on your company’s website that will attract customers who are searching the internet for the solution they offer. For example, if a photographer in Great Falls, Montana wanted to attract internet searchers looking for a photographer, they’d use the target keyword of “Who is the best photographer in Great Falls, Montana?” or search terms like that. It’s called “search engine optimization,” or SEO.

Inbound marketing can apply to any type of content found online. This can include blog posts, social media, or other sections of your website. Businesses can also create YouTube videos with keywords as well. Inbound marketing is all about trying to attract people on the internet who are searching for the specific offer you’re providing. The key is to know what they’re asking for and the search terms they’re using, which is where your FAQ comes in.

While it’s great to be able to produce a lot of digital content that answers your customers’ questions, not all businesses have the budget for that kind of robust content creation. But that’s okay if you don’t – you can still reliably answer all your customers’ common questions while also attracting some new customers as well at the same time.

How you can use content to answer your customers’ common questions

You have a small budget. Your marketing department isn’t a department – it’s you. You don’t have the time, resources, or money to develop any kind of complicated marketing campaign with lots of content. But you’ve compiled your FAQ loaded with the keywords your customers are searching for. Now what do you do?

You use the most powerful tool available to you in your digital toolbox: your website. Creating a FAQ section of your website is an easy way to build content that both answers your customers’ concerns while hopefully attracting more customers to your solution with the right keywords. It’s as easy as adding an additional section to your site with all the questions and answers you gathered earlier.

Summary

The bottom line? For any successful business, your customers are always going to have questions for you. Many of those questions will continually come up. To save both you and your customers’ time, you can develop a comprehensive FAQ section on your website. This will save your customers having to reach out to ask their questions, taking a proactive approach. It will also save you the effort of having to answer it. Not only will your customers appreciate this convenience, but you may also attract other people searching for your product or service via the internet.

Interested in learning how to use SEO to attract more customers for your Great Falls business? Contact us today !

The post Does Your Website Have the Answers to Your Customers’ Common Questions? appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

How Identifying Your Target Market Can Be A Game Changer For Your Small Business

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 15:00:00 GMT

How Identifying Your Target Market Can Be A Game Changer For Your Small Business

Successfully running a small, local business isn’t easy. Business owners face a host of challenges, everything from competition with large, national enterprise organizations to maintaining adequate cash flow, hiring the best people and identifying products and services prospective customers want.

The challenges of running a small business are one of the reasons so many fail. According to Fundera , for example, about 1 in 5 small businesses grind to a halt in their first year—and about half close shop before their 5th year.

The good news is that many small businesses not only survive but experience remarkable success. The winners are the ones that make prudent financial decisions, leverage best practice leadership skills and implement innovative, forward-leaning marketing strategies.

The Heart Of A Sound Marketing Plan: Identifying Your Target Market

Most marketers have a reasonably good grasp of what prospects are most likely to buy their products and subscribe to their services. They tend to be consumers who are in broad outlines like their current customers. For this reason, a realtor looking to sell luxury homes wouldn’t advertise in the local Penny Saver. Neither would a local business throw out a large net that captures prospects on the other side of the country.

But here’s the problem: because marketing dollars tend to be scant, to achieve a reasonable return on investment (ROI), marketers need a far more nuanced understanding of who constitute their ideal customers. Those prospective customers, when effectively defined, are sometimes referred to as a company’s “target market.”

As Small Business explains, target marketing holds several key benefits for local companies:

What Are The Main Benefits of Target Marketing?

Every local business is different, with different goals, different marketing challenges, and different products and services. For most, however, a robust target marketing strategy will reap several key benefits, including the following 4:

1. Target marketing provides clarity and focus: it’s one thing to say you’re going on vacation—it’s quite another to say you’re going to Aruba for 5 days and 4 nights and staying in a 4-star hotel. When you clearly identify the market segment you’re targeting, it’s easier to establish realistic, measurable goals, to craft a sound marketing plan and to know which products to showcase. Said differently, target marketing lets you know, specifically, what your goals are and how to achieve them.

2. Target marketing simplifies new customer acquisition: finding new customers for your small business can be expensive. In fact, according to Forbes, it costs about 5X more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find new business—it means you need to find more cost-effective strategies to achieve that goal. Because target marketing provides a clear road map for who your ideal customers are and how they shop, it lowers marketing costs making new customer acquisition easier.

3. Target marketing saves you time: the last thing your small business needs is another “wild goose chase,” another campaign that targets customers who have little or no interest in your products and services. Having a nuanced understanding of your target market (one grounded in accurate demographic and psychographic data), you won’t waste time going after the wrong prospects. For example, if you’ve effectively defined your target market and leverage Google Ads, you’ll save time by including only keywords that align with the market segment you’re targeting.

4. Target marketing benefits from the “80/20” rule: simply stated, the 80/20 rule teaches us that about 80% of the marketing results you achieve come from just 20% of the marketing activities you undertake. It also states that about 80% of your company’s net revenues come from just 20% of your customers—the ones who in other words buy more often and make more expensive purchases. When you practice target marketing, you’ll have the data you need to identify your top prospects, leads and customers, boosting your business’s productivity and profitability.

What Are The Best Ways To Identify Your Target Market?

Most businesses, including small, local ones, will have more than one target market. Because you offer a wide range of products and services, you’ll also have a variety of buyer personas and market segments, each of which might be characterized as its own “target market.”

That said, whether you have one target market or 20, the process for identifying it (or them) will be similar, typically involving the following 4 steps:

1. Define your current customers: unless you’re planning to substantially change the nature of your business, odds are new customers will look a lot like your existing customers. That means you need to clearly define who your current customers are. What are their favorite products? How do they like you to communicate with them? What marketing channels do they prefer (for example, email marketing and social media sites)? Do they prefer a professional voice or one that’s more casual and humorous? The answers to these questions will inform the marketing approaches you take to acquire new customers.

2. Identify your chief competitors: chances are there are local businesses who share some or all of your target market. You need to look (objectively) at what things you do better than they do, and those areas where they outshine your business. What products do you both offer, and who offers those products for less money? How is their customer service compared to yours? What marketing channels are they leveraging, and how successful are those approaches for them? By defining the nature of your competition, you’ll go a long way to refining your notion of what your target market is.

3. Define your products’ features and benefits: a product feature is what that product does; a product benefit is how specifically it helps your customers. In understanding not only the utility of your products, but also the way those products solve problems for your customers, you’ll gain a more granular understanding of who they are and how they relate to your business.

4. Identify likely buyers: it’s not enough to know which prospective customers might need one of your products—you also need to know who within that group are the most likely buyers. For example, a large group of prospects might need a new washing machine, but within that group is a smaller market segment that matches the demographic and psychographic characteristics of customers who’ve purchased one of your washing machines. Among the demographic traits you should examine are age, location, gender and income level. You should also look at psychographic characteristics like values, beliefs, interests and shopping behavior.

Conclusion

A sound marketing plan can spell the difference between success and failure for your small business. A key element of that plan is a highly granular, actionable and data-driven understanding of your target market—who they are, what they need, and the ways in which your business can help them solve their problems.

Of course, accurately defining your target market—and creating the kind of messaging that resonates with them—can be both complicated and confusing. Fortunately, there are affordable digital marketing agencies right in your community with the deep marketing knowledge to help ensure your success. To learn more about the ways our website optimization, local SEO, strategy and consulting services can be game changers for your business, schedule a call with us today.

The post How Identifying Your Target Market Can Be A Game Changer For Your Small Business appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

A Survival Guide for Small Business: 3 Smart Strategies to Come Out on Top in Local Searches

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 03:30:00 GMT

A Survival Guide for Small Business: 3 Smart Strategies to Come Out on Top in Local Searches

If you own a small business in Montana—or in any other state, for that matter—you know how hard it can be just to get buy, and you’re not alone. Small businesses across the country face a host of challenges, and every year many of them don’t make it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , for example, about 20% of small businesses don’t make it to their first anniversary, and more than half need to close their doors by their 5th year.

Why Do So Many Small Businesses Fail?

Every small business is different, of course, and the reasons some don’t make it are as varied as the products and services they sell. For some, it’s a lack of effective leadership. For others, it’s weak cash flow or hiring the wrong people. But for many, the reason for failure is something over which they have greater control—the way they market their companies.

In fact, many small, local businesses invest little or no money in the very marketing strategies that could, if effectively leveraged, win them new customers and take their companies to the next level. The reasons for this resistance to creating a marketing plan are several, everything from insufficient funds to a lack of understanding of how local marketing works.

But, as Forbes points out, effective local marketing is critically important to the success of small businesses—and those who “don’t know how to do it” should think of the money they spend—like the money to hire a competent agency—as a sound investment in their futures:

What Are The Best Ways To Market Your Small, Local Business?

As noted above, every business is different, with different customers, different goals and different marketing challenges. That said, there are several best practice small business marketing strategies which work for the lion’s share of them, including the following 3:

1. Clearly Define What’s Special About Your Business

You’ve probably heard about “branding.” All it really means is clearly and consistently telling local customers what’s special or different about your company—and what sets your business ahead of the competition.

That could be many things. Maybe you offer products or services for less money than they do, or perhaps your business offers more consistently outstanding customer service. Take the time to think about what your loyal customers love about your business (if you don’t know, ask them) and incorporate that into your marketing messages.

Once you’ve identified your “brand,” you need to communicate it clearly and consistently. That means you repeat it everywhere—on your website, in social media posts, in promotional emails and through the content you post.

You should also reinforce that branding message with so-called “social proof.” That means things like reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers, or statements about how many products you’ve sold. This grounds your branding message and builds trust in your business.

2. Optimize Your Website

OK, that’s more marketing jargon. What is means is making it easier for prospective customers to find and use your website and giving them clear directions about what you want them to do once they get there. For example, you’ll need to learn about search engine optimization (SEO) , a series of things you do on and off your website which makes it appear higher in search results for keywords related to your business. That will increase traffic to your site, which means more sales opportunities for you.

Other website optimization tactics include:

3. Design A Smart Local Search Strategy

Over the past two years, there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of online searches that include the phrase, “near me.” For example, 900% more internet searchers are typing “near me today” than just two years ago. That means more and more prospective customers are looking for small, local businesses like yours, and for the products and services you offer. To get on top of all those searches, your business needs a smart local search strategy.

Specifically, you need to do the following things :

Conclusion

A lot of small businesses don’t make it. The “glass half full” side of that equation is that a lot do—and some of those achieve incredible success. There are many things that separate the winners from the losers—one of them is having a smart marketing strategy that polishes your brand, optimizes your website and ensures that your business comes out on top in local searches.

And the really good news is that you don’t need to go it alone. There are affordable digital marketing agencies right in your backyard with the experience and knowledge to make sure you succeed—and to take your business to the next level. To learn more about the ways our website maintenance , local SEO , strategy and consulting services can be game changers for your business, schedule a call with us today.

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Why Core Values Matter & How They Can Transform Your Business

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:18:00 GMT

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How To Get The Most Out Of A Sales Pitch

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 16:21:00 GMT

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Building A Business You Actually Enjoy… It's A Waste Of Time To Do Anything Else

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Marketing That Stands Out: Be Real. Even When It's Scary.

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Is Your Website Performing? The Value of a Website Audit

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Red Flags When Hiring A Digital Advertiser: What To Be On The Look -Out For And What To Stay Away From

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Building Your Brand From The Inside Out: Avoiding Empty Promises and Manipulative Marketing Tactics

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

Video Caption
Hi there, it’s Amy Dardis with 406 Marketing and Design and I have thoroughly been enjoying my summer and I hope that you have too. I really been taking the time to just kind of reflect on our business and reflect on why we do what we do and really where we want to go moving forward. It’s been really fun to sit back and to be able to think through those things and really how it affects everything else that we do and I recently read this really great book and it was called Start With Why and that book really resonated with me in everything that we do should stem from why we do it and so I sat down and I was like okay why do we do what we do and why do other businesses do what they do. I feel like when it comes to marketing, when we think about getting our brand out there and reaching new customers and growing our business, we get so focused with the how and the what and like okay what do we need to do to get our message out there and how do we need to do this and so that’s what where we had kind of spending a lot of money and we’re like okay. I need to do Facebook and I need to do AdWords and I need to have this campaign going and I need to do TV and I need to do radio and we think, if we just get in enough places that then people will come swarming through our doors and our business will grow and I’m learning that is actually not the case. And more and more I guess I see flaws with marketing strategies and I’m like that’s not going to work like that’s empty. There’s, no value in that. Which is really brings me back to the fact that I used to hate marketing. I thought it was just shallow and fake and just salesy. And I just got this horrible feeling when I thought about marketing and I still do when it’s done in a specific way but really when we talk about marketing, when we talk about getting your brand out there, it really has to do with what is your brand. What is it. What is it that you are trying to accomplish? So let’s not think about the what and hows let’s think about the Why. Why did you start this business? What is it that you were trying to do for your customers and what is the end result in all of that. What is the heart and the vision and the passion behind what it is that you do because if you want to be successful, if you want to really make a difference and have an impact, then you have to see clearly what it is that you’re trying to do and then everything else that you do needs to support that. It all needs to follow through, we cannot over promise and under deliver. So when I look at it like all these marketing strategies and tactics and people say, oh great customer service and come in now and you can win a gift card and you know we try and incentivize people to buy into us instead of inspiring them and motivating them to buy into us. Because we’re actually walking the talk and we’re actually living what we preach and we’re actually doing something that is worth following, we’re leading by example. Instead of trying to bribe people to buy into our brand and to buy into our vision. So now, when I sit down with people I’m like okay, what do you do like how do you make a difference and what is it that’s going to draw people. And let’s forget about the incentive and let’s forget about the first free 30 days and let’s forget about that you know that a bribe really is what it becomes. Let’s inspire people let’s have it be a ripple effect and it starts inside it starts within you as a person and it starts internally within your company to be able to say that you treat your employees so well, you treat your existing clients and customers so well that you don’t need a huge marketing campaign because It is rippling out. And I think sometimes we’re terrified that if we don’t blast it out, if won’t tell everybody else how great we are then nobody is going to know except that goes against what actually happens is the more we tell people how great we are that more people don’t, like oh, yeah, whatever you know what it’s like when you don’t have to say it because it shows because people are talking about it because we did such a fantastic job for them. That is when true loyalty happens, that is when true growth happens in your business because you are leading by example, and you’re doing it from within. Sometimes I see businesses and they’re a mess internally. They have all kinds of you know, tension and uncertainty and I’m like okay what’s your vision for your business. Uh. I don’t know. Do your employees know what that is? How are you guys working together as a team? What is your culture and there is no answer. And I’m like okay, you want to, send out marketing campaigns to other people when you can’t do it right in your own building, in your own office. So if you want to be fantastic as marketing, if you want to see growth in your business. If you want to see the impact and change you have to start with what is right in front of you and sometimes what is right inside of you so that you can do the work that you need to do and your actions will speak so much louder than words. So when it comes to your marketing, I would say look at what’s going on inside. If you personally do not have a very crystal clear vision of passion and a fire for what it is that you’re trying to accomplish and for what it is that you want to see happen within your business within your clients lives, within your community, then you need to start right there and go back to the basics and say why am I doing this? What Is the end goal? Because if you can’t figure that out nobody else is going to either and all of your marketing in all of your messaging out there it’s not going to make sense and it’s not going to stick and it’s not going to have the attraction that it needs to have. So start with You. Start with inside don’t worry about what’s popular don’t worry about what’s trending, let’s do what’s right. Let’s do what’s real and, let’s see things actually make a difference and I feel, like that’s what it takes to be great. You have to be willing to inspire yourself and inspire other people around you and not just manipulate them. So I hope that this is helpful for you today. I know we’re doing this in our own business and it is hard. I will tell you it’s hard to look to take a hard look and to realize what is really going on. It’s like going to counseling for your business and it takes time and it takes effort and it takes hard changes to make it work but when it does people respond to that fire people respond to that passion and they will see that light and that dedication and you won’t have to say anything because other people will be saying it for you and your actions will be saying it for you. I hope that this was helpful for you today and I hope you guys are enjoying your summer and I look forward to seeing you guys next week.

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Does Your Website Make You Look Like A Self Involved Jerk?

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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How To Do A Facebook Live Video Part II: Coming Back From What You Thought Was A Bad Video

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Look At The Big Picture! What We Really Look For In A Web Presence

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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The Greatest Value You Can Deliver Is To Be True To Yourself

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Don't Stress About Not Being Perfect and Not Having Everything Figured Out

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Setting Yourself Up For A Successful 2018: Setting Goals & Creating Habits

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Content That Connects: Be Original, Be Real, Be Different

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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How To Market Your Business Without Spending Money

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Transparency In Digital Advertising and Why Impressions Don't Really Matter

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Discussing Website Options and How To Determine What Kind of Website You Need For Your Business

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Choosing A Digital Marketing Strategy That Makes The Most Sense For Your Business

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Finding Your X Factor: Identifying What Sets Your Business Apart

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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How To Get Through A Difficult Season In Business

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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The Honest, and Slightly Brutal Truth, About Building a Conversion Focused Website.

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:01:00 GMT

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Search Engine Optimization Guide - SEO Guide by 406 Marketing

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 19:20:00 GMT

Search Engine Optimization Guide FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES - SEO Guide by 406 Marketing

Potential customers are searching for the exact service you’re offering every single day. Capitalizing on internet traffic and performing search engine optimization is one cheapest, and most effective things you can do when it comes to marketing your business online.

This is not intended to be a all inclusive “how-to” guide, instead we’ve provide short topics you can focus on to improve your rankings over time. If you like simple lists you can download our Search Engine Optimization checklist here .

Have Relevant Content On Your Website

Have content on your website that is relevant to the service you’re offering and the search term people are using to find it… IE. If you offer Drain Cleaning Service make sure you have a page on your website dedicated to describing this service. If you offer multiple services make sure you have a dedicated page for each one. Try to make your website content valuable to the user. Things to remember:

Have A Mobile Friendly Website

Search Engines like Google & Bing now penalize sites that aren’t mobile friendly… Make sure your website is easy to use on mobile devices, if you’re not sure you can use Google’s Mobile Friendly Test Tool to test your site. If you’re website fails the test consider making some improvements. When it comes to driving traffic and increasing search rankings, user experience should always be a priority.

Have A Fast Website

Website loading speeds have an impact on your search engine rankings. Make sure your website loads quickly. Less than 3 seconds is ideal, less than 2 seconds is great!

Here’s a few resources that you can use to test your website speed & resolve issues:

Have A Secure Website

In 2019 Search Engines are giving preference to sites that are secured with a SSL certificate. If your site URL loads with http:// consider having your web developer add a SSL.

Use this SSL Checker Tool to see if your site has an SSL certificate installed.

If your site has an SSL, make sure all HTTP URLS redirect to HTTPS.
For example, http ://yoursite.com should automatically redirect users to the SSL secure version https ://yoursite.com

If you have an SSL certificate active on your site and setup properly you shouldn’t be able to access the http version from the web browser, it should automatically redirect to the https version.

Have Verified Google Business & Bing Business Profiles

Make sure your local listing on Google & Bing are both verified and updated with the proper information. Performing Local SEO can have a huge impact on your search engine rankings.
Things to make sure are accurate

Strategic use of H1, H2, Page Titles & URLS

H1, H2, Page Title, & URL together play a major role in your search rankings. If your website pages are missing a H1, or have an irrelevant page title, you might be missing out more than you think…

Create individual pages for each keyword you want to target. Here’s an example for targeting the keyword ‘General Contractor Great Falls’:

By adding the keyword to each of these fields you’re telling Search Engines that this page is relevant and should be shown to searchers.

Link Building For SEO

Back link: A link to your site from another website.

Backlinks are still a major factor when it comes to search engine rankings in 2019.

Look for opportunities to link to colleagues, partners, affiliates etc. Natural back links from relevant sites will boost your rankings.

If you’re a local catering company, you might try obtaining a back link from a local wedding planner. Or if your a local contractor you might try obtaining a back link from a supplier or subcontractor.

Webmaster Tools

Google & Bing both have their own webmaster tools platforms. They’re designed to help you inform search engines about your website, so they can index it more effectively. At a minimum every business should verify their website properties and submit updated sitemaps in both platforms. You’ll also receive notifications if something changes with your site or if you have any crawl errors.

Upload A Sitemap

Using your verified webmaster tools profiles you can enter a URL for your sitemap. This file tells search engines what pages are on your site.

Manage Your Bing Webmaster Tools Profile Here .

Manage your Google Webmaster Tools Profile Here .

Have An Error Free, Index-able Website

Errors on your website can cause Google & Bing to penalize your site, or worse, fail to index it at all. If there’s crawl or indexing issues with your site Google/Bing Webmaster Tools will list them in the crawl errors section or notify you via email. It’s a good idea to log into webmaster tools to check for any issues or warnings regarding your site.

Updated Social Profiles

Search Engines are beginning to use Social Signals as a way to verify if a brand or business is reputable. If one of the popular social platforms has your target audience on it, consider creating a profile or working on an existing one to send positive vibes towards your website. Having a Facebook, Instagram, Google Business or other social profile with your business information, Website URL and a few followers can give you an extra bump in search rankings.

These types of social profiles can help your search rankings:

Make Improvements Over Time

Search Engine Optimization is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep historical data, stats and analytics related to your website so you can make informed decisions. Make sure you have Google Analytics installed.

Track Everything

Important metrics to monitor:

If you have questions regarding search engine optimization , or the content listed in this guide feel free to contact us .

If you’d like more details on the current state of your website fill out the form on this page to request a free website audit . You’ll receive a PDF that includes amazing insights into your website and it’s performance. Including search engine rankings, page speed, conversion optimization and more. It will also provide you actionable steps to improve your website performance.

Download our Search Engine Optimization checklist here .

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Quick Tips For More Sign Ups, Online Orders, Leads & Subscriptions

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 12:56:00 GMT

Quick Tips For More Sign Ups, Online Orders, Leads & Subscriptions

Website Conversion Optimization

Make Sure Your Website Looks Professional

Having a professional looking website goes a long ways when trying to convert website traffic into customers… Your website is similar to making a first impression. We recommend hiring a professional commercial photographer to help you with the photos on your website. This will help ‘wow’ users when they land on your site, as well as help you stand out ahead of your competitors.

Make sure your website is mobile friendly.

57% of all U.S. online traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets (BrightEdge, 2017). Consumers now spend more than five hours a day on their smartphones. If your website is not optimized for mobile your going to be missing out… You can test your site using Google’s Mobile Friendly Test Tool .

Clearly communicate the customer’s problem, and your solution.

What problem are you solving? What is your potential customer looking for? How can you help them? Answering these questions within your content will make a huge difference on the effectiveness of your website. Audit the content on your website and make sure it’s useful or serves one of these purposes.

Establish Credibility

If you’ve worked with some great brands, or have positive customer reviews display them on your site to help gain the trust of your website visitors.

Have a primary call to action on every page.

If you want people to take action on your site you must tell them what you want them to do… If you want them to buy something, ask them! If you want them to come visit your store, tell them!

Have a secondary call to action.

If you’re selling products, have a storefront, or trying to build a business, growing an email list can be incredibly useful. Secondary calls-to-action can be great for building a subscriber base or email list… They also help you capture information for people visiting your site that aren’t quite ready to buy. Most sales take up to 7 interactions on average before closing the deal, these calls-to-action can get you another step closer to completing the sale.

An example of a secondary call to action might be ‘Enter your email address to receive our free guide’. Or download our 10 steps to better SEO!

Make sure your website loads quickly (under 3 seconds).

If your website is painfully slow to load users may click the back button before they even see it… Check your site speed online at gtmetrix.com

Make sure your website is easy to navigate and have a ‘common sense’ flow to it.

Don’t put unnecessary things in the menu or clutter your pages with content. Users should know exactly what you want them to do when they land on your site.

Optimize Your Site For Search Engines

One of the best ways to get more conversions on your website is to increase your traffic… One of the most cost effective ways to increase your website traffic is to make sure it’s optimized for search engines. If you’re looking for some SEO tips , check out our recently published Search Engine Optimization Guide for 2019.

The post Quick Tips For More Sign Ups, Online Orders, Leads & Subscriptions appeared first on 406 Marketing & Design .

406 Marketing & Design

Elements for Brand Clarity: Defining and Enhancing Your Brand Identity

Elements for Brand Clarity: Defining and Enhancing Your Brand Identity

Why You Exist

Your One-Liner

How You Operate

Your Uniques

What You Offer

Your Credibility And Authority

Your Ideal Customer

Proven Process

Call To Action

Negative Results And Great Experiences

7 Reasons Why Your Business Should Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Understanding the importance of SEO for business: 7 key factors

1. Increases website traffic

2. Improves Brand Visibility

3. Highly Cost-Effective

4. Enhances User Experience

5. Helps You Outrank Competition

6. Encourages Long-Term Business Growth

7. Influences The Buying Cycle

Optimize your website for search engines and find your SEO success with 406 Marketing

How To Check If My Website Is SEO Friendly: A Basic Guide

How TO Check If My Website Is SEO Friendly: A Basic Guide

Understanding the importance of SEO friendly websites

1. Increases online visibility in a sustainable way ﻿

2. Improves User Experience

3. Increases customer trust and brand recognition ﻿

4. Saves Money On Digital Marketing

5. Keeps your website up-to-date and high-functioning

How to check if your website is optimized for search engines

1. Perform An Audit of Technical SEO

2. Analyze Your On-Page SEO

3. Focus On Content Quality

4. Review Your Site's Navigation

5. Track Social Engagement

6. Use SEO Tools

Do you have an SEO friendly website? Find out now with our search engine optimization services for small businesses

Performance Booster: How to Optimize a Website in 5 Simple Steps

Performance Booster: How to Optimize a Website in 5 Simple Steps

1. Perform search engine optimization on your website content

2. Improve loading speed for website visitors and search engines

3. Ensure your website has a responsive design

4. Keep Everything Fresh and Up-To-Date

5. Track Website Performance Using Tools LIke Google Search Console

Optimize your website with the help of the digital marketing experts at 406 Marketing

What's The Most Important Page To Optimize On Your Website?

What's the Most Important Page to Optimize on Your Website?

Why is homepage optimization so crucial to the success of your website?

1. Helps you make a great first impression

2. Creates a seamless user experience and opportunities for fresh internal links

3. Strengthens the foundation of your website with homepage SEO

4. Increases your chances of converting site visitors

5. Offers invaluable insights and analytics

Rank higher on search engines and get your small business discovered online with 406 Marketing

How To Leverage Search Engine Optimization (SEO) To Grow Your Small Business

How to Leverage Search Engine Optimization for Growing Your Small Business

Understanding The Basics Of SEO

1. Keyword REsearch

2. On-Page Optimization

3. Off-Page Optimization

4. Technical SEO

Search Engine Optimization Tactics

1. Optimize For User Experience (UX)

2. Develop An SEO STrategy

3. Tap Into Local SEO

4. Stay On Top Of The Latest Trends In SEO

Rank Higher In Search Engines And Get Your Small Business Noticed Online With 406 Marketing

Crafting a Compelling Brand Identity: The Essential Elements

Crafting a Compelling Brand Identity: The Essential Elements

The Purpose Behind Your Brand

How Businesses Can Define Their Purpose

Your One-LIner

How Businesses Can Craft & Integrate Their One-Liner

How You Operate

How Businesses Can Define Their Core Values & Implement Them Into Their CUlture

Your Unique Factors

How Businesses Can Define & Incorporate Their Uniques

What You Offer

1. Increases online visibility in a sustainable way

3. Increases customer trust and brand recognition