Top 10 Web Marketing Suggestions for 2016

Once again, it's time for the Tuesday Tidbit! I've got a special one for you on this, the last Tuesday of the year. Fair warning: It's not much of a tidbit. But I couldn't help it, had to get all this out there!

Anyway, considering there are approximately thousands (millions?) of posts out there about how to fix your such-and-such and get more traffic/subscribers/purchases/such-and-such for 2016, I'm going to attempt to just condense things into one list.

Here they are, my top 10 web marketing suggestions for 2016.

*P.S. Get your Tuesday Tidbit with the button at the bottom of this page so you no longer have to seek out your weekly marketing update! It'll come to your inbox next week at 11am.

10. Write more.

I know this has been on your list for at least a year or two now, so 2016 is the time to get it done. You'll seriously be surprised at how easily blog post ideas come to you when you're thinking about something else entirely! So write down those ideas, that inspiration, that guy's/gal's name that writes cool stuff about your industry...write it down, look at it later and get it done. If all the potential blog post writers at your office did this, imagine the possibilities of how much awesome content you could attract traffic and leads with in 2016! Get it done - it's time. 

*Bonus: For help crafting your messaging, "What Should My Content Say?"

9. Really spell out your audience on paper.

I don't care how perfectly your audience is defined in your head...write it down for all to see and for you to reference! Write down each audience type and define the following:

• Where they hang out online (social channels, industry sites, etc.)
• What types of content they are/would be interested in and would benefit from seeing from you (how-to posts, tips, in-depth studies, case studies, etc.)
• Who do they trust the most? Industry leaders, their peers and friends, a certain person at your company, etc.

Now, post this information for all to see and use, especially when doing number 10 on this list!

*Bonus: Determine your audiences with "First step to a redesign: Know your audience"

8. Use email marketing. If you already do, make it better.

Email marketing is the best and easiest way to stay in front of your customers/clients and leads. There are so, so many articles out there about how to craft great emails that won't prompt unsubscribes. Go forth and learn!

My number one email marketing suggestion: segment that list! Make sure leads and customers, for instance, are getting different content that's targeted toward where they are in your buying cycle and what kind of relationship you have with them.

*Bonus: For more on email marketing 2016, "The Future of Email Marketing"

7. Prove ROI by tracking how users interact with your website and your brand.

Telling your boss that your content marketing, email marketing, PPC, etc. efforts are working is hard when you can't give hard numbers. Your post got 345 views - so what? Your boss wants to know how much revenue those views generated! This is sometimes very difficult to accomplish, and varies so much by website/brand/company that I can't even give much in terms of specific advice. However, what I can tell you to do is track those conversions with Google Analytics! Decide what counts as conversions and track the heck out of them.

*Bonus: Google Analytics Resource Page 

6. Try paid advertising if you haven't already. If you have, try a new platform.

Paid advertising can be a hidden gem. Different industries have completely different outcomes on different platforms, so sometimes it really pays (pun) to try a couple (after researching where your audience is). Maybe you'll have the most success running LinkedIn sponsored updates, or Google ads, or Bing ads, or Facebook ads, or video ads on YouTube. If you've never tried paid advertising online before, it's time in 2016.

*Bonus: Setting up Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and saving money on Facebook Ads. 

5. Set aside time for learning.

Yes, relying on a web marketing agency like ArcStone is ideal. However, keeping up on basic web marketing news and strategies will be a huge help to you! Find and bookmark just a couple reliable sources and set aside time to browse them each week. Some recommendations:

• The ArcStone Blog
• The Tuesday Tidbit (my own horn...toot toot)
• This Twitter List
• Search Engine Roundtable
• Hubspot's Marketing Blog
• Search Engine Land

4. Consider video.

The statistics on how many people are watching videos on their mobile devices is skyrocketing. Also, the amount of video watching we see on ArcStone client websites is always big. People want to watch videos, and that's that! Creating a really well done video can end up being a fantastic and lucrative investment.

*Bonus: The Future of Video and Homepage Video

3. Make converting easier.

Converting should be plain as the noses on their faces for your website users. How to contact you, download this asset, get a free trial...your conversions should be so easily found and stand out so well that a web-savvy 3-year-old could find them.

*Bonus: Effective Calls to Action

2. Get really good at social media.

Social media is not dying off. It changes every year, but it will not go away. You must be on and active on at least one platform (but not all of them), or you're losing.

*Bonus: Making a social media strategy

1. Plan.

Yes, my number one suggestion for 2016 is to make a plan. My new thing is writing things down on paper (haha?), but you can do this electronically too. You need a calendar devoted to your marketing plan! Plan out when you'll send out emails, when you'll start on certain campaigns, and when content will go live. STICK TO YOUR DEADLINES. Do this, and your 2016 marketing efforts will reap some serious benefits!