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The Digital Essentials: How Small Businesses Can Optimize Their Website and Social Media for Success

  • Writer: Corey Waters
    Corey Waters
  • Oct 21, 2024
  • 6 min read

A laptop with the blog title on the screen and Candour Digital logo. On a black and teal background

The Essentials

If you want your business to be seen in today's world, it needs at least one digital platform, but more like two or three if you account for a website and two social media channels. That's the reallity of it and it can seem pretty daunting, after all - you're running your business and putting all the work in but you also have to put this extra work into marketing.

Unfortunately, yes but there are tools and techniques to make this easier and that's what I want to talk to you about here. In this post, I'm going to talk to you about why you need an up-to-date website, a social media platform, and how you can take some of the pressure off with the right tools and processes. There will be an itemised summary and checklist at the end if you're busy. Let's get into it!

Your Website is Your Digital Storefront - Develop & Maintain it!

A website is the best way to catch people who are actively interested in your business and its offering since it only appears for the relevant topics you talk about, so use that! You want to make sure your website clearly communicates who you are as a business and how you meet your clients' needs. This is likely the first place people will find you and where most of their research will happen, so remember to make it impactful. Engage on the right topics to make sure you are winning over the right people!

One of the biggest turnoffs for people looking for a product or solution to fix an issue is the website seeming untrustworthy or feeling out-of-date. Having a slow or outdated website can have a real impact on how likely your customers are to engage or even reach out to you for quotes. Here are some notarised points to help you do this:

  • Optimise Images: Compress and resize images without sacrificing quality to reduce load times.

  • Use a Modern Design: Keep the design clean and minimal with updated fonts, layouts, and color schemes that reflect your brand while also considering current trends.

  • Mobile-First Approach: Ensure the website is responsive and looks great on all devices, especially mobile.

  • Minimise Plugins and Scripts: Remove unnecessary plugins or third-party scripts that slow down the site.

  • Regularly Update Content: Keep text, images, and blog posts fresh and relevant to maintain and improve engagement.

  • Leverage Browser Caching: Enable caching so that repeat visitors don’t have to fully reload the website every time.

  • Enable Lazy Loading: Delay loading images and videos until they are needed (e.g., when a user scrolls to them).

  • Optimise for SEO: Regularly update metadata, keywords, and improve site structure to keep search engines ranking your site well.

A Little Bit More on SEO

While we're on the topic of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), there are some key things to consider when setting your website up for success. One of the most significant components of SEO is keywords, these will help search engines to display your website in search listings when people are searching on topics relevant to your business. Take some time to think about what topics your business is a leader in and use keywords for that topic to drive users to the right content at the right time, but be careful not to spam keywords and keep content human to avoid being penalised on performance.

Another important consideration for your website's SEO is the performance of your website, focusing on load speed and link health. Increasing the website's load speed is key to keeping people engaged, slow websites can lead to people bouncing from your website and recieving a lower search ranking. You can increase page load speed by allowing browser caching, minimise plugins and scripts, and enable lazy loading so images only load when needed.

Last but not least, link health describes how well connected your website is and is impacted by broken links, links that aren't relevant, and slow load times. We've already discussed the load speeds above but checking link health mainly consists of making sure that everything on your website connects how you want it to, do this by making sure all page links are relevant and don't lead to broken pages or redirects. SEMRush is a free tool that can help with all of these SEO points!

Social Media is Your Direct Connection to Customers, Make Use of it!

Social media platforms offer direct, real-time communication with customers, allowing your business to build relationships with potential clients and grow brand awareness on the topics that matter most to your business. In addition to boosting awareness of your website, social media can be great for engaging your audience and building a community of users that come to you first for advice and services, positioning you as a helpful authority on your business' key topics. That's why it's important you pick the right platform to engage your audience on, all of these social media benefits will be diminished if you don't reach the right audience with your content.

How Website and Social Media Work Together:

A well-maintained and optimised website, along with active social media channels, can significantly boost your small business's online presence. A fast, user-friendly website ensures that potential customers can easily find the information they need, while ranking higher on search engines, and bringing more traffic your way. On top of that, regularly updated social media channels help you stay connected with your audience, allowing for real-time engagement and relationship-building. Together, these tools position your business as trustworthy and professional, making it easier for customers to find and choose you when they need services or advice, ensuring you stay top of mind. Doing this gives your business the opportunity to promote across your website and social platforms to boost overall awareness and drive meaningful engagement.

So How Do We Get Started?

Managing your digital platforms consistently and effectively can eat into your time between learning and implementing so it is important to consider how much time you can commit to this. Prioritising your website and one or two social channels will help to make this less time-intensive. Alternatively, you can hire a professional like myself who already has the skills and insight needed to manage both the website and social media channels for you. Whether you choose me or another professional it is essential that they work with you towards your overarching strategy and you agree measurements of success early on, this will ensure you get the most meaningful results for your business.

Deciding to take this on yourself? That's awesome! Here's some quick advice to help you get started on your journey:

  • Small, Consistent Steps: Start small and regular, this will build your audience and you will see improvements with manageable changes that improve your website and social media presence as you progress.

  • Keep Your Website Simple and User-Friendly: Ensure visitors can easily navigate your site and find key information quickly. A clean, modern design will make a strong first impression.

  • Post Regular, Relevant Content: Whether it’s blog posts or social media updates, keep your content fresh and aligned with your business' key topics. Regular updates show your business is active and engaged.

  • Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, messages, and reviews in a timely manner to build trust and foster a sense of community around your brand.

  • Optimise for Mobile and Speed: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly. Slow or unresponsive sites will turn potential customers away before they even get started.

  • Use Analytics to Track Performance: Regularly check website and social media analytics to see what’s working. Adjust your strategy based on what’s driving engagement and conversions.

  • Stay Consistent with Branding: Ensure your website and social media channels have a cohesive look and tone. Consistent branding reinforces your message and makes your business instantly recognisable.

Conclusion

Maintaining an optimised website and active social media channels is no longer optional for small businesses—it’s essential. These platforms are the key to increasing your visibility, building customer relationships, and staying competitive in today’s digital landscape. By keeping your website up-to-date, fast, and user-friendly, and pairing that with engaging, well-targeted social media content, you’ll create a powerful online presence that drives real results. Whether you choose to manage it yourself or bring in professional help, having a clear strategy and consistent effort will position your business for long-term success in the digital space.

Looking to handle this yourself? Go for it! If you get stuck and need some additional advice, feel free to reach out via this form and I'll happily point you in the right direction to achieve your goals.

Struggling with the workload of maintaining your digital presence? I'm here to help! Reach out via my contact form below and we can discuss where I can make a difference for your digital presence.


 
 
 

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