Marketing 101.4 - Domain Names, Responsive Web Design, and Smart Marketing for Small Business Owners
Unfamiliar Yet Crucial Marketing Know-How
Forming a legit business is a rather complicated and time-consuming feat. Even if you graduated top of your class in business school, entrepreneurship still has its trials and tribulations that will likely test your patience and your sanity. The tasks and responsibilities never end either. Once your business is off the ground logistically, marketing then becomes the next giant chore to tackle – if, of course, you’ve made the common mistake of not properly marketing your new company before take off.
If you’ve been following along with our exclusive client education series then you’ve already digested a wealth of knowledge on social media best practices, content marketing, and SEO. In this article, we’re going to discuss some final essential info that you’ll want to fully grasp in order to prevent mistakes and heartaches in the future. As a business owner, these responsibilities will always fall back on your lap so we can’t stress enough the importance of each piece.
Domain Names – Way More than Branding
Managing a company also means managing a website. Whether you have an online store or not, the functionality of your website is central to your name. So what does this mean exactly? Well, for starters, it doesn’t mean that your URL needs to be award-winning in the creativity department. What it does mean is that you need to be 100% in the know of where your website is registered, who is hosting your DNS, your private registration payment status, your domain name expiration date, your defense/competitive domains (this is a must), and the method of payment on your various domain hosting and registry accounts.
In the article linked below, MojoMediaPros CEO, Steve Lomas explains that more times than not, business owners will not know the answers to the above questions and it’s usually due to the domain name being managed by an outsourced web developer, IT consultant, or tech-savvy employee. Another reason for the common ignorance is that it was simply handled years ago with a 10-20 year renewal period.
As stressed in the linked article with three horror story case studies, ignorance is not bliss when it comes to your domain name. The unknown can cost you a lot of time and money – for many different reasons. So as a business owner, it’s in your best interest to stay closely involved when it comes to your domain name. You should also slow down and read the fine print, ask questions and seek counsel if you’re ever unsure of anything, document logins, contact information, payment methods, and renewal dates, and finally, be sure this info is saved securely and accessible to responsible team members who can lend a hand when needed.
The High Cost of Failing to Protect the Crown Jewels
How to Ensure Your Website is Responsive
Way back when websites were designed strictly for desktops and were completely inflexible in terms of pixel-width ratio. So when smartphones were first released and responsive websites had yet to be developed, viewing photos and reading text on a website from a phone was quite challenging and annoying. Responsive websites are now commonplace. In fact, no digital agency would even consider building an unresponsive website for even the smallest of clients.
As explained in the article below, a responsive website means 3-4 versions that adjust content to fit seamlessly on your small laptop, smartphone, or tablet. Not only is responsive web design pretty much a requisite for Google, but it’s also a requisite for your current and potential clients as user experience (UX) is mandatory in today’s world.
So how do you check the responsiveness of your site? It’s quite simple. If you’re on a desktop as you read this, just go to your site and incrementally change the size of your browser window. However, for a much more accurate test, use Google Chrome’s Device toolbar. Enable your developer tools and go to the devices icon, which will then open your toolbar where you can select various smartphone models and tablets to get the most accurate views of your site. If your site is not responsive, there is a simple fix within the CSS that can be easily handled by any website developer.
No Marketing is Better than Bad Marketing
Your reputation is everything and your first impression is everlasting. We would urge you, no matter what your budget, to never humor amateur marketing. Please consider that marketing in 2021 is so much different and more complex than the marketing of the 90s and early 2000s. It requires a level of mastery that is only obtained through years of practice. Add to that, today’s savvy consumers know good marketing from the bad and will unconsciously give you 10 seconds before they decide to click through to your site or navigate elsewhere.
In the article linked below, Steve Lomas states, “Making snap judgments is a key part of the filtering process that allows us to completely ignore 95% of the ninety-kazillion marketing messages we’re bombarded with each day.”
Simply put, your branding/messaging needs to be spot on and aligned with the talents, accolades, and expertise of your business. Your digital presence should be elevated and portray your brand in such a light. This is no easy task, even for the most clever of business owners. The good news is there are tons of resources out there that business owners can lean on for seasoned support. Furthermore, in the wise words of Lomas, “So, what is a startup or cash-strapped business to do? Throw in the towel and go home? No. Instead, I suggest you let this notion guide you: ‘If you can’t do everything well, do less, better.’”
Budget-Friendly Comprehensive Digital Marketing
We are excited to announce the launch of Mojo SmartStart, an affordable, comprehensive digital marketing platform that was created for startups, nonprofits, and other evolving businesses in need of a marketing “starter pack,” if you will. Built by the most experienced marketers and developers, this platform is easily scalable as your company grows, making it a no-brainer for any brand trying to get its name out there. The feedback has been amazing so far and we’re constantly making adjustments to the platform as needed.
If you’re curious, you can read more about it here.
Modern marketing is ever-changing and with it comes a new set of rules and trends. It’s completely reasonable that most business owners would feel overwhelmed and resistant to change. While these marketing responsibilities are all important and require involvement from the business owner, they are also all very achievable with sound logic, attention to detail, and willingness to rely on expert assistance as needed.
