When you hear the word ‘cleaning’, how do you react?
Do you groan and shudder at the thought, or does your heart race with excited anticipation? No matter how you feel, cleaning—whether it’s your home or your marketing—is an essential task that pays off.
With the start of a new year, now is the perfect time to refresh your company’s marketing efforts. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you tidy up and start the year strong.
Polish Your Social Media Presence
Is your company’s social media presence up-to-date and fully optimized? Start by checking the essentials:
- Update Visuals: Make sure your cover images and logos are current, clear, and high-quality. Say goodbye to blurry or outdated visuals.
- Revise Descriptions: Review your company bio on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other platforms. Is it consistent with your website and recent press releases? A fresh, aligned message reinforces your brand.
- Explore New Features: Platforms like LinkedIn frequently introduce updates, such as call-to-action buttons and taglines for business pages. These tools can enhance engagement—make sure you’re taking full advantage.
Your social media channels are often the first impression of your company. A little attention can go a long way!
Eliminate 404 Errors on Your Website
No one likes clicking a link only to see “404 Not Found.” These errors not only frustrate visitors but can also hurt your credibility.
- Test Links: Dedicate time to clicking through your website, especially older pages, to ensure all links work as intended.
- Update Events and Dates: If your site features events, make sure outdated ones are archived and upcoming ones are highlighted. Don’t forget to update your copyright year at the bottom of the page—it’s a small detail that signals freshness.
- Optimize Navigation: Help your visitors find the information they need easily. A streamlined, error-free website keeps prospects engaged.
Revitalize your mailing list
A strong email list is a cornerstone of effective marketing, but it needs regular maintenance to stay valuable.
- Remove Inactive Subscribers: Most email marketing platforms provide data on non-engaged users. Deleting these addresses can reduce costs and improve campaign performance.
- Include Internal Stakeholders: Make sure employees and agents are on the list—they’ll appreciate hearing about company news.
- Expand Your Reach: Use every opportunity to grow your list. Add sign-up links to your website, social media posts, and email signatures.
Out with the old, in with the new
As part of your marketing cleanup, assess whether your current tools and strategies are effectively serving your business. If not, it may be time for a fresh approach:
- Reevaluate Social Media Channels: Review the performance of your platforms. If certain channels aren’t yielding results, consider reallocating resources or exploring new ones that better align with your audience.
- Start a Blog: Blogging boosts SEO, drives website traffic, and positions your company as a thought leader in your industry. If it’s not part of your current strategy, now’s a great time to begin.
- Expand Your Video Content: Videos are invaluable for marketing. They boost social media engagement, improve search rankings, and grow your YouTube subscriber base. Adding more video content can amplify your brand’s reach and visibility.
Cleaning is rewarding
Remember how cleaning your childhood room sometimes led to rediscovering a forgotten toy? Marketing cleanup can have the same effect—uncovering opportunities to elevate your brand.
So roll up your sleeves and get started. Whether it’s refreshing your social media, fixing website links, or revamping your mailing list, every effort contributes to a more polished and effective marketing strategy.
Let the new year be your clean slate!
Heather Roth Communications 