Resolutions may appear cliche this time of year, but setting goals is essential for improvement. It lets us know where we are now and where we want to go.
Many of the goals we all set last year didn’t hold beyond March. And that’s okay! The COVID-19 crisis requires us all to adapt. While we hope there are elements of the old ‘normal’ on the horizon, many of the changes within digital marketing in 2020 will remain and our resolutions should reflect that. Here are our top resolutions for 2021.
Capitalize on Google Ranking updates and ads
Google plays a growing role in marketing every year. That was never more true than this year as we saw an uptick in demand when working from home became the norm. More people turned to the internet to find products and services, creating new demand and more competition for pay per click (PPC) and organic search. There are ways to capitalize on Google in 2021 to improve your metrics for both.
Prepare for Google’s Core Web Vitals
Google is set to make another update in May 2021 and will put new emphasis on user experience. Core Web Vitals will consider loading, interactivity, and visual stability of your website for Google page rankings.
For Pure Visibility clients, our ongoing search engine optimization (SEO) work means you’re in good shape. However, expect to see some shuffling on Google’s first page for your industry keywords. Our SEO Director Tarun Gehani says, “Even if your website is good, it’s going to affect your entire industry, so it’s likely your competitors will be affected.”
Take an automation with oversight approach
If you’re not integrating some PPC automation in your campaigns, now is the time. Dynamic Search Ads are valuable for testing keywords and ad content. It can provide new lead opportunities. Google is also offering more smart campaign options, but before you set new automation goals, ensure they align with your overall key performance indicators.
Pure Visibility Senior Paid Search Strategist Natalie Adams warns automation can give you a false sense of success, “Not all leads are equal. We go further and help clients dive into their leads, working with them to determine valuable leads and connect those with specific keywords. If you take a set-it-and-forget-it approach to automation, you’ll get quantity but not necessarily quality leads and conversions.”
Meet your customer where they are (really do it this year!)
Every year you likely read something about communicating with your customers where they are and in their language. We always say it, but so many businesses struggle to embrace this concept. It’s easy to use your internal language or follow your competitors rather than take a closer look at what your customers want.
Voice search is here, but don’t panic
It’s been the talk, no pun intended, for years: voice search. Now it’s here and it’s time to capitalize on it. It’s estimated 58% of people have used voice search, and daily usage will grow exponentially every year.
While voice is on trend, it’s important to recognize if and how voice search can benefit your specific business. There is an opportunity to leverage your PPC campaigns for speech. Natalie suggests, “Review what keywords you type versus speak. When we voice search, we use more specific or long-tail keywords, as well as questions.”
Another caveat, industries are not created equal when it comes to search. It’s unlikely most B2B businesses will see significant growth via voice. However, Tarun agrees all businesses with websites should look at voice search improvements, “The optimizations you make for voice search results will also improve your text results.”
To social, or not to social?
The better question might be where to social? For so many businesses, the gut reaction is to communicate and advertise on Facebook. However, that might not be the best way to reach your customers. 2021 is an excellent time to take a closer look at where you are communicating and ensure you are speaking on the same platform as your customers.
Natalie says, “I don’t think there is enough understanding of social media, and the demographics on each platform. People are not in buying mode on LinkedIn but in business mode. It’s a better fit for B2B. And Facebook’s demographics are not as young as some people think. It’s a good place to reach middle-aged shoppers.”
Set yourself up for success in 2021
As you look to 2021 and set your own goals, one thing to remember is your metrics are likely off year over year. Because of COVID-19, 2020 might always have an asterisk by it. If something looks like an outlier, take a look at 2018 and 2019 to get a more accurate view of your key performance indicators.
At Pure Visibility, we strive to set our clients up for visibility and success every year. We offer a personalized SEO and Paid Search strategy to generate leads and conversions. Contact us to get a free basic assessment of your website.
We’re all looking ahead to 2021, and wish everyone a new year of opportunity and success!