Digital Edge Marketing Agency

Understanding Microsites: A Smart Move for Small Businesses

Nick@affinityns.com (Nick Brown) — Mon, 20 May 2024 18:18:44 GMT

Understanding Microsites: A Smart Move for Small Businesses

In the fast-paced digital world, having an effective online presence is vital for any small business. One powerful tool that often flies under the radar is the microsite. At Digiedg , we specialize in helping small and emerging businesses leverage microsites to enhance their digital footprint. In this blog post, we'll dive into what a microsite is, explore its typical use cases, highlight the benefits, and explain how it differs from a regular website. By the end, you'll see why a microsite might be the perfect solution for your business.

What is a Microsite?

A microsite, also known as a micro website, is a smaller, more focused website that operates independently from a company's main website. Unlike traditional websites that cover all aspects of a business, microsites are designed to deliver targeted information or serve a specific purpose. They typically have their own domain or subdomain and feature a limited number of pages, making them concise and easy to navigate.

Typical Use Cases for Microsites

Microsites can be incredibly versatile. Here are some common scenarios where they shine:

1. Product Launches: When introducing a new product, a microsite can be dedicated to showcasing its features, benefits, and usage. This focused approach helps create buzz and excitement, drawing in potential customers without the distractions of a full website.

2. Campaigns and Promotions: For marketing campaigns or special promotions, a microsite offers a perfect platform to present tailored content, such as promotional offers, contests, or event details. This can enhance user engagement and drive conversions.

3. Targeted Audiences: If your business caters to diverse customer segments, creating microsites for each segment can provide more personalized and relevant content. This targeted approach can improve user experience and satisfaction.

4. Events and Conferences: Microsites are ideal for events, conferences, or webinars. They can host all necessary information, including schedules, speaker bios, registration forms, and more, providing attendees with a centralized resource.

5. Educational Resources: For businesses looking to establish thought leadership or provide value-added content, microsites can house whitepapers, tutorials, e-books, or other educational materials, creating a focused learning environment for users.

Benefits of Microsites

Microsites offer several advantages that can significantly benefit small businesses:

1. Focused Content Delivery: By zeroing in on a specific topic or goal, microsites eliminate the clutter often found on larger websites. This focus helps convey your message more effectively and keeps visitors engaged.

2. Enhanced SEO Opportunities: Microsites allow for highly targeted SEO strategies. By optimizing content for specific keywords related to the microsite’s focus, you can improve search engine rankings and attract the right audience.

3. Flexibility and Agility: Microsites can be quickly developed and launched, making them ideal for time-sensitive campaigns or projects. Their smaller scope also means updates and changes can be implemented swiftly.

4. Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to redesigning or overhauling a large website, creating a microsite is generally more affordable. This makes it a cost-effective option for small businesses with limited budgets.

5. Brand Experimentation: Microsites provide a low-risk environment to test new ideas, designs, or branding elements. Feedback and results from these experiments can inform broader marketing strategies.

6. Clear Call to Action: With their focused nature, microsites can include clear and compelling calls to action (CTAs) that guide visitors towards specific actions, such as signing up for a newsletter, downloading a resource, or making a purchase.

How Microsites Differ from Regular Websites

While both microsites and regular websites serve as online platforms for businesses, there are key differences:

1. Scope and Content: Regular websites cover a broad range of topics related to the business, including products, services, company information, blogs, and contact details. Microsites, on the other hand, are narrowly focused on a single topic or goal.

2. Navigation and Structure: Traditional websites often have complex navigation structures to accommodate extensive content. Microsites feature simpler navigation, usually just a few pages, making it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for.

3. Purpose and Goals: A regular website aims to provide comprehensive information about the business and serve as a primary online presence. Microsites are goal-oriented, designed to achieve specific objectives like launching a product, running a campaign, or targeting a particular audience.

4. Design and Branding: While a regular website maintains consistent branding to represent the overall business, microsites offer the flexibility to experiment with different designs and branding strategies tailored to their specific purpose.

5. SEO Strategy: SEO for a regular website involves optimizing a wide range of keywords related to various aspects of the business. Microsites focus on niche keywords, allowing for more precise SEO targeting.

Ready to Elevate Your Business with a Microsite?

At Digiedg , we understand the unique challenges small businesses face in today’s digital landscape. Our expertise in creating impactful microsites can help you achieve your specific goals, whether it’s launching a new product, running a targeted marketing campaign, or reaching a distinct audience segment.

By choosing a microsite, you're opting for a strategic, cost-effective solution that enhances your online presence and drives meaningful results. Contact Digiedg today to get your microsite up and running. Let’s work together to create a powerful digital tool that elevates your business to new heights!

New Year, New Business: The Best Digital Ventures to Start in 2023

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:47:56 GMT

What are the best businesses to start in 2023?

With the dawn of a new year comes the opportunity to start fresh and make new goals. For many, starting a business is at the top of their list. In this digital age, a digital business can be a great option. Here are some top digital businesses to consider starting in 2023:

E-commerce Store

One of the most popular digital businesses to start in 2023 is an e-commerce store. With the rise of online shopping , starting a store that sells products online can be a great way to tap into this market. The startup capital needed for this business will depend on the products you plan to sell and how you plan to source them.

For example, if you plan to sell your own products, you will need to invest in inventory. On the other hand, if you plan to dropship, you will need to invest in a website and payment processing.

Training or certification is not always necessary for this type of business. However, it can be helpful to learn about marketing, sales, and e-commerce in general. There is definitely a need for this type of business, as online shopping continues to grow in popularity.

The likelihood of success will depend on factors such as the quality of your products, your pricing, and your marketing efforts. The potential revenue earnings will also depend on these factors, as well as the demand for your products.

Social Media Management

With the increasing importance of social media for businesses , there is a growing need for professionals who can help manage and grow their social media presence. To start this business, you will need a good understanding of social media and how it can be used for business. You will also need to invest in tools to help you manage multiple social media accounts, such as HootSuite or Buffer.

Training or certification is not required for this type of business. However, it can be helpful to take courses or get certified in social media marketing. Your success will depend on your skills and expertise in social media marketing, as well as your ability to offer valuable services to your clients . This is a highly competitive area, but the income opportunities are practically endless.

Blogging

Blogging is another digital business that is easy to start. All you need is a website and a passion for writing. You will also need to focus on a specific topic and provide valuable content to your readers. You will also need to invest in marketing and SEO to help drive traffic to your blog.

Training or certification is not required, but it can be helpful to learn more about blogging and digital marketing. This business requires dedication and hard work, as you will need to continuously produce quality content. However, if done right, blogging can be a great way to earn money through advertising and affiliate programs.

Web Design and Development

Having a strong online presence is now a requirement, not a luxury. Businesses are willing to pay handsomely for professional web design and development services. To start this business, you will need to have a good understanding of web design and development, as well as a portfolio of your work to show to potential clients.

Many web designers are self-taught or uncertified, however, that leads to serious issues with quality control. Having a certification in web design and development can give you an advantage over other designers. It shows that you have the knowledge and skills to create high-quality websites.

The demand for this type of business is growing, and the potential income opportunities are practically endless. However, success will depend on your ability to produce professional designs that meet your clients' needs.

Graphic Design

From logos to marketing materials to website images, businesses need a high-quality graphic design to help them stand out and make an impact. To start this business, you will need to have a strong understanding of graphic design and a portfolio of your work to show to potential clients.

As with most of the other businesses listed here, graphic design does not require any formal training or certification . It's helpful to have a good understanding of design principles and an eye for detail. Success will depend on your skills and expertise in graphic design, as well as your ability to produce attractive designs that meet the needs of your clients.

The demand for graphic design services is high, and the income opportunities are practically endless. With hard work and dedication, you can grow your business into a thriving graphic design studio.

Contact Digiedg to Help You Start Your Own Online Empire!

These are just a few of the digital businesses that you can start with minimal capital and training. With hard work, dedication, and the right skills, any of these digital businesses can be lucrative and rewarding.

Digiedg is here to help you take the leap into 2023 and become successful in any of these digital businesses. With our team of experienced professionals, we can provide you with the support and resources needed to get your business up and running.

We offer a variety of services, including web design and development, SEO and digital marketing, and graphic design. Our team can also provide guidance on setting up your business, so you can quickly get started and start making money.

We understand that starting a business can be intimidating, but we are here to help every step of the way. With our help, you will have everything you need to make your digital business successful in no time. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you reach your business goals!

Taking Advantage of the Gig Economy

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 15:19:09 GMT

How do you get involved in the gig economy?

Right now, the economy is in flux again. Food prices are up, while job satisfaction and availability are down. We are seeing both massive layoffs and people quitting jobs that treat them poorly, but income is still a serious issue. Fortunately, there are other ways to make money aside from the unstable job market. If you've heard there are jobs in the gig economy, you are correct. Through a network of apps, you can start picking up work quickly, set your own hours, and get work between permanent jobs by taking advantage of the gig economy.

What is the Gig Economy?

The gig economy is a marketplace of "gig" work or small jobs that you can do as anytime as one-offs. Examples of the gig economy include driving an Uber as a self-assigned taxi service, shopping and delivering groceries for people, doing home handiwork, being a virtual assistant, or even developing web apps. In fact, it all depends on which marketplace you choose and the skills you want to offer.

Gig work is accessed one job or hour at a time through mobile apps and web platforms. Clients post jobs, and gig workers accept them to perform or schedule them immediately. You can also take as many or as few gig jobs as you like, and it typically fits well into any schedule.

Can I Really Earn a Living This Way?

Yes, but with an asterisk. You can definitely make a living from gig work. In fact, some people make more money doing gig work than they did working for wages. However, it takes work and the right balance of time and pay. Some people can shop and deliver three grocery orders in an hour, some can't. Some can whip up twenty web pages a week, and some cannot.

Your ability to make a living through the gig economy is on your own steam. It's often based on your ability to find good opportunities to make time-efficient cash. So yes, you can make a living, but it's not a given.

Is There a Difference Between a Gig Job and a Side Hustle?

Good question! Your side hustle is a personally run small business. You might sell handicrafts or run a small repair shop out of your garage, and that's great! Many people with side hustles use gig economy marketplaces to find customers. With your side hustle, you are free to hand out business cards, share samples, as well as build a network of customers for yourself. On a gig economy marketplace, you can source things like orders for your crafts or web pages, but the contacts belong to the platform.

So, a side hustle and gig jobs can mesh, but they are run differently. You have on-demand access to clients through gig work, but have more control over your work and client list with a side hustle.

What are Some Good Gig Jobs and Their Benefits?

Driving for Uber or Lyft

Driving passengers for Uber, Lyft, or your local fleet is a way to become a taxi in your own car. Many people who enjoy driving and know their city well can make good money as passenger drivers in the gig economy. But watch out, these apps have been reducing income lately, so past reports of profitability are subject to change.

Delivering Meals and Groceries

DoorDash and GrubHub are among the leading restaurant delivery gig platforms . Meanwhile, Instacart, Shipt, and specific grocery store fleets allow you to shop and deliver groceries for pay and tips. Both can be rewarding, but it depends on your local rates and market. So if you're great at shopping and driving, you can get good tips.

Virtual Work

Virtual work ranges from programming and development to simple virtual assistant tasks. You can pick up hours and projects on platforms like UpWork, Freelancer, and Guru. These jobs, you can do from the comfort of your home office and can be extremely profitable - if you know how to handle clients. If not, they can eat up your time for very little pay.

Neighborhood Handiwork

Are you handy and willing to help out your neighbors? Platforms like TaskRabbit and Fiverr allow you to offer local services ranging from home and appliance repairs to running errands and doing unique request tasks for people nearby.

Commission Marketplaces

You can also get other types of work commissioned on more free-form or niche gig economy marketplaces. You sell bespoke, customized, and on-demand anything based on customer orders or by bidding on gig-platform customer requests.

How Do I Start in the Gig Economy?

Getting involved in the gig economy is easy. Just choose a few platforms and make your accounts. Explore the jobs on offer and how clients and professionals interact. Some make it very easy to get started and pick up jobs, some have more of a learning curve. Here is where your side hustle experience is going to help, as you judge which jobs and pay rates will get you the greatest reward for your time and effort.

When you're ready, take a job or send a bid to a client.

Staying Afloat This Year with Gig Work

Finances are tough for almost everyone this year, but flexible work, as found in the gig economy, can help you stay financially afloat between jobs or to cover rising costs. Contact us today to learn more or to find tools that will help you build your side hustle into a successful small business.

How to Proactively Update Your Social Media Management Plan for Your Busy Season: 10 Tips to Keep Your Hotel's Online Presence Strong

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:51:50 GMT

How can you keep your hotel's online presence strong during the peak season?

As a business owner in the hospitality industry, you know that your peak season can be both exhilarating and overwhelming simultaneously. You're busy ensuring everything is perfect for your guests, but you don't want to neglect your online presence. Below are some tips on how to proactively update your social media management plan to keep your hotel's online presence strong, even when you're busy.

1. Create posts ahead of time

One way to ensure your social media presence is maintained even when you're busiest is to create posts ahead of time . This could be done a week or even a month in advance. This way, you can schedule them to go live while focusing on other aspects of your business. When everything is running smoothly, take some time to sit down and draft up a few posts. This will save you time and energy in the long run.

2. Hire a management service

If you find that creating posts ahead of time is too difficult to keep up with, or if you simply don't have the time, you can always hire a management service. Several companies specialize in social media management for businesses . This can be a great way to take the burden off your shoulders and have someone else handle it for you.

3. Utilize automation tools

Another option is to utilize automation tools to help you manage your social media. There are several different tools available that can help you automate tasks such as posting and engagement. This can be a great way to save time and energy to focus on other aspects of your business.

4. Create a content calendar

Creating a content calendar is one way to stay organized and ensure you're always ahead of the game. This will help you track what posts need to go out and when. This can be a great way to ensure you're always on top of your social media management plan.

5. Set up alerts

Another way to stay on top of your social media presence is to set up alerts. This could be done through a tool like Google Alerts or Social Mention. This way, you can be alerted anytime someone mentions your business online. This can help you quickly jump on any negative comments and turn them into positive ones.

6. Monitor your analytics

It's important to regularly monitor your analytics so you can see how your social media efforts are paying off. This data can help you make changes to your strategy so you can better reach your target audience.

7. Engage with your audience

One of the most important aspects of a social media management plan is engagement. You need to interact regularly with your followers in order to build relationships and keep them engaged. You can do this in several ways, such as responding to comments, asking questions, and sharing relevant content.

8. Use hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to increase your reach and engagement on social media . When used properly, they can help you connect with new followers and boost your visibility.

9. Run contests

Contests are a great way to increase engagement and reach on social media. They can also be a great way to promote your business. When running a contest, be sure to follow the rules of each platform and offer a prize that is relevant to your audience.

10. Take advantage of ads

Ads can be a great way to reach new audiences and promote your business. When using ads, be sure to target your audience and use relevant keywords.

By following these tips, you can proactively update your social media management plan to keep your hotel's online presence strong, even when you're busy.

At Digiedg , we understand businesses' challenges when trying to maintain an active social media presence. That's why we offer various services, such as social media management and content creation, to help businesses succeed. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you reach your goals.

10 Pointers to Consider When Building an Effective Hospitality Industry Social Media Management Strategy

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 19:34:15 GMT

How can your hospitality business boost its social media presence?

The hospitality industry has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, with small independent hotels and restaurants particularly struggling to keep their doors open. But as travel restrictions to and from the Caribbean begin to lift, there's hope that a resurgence in visitors will help bring travelers back to the region and in particular, to the Island of Jamaica.

One of the best ways for small independent hotels and restaurants businesses to take advantage of this opportunity is to revamp their social media management and content marketing approaches. By creating engaging and informative content, promoting special deals and promotions, highlighting new amenities, and making their COVID-19-related policies clear, businesses can attract the attention of potential customers both local and international. Many businesses have taken advantage of the downtime due to the pandemic, to either upgrade their facilities or add new amenities. For example, some hotels are now offering touch-less checkins and online food ordering, and some restaurants are offering food delivery. In any event, if you have made it easier and safer for your customers, then it is in your best interest to promote your new amenities and upgrades on all of your social media channels.

Here are a few tips on how to build an effective social media strategy for the hospitality industry:

1. Plan Your Content Strategy

The first step is to plan your content strategy. What kind of content do you want to post? What are your goals? Who is your target audience? Once you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, you can start creating engaging content that will resonate with your audience .

Your social media channels are a great way to share information about your business, whether it's new amenities, special offers, or even just a sneak peek at what's to come. If your hotel is on or near the beach or offer water sports activities, it is a great idea to post pictures of those activities. If your restaurant has a dynamic chef, you will get a lot of traction by posting a few sample clips of him/her in action. Make sure to keep your content fresh and engaging so that potential customers will want to keep coming back for more. If your content becomes stale, you will quickly lose your audience.

2. Create a Schedule

Creating a content calendar is one of the most critical aspects of social media management. Once you have a plan in place, it's essential to create a schedule and stick to it. Remember, consistency is key. Decide how often you want to post and make sure you stick to that frequency. This will also help you stay organized and ensure that you are regularly sharing fresh and relevant content. Our recommendation is that you should post fresh content on a daily basis. If you provide daily specials for your restaurant or hotel, it is a good idea to post your updated specials on your social media channels. Do not assume that your customers will know your specials and do not rely on customers physically coming into your establishment, just to read your daily specials board.

3. Use High-Quality Attractive Visuals

In the hospitality industry, visuals are key. People want to see beautiful photos and videos of the places they'll be staying or dining , so make sure to use high-quality visuals in your posts. People love pictures and videos. After-all, if you are happy with what you have to offer, then why not shout it out from the mountain top, or in this case, on all of your social media channels. This will help give potential customers a better idea of what to expect from your business.

Make sure to use plenty of visuals in your posts, as this is what will really grab people's attention. High-quality photos and videos are essential for any hotel and restaurant business, so make sure to invest in a good camera and editing software. You will see the return on your investment in a very short time.

4. Engage with Your Audience

Make sure to engage with your audience on social media. Respond to comments and questions, and start conversations. The more you interact with your followers, the more likely they will become loyal customers. Do not make the mistake of letting comments to your posts go unanswered. If you do not have the time to monitor your channels, assign it to one of your responsible employees. If you prefer that they focus on their core tasks, then find an affordable digital marketing agency to take on this role for you.

With so many businesses competing for attention, it's also essential to promote any deals or promotions you may be running. Let's face it, the Caribbean has hundreds, if not thousands of the same businesses, offering similar services. A properly executed social media marketing strategy can help you to get your business out in front of those potential customers, ahead of your competitors. This will also help potential customers see that your business is the best choice for their needs.

5. Use Hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to reach a broader audience on social media. When used correctly, they can help your posts get discovered by people who are searching for relevant information. Therefore, when using hashtags, use relevant ones that will resonate with your target audience. For the hospitality industry, some popular hashtags to use include #travel, #vacation, #beach, #jerkchicken, #watersports #staycation, and #beachhotel.

6. Boost Your Local SEO

Ensure your website and social media channels are optimized for search engines by using relevant keywords and phrases. This will help ensure potential travelers can find you easily when searching online for hotels or restaurants in your area. Many businesses underestimate the value of Local SEO. In short, this is when a user searches on Google for " Beach Hotel in Negril ", or " Jerk Chicken restaurant ". Google will use their algorithm to identify the user's location, and then return the search result of of hotels matching the search description or restaurants that serves jerk chicken closest to the user's location. In order for your business to be included in those search results, you will need to either purchase Google AdWords or develop a good local SEO plan with appropriate meta tags and keywords for your website and Google My Business Account. Digiedg can assist you with both.

7. Encourage Guest Reviews

Positive reviews from past guests can be extremely helpful in convincing potential guests to book your property or visit your restaurant. Make it easy for guests to leave reviews by linking to your profile on popular review sites like Google, TripAdvisor or Yelp .

8. Partner with Influencers

Influencer marketing can be highly effective in the hospitality industry. By partnering with travel influencers, you can reach a larger audience and generate more interest in your property. Be sure to research when selecting an influencer to work with and only partner with those who have a genuine interest in your brand.

9. Run Social Media Contests

Social media contests are also a great way to engage with your followers and generate interest in your property. When running a contest, promote it heavily on your social media channels and make sure the rules are clear. Engage with your employees and loyal customers to be Brand Ambassadors for your business. Allow them to post your content for you, on your behalf and reward them for their loyalty. Popular contest ideas for the hospitality industry include giveaways for free stays or meals.

10. Make Your COVID-19 Policies Clear

With so much uncertainty still surrounding the pandemic, it is important to make your COVID-19 policies and procedures clear to potential guests. Whether it's outlining what steps you're taking to keep your guests safe or offering flexible cancellation policies, make sure this information is readily available on your website and all social media channels.

The Bottom Line

To capitalize on this resurgence in travel, hospitality businesses must have a solid social media presence. After all, potential guests will likely be looking for online information about hotels and restaurants before booking their trip. By following these tips, you can create an effective social media management strategy that will help your hospitality business succeed.

Digiedg is a full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in helping businesses in the hospitality industry boost their online presence. We can help you create engaging content, develop a targeted social media strategy, as well as improve your website's search engine ranking.

5 Steps to Create a Style Guide for Better Social Media Management

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:28:55 GMT

What does a style guide do for your social media accounts?

A style guide is a document that outlines the branding and styling for all of your social media accounts. This document can be used by anyone responsible for publishing content on behalf of your brand and ensures that all posts are cohesive and look professional. A style guide will help you maintain a consistent look and feel across all your social media platforms. Thus, making your brand more recognizable to customers. Steps to create a style guide for better social media management.

How to Create a Style Guide for Better Social Media Management

1. Outline Your Branding Guidelines

Your brand is your most valuable asset. It's what sets you apart from your competitors and drives customer loyalty. So it's important to protect it. One way to do that is to create a style guide for your social media accounts. This document should outline your branding guidelines, including your logo usage, color scheme, voice and tone, and messaging strategy. By taking the time to create a style guide, you can ensure that your social media accounts are consistently presenting a strong, unified brand identity .

2. Define the Voice and Tone You Want to Use Across All Social Media Platforms

Your brand's voice should be consistent across all communications, including social media . When defining your brand's voice, think about how you want your customers to perceive your company. Do you want your customers to see you as friendly and approachable or as professional and trustworthy? Once you've defined your brand's voice, ensure all your social media posts reflect that tone. For example, if you've decided that your customers should see your brand as friendly and approachable, ensure that you write all your posts in a casual, conversational tone.

3. Create Templates for Common Types of Posts, Such as Blog Posts, or Event Listings

Templates can be a valuable tool for social media managers . By creating templates for common types of posts, you can save time and ensure that all of your posts are consistent with your brand guidelines. For example, if you frequently post blog articles to your social media accounts, create a template that includes your branding elements (logo, color scheme, etc.) and the format you want your blog posts to follow. This will ensure that all your blog posts are on-brand and professional.

4. Specify the Dimensions and Format for Any Images or Videos That You Will Use in Your Social Media Posts

When posting images or videos to social media, it's important to ensure they are the correct size and format. Otherwise, they may appear distorted or fuzzy. To avoid this, specify the dimensions and file type for all images and videos used in social media posts. For example, if you want all of your images to be JPEGs, and a maximum of 800 pixels wide, ensure that everyone responsible for posting content on behalf of your brand knows this information.

5. Include a Section on What Content Should Not be Shared on Social Media

No style guide would be complete without a section on what content should not be shared on social media. Protecting your brand's reputation and avoiding any legal issues are important. For example, you may want to include a policy that states confidential information is not to be shared on social media or that nothing negative should be posted. By including this type of information in your style guide, you can ensure that all of your social media posts are positive and professional .

Let Digital Edge Marketing Agency Help You

Creating a style guide may seem like a lot of work . However, it helps you maintain a consistent and professional social media presence and will pay off in the long run. It is a simple but effective way to ensure that all of your posts are cohesive and look professional. By taking the time to create this document, you can save time and protect your brand's identity, as well as make social media management easier for everyone involved.

At Digital Edge Marketing Agency, we help you to take your company to the next level. Contact us to learn more.

A Quick Guide to Boosting Your Presence in Local Business Directories

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:55:11 GMT

How can local business directories help your business visibility?

As a small or independent business, you may be wondering how to get your business noticed by potential customers in your area. One great way to do this is by optimizing your presence in local business directories.

In this article, we'll briefly explain what local business directories are and provide a few examples. We'll then give you an overview of what you can do to optimize your presence in these directories.

What are Local Business Directories?

Local business directories are online listings of businesses within a specific geographic area. They typically include basic information about each business , such as the name, address, and phone number (NAP). Some also include additional details, such as website URLs, business hours, descriptions, images, as well as user reviews.

Examples of well-known online business directories include Google My Business, Yelp, Foursquare, and Angie's List. There are also many niche and industry-specific directories such as So Flo Black Pages . This is a directory that specifically serves African American-owned businesses in South Florida.

Why Should You Optimize Your Presence in Local Business Directories?

Inclusion in a local business directory can be beneficial for businesses of all sizes. However, it is especially important for small businesses . It helps them level the playing field as well as compete with larger businesses that may have more resources for marketing and advertising.

Optimizing your listing in a local business directory can help you to:

Increase your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). When potential customers search for businesses like yours in their local area, you want your business to appear in the search results. Having a profile page in a local business directory can help with this.
Boost your website's SEO (search engine optimization) . When your business's profile page in a local directory is linked to your website, it helps to improve your website's SEO. This can, in turn, lead to even more visibility in SERPs and more website traffic.
Build credibility and trustworthiness by providing accurate, up-to-date information about your business.

So, if you're not already listed in some of the most popular local business directories, you may be missing out on valuable opportunities to attract new customers.

How to Optimize Your Presence in Local Business Directories

There are a few simple steps you can take to optimize your presence in local business directories:

1. Make sure you have profile pages in the most popular directories.

If there are any industry-specific or niche directories relevant to your business, you should be listed there as well.

2. Make sure your profile pages are complete and up-to-date.

Make sure you have accurate NAP (name, address, phone number). If the directory allows it, you should also include a website URL, business hours, description, images, and user reviews.

3. Create backlinks between your directory profile pages and your website.

This will help to boost your website's SEO. Ensure that the anchor text (the clickable text) for the backlinks includes keywords that are relevant to your business.

4. Monitor your directory listings regularly.

This will ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date. If you need to make any changes, be sure to do so promptly.

5. Encourage your customers to write reviews of your business on the directory sites.

Positive customer reviews can help to build credibility and trustworthiness. You can also respond to any negative reviews professionally and politely. This shows potential customers that you care about your reputation and are willing to address any issues that may arise.

6. Take advantage of any additional features that the directory offers.

This can include special promotions or coupons. This can also help to attract even more attention to your business listing.

7. Keep an eye on your competition.

Check to see if they are listed in the same directories as you and, if so, how they have optimized their listings. This can give you some ideas of what else you can do to improve your listing and get ahead of the competition.

By following these simple steps, you can help to ensure that your business is visible to potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours in local directories.

Need Help Optimizing Your Local Business Directory Listings?

If you need help optimizing your local business directory listings, the team at Digital Edge Marketing Agency can assist you. We are a full-service digital marketing agency with years of experience helping businesses grow their online presence. We can help you create and optimize your profile pages in the most popular local directories as well as assist with other aspects of your digital marketing strategy.

5 Simple Digital Transformation Wins With the Biggest Impact for Small Businesses

Tue, 31 May 2022 11:24:49 GMT

How can your small business implement digital transformation?

It's no secret that technology has changed the way we do business. In today's digital world, customers expect companies to be available 24/7, and they're comfortable making purchases online or through mobile apps. As a result, many small businesses have turned to digital transformation to stay competitive. But what exactly is digital transformation? And what are some simple ways that small businesses can implement it?

What is Digital Transformation?

At its core, digital transformation is the process of using technology to improve business operations and performance . This can include anything from automating processes to updating your website or adopting new marketing strategies. The goal is usually to improve efficiency, boost growth, and/or reduce costs.

Why is Digital Transformation Important for Small Businesses?

In today's business landscape, it's more important than ever for small businesses to have a solid online presence . More and more consumers are turning to the internet to research products and services, and if you're not there, you're missing out on potential customers. Additionally, many small businesses operate on tight budgets, so finding ways to improve efficiency and cut costs is crucial.

What are Some Simple Digital Transformation Wins with the Biggest Impact?

Don't be fooled by the jargon or the buzzwords. You don't need to be an expert in IT or have a lot of technical knowledge to reap the rewards of digital transformation. Here are five simple digital transformation wins that can have a significant impact on small businesses:

1. Update Your Website

Your website is often the first impression potential customers will have of your business, so it's essential to keep it up-to-date. Make sure your contact information is correct and easy to find and that your content is fresh and relevant. If you don't have the time or resources to do this yourself, consider hiring a web designer or content writer.

2. Get on Social Media

Social media is a great way to connect with potential and current customers , promote your brand, and stay up-to-date on industry news. If you're not already on social media, start with one or two platforms that make the most sense for your business. For example, if you sell products or services, consider creating a profile on Instagram or Pinterest. If you offer B2B services, LinkedIn might be a better fit.

3. Automate Repetitive Tasks

Many businesses are under the misconception that automating time-consuming tasks will be expensive and complicated. However, there are many simple and affordable ways to automate routine tasks.

For instance, accounting software can save you hours of time each month by automating the invoicing process. Online appointment schedulers are another great way to streamline your booking process. By allowing clients to book appointments online, you can eliminate the need for back-and-forth emailing or phone tagging. In addition, automated appointment reminders can help reduce no-shows.

4. Implement Online Payment Options

If you're not already accepting payments online, you're missing out on a lot of convenience for your customers and your business. Setting up an online payment system may seem like a complicated task, but it's pretty easy, and there are many options to choose from, like PayPal or Stripe.

In the long run, making it easy for customers to pay online will save you time and money. Online payments are typically processed much faster than traditional checks or money orders, which means you'll get your money sooner. And with fewer missed or late payments, you'll save money on administrative costs as well.

5. Invest in SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) makes your website more visible on search engine results pages (SERPs). This is important because it can help you attract more visitors to your site, which can lead to more customers and sales.

While there are many complex SEO strategies out there, you can also do some simple things to get started, like optimizing your website's content and structure, researching keywords, and adding alt text to your images.

The Bottom Line

Digital transformation can seem like an overwhelming task, but it doesn't have to be. By taking small steps and implementing even just a few of these simple wins, you can make a big impact on your business. The most important thing to remember is that digital transformation is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. So start small, and keep moving forward. Every little bit will help future-proof your business and keep you ahead of the competition.

Digital Edge Marketing Agency knows how important it is for small businesses to stay ahead of the curve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your digital transformation needs.

5 Red Flags to Look Out for When Choosing an IT Outsourcing Service for Your Small Business

Tue, 24 May 2022 15:59:04 GMT

What do you need to look out for when choosing an outsourced IT service?

As a small business owner, you have plenty on your plate. However, letting go of your IT responsibilities to an outsourced service can be the smartest decision you make all year . It is crucial to select the right IT professionals to create and maintain systems that give you a competitive advantage and help you reach your goals faster. With so many IT outsourcing service companies out there, how do you choose the right one? Is it enough to partner with any firm that matches your budget needs?

Here are five red flags to look out for when hiring an IT outsourcing service for your small business.

5 Things You Need to Look Out for When Choosing an IT Outsourcing Service

Lack of Clear Goals

Good IT outsourcers need to know what they strive for . They need to communicate how you will benefit from their service and how they'll measure success. If there isn't a clear goal, then don't use them.

Your goals should also align with the outsourcing company you seek to hire. Clear expectations on both sides help prevent disappointments or misunderstandings later. As long as both parties understand where they stand, you can move forward in confidence knowing that everyone has bought into the deal equally.

Missing Deadlines

Time is money and your business has deadlines to meet. Late work could negatively impact your company and lead to late payment from your clients. Since technology serves to improve operations, your outsourcing provider should not make you wait for long periods before offering solutions to your problems.

When choosing an IT outsourcing service, don't just look at missed deadlines over a single project. Instead, track how often the company has missed deadlines on several projects before deciding if it's something you can live with. Also, check with previous clients. If there are numerous complaints about target times, chances are you might also experience similar problems.

Unclear Pricing Models

A good plan takes a while to develop, but if you can't get clear answers to something like cost breakdowns, be wary. Reliable IT companies won't mind sharing information about their costs. In fact, they can help you understand what your business needs to save you from overpaying now and in the future. You also need to ascertain that you are getting a fair price for your deal. Though it may be enticing, don't jump at a price that seems too good to be true.

As with most things in life, there are usually a few strings attached when it comes to paying below market value. Before agreeing on any outsourcing service contract, compare apples to apples by evaluating things, such as the number of employees, professional qualifications, and hours of service use per month.

Communication Issues

Every time you don't get a timely response from your provider, money goes out of your pocket. If they're not responsive during negotiations and contract discussions, it's likely they won't be responsive during a crisis.

While it may be hard to find an outsourcing service that guarantees 100% uptime, there are some things you can probe. For instance, 24/7 toll-free support. The firm should be able to answer calls when you need assistance during emergencies without delay. You may also want to look into how quickly their staff responds to online reviews.

Absence of a Verified Portfolio

A big part of a successful job is ensuring you choose a service with experience in your specific industry and area . To be sure you are settling for the best company, check out their portfolio. If it's disorganized or unverified, proceed with caution.

Service providers that lack verified portfolios could be new or inexperienced at working with companies like yours. You don't want the stress of failing to complete your projects on time due to someone else's shortcomings.

Unlock Your Potential: Partner with a Reliable Digital Marketing Service Today

You probably have a lot of things you need to take your business to the next level. With so much to do in a limited timeframe, don't be bogged down by hiring an unreliable IT outsourcing service provider.

At Digital Edge Marketing Agency, we can help you focus on what matters most to grow your business – digital marketing. From web design to SEO and social media management, we have the skills, experience, and manpower you need to gain a competitive advantage. Contact us today to get a custom plan for your business.

How to Test the Waters With Paid Social Media Marketing for More Local Traffic

Sun, 22 May 2022 17:25:57 GMT

How can social media marketing attract more local traffic?

Organic social media traffic can take days to build due to the algorithms at work behind the scenes. Paid social media can better enable you to get your content in the hands of the right audiences at the right time. With over 3.5 billion people across the globe using social media, businesses now have the opportunity to reach half the world's population through paid social media advertising. The average person usually spends about 135 minutes per day on social media platforms. In today's global market, brands that don't advertise on social media risk falling behind. Here are the benefits of paid social media marketing and how you should test the waters for more local traffic.

Benefits of Paid Social Media Marketing

Here are some of the benefits of the paid social media marketing that you should know:

1. Improved Targeting

As one of the major benefits of paid social advertising, targeting helps you to narrow down your specific target audience by behaviors, activities, preferences, location, and much more. Your ads will display to users who are most aligned with your ideal buyers, instead of a broad audience that may or may not be interested in your content.

2. Growth of High-Quality Traffic

With ad campaigns that are targeted at your primary audience, social media marketing makes it possible to drive high quality to your website. The people visiting your website after clicking social media ads are people with an interest in your products or services. This also makes it possible to convert leads into customers.

3. Fits Your Budget

Paid social media platforms usually use pay-per-click or allow you to set the amount you intend to spend on marketing. Essentially, this means that you can advertise even with a very small budget and still get some positive results. Unlike conventional advertising, this lets you engage with niche markets at a discount.

4. Ability to Measure Success

As a business owner or marketer, it's important to know how your ad campaigns are doing. With paid social media marketing, it's easy to measure the performance of your ads. Whether you're looking at clicks, reach or engagement, you'll clearly see and understand how your ads are performing. It's also easy to measure the return on investment (ROI).

How to Experiment with Social Media Ads

Here is how to experiment with social media ads to see if it's the right choice for your business:

1. Set Goals

As with any marketing experiment, it's important to start with goals. For instance, decide on the targeted audience, expected impressions, engagement, traffic to your website, as well as revenue from social media. Setting clear goals will make it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of paid social media ads against your goals.

2. Set a Budget

Paid social media advertising is one of the least expensive types of advertising available in traditional and digital marketing.

Before you get into paid social media campaigns, it's important to determine how much you intend to spend on the marketing strategy. This is one of the key advantages of paid social media marketing. The budget you set should reflect your goals as well as the number of social media platforms you intend to market on, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other platforms.

3. Pick Preferred Social Media Platforms

The potential reach of a platform is the most important factor in determining whether to invest in it. Facebook is one of the best social media platforms to try first before moving to other platforms. Also, consider investing in social platforms where you have an already established audience.

4. Look at Your Data, and Measure Your Results

After implementing social media campaigns, it is now important to look at your data and measure the results . Looking at your data and measuring results will help you to determine the effectiveness of your campaigns. With a unified overview of all social media activity, you can act fast to make data-informed adjustments to live campaigns. If a campaign is not working, you can pause it as well as redistribute the budget to the working campaigns.

Why Work with a Professional Marketing Company?

Watching a campaign flop is equally painful whether it's organic or paid. However, working with a professional marketing company should completely remove that fear. A professional marketing company has the expertise and tools to implement effective paid social media marketing campaigns as well as effectively measure and analyze the results using up-to-date marketing tools.

At Digiedg , we're a digital marketing agency created to cater to the needs of small and growing businesses while at the same time giving businesses an edge over other small and emerging businesses. We offer cost-efficiency, a wide array of services, and we work hard to ensure your social media marketing delivers the desired results.

How to Build Your Social Media Management Strategy for the First Mask-Free Summer

Wed, 18 May 2022 12:46:30 GMT

Social media is a great way to reach out and connect with your customers. The most successful brands are those that have an effective social media strategy.

It's not just about creating and publishing content; it's also about engaging with your audience, listening to them, responding to their questions and requests, and ultimately building trust.

This post has insightful tips on building an effective social media management strategy for the first mask-free summer.

Start with an Assessment

The first step in building your social media management strategy is taking stock of what you already have. Look at which platforms work best for your audience. How likely are they to engage with your brand?

Check if there are any gaps in your coverage that need filling and the overall goals of the year.

Take inventory of your resources to establish the quality of staff you have. Do your staff need any further training to deliver better results in managing your social media accounts?

Create a Realistic Timeline

During peak season, almost everyone looks for quick results. You'll need to set realistic goals for yourself and your team regarding social media management.

A realistic timeline will allow you enough time to post content regularly. It also allows flexibility if something unexpected happens (like an emergency).

Choose which platforms are best suited for your business. Some businesses have great success on Facebook while others prefer Instagram or Twitter, so choose which.

Create Content for All Seasons

It may be tempting to focus on summer-related topics during this time of year. For better results, consider the many other ways that you can help your customers solve their problems year-round.

If you're selling clothing items, capitalize on how customers can use certain pieces of clothing in different ways throughout the year (e.g., changing up accessories to make any outfit look new).

Make a Social Media Calendar

It is a great way to keep track of all your content ideas, upcoming events, and other things in your industry.

It helps you plan and avoid the frustration of trying to work on too many projects at once. Include everything from scheduled posts (with images or videos) through comments and replies — even retweets or likes.

Diversify Your Influencers and Partnerships

You'll need different types of influencers for different kinds of campaigns. For example, when it comes to selling products or services, you'll want to partner with lifestyle bloggers. Choose those who have large followings on Instagram and YouTube.

If you're looking to increase awareness or raise brand awareness, partner with popular vloggers. Celebrities on Facebook or Twitter is another option.

These influencers must match your target audience as closely as possible. It helps in effectively promoting your brand's message in their posts or videos without coming across as inauthentic or fake.

Be active users so you can respond quickly to any questions or comments left by their followers. Measure and react to the shift in consumer sentiment.

Add User-Generated Content to Your Social Media Feeds

The first mask-free summer is an opportunity for brands to highlight user-generated content that shows off their products in real life.

Users will share their photos and videos enjoying your product or service without asking them directly.

You can easily add those images into your feed with unique hashtags in all of your ads. They will boost your visibility on social media and encourage users to further spread their love for your brand!

Get Started Today!

Social media permits the immediate and interactive communication of information between businesses, celebrities, and consumers.

Businesses that successfully use social media to customize and tailor their messaging reap greater rewards. It solidifies their place in the industry. For more information on how to get started, reach out to us , and we will be happy to assist you.

Why Can't Local Customers Find Your Electrician Business Website Online?

Mon, 02 May 2022 15:18:12 GMT

How can you rank higher in website search results?

Many businesses today rely on local customers to stay afloat. Whether you run an electrician services business or another type of home maintenance company, you know how important it is to attract and retain local customers. When customers in your area search for an electrician, you want them to find your electrician business website easily.

Unfortunately, many businesses find that their websites aren't ranking highly in local search results . This is mostly due to the dominance of sites such as Yelp and HomeAdvisor in the online marketing space. These popular directories have also become go-to resources for consumers looking for reliable service providers in their area. This means they tend to rank higher than other sites in organic search results.

Here's a look at why these directories dominate organic searches as well as what businesses can do to get around this SEO problem.

Why isn't My Business Ranking?

Local customers rely heavily on online directories to find the services they need. As a result, your electrician business website may get lost in all of the search results. This is because local businesses often struggle to rank well in organic searches due to strong competition as well as a lack of relevant content.

If you want to stay competitive in today's online marketplace, it's essential to understand the SEO challenges facing businesses like yours and take action to overcome them. You can successfully reach local customers and grow your business online with the right techniques and tools. Some of the reasons why your business isn't ranking organically in search engines may include:

You're not using the right keywords in your website's content
Your website isn't mobile-friendly
You don't have any online reviews
Your website is outdated and needs to be redesigned
Your website doesn't include an "about us" page
You're not using social media to market your business

Tips to Help Improve the Ranking of Your Electrician Business Website

Here are some tips to help improve your ranking as well as bring more local customers to your electrician business website:

Make sure to include your business name, address, as well as a phone number on every page of your website.
Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions for your website pages.
Add customer reviews and testimonials to your website.
Claim your business listing on Google My Business and update it regularly.
Focus on creating high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience.
Ensure that your site is properly optimized for search engines. Incorporate relevant keywords throughout your content and titles. You can also use external links to boost your authority and update your site regularly with fresh content.

Strategies to Get Around SEO

There are strategies that businesses can use to get around this SEO problem and reach local customers online . One effective strategy is to create strong profiles on popular business directories like Yelp and HomeAdvisor. This will help your business get discovered by more potential customers. These popular local business directories typically dominate the top results for most searches. This leaves little room for other sites to be discovered organically.

Additionally, focusing on content marketing can also boost your visibility online and help you stand out from your competitors. Hook potential customers with specific problems that your business can solve. With some smart strategies as well as a commitment to providing high-quality services, you can ensure that your electrician business remains top of mind for local customers online.

Implementing these strategies can help your electrician business website rank higher on search engine results pages. This will increase the likelihood that local buyers will find you online.

Final Thoughts

Adopting these measures and putting extra effort into your digital marketing activities can improve your connection with local customers as well as increase your bottom line.

If you're a business owner who wants to increase your online visibility, contact us today. We can help you create a custom SEO plan tailored to your unique needs and goals. We'll help you take your business to the next level!

Tips to Set Up Your Landscaping Portfolio for SEO Success

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 14:21:39 GMT

How can you build an SEO-friendly portfolio?

If you're a landscaper, you know the importance of having a good portfolio. A well-organized landscaping portfolio can help you land more clients and boost your business. But if you want to make sure that your portfolio is SEO-friendly, you need to follow some specific tips.

We will discuss how to set up your landscaping portfolio for SEO success. We will cover everything from creating keyword-rich titles to adding images and videos.

Tips on How to Set Up Your Landscaping Portfolio

1. Start by Creating Keyword-Rich Titles

When it comes to SEO, the most crucial element is the title of your page. That's why you need to make sure that your titles are keyword-rich. This will help you rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). To create keyword-rich titles, you'll need to do some keyword research. In fact, there are several different tools that you can use for this, such as Google AdWords Keyword Planner and SEMrush.

2. Add Images and Videos

Adding images and videos to your portfolio is a great way to improve your SEO . It will make your page more visually appealing, but it will also help you rank higher in SERPs. You can add images and videos by using the WordPress media library.

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to using images. First, make sure that the images are high-quality and clear. Blurry or low-resolution images will not make a good impression on potential customers or followers. Second, think about the image's composition and how it will be seen on the screen. A well-composed image will be eye-catching and easy to understand at a glance.

3. Add Keywords to Your Images and Videos

When you're adding images and videos to your portfolio, make sure to add keywords to them. By using relevant keywords, you can make sure that your images are seen by people interested in the products or services you offer. This will help you rank higher on search engine results pages. You can also add keywords to images and videos by using the alt text field. An alt text field is a text that is displayed when an image can't be loaded. So make sure to include your main keywords in this field.

4. Optimize Your Website for Mobile Devices

Google now considers mobile friendliness as a ranking factor. As more and more people use their smartphones and tablets to browse the internet, it's essential to make sure that your website is optimized for mobile devices.

Mobile devices have smaller screens and slower processors, so it's necessary to keep your design simple and your code clean. Use large, easy-to-read fonts and avoid using pop-ups or other intrusive elements. In addition, make sure that your site loads quickly on mobile devices by compressing images and minimizing the use of JavaScript. You can optimize your website for mobile devices using the Google Mobile-Friendly Test.

5. Use Social Media to Promote Your Portfolio

Social media are a great way to promote your landscaping portfolio. You can use Twitter, Facebook, as well as Instagram to share your work with a broader audience.

Social media have become an essential tool for promoting a business. It is a great way to reach a larger audience, but it can also help improve your search engine optimization (SEO). By creating a solid social media presence, you can attract more potential customers to your website and improve your chances of ranking higher in search engine results . In addition, social media can help to build brand awareness and enhance customer engagement. With the right strategy, social media can be an effective way to improve your SEO and grow your business.

Let's Get Started with Digital Edge Marketing Agency

SEO is a complex and ever-changing field, but you can improve your chances of ranking higher on search engine results pages by following these tips.

For more information, feel free to contact Digital Edge Marketing Agency. We are experts in Website and Funnel Design Hosting, Email Marketing Services, and Local SEO.

Digital Marketing for the Financial Industry

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 16:23:35 GMT

Grow your brand through digital marketing.

Your biggest challenge as a small mortgage lender is standing out among the domineering industry players, especially considering that the top three banks loaned 50% of all new mortgage money in the U.S . When you throw in non-bank lenders, small lenders have a minimal portion to scramble over. But that shouldn't get you down. You might not have the marketing muscle of the mainstream players, but you do have digital marketing.

There are simple and effective things you can do that will make you stand out, grow your brand, and your market share.

Get Your Audience Right

Your first step in your digital marketing should be identifying your ideal audience . Targeting the wrong crowd is like running into a brick wall. No matter how much effort you put in, the result is always the same – nothing!

Reassess your current practices to ensure you focus your engines on the right clients. A nifty and helpful way to go about this is to create "customer personas." Creating the personas is tedious. But once you have them in place, your loan officers can quickly go through the templates to identify quality leads.

Leverage Various Types of Media

Once you know your type of audience, you can come swinging for the fences from all angles. It's easy to get fixated on one kind of media, especially if it is working for you at the moment. But you will be leaving tons of leads on the table when you don't use other media types .

Incorporate videos and images into your digital marketing campaign as well . Currently, the attention span of digital consumers is shorter than that of a goldfish . You need creative videos to hook your audience and keep them coming back. Catchy and funny adverts are a great place to start and stand out.

You can also use video to make your business more personable. Case in point – using video on your "About Us" to introduce your team.

Get Creative on Your Website

Placing an occasional advert in the newspapers has its benefits. But if you're going to flourish in the modern world, a creative, functional, and responsive website is like a lifeline.

If you don't have a website, your leads will go to the next loan officer with an online presence. If you have a website, it's possibly time to have a second look at it. Does it have those dated images? Does it say so much about yourself and practically nothing about how you can help your traffic? Is it only accessible on a desktop? Does it feel like it was designed in the 90s? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you need to revamp your website to make it more effective.

Social Media is Your Friend

Social media is the easiest way to get your brand in front of millions of eyes – And for (almost) free! Sure, there are billions of people and possibly thousands of other small and independent mortgage lenders. But that's the beauty. The numbers are so astronomical that you will likely get a few hundred likes the first week, if you strike the right chords.

Work on several social media platforms. Focus on those that are popular with your target audience. Don't take things too seriously on social media. Focus on sharing fun and actionable content. Once in a while, you can share a heart-warming story of how your brand impacts people's lives. That will definitely get you noticed and land you more leads.

Encourage Your Clients to Leave Reviews

Most clients will scour the internet for reviews on your brand before contacting you. Encourage your clients to leave reviews and when they do, highlight them. Potential leads are more receptive to information provided by other customers.

In the process, expect to land a few negative comments. Don't take them as a jab at your business. Instead, you can use the feedback to improve your customer service . Customer feedback also works as a great assessment tool to identify if loan officers doing an excellent job.

Build Your Customer Loyalty Through Digital Marketing

Don't let your business suffocate under the stranglehold of the large mortgage lenders. There are simple and cost-effective measures that you can take right now to upgrade your digital presence today to win more sales and build customer loyalty. All you have to do is start acting now and be consistent , and your effort will start paying off.

How Can Local Newspapers Increase Advertisement Revenue?

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:43:44 GMT

Discovering the ways digital advertising can benefit local newspaper publishing.

Many local and small-scale publishers depend on advertisements in their newspapers. With regard to that, these ads are often embedded in local businesses. Small-scale local newspapers do generate a decent amount of revenue by publishing small-scale businesses' advertisements with them.

But, an organization can further increase the potential of their advertisement revenue with digital advertising tools provided by Amazon, Google, or any other advertising company. A good example to justify the latter is 'The New York Times' . The Times did see revolutionary growth by digitizing their advertisements without diminishing local ads.

In a nutshell, if you are a small-scale community newspaper or publisher, you can increase your potential and revenue when it comes to advertising. This is the age of virtualization or digitization, where one can definitely benefit and help others take advantage of the same.

How Can Digital Advertising Help Local Newspapers?

Revenue Potential

Local newspapers often have to reduce printing more ink to reduce costs and compensate the earnings. At times, trimming the content that needs printing could be a tedious and difficult task.

To help overcome it, an organization can use digital means of advertising in order to increase their revenue from ads and eliminate the need of cutting back on ink. There are various tools available to implement digital ads. It comes to a particular preference any local newspaper would choose.

Wider Reach of Audience

Worldwide, more than 40% of users engage with digital ads more as compared to local newspaper advertisements. The advancements in technology have given the advertising industry an upper hand to attain maximum engagement.

By using digital advertisements, one can target a larger base of users resulting in a 30-60% rise . This would optimize the limitations local newspapers face. The target audience would be bigger in terms of numbers and statistics. This will generate more revenue for any given community newspaper.

Amount Spent on Digital Advertising

As per Google, the advertising giant spent a whopping $150 billion dollars in advertising means. They invested and optimized a major amount in developing Google Ad Sense for the last 5 years. Predictions say that this number could go as high as $300 billion dollars in the coming years . In 2020, as per statistics, Amazon's share with regard to the amount spent on global advertising was 10% .

By looking at the mentioned data, it is clear that digital advertising has been the core of earning of many conglomerates. These companies invest in advertising because it does generate more than decent earnings.

To give you more clarity, almost $356 billion dollars were spent on digital advertising in 2020. This is not an amount specifically spent by a single company but rather a collective estimate of the same.

Forecasts indicate that the amount spent on digital advertising could go as high as $500 billion dollars in the coming years . Without getting into deep statistics, this is just to give you more clarity on how much digital advertising has the potential.

An Example on Local Newspapers Adopting Digital Ads

The Washington City Paper which started rolling out in the early 80s with newspaper advertisements also adopted this technique. With the increase in digital advertising, the City paper saw it as an opportunity and started implementing digital advertisements with their website during 2010-15.

To date, they publish digital advertising and offer the latter to small-scale businesses as well. They saw 250,000 interactive users between 2005-07. Overall, they did see a rise in the engagement of readers after a collapse.

Users Engagement to Digital Advertising

With a few sets of strategies and resourceful content, local newspapers can make use of digital advertising and generate more revenue. They can also increase their reach of publishing. In 2021 alone, more than 90% of companies with an employee base larger than 100 use digital advertising.

Moreover, more than 70% of marketers believe that means of digital marketing like e-mail marketing expands their customer base more rapidly than normal advertising. Custom-designed emails made to specifically target more audiences have 5x times more success rate of engagement. This is primarily because globally, 91% of users check their emails regularly and thus generate more revenue.

The majority of the steps involved in digital marketing for your publishing or newspaper would take minimal time without leaving your comfort. Digiedg could help your business grow successfully.

Take advantage of digital transformation and greatly increase your digital ad revenue for your newspaper. Contact us to start your journey on digital advertising and growing revenue.

Black Owned Newspaper Publishers

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 18:32:17 GMT

How can your newspaper publishing business thrive in the digital era?

The Industrial Revolution created a platform for giant presses that were capable of printing tens of thousands of papers per hour. This transformation led to the tremendous growth of the news business in the seventieth century. Over the years, newspaper publishers have been a key source of information for people due to their wide market share. However, the news and media industry has comprehensively evolved over the years and continues to transform quite fast.

Currently, the media industry is undergoing a digital transformation by adopting new technologies and shifting to online means of sharing information. The Black Owned newspaper publishers also need to adopt digital transformation technologies. Otherwise, they risk falling back and losing their current market share. Here are some key elements you need to know about digital transformation in the newspaper industry.

Benefits of Digital Transformation That Black Owned Newspaper Publishers Can Achieve

Online Presence

First things first, the media industry is shifting fast to online platforms for sharing news and information. If your newspapers have not shifted to digital platforms, you're already behind the transformation of the news and media industry.

In the current digital era, readers are interested in accessing a website or any other digital platform to download and go through the news of the day.

Still focusing just on printed papers? You're already losing a lot of potential readers that would be earning your revenues and popularity . Focus on creating user-friendly digital platforms where your readers can easily access the newspaper and go through it without hassle.

Valuable and Relevant Data

The readers of newspapers are looking for more data-informed news. We're also living in an age where valuable and relevant information is very important for different audiences. Readers are uniquely looking for great content as well as an exceptional user experience. In this age of digital transformation, Black Owned newspaper publishers need to understand the reader's interests in order to reach potential customers.

To do this, newspaper publishers should find means of using available technological capabilities to effectively and efficiently utilize their audience data to address the readers' demands.

Improve Audience Engagement

Effective reader engagement is integral to acquiring, retaining, and increasing your newspaper's share of attention. Without a significant and engaged audience in this digital age, your newspaper business may not get any subscriptions and advertisement opportunities you need for generating revenue. To improve audience engagement, you need to have a fully functional online presence. You also need to produce both valuable and relevant content for your readers.

Online Tools at Your Disposable

To thrive in the current digital age, you have to utilize and implement various digital tools at your disposal. Here are some of the digital tools you can utilize to advance your online presence:

Responsive Website

Just like any other business, your newspaper business needs a responsive website . This is where readers can access the newspapers and other information related to you. Your website should be optimized for user-friendliness. You don't want to have readers visiting your website and failing to find where to download the newspapers or see other information they are looking for. You should therefore ensure that your website is easily navigable, and readers can quickly access critical information.

Digital Advertisement

If you search for anything on Google right now, the first thing you'll see is different advertisements for various news agencies, products, as well as services. If you want to reach a large online audience with your digital newspaper, you have to incorporate digital advertising into your marketing strategy. Digital advertising also makes it possible to target a specific audience with your marketing information and drive traffic for your newspaper.

Social Media Advertisement

Millions of people are on social media platforms looking for credible information about what is happening in the immediate localities , as well as across the world. Social media are one of the places your readers are going to be looking for you. So, ensure that you have social media pages for sharing information and directing people to your website for more information to access news outlets.

Mobile App

If you're a Black Owned newspaper publisher, it goes without saying that you need a mobile app. In this digital era, readers can easily use your mobile app to access the newspaper and read other important information. Your mobile app also acts as your archive, where your readers can revisit past newspapers quickly. A mobile app is simply your print media on your reader's phones. In fact, they don't need to go out to the store to buy the papers. They just need to open the app and get whatever they want. This also increases the user experience greatly.

Most of your digital marketing needs and issues will meet their end at the doorsteps of a reliable digital marketing agency. Digiedg can help you take your digital transformation to the next level.

Transform your newspaper today and increase your audience reach, improve your productivity, quality, efficiency, as well as increase your advertisement sales . Contact us to learn more and get started.

How to Convert Leads for Your Dental Business (Not Just Generate Them)

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 17:25:45 GMT

Generating and converting more leads for the success of your dental business.

For you to run a successful dental business, you need a steady flow of patients that trust your services. To gain a steady flow of patients, you have to implement efficient and effective lead conversion strategies. Most dental patients usually start their search for services online. Therefore, you need effective lead generation techniques as well as conversion methods for these prospects to access your services.

Some practices have effective lead generation techniques but do not know how to convert the leads. Without successful conversion of your leads, your practice may face financial challenges and your chances of success in the field become slim. Here is how to convert leads for your dental business.

Generating and Converting Leads for Your Dental Business

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

If you want your website's visitors to become patients, you need to convert them. You can take advantage of conversion rate optimization (CRO) to get the most possible conversions. CRO usually entails testing multiple versions of different elements on your site, such as buttons, forms, and calls to action, to determine the most effective one for converting leads.

Once you have determined the most effective option, you can adopt it for your practice and move on to test other important elements. CRO is a great way to convert leads for your dental business. If you don't properly understand how CRO works, consider working with a professional marketing agency, such as Digiedg .

Email Conversion

Email offers your dental business a great platform to nurture and convert leads. Some prospects might be hesitant at first to trust your practice for their dental needs. However, with continued contact via email, they will eventually convert into patients. An email is a powerful tool that you can utilize to build faith and trust in all your leads.

Ensure that you constantly and timely provide valuable and relevant information to everyone who has signed up for your newsletter. The kind of information you send to your leads determines how they respond to your services. If you offer valuable, relevant, and personalized information that addresses their key concerns and needs, they will surely convert into patients.

Optimize Mobile Services

A major reason why some dental practices find it hard to breakthrough in the industry? It's the lack of mobile strategy that appeals to prospects. In the modern marketplace, people have shifted to using smartphones for almost every task they need to undertake. This makes it very important to optimize your website and other services to be mobile-friendly.

Once a prospect discovers that your platforms do not offer a great user experience or make it easy for them to access various services offered by your practice, they will immediately lose interest in the process. To avoid this and convert more leads, ensure that your website and other client platforms are optimized for mobile use. This makes it easy for leads to convert because the process is user-convenient.

Encourage Prospects to Schedule Appointments Online

If a prospect has taken time to fill in a contact form or to sign up for email newsletters, whether through your website's landing page or another business touchpoint, then they are truly interested in learning more about your services. At this point, you need to eliminate any barriers and causes that could lead to losing prospects.

You can do this by automating the appointment process on your website or mobile application. Once you have automated the process, encourage your leads to schedule an appointment online. Guarantee them that the process is simple and easy. Create features that allow prospects to effortlessly access your calendar and schedule appointments. This will definitely lead to higher conversion rates for your dental business.

Deliver Exceptional Care

Many patients depend on referrals and reviews to make their final decision regarding treatment. They will look for online reviews about your services before deciding to convert and allow you to treat them. Therefore, you need to deliver exceptional service to the people you serve because they are the ones who review your dental business. Delivering extraordinary patient care will give your practice great online and offline reviews. Once your prospects read these reviews, either at the beginning or at the end of their conversion journey, they will be convinced to trust your services.

Searching for an excellent, committed, and reliable digital agency that will take your company to the next level? Search no more! Digiedg might just be what you're looking for.

Giving your company that edge is the principle on which Digiedg is founded on. Most of your digital marketing needs and issues will meet their end at the doorsteps of a reliable digital marketing agency, and Digiedg is one of them. Contact us to learn more.

Digital Transformation for Small Businesses

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 12:59:52 GMT

How can your small business stay relevant in the competitive business world?

Digital transformation is a valuable opportunity for every business to leverage technology and innovation so that they can deliver an exceptional user experience to their customers. Advanced technologies are helping small businesses to transform the way they undertake their business operations.

Digital transformation is therefore an essential move if a business intends to stay relevant in the current competitive business world. It is simply impossible for any company to ignore the benefits of using technology in its operations. This is especially true for the healthcare industry where operations need to be seamless. Here is everything you need to know about digital transformation for small businesses.

What is Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation usually involves adopting digital technologies to replace manual and traditional processes in your company or business. It is the process of digitizing your key business operations in order to increase productivity and boost your employees' efficiency. It is more than just adding a few digital tools to your business's current workflows. Digital transformation requires that you take a new view of reality to determine your company's functions and how they can be improved through technology.

You can leverage technology to provide patients with better, fast, as well as quality services. This helps your business to stand out from the crowd and command authority in your industry. Businesses that focus on tapping technologies and digitalization usually grow faster, improve their business operations, and reap revenue benefits from it. Please note that even though this blog is focusing on the healthcare industry, digital transformation provides added values and benefits to small businesses across all industries.

Digital Transformation and its Benefits for Healthcare

Here are some of the digital technologies in the healthcare industry and their respective benefits:

TeleHealth

Healthcare facilities have continued to adopt and implement virtual care in different aspects of their operations. Virtual care existed even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it has now gained widespread adoption across the world . During the current pandemic, the use of telemedicine increased rapidly to help prevent unwanted contact and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Patients have been able to remotely follow and manage their treatment plans. For small businesses in the healthcare industry, they should learn and implement technologies that make tele-health possible and seamless for their customers.

Patient Portals

Patient portals are another key technology in the digital transformation of healthcare. These are platforms that allow patients to access their medical records, schedule appointments, communicate easily with their doctors, and much more. This technology helps healthcare facilities to increase patient convenience and transparency.

Patients can easily access their test results, and doctors can easily review someone's medical history so as to correctly diagnose diseases. Patients can share this information with their preferred physicians in order to get the required assistance as fast as possible. This is a technology that startups in the healthcare industry should understand and implement.

Big Data in Healthcare

Big Data is changing and transforming the way the healthcare industry analyzes, leverages, and manages data. Healthcare professionals are able to collect massive amounts of data and use it to deduce critical information about diseases and treatment options. With proper use of data, healthcare professionals can avoid prescribing the wrong medicine to patients.

Big Data can be utilized effectively to avoid preventable diseases, enhance the quality of care, as well as reduce treatment costs. It is also possible to use this data to forecast epidemics and find ways of preventing them.

Integrations and Interoperability

When it comes to digitizing medical care, safe and effective data exchange is critical. Hospitals and healthcare facilities are using integrations or Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) . This is to ensure correct data exchange between electronic health record systems (EHRs), medical services, and integrated services. Doing this leads to more accurate and timely patient diagnosis and treatment.

The more your business invests in secure and compliant integration of different systems , the more you're in a position to offer advanced digital services to people and your employees as well.

At Digiedg , we help you to transform your healthcare business and improve your productivity, quality, and efficiency. If you have been searching for an excellent, committed, and reliable digital agency that will take your company to the next level, search no more. Digiedg might just be what you're looking for.

Giving your company that edge is the principle on which Digiedg is founded on . Most of your digital marketing needs and issues will meet their end at the doorsteps of a reliable digital marketing agency, and Digiedg is one of them . Contact us to learn more and get started.

Making New Year's Resolutions Into Business Opportunities

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 15:31:46 GMT

How can you achieve your business goals this year?

When a new year begins, people face it with hope for a new beginning . Not fully starting over on life, but those little personal new beginnings that we rely on to keep us fresh and engaged in each year to come. We call these New Year's Resolutions . Each year, we look back at the previous year and the years ahead and decide to do better. We want to be stronger, more accomplished, and more determined than we've been in the years before.

The most common new year's resolutions include exercising more, learning something new, quitting a bad habit, and trying to embrace life to its fullest. But we can't do it alone. Most people start to slide on their resolutions before the end of January. This is exactly why now is the ideal time for resolution-aligned businesses to step up and help make those self-actualizing dreams into reality.

Now is the time for coaches, personal trainers, and success mentors to step up to the plate. It's time to let your potential client pool know that they're not alone. They can reach their new year's resolution goals with a little help from a professional. Someone who knows how to really tackle the ambitions they have for the new year.

New Year's Resolutions as Business Opportunities

Every year, people promise themselves to do better; but they don't always have the tools, time, or willpower to meet their own goals . Losing weight is a fine goal if you know how to exercise and have time to completely re-plan the family meal routines. But a coach has the resources and know-how necessary to help them make these changes with far less stress and disruption.

A person may want to boost their business success this year . But the minutiae of their current tasks may be overwhelming their chance at professional development. A business coach has the focus and perspective needed to help them optimize their current routines and really make a push for gaining new skills or growing their business in the year to come.

People who really want to achieve their resolutions this year are an ideal client base for professionals who are already in the coaching and personal training sector - and those looking to get started. These potential clients benefit from your services. They will also often be eager to accept professional guidance to complete their very real goals.

Reaching Your New Year's Resolution Clients

How do you reach these potential clients to share the benefits of your coaching or training services? It's all about outreach and inbound marketing. First, you'll need a website built to explain and spotlight the services you offer. You may also benefit from PPC targeted local marketing - like Adwords and Facebook advertising - focusing on keywords and questions related to keeping your new year's resolutions in the face of adversity.

Get on social media and talk about meeting New Year's resolutions with the advantage of professional guidance. Consider building an email list and offering your services directly. Write a few LinkedIn articles and consider marketing to ambitious professionals who know the value of hiring an expert to achieve both personal and professional goals. Once you've increased visibility, new clients will begin to find their way to your website. Your website should be ready to onboard and book clients ready to make that change in their life.

Establishing a New Coaching or Training Business

Don't already have a coaching or training business established? If you have the skills but not the infrastructure, Digital Edge has the solution. You can easily set up an all-in-one solution for coaches. The package includes a CRM customer management system, scheduling and calendar tools, an email marketing platform. We also have the software you need to handle invoices and payments. For a one-person small business, this is a great starter kit to immediately begin working with new clients and establishing your brand as a successful coach or personal trainer.

This year, everyone can meet their new year's resolutions with a little professional assistance where it is needed most. Let us help you meet your resolution to grow your coaching business. In fact, you can do this while you help others meet their resolutions with your own expertise and support. Contact us today to learn more.

Dealing with Job Burnout: Options to Consider for a Better, Productive Life

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 15:04:23 GMT

What's the best way to deal with job burnout?

The pandemic has brought stress and many challenges for employees. Most of them have to work for long hours to complete tasks for the day. Besides, they must deal with family issues, lack of finances, high cost of living, and loss of loved ones. It is too much for employees and can cause job burnout. Is this you?

Job burnout has affected many professionals in almost every sector in today's world. With the pandemic still around, what can you do when you feel stressed and unmotivated to work but want a better life? If you find yourself in this situation, there are a number of things that you can do. You can quit or go for early retirement (if you are at that point in your career), look for another meaningful job, start a side hustle or start your own business. Read on to learn the pros and cons of each option.

Ways to Deal with Job Burnout

Quitting or Retiring

You can choose to quit or retire from your job, especially if the job is putting too much pressure on you and you can't even have a better work-life balance. However, it would be best to consider what you will be doing after quitting. Before quitting, remember you will still have bills to pay.

Pros

Retirement can be a good option for your health, especially for persons aged 50 and over and with underlying health conditions. With COVID-19 still a threat, you will be safer at home or working from home.
It presents an opportunity to start a new career. Quitting will also allow you to start a new career or venture that will motivate you and provide you with more personal rewards .

Cons

Quitting now can yield to smaller retirement benefits and if there is no other source of income, you must adjust your lifestyle to ensure retirement savings last longer.

Look for a Meaningful Job

It is advisable to start looking for a motivating and meaningful job if the current one is causing job burnout . Send applications to companies looking for professionals like you, but offer better salaries and a working environment. Ensure you make it clear that you are currently working to ensure flexibility in scheduling the interviews with potential employers.

Pros

Most employers prefer working employees, as they have experience in specific areas, making them easy to train.
You will be earning while still looking for a better job.
There are better chances of getting a higher-paying job.

Cons

It is hard to schedule interviews. You will have to ask for permission or come up with an excuse to be absent from your current job.
You may not have enough time to search and apply for suitable jobs.

Start a Side-Hustle

With the high cost of living, looking for extra cash to add on to your salary is the way to go. However, your side hustle should be well-thought out to ensure it doesn't drain your pockets and bring more stress. The side hustle should also be something you are passionate about, which is likely to bring more money into your bank account.

For instance, you can start baking cakes at home and selling them. You can start coaching kids at your local community center. You can also start buying and reselling stuff online, dropshipping, starting a blog, or any other income-generating activity you are passionate about. You can start a home care business, bookkeeping service or a handyman service. Whatever your choice for a side hustle, you can easily create a website and use your social media platforms and website to promote your side hustle.

Pros

Brings extra income.
It helps you grow your network.
It broadens your experience.

Cons

Can affect your work-life balance by reducing your downtime.
It can add more stress if things don't go as expected.
Easy to get distracted at work.

Start Your Own Business

Starting your own business is the best option when you want to change careers . It will ensure that you have the freedom to make decisions and implement them. Besides, owning and running your enterprise can be more fulfilling and satisfying than working for someone else.

It is easy to make your business successful with a perfect business plan and the right team behind you during these challenging times. On top of the basic requirements, you need to have an optimized website and working social media accounts to create awareness and promote your business. If you don't have enough capital, many financial institutions will be willing to support you to get started.

Pros

You are independent to make decisions.
It brings a sense of personal fulfillment.
With time, more revenue will hit your bank account.

Cons

Competition and lack of demand can slow down your business.
Securing funding can be a challenge at times.

Final Thoughts

If you are affected by job burnout, it is time to think about how you can get better and be more productive in life. It is advisable to think of a side hustle or starting your own business. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency, you can find services like website development, social media marketing, SEO, and more that will help you take your side hustle or business to the next level . Contact us for quality digital marketing services or for more information.

5 Things That Small Businesses Should Focus on for the End of Year

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 22:22:53 GMT

Finish the year stronger than your competitors.

It might be a successful year for some small businesses, but a tough one for many others. With the pandemic still around, most businesses struggle to meet their daily sales target . However, the focus of most small businesses is on how to end the year on a high note . But to achieve that, there is the need to focus on enhancing your services, increasing your visibility and credibility.

You should expect stiff competition as small businesses compete to increase their end-of-year sales. So, what can you do to make your small business more competitive and increase your sales in the end? Read on to learn five things you can do to finish the year stronger.

Five Things That Small Businesses Should Focus On

1. Optimize Your Website for SEO

A website is the face of any business online. It should be attractive, easy to navigate, and fast browsing to provide the best user experience for your customers. One way of making it consumer-friendly is optimizing it for SEO and conversations.

Additionally, you should conduct thorough keyword research, create SEO-optimized content, and get quality backlinks from high-authority sites. Enabling all that helps improve your website's ranking among search engines like Google. It also increases your website's visibility online. It's where potential customers quickly find your small business and add more sales by the end of the year.

2. Consider Social Media Marketing

In 2021, approximately 4.48 billion people are actively using social media worldwide. Social media platforms have become a powerful marketing tool, thanks to the broader audience reach. Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, WhatsApp, and YouTube are easy to sign-up for, create brand awareness, enlighten your target customers, and market your products.

However, you need to develop a perfect social media marketing strategy to attract customers . There is also the need to understand your target audience and know their age gap, purchasing power, liking, locations, and signed-up social platforms. Such information will help you come up with a more targeted marketing approach.

Besides having your social media platforms and sharing content, you can consider influencer marketing. The marketing strategy involves influencers for brands on social media with a huge following. Here, you pay influencers to share your content or recommend your business.

3. Choose Quality Over Price

Small businesses should focus on offering quality products/services over huge profits. It builds credibility for your small business and attracts more customers. In addition, top-tier products/services tend to sell more with recommendations from loyal customers to their colleagues or relatives. And that implies more sales and more revenue for your small business.

4. Use Testimonials and Showcase Your Achievements

Despite a tough year, some of your achievements may have attracted positive testimonials throughout the year. The achievement can be an award, recognition, or a milestone achievement, which you should showcase to your customers to build long-term trust in your business. You can showcase it on your workplace, social media platforms, and website.

Additionally, you can share customer testimonials on your website. A good percentage of consumers read testimonials and reviews before purchasing a product. Collect and display the positive testimonials on your platforms, and use the negative ones to improve your products or services. Also, in a friendly and respectful way, encourage your customers to share more about your products/services through word of mouth and online platforms.

5. Promotions and Special Offers

Promotions and special offers can attract more customers and help you make more sales. The decision should be well-thought out to ensure you make profits in the end. Research and look at your financial situation before coming up with special offers and promotions.

Final Thoughts

You have to make an effort to ensure your small business finishes the year stronger . You need to work on your small business website , have a perfect social media marketing strategy, and offer the best products/services to be more competitive. That will, in return, increase your sales at the end of the year.

At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , you can get exceptional digital marketing services like building and optimizing websites, local SEO, email marketing, and more. Contact us today for digital marketing services that will take your small business to the next level at the end of the year and beyond.

6 Content Marketing Focus Areas for Salons

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 12:37:47 GMT

How can you grow your salon business?

Growing your business on a low budget can be a bit tough. However, you can identify the most suitable zones to focus on and advertise your business with appropriate content marketing strategies. It ensures your business stands out among a sea of competitors.

Functional areas in content marketing don't differ between businesses since they have one thing in common. They use your resources to get fast quantifiable results. Here is detailed information on how you can market your business effectively.

Why is Content Marketing Important?

Content marketing is a form of marketing focused on creating, publishing, as well as distributing online content for a targeted audience. It answers your client's questions to help you build trust, improve conversions, develop relationships, and generate leads. Every business requires market exposure to withstand market competition .

Having the right strategies and areas to focus on helps you create a brand awareness that will attract many customers. However, applying them for the first time in your salon business can be more challenging. So look for professional companies who can assist you at an affordable price. Digiedg is among the best in offering this kind of service.

Content Marketing Focus Areas that Salons Should Take into Account

1. Web Hosting

Web hosting gives businesses the privilege to post a web page or website on the internet. It also ensures the best browsing experience for your online visitors and prospective clients. In the competitive salon market, you need to have excellent hosting to maintain a presence on the web . It is an essential part of establishing a successful salon business.

2. Social Media Management

Social media management comprises analyzing social media audiences and developing a tailored plan. It will allow your business to link and engage with potential clients on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter as well as other platforms. Your salon will attract more clients by creating engaging content with a solid social media strategy.

3. Email Marketing

Email marketing entails sending commercial email messages to a targeted audience. It also allows you to personalize your messaging based on client actions. The strategy is more suitable for small businesses and salons due to its effective cost. Introduce the plan for your business to thrive amongst your competitors during this digital era.

4. Search Engine Optimization – SEO

SEO refers to the technical process of increasing the quality of traffic by attracting more visitors to your website. It focuses on using valuable and relevant content to drive profitable clients' actions into your business . It also helps your salon to create trust and build a relationship with customers. In addition, it increases traffic on the web page and sales in your business.

5. Brand Consistency

Brand consistency is the ability of a business to maintain values and elements that make up its identity. It involves companies developing an image that explores their brand. Additionally, it ensures that your brand is recognizable across all marketing channels. Your salon will attract more clients by creating a brand identity as well as a unified experience for new and existing customers.

6. Business Reputation Management

Business reputation management is the effort to influence how customers view your brand online. In fact, it plays an essential role as a deciding factor for most clients. Your business reputation always contributes to people accepting your content and vice versa. Try to improve your reputation to attract more visitors to the webpage and salon.

Bottom Line

With a proper focus on the areas listed above, your salon can transform into a more productive business. If you are just getting started with content marketing for your salon, Digital Edge Marketing Agency offers you the best services in taking your business to the next level. Contact us today or visit our customer care desk for more information.

Telling People They Need an Accountant Without Being too Pushy

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 12:58:15 GMT

How can you persuade your prospective clients?

Persuading someone that they need something and you are their best option isn't as easy as it seems. The more you push, the more people tend to get defensive and walk away. The same goes for accounting firms while communicating how important it is to have a professional accountant.

An accountant needs to find new marketing tactics that sell services without sounding too pushy . Good persuasion – which isn't easy - is about allowing potential clients to move at their own pace while generating quality leads. Luckily, several effective marketing techniques can help sell your accounting services without being too pushy.

Positive Testimonials

The majority of clients prefer consulting testimonials and reviews before buying a service. Therefore, positive feedback from your clients can help increase trust in your accounting business. In short, testimonials matter more than you might think.

Ensure you have a testimonial page that highlights all positive reviews about your business. Doing this will help establish you in the industry while increasing brand awareness. More people will seek your services when they see that other people are satisfied with your services.

Start gathering testimonials today from happy clients. Request every customer to leave a review of your services on your website. Most people will free up their time to help you out – especially when they appreciate the services you provide. You can always send an email, ask on social media, use a simple survey, or make a phone call.

Videos and Articles Explaining the Value of Having an Accountant

Optimize your website by including videos and articles that explain how valuable your services are to both businesses and individuals. Commit to weekly posts to ensure you effectively engage potential clients, thus boosting your lead conversion rate. It will also help to create easy-to-read and digest content that every person can understand.

Having videos and articles on your website will also help boost SEO . It is an effective way of educating your readers while increasing leads. You get to rank highly on search engines which translates to more clients.

Stories About People Losing Money by Not Hiring an Accountant

The Association of Accounting Technicians reported that medium and small businesses lost billions due to poor accounting in 2015. Many businesses shut down because of unqualified owners handling accounts or hiring non-qualified finance staff. Therefore, it isn't difficult to find a cautionary story within your locality or state.

Ensure you research small businesses and individuals that lost money over the past year. Highlight those that went out of business or bankrupt due to poor accounting practices and bring them to the public's attention. Doing this will help you promote your accounting services without sounding too pushy.

Word-of-Mouth Referral

Paid advertising for an accountant just isn't the same as a genuine recommendation from a satisfied client. Equally, you don't have to directly advertise your accounting firm which eliminates any probability of coming out as too pushy. You get to have your current clients do all the advertising work for you, which is excellent in the modern era.

Start by sending an email to all your clients offering incentives for advertisement. This may include a discount, free consultation, restaurant vouchers, and even cash. All they need to do is refer your accounting business to friends, colleagues, and family.

Let Us Help Take Your Accounting Business to the Next Level

Marketing your accounting business in the digital era doesn't have to be a difficult task. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we are a reliable digital marketing agency that is ready to help. Ensure you contact us today to start marketing your accounting firm without being too pushy.

Outsourcing for Small Businesses - How it Can Benefit You

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 21:17:47 GMT

How can outsourcing benefit small businesses?

Most small business owners make the mistake of thinking outsourcing only works with big companies. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. Small businesses can leverage outsourcing to grow their business instead of putting vital projects on hold or hiring more people. This approach will allow you to take advantage of specialized skills, when you need them.

First suggestion is to stop only associating outsourcing with large manufacturing plants and overseas call centers. Although these exist, outsourcing includes so much more. For example, utilizing managed services and working with independent contractors or agencies. These skilled resources are not just overseas, they can be found much closer than you realize.

Today, we will take a comprehensive look at the benefits of outsourcing. Also included are the top five services that are excellent to outsource. Read on to start taking advantage of outsourcing to obtain suitable business solutions.

Top Benefits of Outsourcing

Most companies outsource due to one primary reason — reducing overhead expenses and employment costs. However, this is not the only benefit of outsourcing for small and medium businesses. Here are four other key benefits of outsourcing you can't ignore.

Access to Dedicated and Skilled Professionals

Finding trained professionals to accomplish complex tasks in your establishment can prove to be a rather daunting task. However, an outsourcing company offers you instant access to a large pool of skilled and dedicated labor. These companies have professionally trained employees with years of experience within your industry. They are often available for short or long term projects, so you are not locked in for the lengthy annual contracts.

Let's say you are looking to start a new social media marketing campaign. Going to a digital market service provider like Digiedg ensures high-quality work that converts more leads at an affordable price. It is an excellent option compared to having an unqualified in-house employee doing the work or hiring an entire team. When you outsource your digital marketing services to a company like Digiedg , you are typically getting the services of a social media strategist, graphics specialist, web designer, advertisement specialist, etc., all for the same flat monthly fee. Clearly a significant savings when compared to hiring all of those skills in-house.

Ability to Scale Your Operations Effectively

Working with independent agencies or managed services providers lets you enjoy all the benefits of larger organizations. These companies let you quickly expand your business depending on your current needs and target. Equally, you can downscale operations at a moment's notice when the market does not favor you. Another way of looking at this is that you are able to pay for services On Demand , or only when needed.

Meeting customer demands becomes difficult when your organization can't keep up with market changes . Thus, you risk going out of business due to increased industry competition and your inability to meet the requirements of existing and potential clients. However, outsourcing services let you quickly adapt to any market changes. Thus, you can stay competitive while safeguarding your bottom line.

Build a Cost-Effective 24/7 Team

Working 24/7 is not as easy as it sounds, yet it is quickly becoming a necessity or expectation. Most customers prefer doing business with an establishment that can meet their needs and concerns at any time of the day or night. However, providing effective 24/7 services can be rather costly when you hire more employees rather than outsource.

You cannot ignore the advantages that come with having a 24/7 operation — from improved customer services to increased sales and consumer loyalty enhancement. Outsourcing lets you enjoy all the benefits of having a 24/7 team without spending a fortune. If operating 24/7 is an absolute necessity, then having an offshore team will ensure that you can work in different time zones, thus serving a wider market.

Focus More on Essential Business Tasks

Some responsibilities are tedious and time-consuming, especially when you don't have a skilled workforce. Software development, for example, can take up a lot of time when you don't have the necessary expertise. You will waste valuable time, trying to learn new skills from resources such as tutorials. The rule of thumb is, if someone else is more qualified to perform the task, it is best to have that person perform the work.

Having an external team handle these tedious tasks allows you to focus more on core business activities. You won't have to waste a lot of time on tasks such as training new in-house employees and recruitment. It is, therefore, much easier to work on improving your bottom line and staying ahead of the competition.

Top Five Services to Outsource

Every process that can be managed from a different location can be outsourced. But not all of them offer great returns on investment. Therefore, it is vital to understand the value and objective on why you are outsourcing. Here are five services that you should consider outsourcing.

Digital Marketing Services

Advancements in technology make it strenuous to keep up with specialized digital marketing services such as SEO and social media management, digital advertisement and social listening. However, outsourcing companies typically invest the necessary time, training and resources, ensuring that they stay up to date with the latest technology offerings. In today's environment, technology seems to be changing every six (6) months or so, which can make it very expensive to maintain those skills in-house.

Legal Services

If you are a small business owner, you will need legal assistance at one point or another during your business journey. Hiring in-house counsel can be rather expensive, especially when you need their services a few times per year. Outsourcing your legal services ensures you find a qualified and trusted attorney who is familiar with your industry.

Lead Generation and Customer Services

More calls mean you have more leads, thus translating to increased sales. However, closing sales is not as easy as it seems. It will help to have a team of brilliant salespeople who can effectively handle new and existing clients. It is also easier and cheaper to outsource customer support rather than maintain an in-house support team.

Bookkeeping and Tax Services

Keeping records of all business transactions can be a rather tedious and time-consuming task. Failure to keep up-to-date records can result in serious complications — including losing your business. The IRS doesn't play. Therefore, outsourcing bookkeeping and tax services ensure you stay compliant while saving you time to focus on growing your business.

Payroll Processing Services

In-house payroll management seems like a simple task when you have a few employees. However, it gets complex very quickly when you expand your business past 20 employees. Payroll processing takes up lots of time because you need to track every employee's hours, salary, bonuses, deductions, leaves, and so much more. Unless this is the type of service you offer, you should strongly consider outsourcing your payroll processing services.

Outsource Digital Marketing Services Today

Boosting sales starts with reaching a wider market through digital business promotions. Outsourcing your digital marketing services ensures you get high-quality leads that easily convert. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency, we will help you thrive in the digital space and take your business to the next level. Ensure you contact us today to get started.

Marketing and Sales - Know Their Differences for an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:42:48 GMT

Marketing vs. Sales — Everything You Need to Know

Marketing and sales are two vital functions of any business that aim at increasing revenue. But most people make the mistake of using the two terms interchangeably when they are very different. Small organizations have the same people performing both marketing and sales tasks. As organizations grow, they realize the vital importance of separating those two very critical roles. Today, we take a comprehensive look at the differences between the two (marketing and sales) and why digital marketing is critical to the success of your business.

Marketing starts looking quite different from sales when an organization grows — with specialized responsibilities and rules. For starters, marketing generates leads by promoting your business while sales are about converting those leads into revenue. Marketing has a much wider outlook as they focus more on brand visibility and awareness or getting your brand in front of as many eyes as possible. The objective is to build trust and credibility with potential customers. Sales on the other hand, tends to focus more on direct results. The sales person's job is to convert any leads that were generated as a result of the marketing team's efforts.

Let's get started to ensure you grow your bottom line.

The Difference Between Sales and Marketing

How close you are to ensuring a potential lead becomes a customer is a difference between these two terms. Even though the end game for both sales and marketing is turning a profit, their approaches are quite different.

Marketing includes analyzing your consumer base , thus making informed decisions on how to best position your product for a better appeal. Sales, on the other hand, includes planning product movement from the business to the consumer. Below is a breakdown of what each term encompasses to give you a better understanding.

Marketing – What You Need to Know

With marketing, it's about strategies that your business can leverage to reach new leads. Therefore, you get to generate more interest in your product and/or services. It has measurable benchmarks that assist you in deciding whether the strategies you use produce results at a competitive price. As an example, a marketing team may develop campaigns ads that runs on television, radio, print or social media. The objective is to get the brand in front of a wide set of potential customers.

Sales — What You Need to Know

With sales, it's about convincing someone to buy a product or service from your business. Most of the time you will have to use some level of interpersonal interaction to convince that person to become your customer. However, these consumers are often brought to you via the marketing efforts you put in place. Following the example above, if leads are generated from the marketing campaign that the marketing team put in place, then the sales team will begin to nurture those leads, with the objective of converting them into a sale for the company.

Why Marketing is Vital

Marketing is the fuel of your business because it is a way to promote your business. Personally, I consider it to be a prerequisite to sales. A good marketing campaign can generate leads that is then passed on to the sales team for action. You can only start your sales effort when you get your marketing right. With today's technological advancement, the marketplace has quickly become more digital. Therefore, it's time to look towards digital marketing to establish yourself within your industry .

How Digital Marketing Services Help Boost Sales

Digital marketing techniques let you share your services or products with numerous users and social media groups. This allows you to get your brand's message in front of potentially thousands or millions of would be buyers. Thus, you can get more leads to convert into sales. Digital Marketing is a lower cost alternative to traditional marketing, such as television and radio. In a sense, Digital Marketing has leveled the playing field so that small businesses can promote their businesses and reach a large audience, which in the past was cost prohibitive. Here are three ways to better understand how digital marketing services increase sales.

Setting Goals Aligned with Your Objective

First, you have to set clear goals to reach a specific objective. With digital marketing services, it's easier to define an objective like reaching 20k potential customers within a month. Keep in mind that if you are able to reach 20K potential buyers and you achieve a 1% conversion rate, then you need to have a sales team that can potentially close 200 potential customers. Therefore setting achievable goals that is aligned with your objective is very important. It is easier to achieve your sales goals when you have the leads.

Implementing Proper Market Research

Technology can be overwhelming to some as there is so much information out there. Depending on who you talk to, you can easily get a different perspective, based on that individual's experience. Digital marketing includes content marketing techniques that ensure you put the right information on the internet. These techniques are only effective after thorough market research . Equally, you learn more about your buyer persona and how to brand your business effectively. It is also very important to understand where your potential buyers hangout; in terms of social media. By understanding your buyer persona, it will help you to know if you should be focusing your efforts on say Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Doing your due diligence in your research will definitely give you an advantage, as oppose to just winging it.

Remarketing

Most consumers will not purchase from you the first time they see your brand. Reaching your targeted audience at least two to three times is an excellent practice to convert more leads. Digital marketing services will help you reach your audience repeatedly through techniques like remarketing. Remarketing will allow you to target users who may have visited your website previously or interacted with one of your ads, and did not make a purchase. You can effectively remarket or retag those users to bring them back to your website, thus generating more sales. Remarketing allows you to follow-up with users who previously visited your site, getting your brand in front of them for a second or third time.

Leverage Digital Marketing Services Today to Boost Sales

Social media is a low-cost medium to promote your business. Therefore, you get high-quality leads that can easily convert to sales. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we can help you take your business to the next level with our cost-effective Digital Marketing Services. Ensure you contact us today to take your business to the next level.

Impact of COVID-19 on Local Chambers of Commerce — Survival Guide for Restaurant Members

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 16:28:17 GMT

Helping small restaurant owners.

Although COVID-19 is global, consumers and businesses experience its economic impacts locally. All US small businesses have experienced financial hardships since the start of the pandemic. In fact, 23% of medium and small businesses closed in May. Those that haven't closed down are seeing a revenue drop of up to 52%, according to Forbes . Therefore, what does this mean for local chambers of commerce whose majority members are small businesses? Especially when you consider their heavy reliance on membership dues from small businesses. The social distancing measures and restrictions have also made it impossible for local chambers of commerce to collect funds during traditional networking events.

Today we take a comprehensive look at the impact of COVID-19 on local chambers of commerce — with emphasis on small independent restaurants. Read on to find out more on how joining a local chamber of commerce can help safeguard your bottom line in the restaurant industry .

Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Local Chambers of Commerce

Contrary to what most people think, chambers of commerce are not groups responsible for Christmas tree lighting. They are an intricate network that works round the clock to promote and represent local businesses. They are often considered as the " Voice of Small Businesses. " Although 'the how' can take different forms, their common goal is to safeguard and improve local businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not put stress on local business longevity only. It also threatens to destroy chambers of commerce that primarily use membership dues to stay afloat. Luckily, congress mobilized a massive economic stimulus effort to offer financial assistance to businesses and individuals. Local chambers have played an instrumental role in disseminating and facilitating this information to their chamber members. The local chambers of commerce should, therefore, expect to bounce back to their former glory.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Independent Restaurant Owners

As many as 110,000 restaurants closed permanently within the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic . Small independent restaurant owners had no choice but to adapt to survive in these unprecedented times. As in most cases, these impact can be much harder on Black Owned restaurants . The long-term potential of these adjustments is now becoming more apparent with continuous use.

Although a renewed stress on safety and health is key among these changes, small independent restaurants will also become active participants in local chambers of commerce. After the COVID-19 pandemic, chambers of commerce will become an integral and critical part of protecting the restaurant industry.

Why Restaurants Should Join the Local Chamber of Commerce

To thrive in the current online marketplace, restaurants need to leverage technology that manages delivery automation and customer relationship. The recent surge of food apps is accelerating the rise of online restaurants, and it's time to go digital. Many restaurants are turning to tech to adapt to the new reality that includes more off-premise dining, self-checkout, online ordering, as well as touchless payments.

Embracing digital marketing services programs guarantees that small restaurants get in front of the consumer and their competition. An excellent way to access these tools is by joining local chambers of commerce. Not only do you stay up-to-date, but you also get to establish yourself in the restaurant industry. Here is a look at what Digital Marketing Services Program (DMSP) offers to restaurants:

Mobile Responsive Website

In today's digital era, your storefront is not the face of your restaurant anymore. According to an Upserve report , 90% of guests only go to a restaurant after online research . Therefore, restaurants need a mobile responsive website that can convert leads. When your website is inadequate and unresponsive, odds are high that most visitors will bounce off to a better website.

Online Food Ordering

Due to social distancing measures, restaurants have seen a massive dip in dine-in sales. Thus, it's time to look towards alternative options such as delivery, curbside pickup, as well as online ordering. With about 53% of adults considering these options as essential in everyday life , restaurant owners must reinvent the way they serve customers . Online food ordering is an excellent way of ensuring restaurants stay profitable, thus safeguarding their bottom line.

Online Listings Management

Local business listings will ensure your restaurant can easily be found online. They serve as a directory that helps your customers identify that you are a good fit for them. Equally, you get to improve your reputation and boost SEO. DMSP ensures you are visible on all popular listing sites, plus industry-specific websites.

Local SEO

Did you know that Google prioritizes your business when a user conducts a local search? Will your restaurant appear in the now popular Google ' near me' search? Therefore, your small independent restaurant needs to be optimized for local SEO . Utilizing powerful SEO tools will ensure your restaurant stays on the local market radar.

Google My Business (GMB) Account Management

Google My Business ( GMB ) lets your restaurant manage its online presence across the search engine. It lets you create a Google profile that is visible to your customers when they search your name or cuisine type within a local area. However, Google regularly adds new features to the platform which means you need expert help to keep up with all the changes.

Google Reviews Management

Consumers will read Google reviews before picking a new restaurant, thus making online review management crucial for restaurant success. Let's be honest, are you going to eat at a restaurant if the Google Reviews rating is below a 4? You need to ensure there is a steady and consistent flow of positive reviews to establish brand loyalty. Google reviews management will help you convert more leads, thus boosting sales.

Social Media Marketing

Not only are your competitors using social media, but so are your customers. Almost everyone is active on social media these days , making it an integral part of your marketing strategy. Through social media marketing, you get to benefit from a ton of free marketing.

Implement Digital Marketing Services Today

Although rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic might seem like a daunting task, Digiedg is here to help. Our Digital Marketing Services Program Survival Guide will help you survive and thrive in a post-pandemic economy. Ensure you contact us today to safeguard your bottom line and stay ahead of your competition.

Breaking Down Your Target Audience (The Five Generations) by Numbers

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 11:37:41 GMT

Understanding Your Target Audience

In the previous blog, we talked about identifying your target audience to help better market your product. You have to understand the different marketing strategies that suit the five active generations in the current market. However, today we take a more comprehensive look at the subject.

Although knowing the social media habits of your target audience is an excellent start, it's vital to work with the numbers. You need to break down the different generations in terms of salaries to determine their spending powe r. Customizing your marketing strategy is easier once you know the average salary by generation and their spending preference.

Read on to further explore the world of marketing psychographics for deeper market analysis.

Breaking Down Your Target Audience by Numbers

Baby Boomers

According to the Financial Advisor report , baby boomers control most of America's wealth — including affluent and high-net-worth households. They have an incredible spending power of more than $2.6 trillion because those still working are at the very top of their lifetime incomes — for instance, 70% of law firm partners are boomers . They also had a lot of time to accumulate wealth. Unlike millennials or Gen Xers who are currently living the most expensive phases of their lives (starting careers and raising families).

However, more than 3 million Boomers will get to age 65 per year until 2029. According to IRI , half of the baby boomers will suffer from arthritis, while about 33% will be obese. Therefore, it presents an opportunity for businesses to design products that can help combat these challenges. This could be an ideal customer base for those in the health, wellness and fitness business.

Generation X

For Generation X, having a college education was more of an expectation than a luxury . Gen Xers used college as a way to advance their profession and careers. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise when Statista indicated that they have the highest mean disposable income in the U.S ($90,964) . This gives them a spending power of about $2.4 trillion, thus making them a vital target audience for most businesses.

According to FONA Research , Gen Xers will make several significant shifts in priorities as they get older. These include focusing more on sustainability, self-care, balance, and health. At the moment, Gen Xers are hyper-focused on their families and having enough income to pay for convenience. Their millennial and Gen Z kids also play a huge role in getting them out of their comfort zones to try new things. If your products and services are seen as more of a luxury than a necessity, then this could be an ideal customer base for you.

Millennials

According to BLS , millennials have an average yearly expenditure of around $47,112. These numbers are considerably low due to their outstanding college debt and increasing responsibilities. However, marketers can't ignore their 1.4 trillion spending power and influence on brand longevity.

This generation is leading the pack when it comes to online purchases. According to JungleScout , 91% of millennials prefer shopping online, while only 9% chose in-store shopping. However, over 40% refer to online testimonials and reviews before making a purchase . Brands need to focus on providing excellent customer service, unique experiences, and value for money to capture this target audience. So if your business is not online, then you will miss out on this generation, entirely.

Generation Z

Although still a young generation, Gen Z has a spending power of $143 billion . They also generate about $127.5 billion in family member spending. Predicted to become better educated and more culturally diverse than previous generations , understanding their spending habits needs to be a top priority for most companies. Luckily, the marketing opportunities are rather open with this generation as brands and retailers are still trying to find ways of appealing to them.

For starters, this generation inherits some spending characteristics from the millennial generation. Therefore, they have a high expectation for digital sales channels and payment technology to be fast and reliable. Equally, Morgan Stanley Research estimates that this generation will spend a large portion of their income on mobile devices, eating out, and housing. Restaurant owners, you should be looking to meet the expectations on this generation.

Generation Alpha

Did you know that four out of five kids under the age of 12 significantly influence family purchases ? These Generation Alpha kids account for about $500 billion in purchases every year . Although marketers don't usually start targeting a generation until their teen years; Generation Alpha has more spending power than any other pre-adolescent generation.

Brands are finding it easier to get to the pockets of parents by appealing to the hearts of their children. Therefore, it is imperative to consider interactive and personalized marketing strategies when targeting Gen Alpha. You should also consider subscription services, in-app purchases, and digital content to activate Gen Alpha consumers easily. If your product or service focuses on kids, then this is the audience where you will find success.

It's Never Too Late to Redefine Your Marketing Campaign

Understanding your target audience (by generation spending power and preferences) is critical in safeguarding your bottom line. The biggest mistake you can make is sitting back and waiting for customers to find you. Instead, start proactively marketing to your audience on the appropriate social media platform.

At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we work with you to guarantee successful customer contact for each of the above five generations. Our Managed Social Media Management Services will help get your brand in front of your target audience. Ensure you contact us today to redefine your digital marketing campaign.

Finding Your Target Customers — Understanding Where You Should Market

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 17:39:39 GMT

Defining your target customers.

Everyone tells you that getting started is the first step towards achieving business success. Many business owners are, therefore, misguided in the notion of 'if you build it, they will come.' Although starting a business is the first step, it's the second step that is essential ( yet most challenging ) — finding your target customers.

Having an excellent product or service is not enough to get you customers or traffic on your website. What you need is the proper marketing techniques for your target audience. You have to ask yourself two vital questions: Who are my target customers? Where do I market?

The answers to the above questions will help you customize your marketing strategy to suit your target customer demographics. People born at different times have distinctive preferences in how they spend, what they value, and the advertising channels they use. Here are effective marketing techniques — for each of the five distinct American customer demographics — that show you where to market to reach your target customers.

Understanding Your Target Customers

Baby Boomers

Ranging in age from 57 to 75, baby boomers are the second largest group in the U.S, with a population estimate of 70.6 million . The majority of these individuals are either at or nearing retirement. Therefore, they are concerned with ensuring they get value from the money they spend.

Contrary to what most people think, not all baby boomers are interested in traditional sales. According to a recent survey , the vast majority of this generation uses digital devices. Therefore, businesses can benefit from showing them the latest products and services in the market.

Email marketing is an excellent way to appeal to this generation because 93% use email regularly. Baby boomers spent most of their professional lives sending email, thus making email marketing effective. However, it will help to ensure you build trust when working with this generation. Most of them will need to know who you are and what you stand for before buying your product or service.

Generation X

Although born when technology was forming, this generation fell just short of the internet age. It is a much smaller group (between the ages of 41-56) with a population of 65 million in the U.S. Unlike other generations, marketing to Generation X requires a lot of time and effort.

You have to play it safe when dealing with this generation because they are more concerned about decreasing debt and becoming independent . Their conservative approach to life means you have to think twice before pitching extravagant products or services.

Ensure you incorporate multiple approaches when marketing to Generation X. Being digitally-enabled but not growing up actively using technology means they have several comfort zones. Leverage numerous tactics, including email marketing, social media, and phone calls to appeal to this target audience.

Millennials

With a population of over 72.26 million in the U.S , Millennials form the largest group on our list. Because they were born at the height of technology (now aged between 25 and 40), they can't live without it. This generation is also all about instant gratification, which means you need to act fast.

Ensure you stay relevant when marketing to this generation because they are adaptive to technological changes. Peer recommendation also means a lot to this generation. They will value your business and trust your brand when they see others commending your product or service.

Interestingly, 90.4% of Millennials use and check social media accounts regularly. Therefore, you can only connect with this generation by generating a robust online presence. If your target audience is hugely Millennials, ensure you consider a Social Media Management service such as Digital Edge Marketing Agency . Doing this will help increase your brand visibility, thus attracting more clients and bringing in new revenue.

Generation Z

Although Generation Z might seem to share several attributes to Millennials, these two generations are quite different. Born between the year 1997 to mid-2000s, this generation grew up with high-tech gadgets , including cell phones and iPhones. Gen Zers can't recall a single moment of life without the internet.

Their short attention span (about eight seconds) means you need a prudent approach in your marketing strategy. An excellent way to achieve this is by ensuring every instant counts. Leverage digitally appealing and swift techniques for easier and faster penetration.

Presently, a majority of Gen Zers feel comfortable on YouTube . Other notable platforms include Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Digital marketing is the way to go for businesses targeting this generation . However, ensure you make your strategies more meaningful and personalized by learning the Gen Z language.

Generation Alpha

Every new generation comes with new behaviors, customs, and cultural phenomena that shape the business world. The new Generation Alpha is a racially diverse, tech-savvy, and unapologetically influential group that will enter adulthood by the end of the 2020s. However, why should your business target this group when they aren't buyers yet? Well, studies show that kids under 12 influence parental purchases of roughly $130 to 4670 billion every year.

Luckily, every marketer will tell you that it is never too early to prepare. Because Generation Alpha will be more technologically advanced than any other generation, it is vital to start customer targeting early. They will also spend more on nonessentials because of their materialistic upbringing.

Gen Alpha will probably reject the more traditional forms of marketing just like their Millennial parents did . Businesses targeting this audience need to look towards social shopping, humanized messaging, and personalization. This generation will interact with robots — considering robotics and AI will be fully integrated into modern life by 2025 — just as frequently as humans.

Start Customizing Your Marketing Campaigns

Determining which marketing campaigns suit your target customers is the difference between failure and success in the business world. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we can help take your business to the next level by ensuring every customer contact is successful. Ensure you sign up for our Managed Social Media Management services today to get your brand in front of your target audience.

Don't Make the Transition from Corporate America to Entrepreneurship Alone

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 11:50:56 GMT

Why you shouldn't do it alone.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the U.S workforce a year after the unprecedented shutdowns. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the nation's unemployment rate is almost twice the pre-pandemic level. Therefore, multiple workers have no choice but to consider making the transition to entrepreneurship.

Although the decision can be difficult, the transition doesn't have to be. For starters, you are great at what you do after spending the last few decades developing your skills. People have relied on you for advice and execution because you became the Subject-Matter Expert (SME) in your field. Why should you go back into the office — following the old rules — when you can build something for yourself?

Well, the Failory report states that about 90% of startups fail. Since you are venturing into entrepreneurship as a full-time gig, it is vital to ensure you don't become a negative statistic. Therefore, here is the number one key to success when transitioning from corporate America to entrepreneurship — Don't do it alone.

Forge Your Entrepreneurship Path but Never Do it Alone

Forget the notion that you can succeed by yourself. Remember you relied on your supporting cast to build a career in the corporate world. These individuals that were part of your team — no matter how small their contribution — had a hand in establishing you as an industry Subject-Matter Expert. Therefore, forget about being a lone wolf and focus on building a pack.

Although an entrepreneur is painted as a solo figure willing to defy the rules and risk everything on an idea, they shouldn't do it alone. All successful entrepreneurs need a supporting cast to make them shine in all areas — including their weaknesses.

Business Areas that Need a Quality Supporting Team

You might be wondering how big of a team you need during your transition to entrepreneurship. Well, businesses don't need a large team during the early stages. However, these areas can't survive without a suitable supporting team:

Website Design

Recent technological advancements have made it easier for consumers to find goods and services online. Businesses need websites to ensure they can break the market and establish an online presence, thus safeguarding their bottom line. However, you risk losing potential customers — regardless of how excellent your service or product is — if the web pages or websites aren't well-designed.

According to Kissmetrics , about 40% of consumers will leave your website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Therefore, the wrong website design team will cost your business customer loyalty. With every business struggling to retain customers, poor website design can run your business into the ground.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization lets people find your business and understand what you offer. It is a digital marketing technique that ensures your business achieves top ranks in different search engines, including Google. Therefore, you get to enjoy enhanced brand visibility, improved website traffic, and a better user experience.

It is vital to outrun your competitors and establish a robust web presence when you are a startup. Choosing the wrong SEO team will ruin your business by driving traffic away from your website. Also, bad SEO practices will lead to a low ranking that guarantees you lose valuable traffic.

Social Media Management

Social media is where business happens in the current world . Today's consumer gets most of their information from social media sites, references, reviews, and ads. Thus, your brand needs proper social media coverage to get more customers and improve its bottom line.

However, social media is more extensive than most people think. Numerous platforms allow users to exchange ideas and leave feedback, apart from Instagram and Facebook. Choosing the wrong social media management team could cripple your business by destroying trust in your brand. Negative social media content can cause irreversible damage to your company's reputation.

Let Us Help You Transition into Entrepreneurship

Do not start your new business venture alone, partner with a quality support cast that will increase your chances of success. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we can help take your business to the next level. Ensure you contact us today to give your new business venture the edge it needs to grow.

Restaurant Industry: 5 Tips for Having a Thriving Restaurant in a Post Pandemic Era

Nick@affinityns.com (Nick Brown) — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 11:47:47 GMT

How Your Restaurant Can Survive a Post-Pandemic Economy

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a devastating public-health crisis affecting numerous industries across the world. However, it has particularly been a massive challenge for the restaurant industry — at no time in history have so many restaurants ceased operations. According to the National Restaurant Association , over 110,000 restaurants closed down permanently or temporarily last year in the United States.

Interestingly, a few eating and drinking establishments are thriving during this period. Eric Rivera, tech-savvy chef running Addo , has managed to double his staff and sales despite the pandemic. How is it possible to thrive when most restaurants might never reopen? Here are five tips for not only surviving but also thriving in the restaurant industry in a post-pandemic era.

Tips for Thriving in the Restaurant Industry During the Post-Pandemic Era

Ensure Your Website is Fully-Optimized and Mobile Responsive

Most restaurant owners make the mistake of thinking that their old website is enough in the modern era. For starters, most consumers will likely visit your website through their smartphones, and the regular websites don't provide proper access. In the last year, mobile usage has grown exponentially with more than 77% of Americans using their smartphones to conduct local restaurant searches.

When your website is not fully optimized and mobile responsive, potential customers will experience trouble in accessing important information — including the menu and address. The site could either be hard to view or difficult to navigate. Therefore, you risk losing clients at a time when every customer counts in safeguarding your bottom line.

Incorporate Online Ordering and Curbside Pickup/Delivery

Restaurants can only thrive in the post-pandemic era by embracing technology. The COVID-19 measures, such as social distancing, left diners with no choice but contactless ordering and payment. Full-service restaurants need to find a way to make their multi-course meals available for delivery .

Curbside pickup and/or delivery has become the new drive-thru for different types of restaurants — from fine dining to quick service. Customers can order and pay through websites or apps, make a quick stop, and take their dinner home. It gives restaurants a convenient, safe, and no-touch system that is hassle-free. You can get your Free online ordering platform by clicking here .

Local, Regional, and National Online Directory Listings

Did you know that the best way to bring in consumers to your restaurant is through online platforms? Therefore, it is time to consider letting the customers find your restaurant by themselves. For it to happen, you have to ensure your restaurant is listed everywhere online — local, regional, as well as national online directories.

Every citation or directory could lead to new customers coming to your restaurant after a simple online search. Luckily, setting up a listing on online directories — including Zomato, Yelp, Yellow Pages, TripAdvisor, as well as Super Pages — is quick and easy. Ensure your restaurant is listed on every online directory you can find to attract more customers.

Establish Google My Business Account and Monitor Online Reviews

Google is responsible for 94% of all organic traffic on the internet, according to HubSpot . Therefore, your restaurant will only appear in local searches when you use Google My Business. It is a free tool that restaurants can use to manage and expand their online presence across Google. Clients get to view your restaurant, check customer reviews, as well as determine your opening and closing hours.

However, you need to register your restaurant in Google My Business to get listed. Ensure all information is up-to-date and accurate to help you increase your brand prominence. It will also help to monitor reviews and determine what needs changes and what needs to remain the same.

Engage in Social Media Marketing

Driving traffic to your restaurant is crucial in the post-pandemic era. All your effort will go unnoticed, regardless of how appetizing your food is, without traffic. Having a robust social media presence will help get more consumers into your restaurant.

Start with the three social media profiles that matter in the restaurant industry — Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook . Ensure you complete all details about your restaurant, including the location, phone number, website link, menu, prices, as well as opening/closing hours. Promoting/marketing your restaurant brand on social media will help you boost sales in the post-pandemic world.

Let Us Help

Thriving in the post-pandemic era can be a daunting task for most restaurants. However, the pointers above can help you get on the right foot. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we can help ensure your restaurant is fully equipped in the ' new norma l' post-pandemic economy. Ensure you contact us today to find out more.

Content Marketing for Small Law Firms: Four Direct Benefits

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 11:25:11 GMT

Grow your law firm through content marketing.

Are you a small law firm looking to grow your practice? If so, then you've probably encountered the term ' content marketing ' while researching industry-specific marketing options. However, what is content marketing for law firms, and how can it help increase your bottom line?

According to the latest social media statistics, there are over 3.78 billion active social media users worldwide in 2021 . Therefore, small law firms need to consider online social media marketing as part of their marketing campaigns. Below is a comprehensive look at how increased content can lead to substantial sales generation. But first, what is content marketing for law firms?

Understanding Content Marketing in the Law Industry

First, content marketing is a digital marketing strategy that encompasses several elements. It includes blogs, news releases, email marketing, social media, website texts, as well as SEO. It is valuable content that builds upon itself while growing leads and website traffic . Lawyers use content marketing to promote their subject-matter expertise. Whether it's family law, personal injury, immigration, or trust and estate planning.

The key to content marketing in the law industry is providing consistent and relevant content of interest to prospective clients. These could include updates on new regulations, answers to legal-related FAQ inquiries, as well as pending legislation. Primarily, content marketing helps law firms build a reputation in their practice area while staying relevant among clients, potential customers, as well as referral sources.

Four Direct Benefits of Content Marketing for Small Law Firms

The massive number of lawyers adopting online social media marketing shouldn't be the only reason your law firm needs to invest in content marketing. Recent statistics indicate that blogging, as well as social media, can generate a yearly sum of around $5,000 to $200,000 in new businesses for small law firms. Below are four benefits why your law firm needs to embrace content marketing.

1. Powerful Content Marketing Increases SEO Presence for Increased Online Visibility

SEO is an effective practice of optimizing content to ensure your law firm ranks well in search engines . Creating content that addresses what clients are searching for will increase the chances of it appearing higher in search engines. Clients and potential customers will, therefore, find your content easily and quickly. Increased online visibility lets users find your site easily, increases brand reputation, as well as gives you the competitive edge you need.

2. Articles Answering Leads' Questions Increase Trust and Touchpoints

The law is filled with complicated topics that most clients don't understand. Therefore, articles answering leads' questions will help address any concerns that potential clients may have. Doing this will help increase trust and touchpoints, thus creating consumer value as well as building client-attorney relationships.

3. Professionally-Written Website Content Helps with Lead Generation and Nurturing

Potential clients usually need a bit of convincing when choosing a suitable law firm. This is especially true when you are a small law firm competing with established law firms in your area. Clients will start by browsing through your law firm website to determine whether you are the best fit for them. Therefore, having content developed by experts who understand the practice and prospects will help you with lead generation as well as nurturing.

4. Localized Content Attracts Local Clients

Creating localized content involves optimizing your website for local search. Therefore, when someone is looking for services within their local area — for example, searching for ' best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale ' — your law firm will rank highly for those searches. Small law firms need local SEO because a majority of them serve in specific geographical areas. Unless you are an international law firm, you will want leads from clients within your country, city, or state.

Get Professional Assistance

It is time to take your law firm to the next level through content marketing. At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we are here to help meet your digital marketing needs and issues. Contact us today to find out more.

5 Features You Need in Your Website Business Solution

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 21:44:07 GMT

Building an Effective Business Website.

Business owners with high levels of client engagement know what a hassle technology can be. Managing a website is fine by itself, but when you factor in, having to also manage a bunch of other applications and technology suites to handle scheduling and invoicing and marketing and on and on; well now that makes it complex. With each new piece of software, the mental load of your day-to-day business operations increases exponentially. Acting as a drain on you and your business' success. If you are in a professional services business, and your clients engage with you on a regular basis over email, phone, or a web application, then what you need is not just a website but an entire " Website Business Solution ."

At Digiedg , we don't just build websites, we build the complete All-in-One Digital Solutions . We allow businesses like yours to focus on your core competencies, while we manage the vast array of digital services that your business requires to be successful.

We build custom website business solutions for all our customers. However, there are five features that every professional services organization will need in its website business solution, which our customers love and we include in nearly every All-in-One Digital Solutions we build .

5 Important Website Business Solution Features

1. Online Scheduling and Calendar Software

Handling client scheduling can be an enormous time consuming process for a business. From paying staff to handle the phones (or trying to man them yourself while getting all the work done!) to having set business hours during which a customer must call, to the endless back-and-forth emails with proposed dates and times that seem to go on and on, every action is time wasted. This sometimes can take days, if not weeks to finally settle on a mutually agreeable day/time.

Today, a modern business needs modern solutions. With our All-in-One Digital Solution , the long drawn out dramatics of scheduling are a thing of the past:

Instead of the back and forth emails of trying to find a good time to meet, let your clients schedule appointments 24/7 directly from your website and Facebook page. You can also add scheduling links to your marketing emails, Google My Business listing, or anywhere you can think to put them, so that your clients will be able to easily access your calendar, to schedule an appointment. They'll be able to see all the dates and times you have available so that they can make a decision without all the back-and-forth.

After you confirm their appointment request, with a single click, it will sync back into our calendar system. This will allow you to facilitate appointment reminders, follow-up schedules, as well as other personalized customer touches that increases engagement by providing the opportunity for instant feedback. Our integrated solution is available on all devices so that you can manage meetings from any device, from any location, at any time.

2. Estimates, Invoicing, and Online Payments

For many small businesses, there is nothing worse than trying to find your way through a stack of messy papers or a complicated phone application to figure out whether you already sent that invoice to your client, whether a client is paid up in full, let alone trying to view the history of all your past invoices to ensure you give new clients the best possible estimate for the work they requested.

For any small business to succeed, getting paid needs to be the easiest part of the job. That's why when it comes to invoicing and payments, our digital solution prioritizes speed as well as efficiency.

For example, estimates and invoices are sent with just a few clicks of the mouse and can be tracked through our system by both project and invoice numbers. This ensures that everything is easy to find when you need it. Plus, you can get a copy of any item in PDF format, so that it can be easily attached to an email to send to a client. You can also schedule invoice reminders to be sent out at scheduled intervals so clients always know when you are expecting payment.

Our online payment system makes the struggle of dealing with payment processors, price changes, discounts, as well as staff-member selection a thing of the past. Instead of manually writing up an invoice or using another 3rd party application to create an invoice, with our integrated All-in-One Digital Solution , you can:

Accept Payments on Your Website or Facebook Page

Display a list of services and fees, and let clients choose the service and staff member. You can then collect online payments upfront or after the service is complete. This feature will be greatly enhance your cash flow.

Let Clients Pay from a Secure Client Portal

Another great feature of the client portal is that it will automatically recognize returning clients and allow one-click payments. This will also empower your clients to review pending invoices and complete payments online. Cha-Ching!

Package Your Services

If you are looking for ways in which you can upsell your services, then look no further. You will be able to boost sales by offering clients service bundles at a special price. You can easily customize and add an expiration date to each package, prompting clients to act faster.

Accept One-Time Payments

In addition to having your clients paying for their regular services, you can also let clients make one-time, non-recurring payments for special services outside of your service list, products, and more. A great way to increase your sales. Cha-Ching!

3. Marketing Campaign Management

Email and SMS marketing are tried and true techniques for lead generation. They're also the most cost-effective way to grow your business since it doesn't require any capital investment on your part.

Marketing campaigns can also be time and resource consuming. Multiple apps are needed to do different jobs like collecting leads or sending emails and texts at specific intervals. Our All-in-One digital solution lets you do all of that from our website digital platform. It can send emails, SMS messages, manage contacts, track open rates, and more, without switching between apps or computers.

When you have the Digiedg website business solution, you'll get everything you need in one place; without you worrying about compatibility issues across platforms.

Email Marketing

With our digital solution, you can easily create beautiful promotions using our custom templates. In addition, you will be able to segment clients based on their locations, interests, and more. Plus, we also help you automatically craft personalized emails that speak to your relationship with each client, instead of sending out generic email blasts.

SMS Marketing

With a 98% open rate, and an average time-to-read at a staggeringly low three minutes, SMS campaigns can be a driving force in any business' success. You will love how easy SMS marketing is. It will give you the power to open the door for everything from last-minute promotions to text blasts to fill canceled appointment slots and so much more.

Campaign-Level Management

Our pre-built marketing campaign templates will allow you to quickly create beautiful, mobile-friendly marketing campaigns that bring new focus to customer engagement. This is a great way to stay engaged with your clients and keeping them aware of any news about your services and upcoming promotions.

4. CRM Tool

Today, CRM softwar e is a vital component of any business that requires customer interaction. These tools can help businesses to easily manage their clients. They can track client information, create reports to organize data, improve future marketing campaigns, as well as connect billing and scheduling services to your client's profile so you can meet any individualized needs.

The problem with most CRM software is that it isn't integrated with all of the other apps as well as services that you use. This often requires that you painstakingly migrate data from one platform to the other -- losing you time, money, accuracy, as well as detail in your management of client relationships. With our All-in-One Digital Solution , everything from your marketing campaigns to scheduling to invoicing is all available for analysis at the client level via the CRM dashboard.

Let us help you effectively manage every client touch by storing and labeling your leads, contacts, as well as clients all in one centralized online portal. We'll give you a bird's-eye view of each client's history with your business. Through this portal, you and your team can manage workloads by assigning clients and appointments, as well as delegating incoming requests to staff members. All of whom have access to your CRM portal at any time, anywhere, from an easy-to-use mobile app.

5. Client Portal

Best of all, our digital solution was designed both for you and your clients. It comes with a robust client portal that gives them all the information they need about appointments, availability, and billing, as well as updating their profile and contact information. It's definitely a life saver in terms of keeping both you and your clients updated on all activities.

With a simple login, all the busy work that clients generate as they double-check appointment times and confirm that you got their payments becomes a thing of the past. Plus, our client portal also comes with a secure payment portal that accepts all major credit cards and PayPal, making it an easy way for customers to pay for your services, 365/24/7.

Conclusion

Now, you should have a better understanding of the 5 important features that you will need in your Website Business Solution. If you are tired of juggling multiple apps and suites, remembering multiple passwords, paying multiple vendors and having to learn and understand how all of the different software will work together, then we can help. Please contact us and we will streamline your digital solutions.

We know that running a business isn't just about having the right tools. It's also about their seamless integration into your workflows so that you can make the most of today's digital technology boom. At Digied g , we don't just build websites, we build Website Business Solutions . Let us build one for you!

3 'Follow Along With Me' Workout Videos to Start Off Your Personal Trainer YouTube Channel

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 12:44:53 GMT

Creating engaging videos for your audiences.

The purchase journey of a customer has shifted to digital platforms. Therefore, businesses should invest in platforms like YouTube channels, websites, or social media to keep up and track the consumer's journey. A personal trainer can use a YouTube channel to showcase expertise, offer tips, and give potential members a hint of what to expect from them. You can create easy 'follow along with me' workout videos that potential members can use to self-train at home.

The objective of 'follow along with me' workout videos is to create a following, an engaged audience, as well as a marketing channel. Below are a few video ideas to kick-start your YouTube channel.

1. Workout Exercises for Beginners

Many people envy their physically fit counterparts; however, they lack the inspiration to begin exercising. As a personal trainer, you'll need to create simple routines that gym enthusiasts can utilize to get started.

These simple videos will also serve as lead magnets to people who are scared of the fitness journey. The videos will spark a relationship with your subscribers or viewers who'll eventually subscribe to your gym membership.

Here are some workout exercises to incorporate:

Squats: Squats increase lower body strength as well as enhance the flexibility of hips. They involve a large chunk of muscle which results in high-calorie burning. Encourage your members to take three sets of twenty rounds each.
Push-Ups: Push-ups are simple exercises that result in massive changes because of the numerous muscles involved. The workout video should consist of 3 sets of 10 push-ups. While demonstrating the exercise, ensure the body core and neck are tight, and shoulders are pulled down and back.
Planks: Planks are practical exercises that target the entire body muscles, emphasizing abdominal muscles. It stabilizes the core without straining the back, which occurs with sit-ups. Demonstrate 2-3 sets with 30-second holds before resuming the workout.

2. Weight Loss Exercises

According to CDC , the prevalence of obese people in the US stood at 42% in 2018. The figure indicates a massive market of citizens who need weight management to become healthy as well as avoid risks associated with obesity.

Weight loss videos can help your gym to connect with the nutrition and lifestyle issues of society. You can also incorporate a call to action inviting members for a comprehensive weight loss program.

Some of the workout videos you can incorporate include:

Burpee: A burpee aims to strengthen your abdomen, hips, buttocks, chest, shoulders, as well as legs. The routine uses full body weight for resistance leading to better muscle strength and endurance. By conducting 20 burpees per minute, you can burn up to 250 calories— the calorie count increases with intensity.
Jumping Lunges: Athletes use jumping lunges to develop strong and lean legs. It can also help your weight loss journey by boosting your heart rate. Jumping lunges also strengthens the quads, hamstring, calves, as well as glutes.
Mountain Climbers: The mountain climber technique is a quick and easy way to burn calories. The posture and quick movements strengthen the upper body, buttocks, as well as hamstrings.

3. Workout Videos for Seniors

Medical experts recommend that senior citizens remain active to avoid health complications. It's essential to avoid heart conditions, arthritis and boost your immune levels. As a personal trainer, you'll benefit from a diverse membership — elderly members have a flexible schedule making them ideal candidates for off-peak hours.

Some of the videos you can create include:

Resistance band workouts
Bodyweight workouts like bird dog squats to a chair and side-lying circles
Chair yoga
Dumbbells

Try Our Digital Marketing Services

The YouTube platform is an ideal platform that personal trainers can use to create brand awareness. However, you need to incorporate SEO, email marketing, as well as social media management to succeed. Digiedg is here to guide you build your online profile. We have different and tailored solutions that'll give your business a competitive edge. Contact us today to learn more about how we can transform your business.

Home Improvement Businesses: 4 Tips to Get 5-Star Reviews

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:06:39 GMT

How you can get top reviews from your clients.

As the Information Technology world continues to grow, many consumers are first going online to research a company and their reviews before making purchasing decisions. More now than ever, consumers are making their buying transactions, based on trust, reputation, and authority. Therefore, business owners must find ways of protecting their reputation—which includes reviews. 5-star reviews on search engines and review sites such as Google Reviews, Yelp, and other third-party websites are the ultimate mark of approval from consumers. A home improvement business with a 5-star rating on Google Reviews and Yelp exhibits consumer confidence, social proof, as well as an indication of high-quality service.

On the other hand, a low rating is an indication of poor service which can push consumers away. So, how can a home improvement business acquire 5-star ratings? Let's explore.

Tips to Get Top Reviews for Your Home Improvement Business

1. List Your Home Improvement Business in Multiple Platforms

Positive online reviews are an alternative method to boost your reach and brand visibility . It's therefore essential to list your business on several but relevant sites to boost your ratings. Some of the available sites to do so include Google My Business, Amazon, Facebook, yellow pages, as well as Yelp.

While choosing the ideal site, it's essential to understand the demographics of the target market. According to Statista, 25% of Facebook users are aged between 25 and 34 years . Does your audience fall in the above age bracket? If yes, then Facebook is the perfect platform to list as well as seek reviews.

if you have a good understanding of your audience, it will create an objective basis to determine which site matches your customer base. In addition, listing home improvement business on these platforms makes your business accessible. This is crucial in obtaining multiple as well as honest reviews.

2. Encourage Customers to Rate and Review Your Business

Customers freely support brands by following them on social media and offering reviews. Therefore, home improvement business owners should not shy away from seeking that support from clients.

Here are ways you can use to obtain the reviews:

Hand Pick Potential Reviewers:

Some customers can naturally leave bad reviews that can hurt your business. It's therefore advisable to tilt the outcome to your favor. Select people who are likely to offer you great reviews. Approach your friends, family, business colleagues, as well as trusted customers for that favor. It's advisable to send them the link and an incentive to boost the chances of getting the review. We can help you get started on this with our Digital Reputation Management services.

Consult with Your Staff:

Allocate strategically placed staff like account managers or relationship officers to outreach to specific customers for the exercise. Account managers, for instance, have ongoing personal relationships with clients. Because of their close relationship with the clients, this presents an ideal opportunity to seek reviews.

Ask for Reviews After Surveys:

Businesses use surveys to get an understanding of the level of service as well as other issues affecting the business. Customers also respond well to surveys because of the impact they have on the potential of better customer services. You can take advantage of this opportunity, by asking your clients to complete a survey, from the last project that your performed for them. You can include a link to your reviews page at the end of a survey questionnaire. In addition, offering them a gift card or a discount on their next project will greatly improve the chances of them completing the survey.

3. Offer Excellent Customer Service

Customers offer 5-star reviews as an appreciation of receiving excellent customer service or quality services. Equally, the modern customer is always looking for outstanding customer service as a differentiator from the multiple service providers. If you deliver excellent customer service, this will help you to stand out from your competitors.

Customers also freely share negative experiences with brands on social media which can impact your star ratings. It's, therefore, crucial to prioritize customer needs through prompt communication, after-sale support, excellent e-commerce sites , as well as training your staff on customer service skills. In the event that you do receive a negative review, it is extremely important that you respond to that customer's reviews. How you handle a negative review is equally as important as receiving positive reviews.

After impressing clients with excellent customer service, you can tap on the positive experience to request 5-star reviews. You can do so by leaving a link to your Google by Business reviews page or Yelp review site.

4. Offer Incentives

Typically, customers don't respond a considerable high percentage of review requests. In today's world, it's always a question of ' What do I stand to gain?'

As such, you can eliminate low success rates, by offering special discounts, coupons, as well as freebies to compensate reviewers for their time. Your customers are more than likely to take the time to write you a review, if you offer them an incentive.

Let Us Improve Your Brand's Digital Reputation

5-star reviews can boost the reputation of a business which enhances brand authority as well as growth. It's therefore crucial for brands to offer excellent customer service, request online reviews from clients, as well as employ other methods to gain a 5-star rating.

Digiedg is here to help you obtain 5-star reviews for your home improvement business. We are digital marketing experts making us the ideal partner to boost your online reputation. Contact us today to sample our services.

5 Benefits of Using E-Commerce on Your Small Business Website

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:17:01 GMT

When should you consider E-Commerce for your small business?

If you're a small business owner, you probably know that your website is a powerful tool for growing your business. A well-designed, professional website is nice. However, if you haven't yet incorporated e-commerce, then your website is currently functioning more like a digital brochure. You may be missing out on a golden opportunity to generate revenue for your small business.

To E-Commerce or Not to E-Commerce?

Whether you're a dentist, personal trainer, accountant, executive coach, plumber, hair stylist or mechanic, you can take your business to the next level by using e-commerce on your small business website. Now you might be saying to yourself, "I only sell digital products." or "My service doesn't require shipping." So why would I need e-commerce? As an example, a Business Coach can charge for their time or services in advance of their appointment with the client or immediately afterwards. This ensures payment is made in a timely fashion and significantly improves cash flow.

E-Commerce stores aren't just for physical products that you ship to a customer's address. You can offer physical products, as well as digital products and professional services to your customers to purchase online.

Small businesses can see significant results when they start offering e-commerce on their websites. Here are just some of the benefits of incorporating it on your website:

1. Gain a new source of revenue.

One benefit of e-commerce is your opportunity to grow your small business through a new stream of revenue. If you're not currently selling your products or services online, e-commerce can help you gain new sources of revenue while reaching new clients. In fact, research has shown that consumers are more comfortable with making online purchases than they have been in past years. It is secure, fast and efficient.

2. Stay competitive in your market.

More and more business owners offer e-commerce on their websites. Clients and customers also expect to shop for products and services online. If your clients are looking for a convenient way to shop online, and you don't have e-commerce integrated into your website, then your customers might go elsewhere. By offering it, you're able to stay competitive in your market and supply what your customers have come to expect. Your customers are not only looking for a quality product/service, they are also interested in convenience. Don't risk losing a customer to a competitor because of lack of convenience.

3. Run your business easily and efficiently.

If you're new to e-commerce, you might be thinking that running an online store seems like a lot of extra work. You might be hesitant to sell your products and services online. Because you think that you're too busy to track and manage online purchases. The good news is that it can actually help you run your business more easily and efficiently. E-commerce platforms include automation and other integrations that help you maximize your time, making your business more profitable overall. Many businesses have realized the value of online sales and have assigned a dedicated person or team, to track and fulfill their online sales. They have reported that by doing so, they were able to free up resources who were manually taking orders inside their stores and now have created a process that allows them to easily scale their business as online sales increases.

4. Process online payments safely and securely.

If you're wondering about the safety and security of online payment processing , you can put your mind at ease. By following website security best practices and using a platform that encrypts customer credit card information, you can keep your payment processing safe and secure. Payment processing companies such as PayPal and Stripe have invested millions in ensuring that their systems are safe and secure. They also assign a dedicated team/department of security experts, whose primary responsibility is to ensure that their systems are protected against would be hackers.

5. Offer online payments for professional services.

If your small business provides professional services, then this is an excellent option for you. Business owners can establish online payments for services like coaching, consulting, personal training and fitness, event management, and other professional services . Not only will your customers be able to learn all about the great things you have to offer on your website, but they'll also be able to purchase these services online at their convenience. Using this for your professional services is a great way to have your website work for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Don't settle for a website that is a well-designed digital brochure. Let your website work for you by incorporating an e-commerce platform that allows you to take online payments for physical products, digital products, or professional services.

Digiedg can assist you with a functional website that integrates with our all-in-one digital business solutions , which include online payment processing. To learn more about how Digiedg can help you incorporate e-commerce on your small business website, contact us today.

Not Comfortable Going Back Into The Office? 5 Online Business Ideas You Can Try as an Alternative

Fri, 28 May 2021 19:24:58 GMT

Leverage your experience with virtual businesses.

The world is progressively tackling the pandemic through vaccination drives —they have made it possible for businesses to reopen safely. Consequently, many companies are recalling their staff back into the office. Even so, employees had adapted and become comfortable with the ' new normal ' of working from home. The new directive of being recalled back into the office will take away conveniences such as avoiding morning traffic, taking care of loved ones, and a better work-life balance. As an experienced white-collar worker, you can leverage your experience and knowledge to run your own virtual business. If you are not comfortable going back and working the traditional 9 to 5, here are a few online business ideas you can try.

5 Online Business Ideas You Can Try

1. Expert Consultant

Virtual/online expert consultant is a low-investment opportunity that you can try based on your professional qualifications and work experience. Over the years, you have done the necessary work where you are now considered the Subject Matter Expert (SME) . Perhaps it is now time to take advantage of your years of hard work and put it to use, on your own terms. If your work involved in-demand skills in areas such as Accounting, Bookkeeping, Human Resources, Recruiting, Diversity & Inclusion, Technology, Travel and Events Planning, Security, Digital Marketing, or Social Media Management , then you are in a perfect position to branch out as an Expert Consultant . If your are not prepared to dive in full time, perhaps you may want to develop this as your " Side Hustle " and see where it goes. Many successful entrepreneurs start off as Side Hustle and then later evolve their business into something more substantial.

What will you need? At a minimum, you'll need a responsive website, a reliable computer (PC or Mac), Internet access, web camera, audio as well as video recording tools. The ideal way to achieve success is through prior planning, designing, and research on your audience—this is the tricky part that requires considerable effort in putting the content together. Solid research along with prior planning will definitely increase your chance of success.

Expert Consultant is an excellent alternative to returning to the office because:

It helps generate passive income.
It fulfills the self-actualization need.
It's not straining because you rely on your knowledge and expertise.
It can be started as a part time Side Hustle.

2. Open a DropShipping Store

What is Dropshipping? Dropshipping is the process of buying products from producers and selling them — at a profit— to third parties using an online platform. A dropshipping operator doesn't require inventory but relies on the services of fulfillment centers.

The dropshipping model helps you skip multiple hurdles like local licensing, leasing fees, staffing, as well as operational costs. Nonetheless, the success of a drop-shipping store relies on your ability to fulfill orders on time, excellent customer service, and marketing.

Dropshipping is a great model because it eliminates inventory management, and you can also run it from anywhere.

3. Virtual Assistant/Administrator Support

Millions of small businesses can't afford to hire qualified administrative staff. There's, therefore, a considerable demand for administrative services to provide support such as scheduling and calendar management, client/customer outreach, editing and proofreading, internet research, graphics and presentation support, travel and events planning, etc. You can start an online virtual assistant agency that offers administrative support to fulfill this gap.

You can utilize marketing strategies like creating a website, marketing on social media, as well as seeking business from your friends and peers.

4. Technical Writer

There is an unlimited number of copywriters on the internet, but only a handful are technical writers . Website owners, engineering companies, and affiliate marketers constantly seek the services of technical writers to break down complex topics into digestible articles.

Some of the technical roles that match well with technical writing include data scientists, sales engineers, web developers, information technology managers, as well as software developers.

You can launch a technical writing career by enrolling in a short technical training course to gain relevant skills. Subsequently, market your skills in platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, Fiverr, Facebook, or by advertising your services through Google Ads.

5. Blogging

Blogging is a popular marketing tactic that offers plenty of benefits and avenues for you to express yourself. If you're a marketing executive, you can blog about marketing topics, methods of sales, and experiences in the field. If you are a sales executive, you can blog about cold calling, exceeding your quota and getting the order. If you are an IT executive, you can blog about strategies for cost reduction, capex versus opex and cybersecurity. Those are just a few examples.

Blog owners with big audiences can earn income from affiliate sales, adverts, and selling exclusive content. Your earning potentially can be in the several hundred thousand dollars range. Below are a few tips you can utilize to succeed in blogging:

Work on Your SEO : Ensure you update your site according to the latest Google algorithms. Google is constantly changing their algorithm. The frequent updates can complement the consistent work on valuable content, social sharing, and link building.

Keep Up with Trends : Success in blogging relies on a loyal audience— you'll therefore need constant research. Search for information in social media platforms, keyword tools, and search engines.

Let Us Help You Set Up a Virtual Business

It's going to be challenging to leave the comforts of working from home to resume the old patterns of working in the office. Nonetheless, you can chart a new path by taking the leap and starting an online business. If you're not comfortable going back into the office, and not ready to start a business full time, then starting a Side Hustle business may be the right solution.

That said, Digiedg is the ideal company with enough experience to provide you with an All-in-One Digital Business Solution . We specialize in web design, social media management, and email marketing. Contact us today and let us help you kickstart your online business.

Post-Pandemic Economy: Bolstering Your Business for the New Normal

Mon, 24 May 2021 17:21:03 GMT

How can your business adapt to the changes of a post-pandemic economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our way of living a great deal. For the past decades, no pandemic has altered how people interact with each other the way COVID-19 has. Changes in human behavior have become the norm. We have adjusted to things such as enforcement of social distancing, wearing face masks, and staying at home directives. These COVID-19 pandemic changes have significantly impacted how we conduct our social lives and our consumer behaviors. One of the biggest area in how we have changes is how we go about our businesses. Here, we will discuss some of the ways in which you can bolster your business for the post-pandemic economy or the " New Normal ".

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a string of issues that have affected businesses massively. Small business owners have been hugely affected in the industry and economic sector. In contrast, others have had to survive on government-based stimulus programs funding just to stay afloat.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effect has been adverse on small businesses. Studies show that between March and April 2020, close to 43% of small businesses surveyed on COVID-19 effects had either closed or were on the verge of closing . This survey shows a grave picture of the impact on businesses by COVID-19 given this was just when it began.

However, with the progress made on containing the pandemic, from introducing effective containment measures to introducing various effective vaccines, we are headed toward a post-pandemic economy.

The primary question for small business owners is: Has your business adapted to the 'new normal'? The ' new normal' is how businesses will thrive in a post-pandemic economy. Let us look into the strategies your small business can and should adapt as we head toward a post-pandemic economy.

Embracing the Digital Landscape

Some of the industries that have had to embrace the digital landscape to thrive during the pandemic era are restaurants . The lockdown measures and the stay-at-home policies have changed the norm on how consumer behavior has changed. Restaurants and the hospitality industry at large have had to adapt to the digital landscape. And as a restaurant owner, there are changes that you should adapt to ensure your business thrives in a post-pandemic economy, such as:

Mobile responsive website
Incorporation of your own online ordering platforms .
Delivery options to customers through the use of your own online ordering platform or mobile applications.
Advance ordering and Curbside pickups
Active engagement with your customers through regular promotions and online reviews .

Research shows that almost 306 million US citizens were affected by stay-at-home orders . In fact, 90 % of shoppers surveyed during the pandemic era shifted to online shopping businesses since last year, with the numbers still high this year according to research .

Adapting of New Business Models for Retail Business Owners

Retail business has suffered dramatically during the onset of the pandemic. The economic impact on small retail businesses has made the enterprises adopt new models, helping them to keep afloat despite the pandemic. Retailers have had to adapt business models that will ensure that they will be at par with the paradigm shift of consumer behavior.

Here are ways your retail business can remodel in a post-pandemic economy:

Build a cohesive end to end supply experience

The pandemic has made consumers shift their habit from regular shopping, to stockpiling. Even top-tier suppliers such as Amazon almost ran out of stock for some products at the height of the pandemic. To retain the customer base, synchronization of the supply chain is vital for every retail owner. As a retail owner, you should ensure that you incorporate online-based supply chain methods from e-commerce platforms. You should also consider the incorporation of Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store Strategies (BOPIS) .

Create retail stores that support the new lifestyle patterns

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the proactive adoption of new lifestyle habits. Such as effective hygiene practices like hand sanitizations, which consumers view as key when accessing a retail outlet. Issues such as social distancing and self-check-out facilities are also important to integrate into your retail business to accommodate consumer behavior.

Pay more attention to your Digital Reputation

Today, consumers are doing their research on your business before they decide to do business with you. Your Digital Reputation matters more today and will be extremely important in the post pandemic economy. If your business is not properly listed in all the online directories, then consumers may have a difficult time finding you. If your online reviews are below 4.0, then you may be losing business to your competition. Research has shown that consumers are making buying decisions based on your digital reputation , so it will be extremely important for you as a business owner to stay on top of your Digital Reputation .

Similar to retail, other brick and mortar businesses such as Automobile Service Centers, Doctor/Dental offices, Barbers/Hair Salons, Personal Trainers/Gyms, etc., should also consider making similar adjustments and focus on their Digital Reputation .

How Can Professional Services Business Thrive in a Post-Pandemic Economy?

Professional services may look as if they have been dormant since the onset of COVID-19. But on the contrary, they have come up with new ways to do business. From changing to a more digital landscape, here are tips on how your professional services firm can adapt to acquire a wider reach and thrive in a post-pandemic economy.

Embrace Employee Flexibility Work Practices for Your Employees

More people have been forced to work from home. This directive has been adapted well by most professional services businesses. Adopting this practice will ensure employees still work while prioritizing their health and also family relations.

Use of Digital Communication Tools

Professional services still need to meet clients during the pandemic. With the post-pandemic almost near, they will still offer services to their clients. Having digital communication tools such as online platforms and mobile technology-based platforms such as mobile applications will help you as a professional service business owner to maintain touch with your clients.

Embrace Online Events

Your home-based service or professional services business can gain a lot during this pandemic and also post-pandemic from hosting online events . Online events have made meetings possible without meeting in person. This has helped business continuity while observing the pandemic containment measures put in place.

Conclusion

As a small business owner, you may not be as cushioned as big firms and corporations from the pandemic. But the measures discussed above can help keep your business going during the pandemic and approach the new normal, post-pandemic period.

Start preparing for the post-pandemic economy today. If you need professional advice on how to prepare your business for the post-pandemic economy or the ' new normal ', feel free to contact us .

Top 4 Unique Businesses You Can Start During a Pandemic

Mon, 17 May 2021 19:11:55 GMT

Starting a business during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a massive blow to the global economy. Most companies opted to close down, file for insolvency, or lay off staff as a means for survival. As such, there are many people without a source of livelihood. Although it's a difficult period to keep your head up, staying positive is a huge step to recovery. That said, you can turn the situation around using several ideas for unique businesses that are not capital intensive or difficult to implement.

Let's explore a few ideas you can take into consideration.

4 Unique Businesses During the Pandemic

1. Freelance Writing

Online marketing is one of the top growing industries. As a professional, you can use your industry expertise or academic background to launch a career as a freelance writer. The services of a freelance writer are required by Fortune 500 companies, affiliate marketers, website owners , social media personalities, as well as small business owners and digital marketing agencies.

Starting a career as a freelance writer requires a home office, a computer, a stable internet connection, as well as minimal training. A college graduate or anyone with copywriting skills and the willingness to learn can join the industry.

Here are a few steps you can use to launch a freelance writing business .

Choose a field of specialization such as finance, fitness, food, technology, fashion, business, travel, or real-estate.
Create a blog and upload a few writing samples.
Set your starting rate.
Look for jobs on social media, job boards, or by pitching to clients directly.
Deliver quality work to gain referrals and reputation in the industry.
Embrace growth by building networks and gaining long-term clients.

2. Social Media Manager / Graphic Designer

Internet marketing and content creation have been on a trajectory mode in recent years. Quality images and graphics are some of the top features that make advertisements have lasting impressions.

That said, the work of a social media manager or graphic designer is hugely important in the current digital age. There is demand for designing posters, social media posts, website graphics, presentations, as well as business cards.

Surprisingly, you don't need a college degree or extensive academic effort to start this line of work. You can learn the skill through online courses and other resources like blogs or YouTube videos. It's also vital to be passionate, hardworking, as well as dedicated in this endeavor.

A point to note : You can conduct the business exclusively online, making it ideal for beginners.

3. Affiliate Marketing

The rapid development of information technology has created many opportunities in the line of internet marketing. Affiliate marketing is the art of promoting products and services online for a commission.

You'll require a digital asset like a blog or a social media page to launch an affiliate marketing business. Some of the popular affiliate marketing platforms include Rakuten, ClickBank, Amazon, Awin, or ShareASale . In line with the pandemic struggles, you only need a computer, internet connection, training, as well as dedication to start a blog or a social media page.

4. Business / Life Consultancy

You can monetize your skills and experience by offering expert advice to clients. Companies outsource experts through consultation instead of offering full-time jobs. As an expert, for example, in cybersecurity, technology, events/wedding planning, fitness/nutrition, diversity and inclusion, real estate, accounting/bookkeeping, government contracting, or sales/success coaching , you can consult on these fields at a fee.

Start the business by building a website and social media profile as a point of reference. Find clients through using social media posts, pitching to clients on email, and building your brand . Consequently, the consultation business will grow through quality work, referrals, as well as positive online reviews.

Let Us Help You Launch Your New Business Online

Starting these unique businesses is scary but a bold step to getting back on your feet. Even so, it's crucial to choose a less capital-intensive business like affiliate marketing or business success coach — or any form of online business.

To that end, this is the ideal time to start an online business in liaison with Digiedg . You can leverage our expertise in website building, local SEO, email marketing, as well as social media management to kickstart and grow your unique businesses online. Contact us today for more information.

Brand Visibility: 3 Ways Businesses Can Rank 1st on Search Results

Tue, 11 May 2021 18:39:51 GMT

How can your business rank 1st on search engines?

Better brand visibility and awareness are some of the main reasons entrepreneurs develop websites. Google and other search engines crawl and rank all the content on the internet to serve only the best to their users. Subsequently, Google rewards the best websites with superior rankings.

Recently, a client asked why her newly launched website (less than 30 days) was not showing up in Google's search result when she and her friends attempted to search for the company. I explained to her that a ppearing on the first page of search results is a combination of great content, website traffic, external links, website optimization, user experience, and other internal factors determined by search engines.

So, what actions can you take to increase your brand visibility and gain high rankings on search engines?

Let's explore.

Tips on Increasing Brand Visibility

1. Create Quality Content

Internet users explore the internet while trying to solve challenges. They also display rational behavior to their choices— which means they're likely to spend more time on websites that answer their questions comprehensively.

Google systems record high bounce rates or time spent by users on your site and subsequently rank or demote your position in search rankings. Here's how to improve the quality of your content:

Keyword Research : Keyword research is the process of finding out which keywords — a string of words — are popular among internet users. You can utilize the findings to create content that is relevant, popular, and comprehensive.

Know Your Audience : Every business has its ideal buyer persona— for instance, millennials, middle-aged women, CEOs, etc. Knowledge of your audience sets a foundation for creating great content.

Include Visuals : The human brain processes visuals better than written or spoken words. Ensure your content includes images, infographics, memes, videos, and screenshots to boost engagement, share-ability, and time spent on your site.

2. Link Building

Link building is the process that involves creating a reference to a website and other online resources like blogs. A website linked by another site receives an endorsement — equally, users navigate websites with sufficient internal links better.

Besides, links reinforce topics covered by a website page that improves its authority — Google rewards such sites with higher rankings. Here's how you can boost your link profile.

Internal Links : Ensure each page has sufficient links to other pages like product pages, relevant articles, or an onboarding form. The links increase interactions, user experience, and time users spend on a page.

Outbound Links : Include outbound links from authoritative and trustworthy sites to back claims — for example, data, facts, and relevant links.

3. Optimize Page Visuals For SEO

Internet users prefer content that is rich in visuals as opposed to blocks of text. Equally, Google has incorporated a search option for visuals. Internet users can therefore find your business using photos, videos, or infographics.

Here are a few ideas you can use:

Label your files using SEO(Search Engine Optimization) terms such as "Pool-cleaning-Ohio.''
Use optimized images alt-tags, for example, "Nike Women's Shoes'' instead of ladies shoes
Use compressed image sizes
Create a customized video thumbnail
Incorporate a video transcript

The above ideas along with SEO properties, will transform the user experience in your site, yielding to a higher ranking for your site.

How Long Does it Take to Rank 1st?

As a website owner, your objective is to get noticed quickly, gain traffic, and cash in from the investment you have made in your website. It can be very frustrating to build a website and not be able to validate visible results.

Factors like the age of the website, the amount of unique visitors to your website, keyword competition, or popularity of your brand will determine the speed at which it will rank on the first page.

In general terms, a new website in a competitive keyword can take 9-12 months to rank and 1-4 months in non-competitive keywords. On the other hand, a household brand can take less than a month to rank.

Are You Ready to Improve Your Ranking?

Websites benefit from increased traffic, a higher conversion rate, and better profitability. It is therefore crucial to position your website strategically to claim a share on the first pages of Google and improve your brand visibility.

With that said, it's prudent to work with website and SEO experts like Digiedg . We offer excellent services in technical SEO, local SEO, website design, and reputation management. Talk to us today to transform your rankings!

9 Essential Things to Consider Before Building a Great Website

Wed, 05 May 2021 15:49:31 GMT

Creating a great website for your business.

Creating a great website involves designing elements, a content management system, navigation, as well as a friendly user interface. As a business owner, it's tempting to delegate all the work and plans to a developer.

Even so, your contribution is equally valuable. You'll need to work with both a developer and designer while choosing colors, themes, as well as content aspects before the actual work begins.

Here is the prerequisite list you need to build a website.

1. Purpose or Role of Website

Every website serves a unique purpose to the value system of a business. A business must identify the gaps that the digital asset will fill. Is it for promoting products and services, e-commerce , or increasing brand awareness? You should have the idea and vision ready to set in motion its development.

2. Content

Websites are all about content. During the development stage, you'll need a few content pieces like a landing page, the about section, as well as a few blogs that will put it in motion. The developer also needs to know your content plans which will help select the ideal content management system.

3. Images

A website is a representation of your business. You'll therefore require visually appealing images of the company, covers, as well as photos of your products. Visually appealing photos capture the attention of visitors, who in turn spend more time and money on the site. You can involve a professional photographer to take high-quality images as well as a graphic designer to improve their impression and captions.

4. Branding Elements

A website is an opportunity to represent your business. Ensure to incorporate the brand colors, logos, as well as unique fonts in the planning stage. As such, it's crucial to submit the logo file in a format like an EPS file that a developer can easily edit. Alternatively, you can work with a developer to create a logo or color representing your business well.

5. Site Security

As technology continues to evolve, websites are faced with an existential threat from malware, hackers, dangerous apps, as well as viruses. It's critical to work with a developer to include protective mechanisms such as SSL certificates. These features will protect your site visitors as they conduct monetary transactions like e-commerce or subscriptions and secure your website.

6. Mobile Responsiveness

According to Statista, about 55% of internet users access the web using mobile devices. The percentage includes users who search and buy products as well as services using smartphones. It's therefore essential to have a website and content that is mobile-friendly and responsive.

7. Social Media Sharing

A considerable percentage of business is conducted and sourced on social media platforms. A website that doesn't have social media integration misses out on the potential of the platforms. You should ensure your site has sharing buttons for platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, as well as LinkedIn.

8. Compatibility with Multiple Browsers

As information technology evolves, there are multiple browsers preferred by varying users. As a website owner, you should endeavor to create a site that is compatible with various browsers such as Opera Mini, Safari, Chrome, as well as Edge.

A point to note: Each type of browser has a loyal following of internet users translating to lost revenue when not taken into consideration.

9. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Qualities

The ultimate vision of a website owner is to rank on the first pages of search engine results. The superior ranking is a result of deliberate SEO efforts as well as strategy. A developer should include technical aspects such as CMS, SEO plugins, as well as themes that boost SEO qualities. Alternatively, website owners can use Digiedg's CMS, which requires minimal coding but delivers quality SEO results.

Let Us Help You Develop a Great Website

Developing well-planned websites results in more visitors, leads, positive reviews, as well as sales. It's critical to include the above prerequisites for a quality, user-friendly, and value-packed website.

On that note, Digiedg is the perfect digital agency to walk with you on that journey. We offer website design and hosting, SEO services, social media management, and others. Call us today for more information on our services.

Website vs. Social Media Page: Which is Better for Your Business?

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 16:08:11 GMT

Which one should you choose for your business?

In the digital era we live in today, there is no doubt that your business needs to have an online presence. Social media has become one of the main platforms where brands communicate with their audience, and you might wonder whether websites are still relevant. In fact, Facebook and Instagram have gone further to offer catalogs of your products where your clients can buy.

One convenient feature of social media is that you can quickly set up a profile or a page. Within no time, you can begin to guide customers on how they can reach you. Besides, social media platforms have huge followings; thus, you can capitalize on the popularity. For example, as of January 2021, Facebook had over two billion users while Instagram had over one billion users.

Business websites also have their advantages. For instance, since you own the site, it is possible to customize it to your preference and decide what you want to put on it.

This presents a conundrum to many business owners who want to have 100% control over their brand. Is a website better than a social media page for your business? Should you choose one over the other, or should you have both a website and a social media page?

Read on to learn more as we answer these questions and double down on the pros and cons of each.

Website

Pros

1. Better Online Visibility

Since almost 90% of people search for local businesses using the internet, a website can help increase your brand's visibility by utilizing search engine optimization. Additionally, an organic search leads to 53.3% of website traffic, meaning a business that utilizes an organic search strategy and SEO can see tremendous growth in its lead generation efforts.

2. Establish Credibility

Credibility means a lot with the huge number of consumers present in the digital space. In fact, a report reveals that more than 80% of consumers can only purchase from a brand when they trust it. Having a website is one great way of establishing credibility.

3. Provides Critical Data

For your brand to succeed in the current hyper-competitive economy, data-driven marketing is essential . A website gives you critical data that helps you establish what’s working for your online presence. Besides, it allows you to use Google Analytics tools to monitor user behavior on your site.

Cons

1. Maintenance

Websites require maintenance, and you have to regularly update the content, which needs some effort and resources depending on its size.

2. More Complex

If the website you wish to have has a more complicated design and functionality, it will consume more money and time to create and launch.

3. Increased Marketing Effort

A website requires that you develop and deploy a marketing strategy for it to get traffic.

Social Media Page

Pros

1. Connecting with Your Audience

Social media is crucial for your business since it facilitates personalized connections with your website. Internet users spend an average of 142 minutes a day on social media platforms. Therefore, your business has a great opportunity to increase its visibility among individual users and connect with them.

2. Sharing of Content

Although you can post valuable information on your website and reach your audience, social media platform are a better option for sharing the content. You can quickly share information with the masses, which propels your brand to become an industry leader.

3. Quick and Free Set-Up

If you wish to set up a Facebook or an Instagram profile for your business, it will take you a very short time. The platform has already developed background software for you. Besides, you won't pay for the set-up.

Cons

1. Limited Design

While you can customize the picture and header in your social media page or profile, you can't change the basic layout. You have to stick to the pre-automated design.

2. Open Forum

Social media pages allow consumers to leave comments on your business profile or page. Therefore, any negative comment is visible to the public.

3. Limited Reporting Tools

The level of reporting on social media pages is less unlike on websites. You can only access the information the social platform chooses to give you.

4. Limited Audience

Only a limited audience can view social media pages. That is only a Friend and Friend of Friends can view your business page. Meaning, your audience will depend on the number of friends that you have.

Which is Better?

Although both websites and social media platforms aim to get your business out to the world and convert leads to clients, you realize that none can replace the other. Regardless of your industry, from a restaurant, hair salon, accounting firm, law practice, dentistry, small auto dealership, personal training to home improvement services provision, the two have unique features and functionalities which together benefit your brand.

Therefore, you should consider your social media channels and website as complementary parts of one smooth-running machine. A good website and social media strategy are fundamental pillars in generating leads and increasing sales for your business.

However, depending on your business, one might be more appropriate than the other. But more than likely, you may need a combination of all platforms. Either way, Digiedg has you covered. We will help you get your business the digital edge it needs and in front of the right audience for your business type.

We Can Help

At Digital Edge Marketing Agency , we commit to assisting your business in meeting its digital marketing needs. Contact us today and grow your brand to the next level. Digiedg will help you to get there.

Save More for Your Restaurant with Online Ordering Platforms

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 22:39:11 GMT

Save More for Your Restaurant with Online Ordering Platforms

The current pandemic has affected small restaurant businesses in a big way. Many were brought to their knees. While others had to shuffle and add creativity as well as innovation to remain in business. Whereas the pandemic was anticipated, the worldwide state of emergency forced many people to stay indoors. Making it impossible for many small restaurant businesses to reach their customers. Here, we will take a closer look at online ordering platforms.

Many businesses suffer a pretty big blow now that they did not even have a website. And if it existed, the website could not reach the customers as well as transact online. This challenge caused enormous desperation among many small and medium restaurant businesses. Which led to third-party providers' engagement on an online presence such as Uber Eats, GrubHub, DoorDash, etc., to ensure that the business stayed open. Unfortunately, this move had to attract up to 30% of their sales as the commission to the third-party providers.

Why 3rd Parties are Exploiting

The pandemic provided an opportunity to ensure that they take advantage of the small restaurant businesses so that every sale was a plus to them. It was facilitated more because many of these businesses did not know that they could have their own online ordering platforms. Where they could only be paying a monthly subscription that is not dependent on the sales made.

When third parties provide these services, they are sure that the restaurants' sales will improve. And your business can reach every customer as well as deliver according to the orders at a fee of 30% as commission. This is exploitative as every sale contributes to the amount of money paid to the third party.

Why Own Online Ordering Platforms

For full ownership as well as management of your restaurant business sales, this is the best move that every business should make. Following are the main reason why you should have your e-commerce platform:

Cost

One of the main factors that should encourage small restaurants to have their online ordering platforms is the third parties' cost. Which charges 30% of your sales as commission. To address this draining situation for businesses, EZ Food Orders company has come up with an innovative online platform that suits every business according to its operations and mainly sales.

Customer Data

In the current world, customer information is very important. Especially when doing an analysis of your business. When a third party gives a platform to your customers, it means that they own the information which is limited to your restaurant for analysis. The information is very important as it assists in marketing and promotions. Additionally, promotion of services such as daily promotion, happy hour, and more.

Why Choose EZ Food Orders

As discussed above, the main challenge with the third parties is continuous exploitation. Which is based on the total sales that the business makes every month. With EZ Orders online platforms, you do not need to worry about the number of sales that will be used to pay for the services. The plans are monthly flat rate fees which are flexible for every business as shown below.

Standard Plan

The plan charges a $149.99 flat-rate fee monthly and comes with the following features:

Online Ordering Platform
Unlimited Orders
Commission Free
Menu Setup Available
Online Payments
Monday to Friday email support

The Plus Plan

The plan charges a $249.99 monthly flat rate. And comes with everything in the standard plan in addition to the following:

Online Ordering Platform + Restaurant Website
Basic Website and Full Maintenance
Email Support 7 days a week

The Premium Plan

The plan charges a $449.99 monthly flat rate. And comes with everything in the plus option in addition to the following:

Online Ordering Platform + Restaurant Website
Reputation Management
Listing Management
Reviews Management
Google My Business Account Management
Phone Support 7 days a week

Comparison Between Third Parties and EZ Food Orders Online Platform Plans

EZ Food's online ordering platforms are more cost-saving compared to third parties.

The more revenue your restaurant generates, the more of your sales you are giving away to the 3rd party providers. Please see the table at the end of this article to get a better understanding of how much of your hard earned dollars you are giving away.

From the table below, it is clear that your restaurant can save thousands of sales as you increase customer satisfaction in your business. Stop paying 30% of your sales by engaging and EZ Food Orders online that will always ensure that your business runs depending on your plan's choice.

Increasing Your Business Website's Visibility Through Website SEO

Nick@affinityns.com (Nick Brown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:12:15 GMT

Increasing Website Visibility using SEO

Website SEO (search engine optimization) has become one of the most fundamental aspects of a business. Thanks to the proliferation of technology and the internet. In the current marketing world, a business that does not focus and leverage SEO will have difficulty accessing customers. Which will ultimately lead to its collapse. So, what is website SEO and what role does it play for your small business?

In the simplest terms, website SEO is the practice of increasing traffic to your website through organic search. This is to help it rank at the top of the search engine results page (SERPS). In addition to improving the quality of traffic, SEO plays a central role in increasing brand visibility and revenue.

Furthermore, to guarantee the success of your small business SEO, there are key components you need to remember.

Keyword search - It helps in learning the terms and phrases customers are actively searching for in relation to your business. You can therefore use this information to create content that is suited for them. Be sure to update your keyword as trends and customer needs (which affect keyword search) are always in flux.

Copywriting – Create content that engages the reader so that they can spend more time on your website. Keep in mind the average time an individual spends on the top ten Google results is 3 minutes and ten seconds. As such, failing to write compelling content will push customers to competitor sites.

Content marketing – This entails writing content that provides helpful information to readers. It should relate to your business and should be centered on a keyword with a high search volume.

Usability and user experience (UX) – If your website is difficult to navigate or is slow to load, it will not make it to the top ten pages. Accordingly, customers will seek other sites that are easy to access. Make sure to make your website user-friendly for high traffic.

Link building – Having internal and external links on your content is proof that you provide valuable information to your readers. SERPS uses this criterion to rank your website, so be sure to integrate links from authoritative websites.

How to Increase Visibility Through Website SEO

As mentioned, website SEO is indispensable in marketing and, more so, in increasing business visibility. Here is what you need to do to ensure your website is a success:

Focus on Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the process of optimizing a website to help it rank high in SERPS. It goes beyond writing great content and requires you to ensure that there are no errors in links and loading speeds, as well as ensuring all security issues are addressed. To optimize technical SEO, prune old pages that don't work, fix broken links, optimize images, and finally, create a site map.

It is recommendable to seek help from professionals to help with security and encryption protocols, data structure, speed optimization, and other issues that involve a level of technicality.

Pay Attention to Local SEO

Your small business is more accessible to people in the surrounding areas, so you need to leverage local SEO to boost visibility. Google algorithm prioritizes local searches such as 'coffee shops near me,' and this helps to give local businesses an advantage. A critical part of local SEO is setting up a Google My Business profile , where you fill out important information about your business, including phone numbers and addresses. Also, make use of local directories such as Yelp , Yellow Pages , and Trip Advisor to make it easy for customers to find you.

Find Keywords Customers are Looking for

Knowing the words that users are searching for is a requisite for creating content that relates to them. You can gauge the most searched keywords through Google's autocomplete feature. Alternatively, there are tools that can help you find the most-searched-for phrases. You can use these suggestions to understand the keywords you will use for your website content.

Optimize On-Page SEO

On-page SEO regards how you structure your content, how engaging it is, and how you incorporate keywords in the content. A few things you need to take into consideration here are; make sure to optimize page titles and headlines, clean up your meta tags, and use proper head tags. This will not only help you rank high on search engines but will also boost your small business visibility, in turn, attracting more customers.

Summary

As a small business owner, you stand to gain tremendously by learning how to leverage website SEO. In addition, increasing business visibility can go a long way in ensuring potential customers can access you, which translates to organic traffic and high revenue.

Finally, if you need help with website SEO and related digital marketing issues, Digital Edge Marketing Agency is the way to go. Contact us to witness the growth of your business in real-time.

SEO - The Small Business Owner's Guide to Search Engine Optimization

Nick@affinityns.com (Nick Brown) — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 16:10:24 GMT

Small Business Owner's Guide to Website SEO

SEO - The Small Business Owner's Guide to Website Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art and science of adjusting a website to meet search engine criteria. This article for small business owners with little knowledge of optimization techniques. Advanced digital marketers and SEO professionals might find this article rudimentary. Then again, maybe you'll find some valuable SEO reminders within! So enjoy this piece and contact us with any questions.

SEO Basics: What are Meta Tags?

Meta tags are small portions of text and code that help search engines understand the web page's content.

● Currently, the most important meta tags are the title tag and the description tag .

● That can change though, SEO is an ever-evolving landscape.

● There is also a keyword tag. It's less critical than it once was for marketing on Google.

● But you never know when a search engine will change up its criteria.

● Keyword tags should never be left empty.

Pro Tip: Many small business owners discover it's easier to fill in the meta tags once the website is mostly built and staged on a server. Put another way, your meta tags need to describe the content on a page accurately, so sometimes it's best to start the content first. (We'll take a closer look at content for SEO in a moment.)

The most common mistake we see by amateur website designers is to leave title tags vague. Your prospective customers aren't searching for a "home page." Yet so many pages are titled "home." See what we mean? Use an accurate title tag and description tag on every page. Now, on to content.

Create Content That's Search-Engine-Friendly

To sort web pages, search engines scan the content and match it with meta tags. You no longer need to "stuff keywords" into a page. Google considers that a form of SPAM (unwanted information). Instead, your text should read naturally.

Headings are helpful too - both to your human readers and search engines. They help your users find the information they need quickly, and they allow SEOs to categorize your content.

What are Google Snippets?

You may have noticed that Google search results are evolving to highlight answers to queries with snippets of information. Therefore, great content should pose and answer questions. (Like we just did with this example.)

A Quick Introduction to Search Engines

It's no secret that Google dominates the world of search. But there are other search engines worth remembering: Microsoft's Bing , Yahoo! and AOL search still respond to millions of queries every day. And there are hundreds more SEs to consider. Again, Google is the gorilla in the market, but millions of queries aren't to be ignored. And that means Google Optimization Scores might not be as influential as you think.

What are Google Optimization Scores? Do I Need to Score 100 to Rank Well on Google?

Google provides a scoring system aimed at helping advertisers rank well in Google searches. You DO NOT NEED a score of 100 to rank well! Most small businesses who use a website to describe their services will struggle to achieve a score of 100. They're more valuable for major eCommerce websites like Amazon, Chewy.com, and eBay.

For instance, to earn a score of 100 with Google's optimization scoring, a website must offer a price extension: a graph that explores your price versus your competitors, or this product versus other brands. This helps shoppers at a site like Chewy.com, who can compare dog food ingredients and prices.

But for a service-based website — dentists, contractors, personal trainers, attorneys, and so on — it doesn't make sense. One cannot always put a price on a service without a thoughtful conversation with the customer!

Ultimately, great SEO is all about helping your customer find the answers they need. And that's where the team at Digiedg excels! If you're a small business owner looking for more targeted website traffic and better rankings in search engines via SEO — let's talk .