Every company is going to have their own set of New Year’s resolutions, but there are a few fundamental ideas that keep coming back year after year. When it comes to SEO and online marketing, consider some of the following ideas to add to your 2015 resolutions:
-
To have a solid mobile strategy for the company.
According to iAcquire, 70% of mobile searches lead to action on a website within one hour of when the search was conducted. In other words, mobile is the thing to understand and perfect this upcoming year, so this is probably a good #1 New Years resolution for many company owners. This includes having a responsive web design, checking font size, clickable links, etc. as well as checking your redirects, mobile sitemap, and more. Creating a mobile strategy and all of the components that help create that strategy can get lengthy, but this webpage from Google has it all.
-
To spend a little more time and money on hiring (and then training and retention).
Unlike the resolution about creating a mobile strategy, this is one that is likely the same year in and year out and can always be improved. Hiring the right talent and keeping that talent within your company is crucial to the long-term success of a business. You have to strike that balance between a company culture that’s fun but also holds employees accountable, but all while still giving them some freedom. To put it simply, spend more time hiring and add a little bit extra in your budget this year for employee retention.
I recommend checking out this article from Inc. Magazine that details why employee hiring and then retention is so important, as well as a few tips for making it happen.
-
To segment your email marketing subscriber list and get personalized content.
Chances are you’ve been sending the same marketing message to the same people for the last year. 2015 is going to be the year of personalized content, and that starts with segmenting your audience and subscribers. Create personas and use analytics to help you segment your audience, and then use that information to offer personalized content.
-
To create engaging videos for your website and your YouTube channel.
For some companies the goal here might be more like, “to get a YouTube channel.” In either case, video is one of those things that many company owners are putting off. It can be time consuming, and it’s a completely different type of content creation so it takes a lot of work to get started if you don’t hire a professional, so it’s understandable. Nevertheless, it’s now unavoidable if you want to keep up with the competition.
If you’re still not convinced, Forbes reported that by 2018 mobile video will represent 69% of all mobile traffic, which is an increase from 53% in 2013.
-
Enable 2-factor authentication.
It might sound like something you can put on the backburner, but 2-factor authentication is an easy resolution that can save you from any potential new hackers we’ll see in 2015. Changing your passwords is also a must, but 2-factor authentication, or setting up a system where you need two key pieces of information instead of just one (such as a password), is key. Systems like Gmail, LinkedIn, Evernote, WordPress, Shopify, and more all have the 2-factor authentication option available, so take some time to use it this New Year.
A Few Other Quick Ideas for New Year’s Resolutions
- To refresh the images on your website and social accounts.
- Optimize your transaction emails.
- Get started with a few other social networks you may not have been using in the past (Pinterest, Quora, Instagram, etc.).
- Learn more about your customers by implementing Google Consumer surveys, polls, and contests.
- Get all of the boring things out of the way: backup your files, organize your email, clean up your social accounts, learn a new skill.
What are your New Year’s resolutions this year for your company? Let us know in the comment section below.