Web Strategy Plus

We’re sure you’ve heard about NFTs by now, but you might be wondering how they could benefit you, your independent business, or what the heck they even are! 

What Exactly Is An NFT? 

NFT stands for non-fungible token, meaning it’s unique and irreplaceable. For example, say you have a one-of-a-kind trading card with a misprint and a Barry Bonds card that was printed millions of times. 

That misprint card would be non-fungible because it can’t be replaced and is unique, whereas the Bonds’ card is fungible because the market is saturated with them and it can be replaced. 

So what could that mean for you? You could create your own unique NFT and sell it for a pretty penny. Don’t believe us? Take a look at this list of the 10 most expensive NFTs sold.

But how do you get your name out there so you can bump someone off that list? Here’s how you can promote and market your NFTs.

Social Media Marketing For NFTs

It’s 2022 so if you want to market anything, you’ll need to have social media channels. Social media lets you promote your NFTs to a wide and varied audience, helping you get your name on the scene.

The first step is to create well-branded and optimized Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts to get started on growing your audience and connecting with the community.

Connect With Promoters Or Influencers

Influencers and professional promoters can help you get your name and NFTs out on the market. Crypto influencers already have an audience and have gained the trust of their community, making them a reliable resource. It does take experience working with influencers to make sure you’re connecting with the right influencers, following up with contracts and posts, and to keep their rates in check.

Get Involved With The Community

Don’t solely rely on traditional social media channels as a way to get your name out there. Consider platforms like Reddit and Discord to find your audience and other NFT creators and collectors. This will also help you establish credibility and trust.

Collaborate With Other Artists

Consider collaborating with other artists, musicians, brands or creators to create an NFT Collection. Collaborations not only give you a broader sense of community with other like-minded individuals, but you can also exchange and share audiences, giving you access to their fans and vice versa.

Partner With An NFT Experienced Marketing Agency

You might be reading all of that and thinking, “when do I have the time?” That’s where a professional marketing agency can help!

Selling NFTs can be a great way to earn extra money (and join a thriving community), but having a strong NFT marketing strategy and the time to really get your name out can be overwhelming and challenging.

Web Strategy Plus offers a variety of NFT marketing programs to fit your unique needs. Whether you’re looking for NFT training to get your feet wet, or need help designing your collection, our qualified team has your back.

Contact us today to learn more about our NFT program or our other services, including social media management and web development. Schedule your free consultation today! For more tips to grow your business, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Whether you’re in the planning stages or have already established your business, attracting customers is key. You may have top-quality services or products, but if your name isn’t out there, who’s going to purchase them?

Have you taken the right steps to ensure that you get noticed online?

For instance, take Josselyn’s Aromas. Josselyn produces the highest quality scented candles in her area and has made a name for herself on Etsy. She’s able to make more candles now and at a faster rate than ever before, so she created her own website. The trouble is, it’s not attracting traffic. In this situation, she needs to invest in search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO is the process of enhancing a website’s visibility to make it rank higher in search engine results, which will increase traffic. Let’s say Josselyn made the move and invested in SEO. If you were to Google “Josselyn’s candles” after the SEO improvements, her website now pops up on the first page, when it used to be on the fourth.

SEO makes it possible for prospective customers to find a website that fits their needs, increasing the likelihood that your business is seen and your products and services sell. If you’d like to know how effective your website’s SEO strategy is, take a quick quiz and get your free web strategy score.

SEO Pays For Itself

SEO work is an investment. However, if your company’s goal is to increase the visibility of your brand to attract more customers, SEO pays for itself in the long run. The more visits you get, the more customers you get, the more sales you make. It’s pretty simple, right? But that’s not all that SEO can provide for your business.

How SEO Attracts More Customers

Additionally, SEO can target a wide range of audiences. Whether they are getting to know your brand, exploring your products or services, or ready to pull out their wallets, you can create different types of content to meet their needs. This means that content such as blogs, guides, white papers or case studies can create an introduction to your website where there wouldn’t be one before.

Furthermore, when your results come at the front of a Google search, people will know it’s your business is a brand they can trust. How would you feel about purchasing a product from a website multiple pages into your search? Would you even scroll that far yourself?

We know you’re busy as a small business owner, that’s why Web Strategy Plus offers SEO improvement work for websites (and budgets) of all sizes. Whether you’re just starting your business or you’ve taken your established brick and mortar to the internet, you can trust our strategy experts to deliver the best results. Increase your web traffic, increase your sales, beat the competitors, and get your name out there.

Recently named as one of the top SEO 15 companies in the U.S. by SEOblog.com, Web Strategy Plus is a one-stop-shop, handling everything from SEO to website development to social media management to Google ads. Our team is ready to optimize your website so you can make more sales.

Schedule a free consultation today with a member of our team or request a free quote for our services. For more tips to grow your business, check us out on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Since competition among eCommerce companies of all sizes has really heated up over the last few years, let’s look at five different eCommerce design trends that are going to be significant throughout the rest of this year:

Flat Design

While flat design is actually a trend that can be seen on many different sites, it has several features that make it an especially good fit for eCommerce sites. Because this style of design eschews many decorative elements, it’s a great way to put the full focus of a site on products. It also makes it possible to use large product pictures and still allows sites to load quite quickly. Another advantage is it’s a nice complement to the next trend we’re going to discuss.

Responsive Design

More people are using phones and tablets to shop online. However, that doesn’t mean everyone is abandoning their desktops and laptops. Because all of these devices are regularly used by eCommerce customers, retailers have to find a way to deliver a consistent experience. While mobile apps make sense in some cases, responsive design can work extremely well and eliminate the need for users to download another app. By utilizing this type of eCommerce website design, retailers can provide customers with a consistent experience regardless of what size of screen they’re using at the moment.

Fewer Sliders and Larger Navigation Elements

Because online retailers want to ensure that visitors can use any device, designers are making a conscious effort to alter or remove elements that may not work as well on smaller screens. The two best examples of this design trend are sliders and navigation elements. With the former, many designers are choosing to remove sliders as a result of them not working all that great on phones and tablets. And with the latter, a lot of designers are opting to increase the size of those elements so they’re easier to click.

Utilizing Multiple Fonts

It can be hard to use multiple fonts and create a cohesive look. But when done correctly, this technique can add a lot of visual appeal without distracting from the main focus of a product page.

Increasing the Number of Relevant Elements on a Product Page

By opting for designs that include as much relevant information as possible on a single product page, most retailers find that they are able to reduce the number of visitors who leave and ultimately increase their overall conversion rate.

Even though not all of these eCommerce design trends are going to be the right fit for all retailers, utilizing at least a few of them is likely to provide a competitive advantage. If you feel that your eCommerce business needs to do something to ensure you stay ahead of the competition, you won’t regret working with a web design company that understands the best way to utilize any or all of the design trends we covered.

Do you need a new eCommerce web design or mobile app? Web Strategy Plus offers a free quote or consultation to help you identify the areas of your marketing plan that need improvement. Learn More

Even though online users are notorious for skimming content instead of reading it in full, research has found that 90% of people who take the time to read a headline will also read the call-to-action copy on that page. Since that’s a significant amount of people who are reading the section on a page that may be most valuable to business owners, it’s important to take full advantage of this opportunity.

In terms of what it takes to write a great CTA, relevance is a huge factor. A common mistake businesses make is writing a single call to action and then including it in their website template so that it shows up on every page. Although that approach is better than not having any CTA, it’s unlikely to give people the motivation they need to take action.

Part of that has to do with banner blindness. This term refers to people being less likely to notice advertising online because they’re so used to seeing the same size of ad units across the Internet. So unless a generic CTA is compelling enough to get people to take action the first time they see it, the chances of the same call to action accomplishing anything on subsequent pages are slim.

The good news is you can overcome that obstacle by tailoring CTAs to the type of page and content where they’re listed. If you’re wondering exactly how to do that, the following four tips will help you get started:

1. Be Clear

If you’re creating or refining your conversion optimization strategy, clarity is often an area that can help move the needle. The reason that being clear can play such an important role in optimizing CTAs is it helps remove any barriers or hesitations people may have about taking action.

2. Use 5 Words or Less

While there may be exceptions to this rule, CTAs generally work best when they’re 5 words or less. This provides enough flexibility to create relevancy for a specific type of content but not so much that it distracts visitors.

3. Include An Action

This may sound obvious, but many people forget the A part of CTA. Download, call, register, or read are all good examples of action words that can work really well.

4. Utilize Scarcity or Exclusivity

These techniques won’t work for every call to action. However, if you’re writing a CTA related to something that is only available for a limited time or in a limited number, make sure to communicate that. Doing so may be the extra nudge someone who’s on the fence needs to actually take action.

Need help with your Web Strategy? We offer a free instant web strategy score. You may also request a consultation and live website review to help you identify the exact areas of your marketing plan that need improvement. Web Strategy Plus provides a “one-stop-shop” full-service digital marketing agency where all of your marketing efforts are tied together to drive more leads to your business. We proudly serve local businesses and franchise networks of all types worldwide. Whether you require a professional website or need help promoting it, we can help you with it all.

Our main goal is to provide cost-effective web strategies that drive results.  If you need to know more about our website development and website designing services, you can reach us at 1-877-224-0478. You may also schedule an appointment to talk to us when it is most convenient for you!

Michelle Hummel is CEO of Web Strategy Plus, a full-service digital marketing agency focused on franchise marketing. She’s a passionate social media trainer with 15+ years of successful online business development, sales, and marketing experience. She also holds a valuable Internet Marketing degree; however, with the ever-changing world of web marketing, she strives to learn something new every day. 

Today, we live in the age of the internet. Your website has become one of the most important tools for promoting your business. Be it a small business or a large enterprise, having a well-designed website has become imperative. However, just having a website isn’t enough. Your website can make or break your business, and it needs to be designed keeping modern-day standards and protocols in mind. Moreover, the preferences of the audience must be carefully managed too. If you already have a website, you need to ask yourself if it is doing the job efficiently or if is it time to consider an upgrade. The following 5 reasons will help you understand when you must take action.

Security: In today’s times, one of the most important aspects of your website is security. You need to analyze if your website has the latest security measures in place or not. With the passage of each day, there are newer security risks that we face. This need for security is even more profound for websites that accept customer payments. In this scenario, your old security measures will stand no chance of protecting you against those threats. If you aren’t sure how to analyze your website’s security we can offer you a web strategy consultation to review your current website to determine how you are doing. The good news is all of our websites are custom-built with top security in mind using the best tools to prevent, monitor, and counteract cyber attacks.

Mobile Optimization: A great majority of internet traffic today is coming from a range of mobile platforms.  By not having a mobile-friendly website, you are failing to cater to much of your current and/or potential internet traffic. Moreover, it is important to note that your desktop website can’t do the same job on mobile phones. Mobile users want information quickly and at their fingertips. An expert website designer has to carefully create a sound mobile experience. Ultimately, having a well-crafted, mobile-friendly website is a must. Not sure if your site is Mobile Friendly? Be sure to take this free Google Mobile-Friendly test.

Ease of Communication: What happens if your customers have to contact you? Can they do so through your website? Evaluate your contact forms to see if they capture all the desired information. Moreover, it shouldn’t be too detailed so as to make your customers shy away from giving you the information. You want your contact forms to capture the most essential information for your team to get back to the customer. You also want to set up auto-responder emails to let them know you have received their message. Additionally, you need to let your customers be able to contact you via your social media accounts. Some companies also offer “request an appointment” integrations that tie directly into your personal calendar so customers can book a real-time appointment with you right away. If you need to improve your conversion optimization we can help!

SEO: SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. As the name suggests, SEO is a technique used to optimize your website for Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. Your website needs to be SEO-friendly in order for such search engines to place it in their search rankings. Moreover, this can also help with improving your overall ranking in Search Results. The higher you are in the search results, the more the probability of your website being clicked. There’s a lot of work that goes into a website being SEO optimized. Developers have to look into page speeds, keyword optimization of content, website codes, and more. Most importantly website companies need to do on-page Search Engine Optimization when they first build the site.

Website Speed: Finally, website page load times also are a critical aspect of your website’s performance and customer conversion. If your website takes too long to load, there are chances that your customers will drop out or at least start with a bad impression of your business. These days, your websites are expected to load in 1.8 to 2.7 seconds. Any delay can hurt your conversions. If your website takes too long to load, you need to contact a professional website development company today to consider an upgrade. More importantly, Google is now requiring sites to load within 3-5 seconds to continue being shown on mobile searches. You can use this Google Mobile speed test to see your results.

Need help with your Web Strategy? We offer a web strategy consultation to provide you with a plan of action. You may also request a consultation and live website review to help you identify the exact areas of your marketing plan that need improvement. Web Strategy Plus provides a “one-stop shop” full-service digital marketing agency where all of your marketing efforts are tied together to drive more leads to your business. We proudly serve local businesses and franchise networks of all types worldwide. Whether you require a professional website or need help promoting it, we can help you with it all. Our main goal is to provide cost-effective web strategies that drive results. You may also Request a Quote. If you need to know more about our website development and website designing services, you can reach us at 1-877-224-0478. You may also schedule an appointment to talk to us when it is most convenient for you!

Over the years, search engine optimization has been described in many different ways. But at its core, SEO is simply a way to help your website show up near the top of Google and Bing for relevant searches. While there are individuals and companies that engage in SEO practices specifically prohibited by Google, the type of search engine optimization Web Strategy Plus does for all of its clients is in full compliance with Google’s guidelines. To get a better understanding of what exactly goes into search engine optimization, we want to highlight several of the key building blocks of this practice: 1. Strategy Successful search engine optimization requires an investment of time and resources. That’s why it’s very important to start with a well-developed strategy. By thinking through issues like which keywords are going to bring in actual leads or customers, you can ensure that the investments you make in SEO will help move the needle for your investment. 2. On-Page Optimization Since your business website is the foundation of all SEO efforts, it’s important to have it fully optimized. In addition to things like using the right keywords in your H1 tags, you also need to address any technical issues. Specifically, Google has placed a lot of emphasis on page speed and mobile friendliness in recent years. Having a site that’s slow or doesn’t load easily on devices with smaller screens will hamper all of your SEO efforts. 3. Content Related to on-page optimization, regularly publishing quality content is essential for helping to rank for all the keywords that are relevant to your business. The type of content you publish will likely be a mixture of blog posts and landing pages. Utilizing SEO strategies like internal linking will help maximize the rankings of these pages. 4. Links Google still relies on links from other websites to determine popularity. However, link building can easily go wrong when people do things like focusing on quantity instead of quality. And it’s also important to understand that the optimal approach to link building for a local business website will differ from a site that’s trying to rank for more generic terms. 5. Data Ranking data is important for seeing how a website is advancing on target search engine results pages. But it’s also important to go beyond that and look at analytics data like average page views. Seeing this information will help confirm if the pages that are ranking highly are actually providing visitors with what they’re searching for. There’s a lot that goes into developing and executing a successful SEO strategy. If you want to ensure that you have a knowledgeable professional on your side to help with all of this work, you can easily learn more about how Web Strategy Plus approaches search engine optimization.

Cybersecurity is more important than ever. Why do SSL certificates matter? Google rolled out a plan with the introduction of Chrome 68 to start marking websites as unsafe that do not have an active SSL (Secure Sockets Layers) certificate.

Websites viewed in Chrome that have not been secured with HTTPS encryption will be labeled with the above warning in the URL browser bar to alert users that their information might not be protected. So, what exactly does this mean, why is it important, what happens to websites that don’t have one, and what should you do to ensure customers can learn about your business?

What it means

With 18.5 million websites infected with malware—or roughly 1 percent of all websites—it’s important to take necessary measures to protect your users’ information. One way is with an SSL certificate, which can be added to a website to require encryption between a link and a browser.  An SSL certificate has become a standard technological component for websites and eCommerce platforms to prevent hackers from gaining access to personal information, especially when it comes to financial transactions.

Why it’s important

SSL certificates are the gatekeeper to a website when it comes to personal information. They encrypt personal details such as passwords, form entry data and payment information that could be readily available to hackers. Having a secure and safe online experience not only protects your customers from having their personal information stolen, but establishes your brand’s credibility through a safe journey online.

What happens to websites that don’t comply?

This warning message can affect your website’s performance and metrics, especially bounce rate, time spent on site and conversions. Any website that has a form to collect information must comply with having an SSL certificate to prevent this warning. Many users will simply leave the site before entering upon seeing that message. However, website owners shouldn’t view Google as punishing them for not complying to new rules; they should see it as Google rewarding those that are making the Internet safer against cybercrime.

What should you do?

When people go online, there’s a good chance they’re doing it from a mobile device. Whether it’s on their phone while they’re out or using a tablet from the comfort of their couch, these devices are changing the way people of all ages interact with online content. What’s interesting about this behavior is it may not always be mirrored by the people creating the content that’s so often consumed on mobile devices.

Many content creators prefer to use laptops or even dual monitors as they create content that will be published online. While there’s nothing wrong with that type of workflow, it is important for creators and businesses to remember that the content they publish may be accessed on small screens with slower mobile connections.

To ensure that the hard work put into producing content doesn’t go to waste because someone wants to look at it on a smaller screen, here are the top content marketing strategies I’ve found for engaging mobile readers:

Hone Headlines

Direct mail copywriters used to spend a significant percentage of their time honing the headlines of their letters. This is just as important as mobile devices. Given that people are always a single tap away from games and other entertainment, taking time to perfect the headlines of your blog content and social media posts are crucial for anyone to notice and care about it.

Start with a Bang

Once someone is drawn to a piece of content by the headline, you want to keep the momentum going. The best way to do that is by diving right into at least some of the meat of what you’re writing about. Even if it’s just a teaser, this will keep people moving deeper into your content.

Keep Paragraphs Short

No one wants to deal with reading a wall of text on a phone or tablet screen. You can make the reading experience a pleasant one by keeping paragraphs short and using subheadings throughout the body of your content.

Wrap It Up

Even if people are interested in a piece of content, they may still quickly scan through to the bottom. The good news is you can still connect with those types of readers by wrapping up what you’ve talked about at the end and including a relevant call to action.

Use Media Strategically

Images can be a great way to augment content and even make it more likely that people will share. The same can be true for embedding a video. Just be sure that these things are done in a way that will keep the content mobile-friendly. With images, use a program to compress the size prior to embedding. And check a video once it’s embedded to ensure it’s not dramatically slowing down how long a post takes to load on a mobile connection or causing a weird sizing issue.

If you would like professional guidance for your content marketing, we are here to help. Learn more about Web Strategy Plus and the content marketing services we offer.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, short-form video content has become a dominant force in capturing the attention of audiences. Among the popular platforms, TikTok stands out as a dynamic and engaging platform where users create and share short, creative videos. For franchise businesses seeking innovative ways to attract a wider audience and make a lasting impact, TikTok offers an incredible opportunity. In this article, we will explore how short-form videos on TikTok can help franchises connect with their target audience, increase brand awareness, and ultimately drive growth.

The Power of Short-Form Video Content

In recent years, consumer behavior has shifted towards consuming content in bite-sized formats. Short-form videos, typically lasting 15 to 60 seconds, cater perfectly to this trend. TikTok’s format of quick, attention-grabbing videos aligns well with modern consumers’ shorter attention spans. Franchises can leverage this format to deliver engaging and impactful messages to their target audience.

TikTok has quickly risen in popularity, boasting over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. The platform’s reach spans various age groups, with a substantial presence among Gen Z and millennials. For franchises looking to connect with younger demographics, TikTok serves as a direct gateway to potential customers and brand advocates.

Why TikTok Matters for Franchise Businesses

Franchise businesses seeking growth opportunities must prioritize connecting with the younger audience. Gen Z and millennials represent a significant consumer segment with immense purchasing power. TikTok’s user base predominantly comprises these younger demographics, allowing franchises to build a meaningful connection with potential customers in a space where they are most receptive.

Crafting Engaging TikTok Content for Franchises

In the TikTok realm, creativity reigns supreme. Franchise businesses must embrace their creative sides to stand out and capture the audience’s attention. Authenticity is equally crucial, as users on TikTok appreciate genuine content that feels relatable and trustworthy. By showcasing their unique brand voice and identity, franchises can resonate with their target audience on a personal level.

TikTok is characterized by an ever-changing landscape of trends and challenges. Franchises can join trending challenges or create branded ones to increase engagement and visibility. By aligning with these trends, franchises can become part of the cultural conversation, leading to heightened brand exposure and potential viral success.

The Impact of Going Viral on TikTok

TikTok videos have the potential to generate exponential brand exposure. When a franchise’s video gains significant views and engagement, it reaches a wider audience beyond its immediate following. Such viral success can lead to increased brand awareness and a surge in interest from potential customers.

TikTok marketing can extend beyond the digital realm and drive real-world results. By strategically promoting individual franchise locations through TikTok content, franchises can attract foot traffic and generate interest in their offerings. TikTok’s geolocation features and location-based hashtags can be leveraged to target specific audiences for each franchise location.

Measuring Success on TikTok

To gauge the effectiveness of TikTok marketing, franchises can monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as views, likes, shares, and user engagement. Analyzing these metrics helps franchises understand the performance of their content and make data-driven decisions.

Make a Lasting Impression Using TiKTok

Ready to harness the power of TikTok for your franchise and unlock unprecedented growth potential? At Web Strategy Plus, we are experts in crafting creative and results-driven TikTok marketing strategies for franchises. Our team can help you create captivating short-form videos that resonate with your target audience and elevate your brand presence.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make a lasting impression on TikTok’s massive user base. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how our expertise can drive your franchise’s success on TikTok.

In our modern digital world, social media is crucial for businesses to connect with their audience, boost brand visibility, and foster engagement. However, for franchise owners, choosing platforms that match goals and audience is key. Making the right decisions about which platforms to engage with can significantly impact the success of a franchise’s online marketing efforts.

In our modern digital world, social media is crucial for businesses to connect with their audience, boost brand visibility, and foster engagement. However, for franchise owners, choosing platforms that match goals and audience is key. Making the right decisions about which platforms to engage with can significantly impact the success of a franchise’s online marketing efforts.

Understanding Your Target Audience

The journey of choosing the appropriate social media platforms starts with understanding your target audience. Identifying the demographics, interests, and online behaviors of your audience provides invaluable insights. Different social media platforms cater to different age groups and interests. Tailoring your platform choices to your audience ensures that your content reaches the right people, maximizing your marketing efforts.

Evaluating Platform Relevance

Numerous social media platforms exist today, each with distinct features and benefits. Platforms like Facebook offer a wide user base and diverse advertising options. Instagram focuses on visual content, making it ideal for industries that can showcase products or services visually. LinkedIn is a hub for professionals, suitable for B2B interactions. Evaluating the relevance of each platform to your franchise’s offerings and brand identity is essential.

Assessing Business Goals

Defining your franchise’s business goals is crucial in determining which platforms to prioritize. If your aim is brand awareness, visually oriented platforms like Instagram and Pinterest may be more effective. For lead generation, platforms like Facebook and Tiktok with their targeting capabilities could be beneficial. Every social media platform has strengths that align with specific business objectives, so choosing platforms that align with your goals is key.

Considering Content Types

Different platforms favor different content types. Instagram thrives on eye-catching visuals, while Twitter demands concise and engaging text. Understanding the content types that resonate well with each platform ensures your messaging is not only seen but also appreciated by your audience.

Platform Popularity and Trends

Staying updated with the popularity and trends of social media platforms is important. Some platforms experience surges in user engagement due to emerging trends. For instance, TikTok’s explosive growth has shown the potential for short-form video content. Being aware of such trends helps franchises leverage platforms at the right time, connecting with their audience through relevant and trending content.

Resource Allocation and Management

Managing social media accounts can be resource-intensive. Each platform demands time and effort to create, curate, and engage with content. It’s essential to evaluate your franchise’s capacity to manage multiple platforms effectively. Choosing a few platforms and managing them well can yield better results than spreading resources thin across numerous platforms.

Building a Multi-Platform Strategy

While selecting one or two primary platforms is advisable, a multi-platform strategy can provide comprehensive coverage. Consistency in branding and messaging across platforms maintains a coherent brand identity. Integrating platforms allows you to leverage the strengths of each, offering a diverse content experience for your audience.

Empower Your Franchise’s Success with Us

In the digital world, selecting suitable social media platforms for your franchise is a vital choice. It requires understanding your audience, evaluating platform strengths, aligning with business goals, and staying current with trends.

If you’re a franchise owner looking to make the most of social media marketing, Web Strategy Plus is here to guide you. Contact us today to receive tailored advice and assistance in selecting the social media platforms that will increase your franchise’s success. Your journey toward effective online engagement starts with the right platform choices.

The journey of choosing the appropriate social media platforms starts with understanding your target audience. Identifying the demographics, interests, and online behaviors of your audience provides invaluable insights. Different social media platforms cater to different age groups and interests. Tailoring your platform choices to your audience ensures that your content reaches the right people, maximizing your marketing efforts.

Evaluating Platform Relevance

Numerous social media platforms exist today, each with distinct features and benefits. Platforms like Facebook offer a wide user base and diverse advertising options. Instagram focuses on visual content, making it ideal for industries that can showcase products or services visually. LinkedIn is a hub for professionals, suitable for B2B interactions. Evaluating the relevance of each platform to your franchise’s offerings and brand identity is essential.

Assessing Business Goals

Defining your franchise’s business goals is crucial in determining which platforms to prioritize. If your aim is brand awareness, visually oriented platforms like Instagram and Pinterest may be more effective. For lead generation, platforms like Facebook and Tiktok with their targeting capabilities could be beneficial. Every social media platform has strengths that align with specific business objectives, so choosing platforms that align with your goals is key.

Considering Content Types

Different platforms favor different content types. Instagram thrives on eye-catching visuals, while Twitter demands concise and engaging text. Understanding the content types that resonate well with each platform ensures your messaging is not only seen but also appreciated by your audience.

Platform Popularity and Trends

Staying updated with the popularity and trends of social media platforms is important. Some platforms experience surges in user engagement due to emerging trends. For instance, TikTok’s explosive growth has shown the potential for short-form video content. Being aware of such trends helps franchises leverage platforms at the right time, connecting with their audience through relevant and trending content.

Resource Allocation and Management

Managing social media accounts can be resource-intensive. Each platform demands time and effort to create, curate, and engage with content. It’s essential to evaluate your franchise’s capacity to manage multiple platforms effectively. Choosing a few platforms and managing them well can yield better results than spreading resources thin across numerous platforms.

Building a Multi-Platform Strategy

While selecting one or two primary platforms is advisable, a multi-platform strategy can provide comprehensive coverage. Consistency in branding and messaging across platforms maintains a coherent brand identity. Integrating platforms allows you to leverage the strengths of each, offering a diverse content experience for your audience.

Empower Your Franchise’s Success with Us

In the digital world, selecting suitable social media platforms for your franchise is a vital choice. It requires understanding your audience, evaluating platform strengths, aligning with business goals, and staying current with trends.

Franchise owners are aware of the importance of having a strong digital presence for their businesses. They use local search terms to connect with customers in close proximity areas. Local connections drive franchise owners to prioritize the development of local search engine optimization (SEO) as a method for reaching their customers.

In this article, we will explore the power of franchise SEO and provide strategies to help franchise businesses improve their local visibility and attract customers in their target areas.

Understanding the Power of Local SEO for Franchise Businesses

Franchise businesses can greatly benefit from local SEO efforts. Local SEO focuses on optimizing online visibility to target specific geographic areas and capture local customers. Local SEO strategies help franchisees connect with the target audience in their area as local SEO strategies help businesses drive their visibility in local search results. Local SEO helps franchise businesses compete at a local level and increases the chances of attracting customers who are actively seeking their products or services.

Conducting Keyword Research for Local Franchise SEO

Keyword research plays a crucial role in local franchise SEO. Franchise owners should identify relevant keywords that align with local search intent. This includes incorporating location-specific keywords into their website content and metadata. For example, if you own a coffee franchise in Cincinnati, optimizing your website with keywords like “best coffee in Cincinnati” or “coffee shops in Cincinnati” can improve your chances of ranking higher in local search results. Additionally, franchise owners can leverage long-tail keywords to target specific products or services they offer in their local markets.

Optimizing On-Page Elements for Local Franchise SEO

Optimizing on-page elements is essential for local franchise SEO success. Franchise owners should focus on optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, and headers with targeted keywords and location information. These elements should accurately reflect the franchise’s local relevance and provide search engines with clear signals about the geographic area being targeted. Furthermore, franchise owners should ensure that their website content includes location-specific information and resonates with their local audience. By aligning on-page elements with local SEO strategies, franchise businesses can increase their chances of ranking higher in local search results.

Building and Managing Online Business Listings

Creating and managing online business listings is another vital aspect of local franchise SEO. Franchise owners should claim and optimize their Google My Business (GMB) listings for each franchise location. This includes providing accurate and up-to-date business information, such as the address, phone number, and business hours. Consistency is key, which means that businesses should make sure that their online information remains consistent across directories and platforms. Additionally, encouraging customer reviews and actively responding to feedback can help build trust and attract potential customers.

Leveraging Online Reviews for Local Franchise SEO

Online reviews play a significant role in local search visibility and reputation management. Monitor and manage your online reviews across various platforms, such as Google, Yelp, or industry-specific review sites. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as this can improve your franchise’s local visibility and build credibility.

When responding to reviews, be prompt and professional. Address any negative feedback or concerns raised by customers and demonstrate your commitment to providing excellent service. By actively engaging with reviewers, you show potential customers that you value their feedback and are dedicated to resolving any issues.

Let Us Help You Build Your Local SEO

In today’s digital age, reputation management plays a crucial role in the success of any business, and franchise owners are no exception. A strong reputation not only helps build trust and credibility among customers but also sets the foundation for long-term success.

In this article, we will explore the importance of reputation management for franchise owners and provide valuable insights on how to effectively build and manage your franchise’s reputation.

Understanding the Importance of Reputation Management

Why is reputation management important for franchise owners?

As a franchise owner, your brand’s reputation directly impacts the perception of your business and influences customers’ decisions. A positive reputation can attract new customers and differentiate your franchise from competitors. Conversely, a negative reputation can deter potential customers and harm your business. Effective reputation management allows you to take control of your brand’s narrative and shape the way your franchise is perceived.

How does reputation management impact the success of a franchise business?

A strong reputation is a valuable asset that can drive the success of your franchise. A positive reputation builds credibility and increases the likelihood of repeat business and referrals. It also allows your franchise to stand out among others. Reputation management ensures that your franchise is accurately represented, maintains a positive online presence, and effectively addresses any negative feedback or issues that may arise.

Elements of a Strong Reputation Management Strategy

Monitoring and Tracking Online Reputation

An essential element of reputation management is monitoring and tracking your franchise’s online reputation. This involves keeping a close eye on customer reviews and social media mentions. By staying informed, you can promptly address any issues and respond to feedback.

Addressing and Managing Negative Reviews

Negative reviews and feedback are inevitable, but how you handle them can make a significant difference. Responding promptly and professionally to negative feedback shows that you care about your customers’ concerns and are committed to finding a resolution. By addressing negative reviews publicly and offering solutions or apologies, you can demonstrate your dedication to customer satisfaction and potentially turn a negative experience into a positive one.

Building a Positive Online Reputation

Proactive Reputation Building Strategies

In order to build a positive online reputation, it is important for franchise owners to have a strategy to position their franchise in a positive light. This strategy should align with the franchiser’s customer service philosophy, including the delivery of exceptional customer service. Happy customers will be strong advocates and leave positive reviews for targeted customers to consider,

Leveraging Customer Testimonials

When leveraging customer testimonials, authenticity is key. Use real customer quotes and stories that highlight the unique aspects of your franchise. Include specific details about how your franchise has positively impacted customers’ lives or businesses. These testimonials serve as powerful endorsements that can sway potential customers in favor of choosing your franchise.

Take Control of Your Franchise’s Reputation

Effective reputation management is vital for franchise owners to build trust, credibility, and a positive brand image. By implementing the strategies you can shape your franchise’s reputation and influence potential customers’ perception.

At Web Strategy Plus, we specialize in reputation management for franchise owners. Our team of experts can guide you through the process, helping you develop a robust reputation management strategy tailored to your franchise’s unique needs. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn how our expertise can support your franchise’s success.

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How do customers go from hearing about a product or service to ultimately purchasing it? Chances are, they have entered a business’s sales funnel and came out the other side as a paying customer.

What is a Sales Funnel?

A sales funnel is an automated journey a prospect goes through to become a customer. It usually consists of three to four steps that convince interested prospects to take a certain action. As customers continue to be interested, they work their way down the funnel.

Elias St. Elmo Lewis devised the sales funnel process back in 1989. He outlined four steps:

Attention: When a customer is first made aware of your business or the products or services you sell.

Interest: The customer is curious about your business, how it solves a problem or gives them something they want.

Desire: The customer begins to like the product and develops a fondness for it.

Action: The customer does more research, samples the product, and eventually purchases it.

It’s called a funnel because of the way it looks on paper. The top is wide as awareness reaches a lot of people and eventually narrows as the pool of interested individuals becomes smaller and more targeted.

Why Your Business Need A Sales Funnel

A sales funnel is the backbone of every online business. Here’s why your business needs one:

It builds a relationship

Most customers don’t make major purchases right away. They do their homework, study their options, and buy from brands they trust. A sales funnel allows that relationship to blossom.

You focus on the right leads

Uninterested customers will leave your funnel on their own, leaving you to devote your time and resources to those who are most interested.

It sets the stage for ongoing sales

When customers enter your sales funnel, they are at varying stages of the buying process. Those that are further along will become paying customers. The others are on a journey that will result in an eventual sale. Keeping interested customers engaged in sales funnel means a steady stream of customers in the future.

Accountability for your sales

Every activity in your sales funnel is tracked, so you will know your most effective content, your best selling products, the social media platform that has the most responses, and the geography of your most paying customers. Having a sales funnel helps you understand the sales process and adjust to what is working the best.

You can monitor your metrics

Sales funnel software can give you more information than the page views your website typically gives. It measures traffic, returns traffic, sales qualified leads, conversion rates, cost per lead, sales velocity, and much more.

People tend to think email marketing does not get the same attention as social media. However, what people don’t realize is it proves to be one of the most effective direct means of growing your business. Learn 10 Reasons That Prove Email Marketing Should Be Your Top Priority:

1. Email Use

With over 3.2 billion email accounts in the world today, 95% of the world’s population have direct access and 91% check their emails at least once a day. Email is an integral part of our daily lives and no one can really quit emailing.

2. Reach

The idea of reach for email is completely different than Social Media. For social networking, reach refers to the number of followers and likes who have seen your message. With email reach is determined by whether the person has opened it or not. Research shows 18% of emails are blocked and 4% are delivered to the junk or spam folder. However, on Facebook 74% of the messages are missed. Therefore email proves to be more reliable.

3. Life Span

75% of Facebook posts last around 2 hours while the life of a tweet is just 5 minutes. However, an email stays in your inbox and even if you want to delete it – it requires an additional action.

4. Return on Investment

As per the Email Marketing Benchmark Report of 2013, 60% of marketers stated that email marketing produces ROI. For every $1, the standard return on email marketing is $44.24.

5. Analytics

Email has set up solid metrics that have served as the standard for many years. Open Rates, Unsubscribes and Growth can be easily tracked with sales and profits. With a simple formula, you can determine the value of your email subscribers.

6. Engagement

People don’t usually talk about email and engagement in the same sentence. However, emails are excellent engagement vehicles and can serve as a two-way street. Best practice is not to send emails with a no-reply address. Be sure you make it easy for your customers to communicate with you.

7. Integration

The best part is that social media and email are friends. Many services allow you to post your email messages out to various social networks. This connection is great for business growth and helps in establishing cross-platform initiatives.

8. Promotional

Around 77% of people prefer to get promotional content via email while only 4% prefer it via Facebook and LinkedIn. Facebook is viewed as a platform for establishing connections and to interact with family and friends. Emails are perceived differently, mainly due to its privacy and simplicity. In a recent survey, 70% of recipients stated that they have used discounts and promotional coupons received in promotional emails.

9. Mobility

Litmus stated that 66% of Gmail inboxes are accessed via mobile phones. A major number of transactions will be done online, and mobile email amounts to 13% of it. Smart marketers have learned how to embrace email and carve out a whole new channel to promote their products.

10. Personalization

Email has the power to send promotional content to hundreds of people at one time while still maintaining the same standards of personalization.

While starting a small business can be a very rewarding experience, that doesn’t mean that it’s without challenges. Because there’s no shortage of obstacles that can stand in the way of small business success, it’s important to give yourself every advantage possible. One of those very important advantages is to have a website. Since people spend so much time searching online, not having a website means that you’re missing out on the opportunity to connect with a lot of potential customers.

To understand exactly why having a website is a necessity for any small business that wants to succeed, let’s go over four different specific benefits:

Protect Your Reputation

Good online reviews of your business can really help it flourish. Unfortunately, it only takes one negative review to undermine all the other good things that have been said about you. The good news is if you have a website, you can publish content on it that is specifically designed to help make any online negativity about your business less visible.

Increase Customer Loyalty

When you have a website, it’s easy to add a sign-up form so people can give you their email address. Depending on your specific type of business, you can then send the people who sign up anything from a bi-weekly newsletter to coupons. The key takeaway is regardless of what you decide is best to send, as long as it provides value, it will help to increase customer loyalty.

Attract Highly Targeted Traffic from Google

Although we touched on this in the opening paragraph, it’s such an important topic that it’s worth discussing in detail. When people use Google to search for a specific keyword phrase, they’re basically saying exactly what they need at that time. So if your website appears in the list of results that show up and the searcher clicks your link, there’s a very good chance that they’re going to want to do business with you.

Serves as a Hub for Social Media Promotion

There’s a lot of value in using social media to promote your business. The one caveat is in order to maximize results, you need a central hub where you can drive traffic from all the different social sites you use. By having a website, accomplishing that goal will be quite easy to do.

Your Website Needs to Be Visible in Google