Your website should be your central point of all marketing efforts.
It’s so easy today to get caught up in creating different types of content for different platforms and then leave your website to collect cobwebs and not be up to date.
It’s really easy to let your website collect dust.
- It can be complex to update
- You don’t know how to code or you don’t have access to a content management system
- Your marketing team doesn’t hold access to your site (maybe IT does or an outside web developer)
- You don’t know what is working and what isn’t on your site, and/or its’ easier to see that data on other platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.
So, why should you STILL be focusing on your website in 2023?
We think of a website as a central hub — a nucleus — of all marketing initiatives.
In fact, we call it the hub-and-spoke model.
If digital marketing and it’s related channels are spokes on a wheel, then the hub is your website.
Why? Without something to hold them together, things fall apart
We like to use the website as the hub because it’s a piece of owned marketing property where things like social media are rented marketing property.
You can use your website to direct people to other marketing channels — get them to sign up for your email list, register for events or promote events you’ll be attending using a calendar, showcase your social channels, get them to subscribe to your podcasts, etc.
On the flip side, use your other marketing channels to drive people to your website so it can act as the salesperson or the place to convert visitors into customers/prospects.
When you do this strategy, you’re playing to the advantages of each and every platform. Social media is awesome for one to one engagement with an audience and showing a bit more of a personal side. Your website is a fantastic place to house important information, convert passive readers into actively engaged prospects, and convert viewers into customers (if you sell online) or leads (if you collect inquiries online).
Why does this matter?
Social media, as important as it is, is very nuanced and finicky. One algorithm change and your reach can be throttled. Or worse yet, one terms violation and you can be gone. We’ve seen creators with huge audiences vanish overnight.
What can and should you do in 2023?
- Make sure your website is up to date with proper messaging and calls to action
- Ensure it is USABLE! It needs to be fast, mobile friendly, and give visitors something to do
- If you are active on social media channels, you need to link to them at the very least, and link to the site from your social media channels.
- If you are active with newsletters/email marketing, you need to have archives on your site as well as a sign up.
- Your blog/content marketing posts should be relevant to your audience, of course, but also should have related messaging to what you and your team are putting out there on social.
- If you’re doing in person marketing like trade shows or events, etc, post that information on your calendar!
- Ensure you have the right content online
- Do keyword and competitor research to understand how people can find your site and be introduced to your brand
Your Takeaways
- Your website is an asset that you own, social media is something you borrow
- Like investing, you should diversify your portfolio with marketing
- Keep your website and your other marketing platforms connected, when and where applicable.
- Your messaging needs to be tight on all marketing channels
And as always, if you’re experiencing any confusion or issues related to your marketing plan for this year, send us a message. We can help.