As 2014 winds down and we begin to look ahead it's important in the fast changing world of the web to stay nimble and be ready to adjust.
Join me in this episode of the Halftime Mike podcast as I dive into the details you need to know for success online in 2015!
It's all about keeping it practical, doable, and leading edge so you can grow more leads and sales online!
This week I fly solo and dive into a look back and a look ahead to 2015. I outline 3 core items that every business will want to address!
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Silo marketing will die by necessity in 2015 and rightfully so. [Tweet "Silo marketing will die by necessity in 2015 and rightfully so. via @Mike_Gingerich"]
Silo marketing is as old as the web itself. Many businesses had a website built and then went no further, saying, "We've got a website, I guess that takes care of things online for us." As well, in social media use by businesses, this also occurred as businesses gravitated to one social network and focused solely on that platform for their marketing. It was their silo. This was the restaurant that only had a Facebook Page, or the business that had a great YouTube channel but nothing else.
In 2015, this doesn't work.
Marketers learned this past year on Facebook that if you had all your "marbles" in that basket, when Reach (# of people seeing a post) dropped, business dropped. While Facebook Ads are a key asset in allowing a business to target precisely the ideal audience they want to reach, the days of pure "Facebook marketing only" are over.
2015 is about integration. [Tweet ""2015 is about integration." via @Mike_Gingerich on 2015 Biz trends "]
Websites need regularly updated content that is shared by the business via email marketing and social media. Social media is where businesses can reach potential customers and bring them back to the website. On the website a business needs to have lead capture incentives that are connected to their email marketing service.
Viral Cycle by Portage.co outlines the integrated parts of the marketing cycle
Note the integrated pieces mentioned above: content, social media, and email all working in tandem to deliver results. That's 2015! It's about multiple online and digital marketing assets working in unified tandem.
How many of you have a smartphone or tablet device within arm's reach right now?
Statistics say an overwhelming majority of you do! [Tweet "How many of you have a smartphone or tablet within arm's reach right now? Statistics say a majority!"]
ComScore reported in November that the U.S. has a 72% mobile market penetration with over 172 million Americans using a smartphone. It was in February of this past year that smartphone and tablet apps use surpassed web use via PC's for the first time ever. The report noted that mobile devices made up 55% of Internet use in the U.S. at that time and this has only increased.
It means your business MUST consider a mobile version.
Either a mobile site or one website that is responsive (works on mobile, tablet, and PC by adjusting). If a first time visitor is going to make a decision as to whether to stay or leave in the first 6 seconds on your site, and if 30-50% of them are on a mobile device, a bad mobile view on your site can have them click away in an instant.
So as 2015 begins, a critical key for businesses is going to be addressing the mobile-readiness of their website.
In a 2014 study by Socialbakers looking at video uploads between YouTube and Facebook, research showed that more businesses are bypassing YouTube to instead upload video content directly to Facebook. In fact, there was a 50% increase from May to July of marketers using Facebook video and it looks like in 2015, for the first time ever, Facebook will surpass YouTube in video uploads.
I'll say it, Facebook will overtake YouTube and become the leading video viewing and hosting platform online! [Tweet "Facebook will overtake YouTube in 2015 & become the leading video viewing & hosting platform online!"]
This was unheard of just a few years back as YouTube had massive marketshare of online videos but 2015 looks to be the year that Facebook changes that.
Why is this happening? Why does it matter, and what does it mean for small businesses today?
I'm glad you asked!
It's happening because time spent per American user on Facebook each day is at an astounding 40 minutes! This blows away any other social network by nearly triple the time and to businesses it means Facebook is the best online place to reach their potential customers. Combine this with the fact that Facebook is enhancing their video products, like adding call-to-action options free per video, as well as rolling out specific video ad tools, and the video power Facebook offers businesses is leading edge!
Beyond that, Facebook data is showing that users are engaging more and more with video, making it a "go-to" post-type for businesses to use when trying to capture the attention of Facebook users. And finally, Facebook is the most popular social site of choice for mobile users!
Put all these factors together and video on Facebook will continue to explode in 2015. Wise businesses will find ways to use video. These videos do not have to be long and professional. In reality, short works best, and users have become accustomed to quick and simple self-made videos. If you have a smartphone, you can make a Facebook video!
One example of a way to use video is to create a short video introduction about your latest blog post and share that on Facebook using the call-to-action option so that when users finish the video they are prompted to click through on Facebook and go read the blog post. Note: Since you already have the video, you might as well load it to YouTube as well!
TIP: This is another form of "integrated online marketing" which I outlined in my first trend!
So, as 2015 comes, your business will be well served to give adequate attention to these three keys. Businesses that want to do well on the web need to integrate their online marketing plans (which can include video creation and sharing) and they need to have a mobile solution for their website!
I do a lot of writing, including having articles published with leading blogs including Social Media Examiner, AllFacebook.com and with Mari Smith.
As the co-founder and manager of TabSite, I understand the small business and start-up mindset. With over 7 years of consulting experience for small and medium sized businesses, I understand and can speak to those wanting to increase in-store traffic, elevate their online footprint, and those battling the challenges of juggling multiple priorities.
I speak the language of business. I understand the challenges – what it is like to meet budgets, to go out and get customers, and to keep them. I spend my days as President of Digital Hill web agency helping our team develop plans for solving client online challenges from responsive sites to digital marketing plans.
Those who hear me and follow my blog value my skill for simplifying technology and social business ideas to make them practical and useful.
You can view my complete bio at the About tab of this site.
I’m a Indiana Hoosier native where basketball is the top sport. Every team heads to the locker room at halftime to evaluate the first half and create a updated plan for the second half. That plan includes adjustments based on reviewing what worked and what didn't.
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