10 Easy Ways To Improve Your Marketing In 2018
We can all agree 2017 was an interesting (read: challenging) year. We laughed, we cried, and we endured our fair share of setbacks. But at MCG, there’s no looking back. We’re ready to reach new heights this year, and we bet you are, too. To help us get there, here are ten totally achievable marketing goals:
1. Reassess and build on your 2017 strategy.
Your marketing strategy should be a living, kinetic document. You can’t keep using your 2017 strategy and expect it to still be effective in 2018. Revisiting the strategies you tried and evaluating your return on investment is crucial for developing a stronger, smarter strategy for the new year.
2. Blog (even more!) in 2018.
Blogging is one of the most efficient ways to boost engagement and drive traffic to your website. In a study published by Orbit Media Studios, approximately 84% of participants said their blog delivered results in 2017. That trend is expected to continue in 2018 as more and more companies start creating original content. Last year, MCG blogged at least two or three times each month. But this year, we hope to publish a new post every week.
3. Start that webinar, YouTube channel, or podcast you’ve always wanted to create.
Stop focusing on how you don’t have time to try new things and start planning to have that time. Begin by spending 20 minutes every day on that special project until you can dedicate more time to it. The more your project develops, the easier it will be to prioritize and complete it.
4. Find a management system that declutters your workspace and your mind.
With so many client projects in motion at once, collaboration can get hectic – especially if you’re planning and communicating exclusively through email. To cut down on inbox clutter and bring clarity to tasking, we recommend finding a project management system that fits your business.
Here are few platforms we love and use:
- Slack is a cloud-based messaging app that is perfect for in-office communication, client communication, and file sharing.
- Trello is an excellent tool for teams that love to brainstorm and plan using sticky notes, but want to make that process digital.
- Asana does everything Trello does and more. In addition to creating and assigning tasks, you can plan your entire editorial calendar inside Asana.
- Hubspot CRM is an intuitively designed free app for managing your sales pipeline.
5. Recycle your best blogs posts.
Don’t be afraid to recycle your best blog posts. Many major companies repackage and repost content from their archives. So long as the information is still useful and relevant, why not?
6. Give video marketing a try.
Stop postponing your pivot to video marketing. Video content is undeniably one of the best ways to invest your marketing bucks. But you don’t have to hire a professional production team immediately. There are lots of affordable editing tools out there for amateurs.
7. Show variety in your social media posts.
Through your blog and social media accounts, you should strive to demonstrate thought leadership and generosity by providing access to educational resources. But you should also strive to intrigue and delight your followers. The content you publish doesn’t always have to be directly related to your business. We encourage you to explore related topics and show personality through clever, entertaining posts. Fridays are the perfect time to publish this kind of content.
8. “Document, don’t create.”
This advice comes from media expert Gary Vaynerchuk, and it’s become something of a motto at MCG. If you want to produce more content with less time, start documenting the work you’re already doing on the go. A good way to start would be recording your meetings to show off process and company culture.
9. Stay on top of trends and influencers.
Staying relevant is important in the digital age. An awareness of internet culture, current events, and other trending topics will help you capitalize on the many benefits of social media marketing. Make sure you’re following influential figures in your industry and checking popular hashtags regularly.
10. Track and measure your results.
Our last goal is all about reporting and learning from our metrics. Because what’s the point of tracking your data if you’re not going to review and analyze it later? So many businesses are participating in social media, but many of them forget that the real value of social media marketing comes from the analytics.
If these goals resonated with you, join us in working toward them! Make 2018 the year your marketing efforts really pay off.
