Long before my career as a social media manager, I taught elementary school. I had a tradition of reading Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss on the first day of class in hopes of a successful school year and also on the last day as an opportunity to reflect as a group and think about how we have grown throughout the year.
With the spread of COVID-19, we find ourselves adjusting to a temporary normal and I am reminded of my go-to Dr. Seuss book. In it, he writes,
“I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you…You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. The Waiting Place…Everyone is just waiting.”
But The Waiting Place doesn’t have to be “useless”. We have more time at home, perhaps initially figuring out how to work remotely while meeting our family’s needs, but we have time nonetheless. This could be an opportunity to finally tackle that thing that has been on your to-do list for weeks, maybe even months.
At Send It Rising, we are helping clients navigate these unchartered waters as they work on their business’s website, social platforms, and SEO. Here are 5 tasks you can tackle that will help grow your business, without actually selling and advertising.
1. Start a Company Blog or Revitalize Older Posts
There is a reason why you started your business. Identify one topic that you are passionate about and could talk about in your sleep. It could be a question you are so used to answering for clients that it comes naturally. Now, put it in writing. Blogs can be a tool to help improve SEO while showing you are an expert in your field.
If you are regularly adding to your website’s blog, take a look at some of the older posts. Is there new information, photos, or graphics you could add to enhance your message? As algorithms change, SEO companies have realized that Google prefers rich blogs that are updated regularly with new content. Plus, your older posts probably have the most Internet traffic and will continue to do so with frequent additions.
2. Optimize Your Google Business Account
Companies with up-to-date Google Business Accounts receive more website visits and ultimately more business than similar companies who have not activated this FREE feature. It’s an additional platform to update your business hours and create posts to let your clients (and those who found you by Googling) know how you are handling business during the Coronavirus pandemic. Are you offering free shipping? Is your restaurant taking to-go orders? Can people purchase gift cards? Can clients schedule appointments for a virtual meeting? Many are spending more time at home on the Internet, so let them know any precautions you are taking and if you are still open for business.
Unsure of what a Google Business account is or if you have one? Go to https://www.google.com/business and complete the steps to find out. This platform is a way for you to showcase photos, show up in searches, advertise products/services, and allow potential customers to learn more about your mission statement and business. (maybe graphic instead)
3. Refresh Your Website’s Content
When you are immersed in the day-to-day requirements of your business, website updates may be the last thing that crosses your mind. Ironically, up-to-date company websites receive more Internet traffic. Add photos of your staff, new services you offer, check to make sure all the links are working and update any outdated language. Take special care to edit your homepage and about us pages as those are the ones probably most visited. If you have employees who are telecommuting, ask for them to provide any company photos they have taken and feedback about revisions they think would be impactful. Doing so will enhance the number of assets on hand, but more importantly, make staff members feel like part of the team.
4. Analyze Social Data and Engage with Your Followers
Look at the data and analytics across your different social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Linkedin). Do you have posts that excel on Facebook, but have a low engagement rate on Instagram? This may be occurring for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you aren’t engaging with your followings or forgetting to respond to their comments and messages. Engagement rates are often lower for companies who mainly rely on stock photos instead of photos of their clients, products, or employees. Another reason you may have a low engagement rate is due to inconsistent or sporadic posting.
Our social media team recommends that EVERY company has a Facebook account for business validity and link building purposes. Use your data insights to guide your decisions about what is working and what you can eliminate. This will help you plan successful posts in the future.
5. Create Videos 
Over the past few years, there has been a shift in how we communicate. As a society, we have moved from letters to phone calls to emails to social posts. Social media managers have learned that video is king in 2020. Messages and blogs that contain even a 30-second video are our clients’ top-performing posts. For example, we uploaded identical posts, but one had a video and the other a custom image. The post with just an image had 8 impressions. However, when we included a video with the same messaging, the post was viewed over 1,000 times.
We certainly understand that being on video can be uncomfortable and may leave you wondering why your voice sounds so different on film. Let the benefits of producing videos outweigh any insecurities. Once you record a few and see how well they perform, your apprehension will melt away. Choose a topic that you know best about your business for starters. Possible ideas could include:
- Why you started your business
- Any nonprofit partners you work with
- What has changed in your industry
- What is your company’s mission statement
- New additions to your business you are excited about
Most of us have probably used the phrase, “If I only had more time I would….” Now that we find ourselves in The Waiting Place, carve a little time out each day to learn, grow, and improve. Start by revisiting that to-do list that has been haunting you since 2019 and implementing the above strategies. We won’t be quarantined forever and after working on your business during the time at home you’ll be glad you did because “you’re off to Great Places!”
Updated: June 9, 2020
