It’s more important than ever before to make sure your online presence is on point.
With shopping habits rapidly shifting to virtual marketplaces, some experts think this trend will continue well beyond the pandemic. That means there’s no time like the present to give your online presence a little boost! We’ve compiled some simple things you can do to help you keep up with the times.
1. Update your imagery
When was the last time you took a critical look at the photos on your website? If it’s been longer than a year, it’s time for a change. We know you paid a pretty penny for that professional photoshoot in 2010, but marketing photos aren’t made to last decades – in fact, we recommend giving your fav photographer a call at least every other year. That doesn’t mean you can’t revive an older photo from the archives every once in a while, but adding fresh photos to your repertoire shows your customers that you’re actively investing in your image.
Not up for hiring someone? Thankfully nowadays our smart phones have cameras that are more than capable of taking web-friendly photographs. Just make sure it’s set to a high resolution, that your lighting is natural and fresh, and you take some time to capture an interesting composition. Browse Pinterest or your favorite stock photography website for inspiration.
2. Optimize for mobile
If you don’t look as great on a phone as you do on a desktop, you’re missing out on impressing over half of the eyeballs that come across your content. That means making sure your website is responsive, your Facebook cover is optimized for mobile viewing and your e-newsletters are formatted for single-column scrolling. Most people are in a hurry to find information, and if they can’t get what they need from your content in just a few seconds, they’re on to the next guy and you’re left in the dust.
3. Update Profile Graphics
One of the first things we do for new Design on Retainer clients is get them set up with new graphics for their social media profiles. We make sure your logo shines bright whether it’s in a square, a circle, on an iPhone 4 screen (you know who you are) or a 30” monitor. Ain’t nobody got time for pixelated photos or a Facebook cover that cuts everyone’s heads off on mobile.
4. Spellcheck
Sometimes we give Olivia a hard time for her dedication to catching typos, but the reality is that it’s one of the most important -- and easiest -- ways to make sure you sound like you know what you’re doing. No one notices when something is spelled correctly, but BOY do they notice when it’s not. With tools like Grammarly and good old-fashioned spellcheck built into Facebook, your phone, Google search, etc…there’s really no reason to send something out with spelling mistakes.
Take some time to go through your website with a fine-toothed comb. If you’ve never done this before, we’re willing to bet you’ll be slightly horrified by what you find. If proofreading isn’t your thing or you have zero time to even check, give us a call and we’ll be happy to assist!
5. Integrate
So you have an Instagram, a Facebook, an e-commerce website, a MailChimp account AND a thriving Pinterest following – go, you! But do all of those things talk to each other? Do your consumers have the ability to purchase items they see on Instagram, or a way to sign up for your e-newsletter on your website? If not, it’s time to put your integration pants on and get to work.
We’re all about streamlining here at LCCM, and making sure all of your online ventures are as integrated as possible is a great way to make your job easier and your consumer’s experience better. We know this can be an intimidating venture, and we’re prepared to help you get all of your gadgets connected in no time!
If you’re nodding your head while reading this but don’t have the time to execute, give us a call!