The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and snow is finally in the rearview mirror. Spring has sprung, and that means it’s time to spring-clean your online marketing and set yourself up for a successful summer. Ask yourself the following questions; the answers can help you improve your website’s profitability and optimize your marketing plan as a whole.
- Am I tracking everything properly?
The biggest mistake in online marketing is not taking advantage of tracking site usage, conversions, transactions and/or ROI. We’re big fans of Google Analytics. In our opinion, it’s the most powerful marketing tool, even at a cost of $0.00. The problem is that a lot of people just use it as a traffic monitor and nothing more. So much data is lost if goals, e-commerce, events, and custom reports, and filters aren’t set up and utilized.
Used properly, Google Analytics gives you the power to look over your customers’ shoulders as they visit your site and helps understand the opportunities for site-wide improvements. If you’re not utilizing this tool, you might as well take your wallet and throw it right in the trash compactor. The opportunity is there, and the insights are actionable.
If your business gets a significant portion of conversions over the phone, phone tracking is a must. Don’t you want to know how that awesome lead found you? If it was from your site, call tracking can help you figure out the source, all the way down to the keyword that lead them to you. These tools exist, and they’re just waiting to show you what’s working!
Another tool we really like is HotJar. It includes some really great tools, and their basic plan is free. We absolutely love the usability tracking, which literally records the actions of users who visit your page. Watch users interact with your site and learn why they might be bouncing. Invaluable information, absolutely free. - What are my competitors doing?
This is a key component of any marketing campaign—and one that typically doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Get out there and take a look around. The landscape has likely changed, especially if it’s been a while since your last assessment. You want to keep your customers and win new ones; don’t let your competitors get to them first. - Is my site converting well? Is it time to rethink our conversion path?
No site is perfect. And even if you get close, that near-perfect state won’t be permanent. The world around us is constantly changing, and our marketing needs to as well. At a(m), we live by the motto “Test, test, test … and then test again.” With this mindset, you’re staying ahead of the curve, identifying new opportunities for improvement rather than resting on your (temporary) laurels.
Don’t know where to start? We’ve built the perfect resource for ideas! Check out our Conversion Rate Optimization library—it’s pretty awesome, if we do say so ourselves. We’re always looking for new tests to add to the library, so check back often for fresh tips and techniques. - Am I taking advantage of the many ways users might reach my site?
PPC is a great tool for traffic, but it is also a great tool for understanding what to focus your SEO efforts on. It can even help you identify and understand the demand for a specific service, allowing you to build sub-business around this interest.
Email marketing also tends to get relegated to the back burner. Clients often build amazing customer and prospect lists that then sit there collecting dust. Sound familiar? Dust off your list and get aggressive. Reach out to consumers with a great offer. You might be surprised at the response.
There are many more opportunities for sprucing up your summer marketing, but talk is cheap…and you’ve got some spring-cleaning to do! We’re confident you can achieve your goals using these techniques. Good luck—we wish you a successful summer filled with many leads!