Marketing Redefined - Be Strategic

Guest Blog by Julie Schumacher, Sasse Agency 

As we now look forward to 2021, businesses and organizations are thinking about how to build stronger relationships and stay connected with their clients and customers. The coming year promises to be one of great change and there is no time like right now to begin developing strategies that will drive success all year long. Highlighted here are four marketing trends for 2021 that, when integrated into your marketing plan, can boost your company’s brand, increase new interest in your products and services, and keep your clients connected and well informed.

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​Let's Get Going with Google My Business!
Isn’t it helpful to see those business listings---complete with photos, contact details, and reviews---pop up in your Google search results? You can easily get the same result for your business by creating, updating and optimizing your Google My Business page. By posting special offers and events, you can attract new business to your site. Sharing photos with updates to differentiate your business better reflects the authenticity of your brand voice and mission. The best part is that Google offers this service for free. Another great tool to drive traffic to your website and receive more calls.
 
Let's Get Optimized with SEO!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is simply the process of helping your website work for you.  Your website can reach the customers who are looking for you with your help. We know that customers will continue to interact with businesses/organizations online in a big way in 2021. That makes this the perfect time to review how easy it is for them to land on (find) your website. Think about the words and phrases that your customers use to find (Google) your business. Take a look at the search results that come up when you plug these words and phrases into Google. Using those results for search intent, you can do a thorough review of your site to see if your website includes those words. Are you making the most of this opportunity? The greater number of these words and phrases that you use in the content on your site, the greater the opportunity for Google to drive more traffic to you. The easier it is for clients to find you online, the better your chances for growth are in the coming year.
 
Let's Get Social with Marketing!
As much as everyone loves a viral moment, marketing your business/organization through social media is more about creating and sustaining a great long-term conversation with your audiences. Your customers spend their time on different social media channels for different reasons, and each platform is designed for a different kind of conversation. For example, conversations on these platforms are all different: LinkedIn is the board room, Twitter is the newsroom, Facebook is the water cooler, etc.  Know your audience and create compelling content-- and don’t forget to use video. Social media can be instrumental in boosting your brand and driving traffic to your website to support conversions. Creating a social media marketing plan that is engaging should include these 5 elements that will: inform, educate, differentiate, promote, and analyze the metrics. With these tips, you will be well on your way to building an effective social media content marketing strategy.

​Let's Blog About It! 
Consistently sharing new content on your blog is great for many reasons. Blog posts are a fantastic opportunity to incorporate those keywords and phrases that will help to boost your search engine rankings. Blogs are an ideal place to display your expertise on a particular topic, and give you a chance to share valuable insights with your customers. Crafting your own blogs is another great way to share your brand voice, and emphasize what sets you apart from other businesses.
By taking the time now for a careful review of your marketing strategy, and considering incorporating these tips for 2021, you can set your business up for even greater success in the new year!
Curious about more top marketing trends for 2021? Need some guidance to help you create a marketing strategy that will take your business to the next level in the new year? Reach out to sasse agency and mention The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce blog for complimentary marketing meet up. 
Thank you to The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce for providing opportunities for members to guest blog about their expertise.