Looking to expand your digital footprint in 2020? The internet is an incredibly valuable tool. If you’re not getting everything out of it that you possibly can, you’re leaving sales and earnings on the table. The trouble, of course, is that the internet is always changing, expanding and evolving. You must keep up with it; this is work that’s never done. You have to continue growing and striving to connect with your audience on multiple levels.
It sounds intimidating, but it’s not. We make it easy. Let’s look at some of the best ways you can do this in 2020 and beyond.
1: Leverage Social Media
Social media was and is a game-changer. When looking at all people who use the internet — roughly 3.5 billion people — about 66% of them use social media. That’s an incredible market. It’s an incredible amount of potential reach. You have to stay active. Too many people and business owners create a profile and then neglect it. Remember, the internet is a wide-open platform outside of social media. Sites like Facebook or Reddit give people a way to congregate, and they give you inside information regarding what these group members like — what they care about, what they desire, how they think. You have to use that your advantage.
2: Commit to Consistent Content
As noted above, expanding your footprint is a job that does not end. You can’t build content for a month, post it, and figure you’re done. It doesn’t end. Fresh content matters. It gives your audience what they want. It keeps your site up to date. It helps you rank higher. On top of all of that, it expands your footprint consistently so that you’re always growing. Don’t worry about doing it all at once. You can do it a little at a time with consistent work.
3: Consider Different Types of Content
Variation can be a beautiful thing. You may find that different types of content connect with your audience in different ways. Some seek answers in long-form articles that they can read and consult at their own pace. Others want YouTube videos because they’re visual learners who need to see it to really grasp it. Still others like social media content because of the opportunity for engagement. As your footprint expands, try to approach it from a few different angles to give different groups within your target audience exactly the type of content they want.
Doing this also allows you to grow the potential audience. Facebook may be king with more than 2.25 billion active monthly users, for instance, but YouTube isn’t far behind with around 1.90 billion.
4: Look at the Rise of Voice Search
When considering keywords and search terms, remember that tactics change over time. There was once a time when people would run searches with full sentences and questions. Things then shifted to more of a keyword focus, with broken phrases and single words. The latest change is the rise of voice searches. These started with smartphones and have since expanded to include home-based devices, like Amazon’s series of Alexa-enabled devices. Other major companies, like Google, have their own systems. No matter what people use, the point is that they now search without typing a single word. Does this change what keywords and phrases they use? Does it change how they explore the results — without a search results page to look at? It absolutely does, and you need to expand your digital footprint to connect on these fronts.
5: Create Content That People Want to Share
Shareable content is your ace-in-the-hole. You typically have to work to get content in front of readers. With professional content that they love, though, the readers will share it for you. Instead of just getting it in front of one person, you get them to read it and share it with hundreds or even thousands of peers, friends, co-workers and others. A handful of those people pick it up and do it again. The reach expands exponentially — and for free. Plus, the endorsement of those sharing the content makes their friends or group members more likely to engage with it and read it themselves.
A New Year
2020 is the year to get as much as you can out of your online footprint. It’s your chance to embrace everything it has to offer and set yourself up for future success. We can help here at Online Edge. Get in touch with us today to find out how to take your company to the next level.