JVI Mobile Marketing
How Website Performance Can Improve By Optimizing Page Speed

How Website Performance Can Improve By Optimizing Page Speed

When it comes to the performance of your website, page speed is vital.

Your web pages must load quickly and seamlessly in order to lower your bounce rate and boost visitor engagement.

In this article, we'll explain why it's important, and show you how to measure it.

According to Google research, every second counts when it comes to page loading speed. Increasing loading times from one to three seconds increases the likelihood of a bounce (the visitor leaving immediately) by 32%.

A shocking 90% of visitors will leave a site if it takes longer than five seconds to load.

The speed of a website has a significant impact on user experience, SEO, and conversion rates. Improving website performance is critical for attracting visitors and keeping them engaged. Here are some steps that you can take with your developer to make your website load faster:

Run a Website Performance Test

Website speed tests determine how well a website performs. Testing a website can help developers identify some or all of the areas that are slowing down website performance. And, identify areas for improvement.

There are numerous high-quality site speed tests for measuring performance, many of which are free, such as Pingdom.com.

Google also provides “PageSpeed" Insights for more in-depth performance testing. Google Chrome "DevTools" can also assist developers in evaluating the performance of their website.

Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

CDNs increase website speed by caching content in multiple locations around the world. CDN caching servers are usually closer to end users than the host, or origin server. Content requests are routed to a CDN server rather than the hosting server. This may be thousands of miles away and spread across multiple networks from the user. Using a CDN can significantly reduce page load times.

Website Image Optimization

Images account for a large portion of Internet traffic, and they frequently take the longest to load on a website. This is because mage files are larger in size than HTML and CSS files. Image optimization and can reduce image load time. Image optimization typically entails lowering the resolution, compressing the files, and shrinking their dimensions. Many image optimizers and image compressors are freely available online.

Lower the number of HTTP requests

Most webpages will need multiple HTTP requests from browsers for various assets on the page. These include things such as images, scripts, and CSS files. Indeed, many webpages will necessitate dozens of these requests. Each request necessitates a round trip to and from the server hosting the resource, which can increase the overall load time of a webpage. Furthermore, because the resources are loaded from multiple providers, a problem with one of the hosts may impact the webpage's ability to load quickly, or at all.

Because of these potential issues, the total number of assets that must be loaded by each page should be kept to a minimum. A speed test should also help identify which HTTP requests are taking the longest. For example, if images are slowing down a page's load time, developers can look for a faster image hosting solution (such as a CDN).

Cache Your Website Pages

Caching is one of the most effective methods for speeding up your website. Caching saves copies of your website's files, reducing the amount of work required by the server to generate and serve a web page to a visitor's browser.

By requiring the server to use fewer resources to load a page, caching your web pages can help reduce Time to First Byte (TTFB).

There are several methods for caching your web pages. This can be done at the server level, which means your host will handle it for you.

Another option is to use a caching plugin, such as W3 Total Cache, a free WordPress plugin that makes caching web pages simple. After you've installed and activated it, go to General Settings > Page Cache and check the Enable box.

Reduce The Use Of External Scripts

Any scripted webpage elements loaded from elsewhere, such as external commenting systems, CTA buttons, or lead-generation popups, must be loaded each time a page is loaded. Depending on the size of the script, this can cause a webpage to slow down or not load all at once (this is known as 'content jumping' or 'layout shifting,' and it can be especially aggravating for mobile users).

Avoid Using Redirects When Possible

A redirect occurs when visitors to one website are forwarded to another. Redirects increase page load time by a few fractions of a second, or even whole seconds in some cases. Every second counts when developing a website that is optimized for performance. Redirects are sometimes unavoidable, but they should be avoided if possible.

Remember that every second your website takes to load increases the likelihood that your visitors will leave. If your website is running slow, how long can you keep running your business while losing leads?  Is it time to speed things up?

We want to help you! Are you looking for a way to get your name out there and create video content for your website? Click here to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast!

Video marketing is a great way to get your website more clicks. You can even include testimonials and give your website that extra boost of professionalism. Click here to learn more about it!

Small Business Strategies to Survive the Recession

Small Business Strategies to Survive the Recession

If you’ve watched any TV news broadcast lately, you will know that the economic future is clouded by uncertainties. The COVID-19 epidemic is still around globally, and the ongoing crisis in Ukraine impacts soaring interest rates. This could all be a disaster for your small business.

Economists predict that the United States will enter a recession by late 2023 or early 2024. With a recession on the horizon, businesses and industry leaders are in uncharted territory.

Is digital marketing a good approach during an economic downturn?

To put it simply, yes!

People will continue to look for products and services online even if overall demand has reduced. Therefore, your digital marketing efforts should not be shut down during a recession.

In fact, this is likely the most useful marketing decision you can make during an economic slump. Digital marketing allows you to reach people who are actively looking for what you have to offer. Also, whoever most closely match your target audience.

Experts agree that strong internet marketing is the smartest long-term investment for your company during a downturn in the economy. Recession-proof business marketing methods are more important today than ever.

Prepare Your Small Business for a Recession

There is one thing that separates recession-proof businesses from the competition. The fact that they take action sooner, and start business planning for a recession before their competitors do.

Have you started making plans for a recession in your business? Follow these digital marketing tips to better prepare your business for a recession and safeguard your brand:

Improve Your Online Presence

Building and maintaining a strong online presence in any economy is one of the foundations of recession-proof companies. Maintaining a strong digital presence enables you to capture a larger portion of the market when a recession occurs.

You must stay top of mind with your target audience, invest in market research, and create a mobile-friendly website. Hire a expert to help you with your search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) marketing.

There are many things to consider with a recession on the horizon. This includes establishing a stronger digital presence and staying on potential clients' radars.

Do Not Reduce Your Small Business Marketing Budget

During a recession, business owners must decide where to make sacrifices. Reduce their marketing budget, suspend marketing efforts, or double down on their digital marketing campaigns.

It may seem sensible to some to suspend marketing during a recession. Spending a lot of money on digital marketing may feel unimportant when sales are down. Consider what took place in 2020. Spending on digital marketing campaigns fell about the same time that 255 million full-time jobs were lost globally. Due to lower ad earnings during the COVID-19 epidemic, even Google had to cut its marketing budget by half.

So, why should you keep working on your digital marketing strategy and investing in digital marketing services?

Businesses that continue to market throughout a recession are more likely to survive, according to studies. During an economic downturn, many businesses reduce their advertising budget. This is a opportunity to show that your business is stable even when things are hard. So continue your digital marketing campaign efforts! Or, at most dial them back slightly, but never fully suspend them.

To keep business flowing, have a digital marketing strategy in place. Discontinuing your marketing efforts will make it much easier for your competitors.

It's Time to Optimize Your Website… Now!

Check out your website. Is it generating leads for your company 24 hours a day, or is there room for improvement? Not sure which parts of your website should be improved or updated? Consult with a reputable digital agency – it's what they do!

Agencies normally will employ conversion rate optimization (CRO) specialists. They perform in-depth website audits to evaluate your website's interactions. A specialist will also discover areas you need to optimize to meet your goals.

Conversion rate optimization helps you make the most of your traffic. This is done by examining the data from your website to improve the consumer experience.

You will learn what pages are visited the most and which pages receive the least engagement. You also can examine cart abandonment and overall customer behavior.

Gather this info to create a data-driven strategy. That way, you'll know that any changes you make to your website are more likely to affect your bottom line.

Maintain Your Social Media Efforts

During an economic downturn, many people prefer to stay at home in order to spend less and save more. This also shows that potential customers spend more time on their mobile devices. This is an ideal time to use social media marketing to attract new consumers. And, nurture leads via your sales funnel.

Continuing your social media marketing also ensures that your audience is aware that your business is still active online. A little can still go a long way to attracting new/existing customers.

Create Compelling Video Content For Your Small Business

Certain web marketing approaches pay off due to their cost-effective, creative approach to audience involvement. Video marketing is one example of this .

Video marketing is still one of the most engaging ways to connect with your target audience and deliver information. It fosters trust and confidence in ways that text alone simply cannot.

Consider creating video content that is evergreen and will continue to be useful content for years to come. This ensures that your dollar goes further than if you spend more on campaign-specific content.

Share videos on your social media platforms. Ask that customers create video reviews for you to use on your website. Allow followers to communicate with your brand and ask questions in real time by live-streaming on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

During a difficult time, Americans are likely to spend time online keeping up with friends and news. Video marketing is a great way to engage with your target audience. Learn where they spend the majority of their time, and grow your customer base!

Optimize Your Marketing Budget and Choose Your Priorities Wisely

Digital marketing is not like a light switch.  You can't just turn it on or off, it is an ongoing process.

Even if the economy is struggling, you owe it to your team and customers to figure out how to source, sell, and optimize your business to get through difficult times.

It is crucial that you begin improving your digital presence and investing in new digital marketing methods. These methods will make positive long-term benefits for your business.

Looking for a good way to create video content for your small business? We can help! Sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. Create great content and get your name out there!

Digital Marketing Mistakes And How You Can Fix Them

Digital Marketing Mistakes And How You Can Fix Them

We are currently living in the internet age, which means your business needs to evolve along with it. Digital marketing can help you promote your company, brand, and products or services.

There is an audience to be reached online, as well as a reputation to be established. However, there is more effective and less effective ways to approach digital marketing. Check out these common mistakes to ensure you're doing it right!

Bad Performing Website Design

A digital marketing-focused website should include a call to action and a well-optimized landing page. Any promos or discounts should also be prominently displayed. In order to create leads, you must have an informative and engaging website.

Not Optimizing Your Digital Marketing with a Blog

Remember that you are not only marketing your business, but also yourself as a trusted industry leader. Publish blog content that is valuable, informed, and easily accessible. This will establish you as a trustworthy voice. Furthermore, each blog post is another indexed page for your site. More indexed pages mean your site will appear higher in Google search results.

It is not enough to simply create a blog. In order to improve your digital marketing, it should also be interactive. To get responses, submit questions in the comments section. Include guest posts or interviews with researchers or other successful individuals in your field. Use this blog post writing guide to consistently produce the most important and relevant blog posts you can.

Failure to Convert Website Traffic into Customers

Visitors to your website who do not convert into customers are pretty much worthless. Unless, they generate leads for you through word-of-mouth recommendations. The first goal is to get visitors to your site. But, the second goal is to convert them into customers. Create a plan for converting online visitors into sales. Then, make a referral program that encourages people to recommend your business.

Not Optimizing for Mobile Users

Mobile browsing accounts for over half of all web traffic globally. Keep this in mind when you are optimizing your digital marketing websites or pages. If you're optimizing your site, don't forget to optimize it for mobile users as well, so that the load time is as quick as it is on desktop. Make sure the design of your site is also mobile-friendly.

Not Utilizing Social Media for Digital Marketing

You might think you can get away with not using social media. I’m sorry to tell you that you’re wrong! It’s an essential way to turn leads into customers. Spreading your content, reaching your audience, and engaging with users will help you promote your business online. But don’t try to do it all yourself; learn how a social media manager can help.

Providing Lack Luster Customer Service

Customer service starts with your digital marketing. If a visitor who has never done business with you before decides to become a customer, they are taking a risk. Having good customer service is vital for lowering that risk because 70% of consumers will continue to do business with you if they have a good experience.

Help should be easy to find on your site so that people know they can get it. This could be a Contact Us page, a virtual chat, a helpline, or other options. Just make sure that if someone visits your site, they can easily get help if they need it.

Not Offering Deals in Your Digital Marketing

According to a Retail Me Not poll, two-thirds of buyers made an unplanned purchase purely due to a discount. Online discount coupons or limited-time deals are excellent pop-ups for your site. Include deals on the landing page or when visitors are about to abandon their cart.

Sleeping on your Competition

It's possible that someone else is doing the same thing you are. Instead of pretending they don't exist, find a way to stand out. Identify what makes your business unique and showcase it on your website and social media channels. You should make it abundantly clear how your business stands apart from the crowd.

Lack of Social Proof

It's a known fact that showcasing your happy customers increases conversions. You want potential customers to purchase with confidence! You can use testimonials, case studies, and success stories in your digital marketing. This will give potential customers that are on the fence peace of mind and help to avoid any buyer’s remorse.

Not Keeping Track of Your Leads

Keywords, email blasts, referring links, social media, and other traffic sources can all generate online leads. One of those sources may be generating leads that rarely convert into customers, but another may be routinely generating them. This is critical information to have so that you may update your strategy based on the data you know.

The Influence of Digital Marketing

To succeed, your business needs the right marketing tools and strategies. By adjusting your digital marketing approach, concentrating on the right leads, and building an optimized website, you can grow your business to its fullest potential.

We want to help you improve your digital marketing! Sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. Here, you can get your name out there and show what you know. After, we will provide you with free video content to boost your marketing game.

Why Video Marketing Is So Important To Small Businesses

Why Video Marketing Is So Important To Small Businesses

Today, operating a small business means competing against other businesses potentially with more resources. To get ahead of the competition, you need to be intelligent with how you market your business. What are the best ways to market your business? Among the most effective tools you could utilize today includes video marketing. In terms of dollar-for-dollar returns on investment, video marketing might be the highest-ranking marketing format out there!

With video, you can add a more human touch to your marketing. You can speak to people in a way and a tone that feels in step with your business. You can win people over with informative, creative content that ignites their interest. But of all the forms of marketing out there today, why should you focus on video marketing for small businesses?

Because it works.

Why Is Video Important to Your Customers?

Prior to the smartphone, producing and distributing video was prohibitively expensive. The majority of small businesses could not afford video marketing. Major brands dominated video because they had the resources to create professional videos and air them during commercial breaks on television.

The smartphone changed the rules of the game in multiple ways. And, for once, it stacked the deck in favor of small businesses rather than large corporations. Nowhere is this more apparent than in video.

A small business owner can now create and publish a video in seconds, reaching hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.

In this article, we'll look at why video is so effective for small businesses and how your company can get started with video marketing in small steps.

While video marketing can be low-effort, it is far from effortless. And, let's face it, as a small business owner, you already have a lot on your plate.

Why should you devote time and money to video marketing? The answer is simple: because video attracts more customers.

So, whether you own a jewelry store, a catering company, or a dentist who promotes healthy teeth and gums, video should be a part of your marketing strategy!

What makes video so powerful?

Video clearly works, but why?

Videos illicit an emotional response differently than other mediums. Studies show that up to 95 percent of purchasing decisions are subconscious and emotional choices.

Reason1: People process images faster than words.

The fact that our brains can process images much faster than words is one clear reason why video works better than other forms of communication. MIT researchers discovered that the human brain can process an image in as little as 13 milliseconds.

Not only that, but our brains can process images concurrently, whereas we process in a linear manner. Why is that important?

Because if information is easier to process, it is also easier to remember.

According to studies, we retain 95 percent of information from video versus only 10% from text. And what is the point of advertising if people don't remember it?

Reason 2: Seeing other people's faces elicits empathy.

It all boils down to how we are wired. In our brains, there are mirror nuetrons. When we observe the facial expressions of others, these neurons fire, causing us to empathize with them.

We essentially put ourselves in their shoes.

And, while we're on the subject of shoes, do you see why Nike commercials are so effective? Because they so artfully portray people and acts of greatness, you can literally feel greatness for a few brief seconds.

How Can You Get Your Videos in Front of Potential Customers?

Before we dive in to this question, let's be clear: you don't have to edit and produce your videos professionally. This article isn't about making a TV commercial. We're talking about creating and distributing videos in areas where your customers are likely to be found. Unlike in the days of TV dinners, consumers are unlikely to be glued to the television screen during commercial breaks.

Know Who Your Customers Are

You should have already created a customer avatar and know who your customer is. Understanding your customer is the first step toward determining where they spend their time.

A CPA offering tax services to wealthy individuals, for example, has a very different audience than someone selling beauty products directly to consumers.

Where they are is determined by who they are.

You can begin to understand where your customers spend their time online once you know who they are.

Which small business owner in the preceding example is better served by creating a weekly insights & advice video series and promoting it on LinkedIn?

And which owner should be uploading quick video testimonials from satisfied customers and product reviews to Facebook and TikTok?

Keep in mind that video is a type of content marketing that is intended to attract and retain an audience. That way, when the time comes to buy, you'll be top of mind.

That will not happen unless you get your video in front of the right people.

So, where are your customers nowadays?

While there are well over a billion websites online these days, the majority of people's online time is spent in one or more of the following places:

All of these channels allow you to reach a large number of people with whatever videos you want to make. There are numerous resources available to assist you in understanding how to optimize your video strategy to reach more of your target audience on each of these platforms. Make certain you understand the best practices for the platform(s) you select.

You now understand why videos are effective. You did your research to find out where your customers spend their time. You've even researched the best ways to get your videos in front of them. You must now decide what type(s) of videos you want to create.

What Kinds of Videos Can You Make to Generate More Customers?

Here are four of the most effective low-cost/low-effort videos you can make:

Video Demo/Explainer

If your small business sells products, make short demo videos that show how those products solve problems. Video is an excellent way to demonstrate how those products work so that customers can see them in action.

Video Testimonial

Potential customers should put themselves in the shoes of the person in the video they're watching? What better way to sell your products or services than to put potential customers in the shoes of one of your satisfied customers?

When you're with a satisfied customer, pull out your phone and ask a few simple questions about their experience with your company.

Info Style Videos

These are ideal if your small business provides a service of some kind. You obviously have a wealth of knowledge that people pay you for as a service professional. Offering some of that knowledge in the form of a video not only helps people understand their situation, but it also shows that you know your stuff.

When it’s time to hire a professional, you will have already established a level of trust with the potential customer, increasing the likelihood that they will come to you for assistance.

Video of the Company's History

People buy from people, especially when it comes to small businesses. You are not a large, stale corporation. You're a small business with a one-of-a-kind story to tell. Use video to show customers:

• What is your identity? How does this translate into your business?

• Why are you so enthusiastic about the company? Why should they be enthusiastic?

• What can they anticipate from you?

Allow them to see and feel how much you enjoy what you do. There is simply no better way to accomplish this than through video!

Now it's time to get recording!

So, what are you holding out for? While diving into video can be intimidating, there is no better time to start than now. Video is preferred by your customers over other mediums. And you can gain a significant advantage over your competitors by creating the type of content they desire! So pull out your iPhone, press record, and begin having more meaningful interactions with your potential customers.

We want to help you with video creation for your marketing! Click here to sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. We will provide you with a free video recording of you sharing knowledge about your business! You can also receive pre-edited short clips for social media.

Social Media Checklist For Successful Content Marketing

Social Media Checklist For Successful Content Marketing

Maintaining your social media presence is essential in today’s online world. It can be a time-consuming task, but it’s worth it to build trust with consumers and create a consistent brand image.

You may be a business owner starting out on social media. Or, have been at it for a while and aren’t seeing the results you want. This daily checklist will help.

By following this social media cheat sheet, you’ll monitor your accounts effectively and become an asset to your customers.

Let’s get started.

Why Is Social Media Management Important?

With over 4.26 billion people on social media, it’s more important than ever to have a presence on various media platforms.

As a business owner, understanding how your brand is perceived online and what is said about it is essential. Your social media accounts represent your company’s values, so be consistent with the message you’re putting out there.

Consistency helps maintain the brand and builds trust with consumers. It’s also essential to have a strategy in place and understand your company and your target audience well. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to create content that resonates with your target audience.

If you don’t have a social media presence, you’re missing out on an opportunity to market your business for free. And if you’re not consistently active, you’re not building trust with potential customers.

The Basics of Social Media Management

Before we get into the daily checklist, let’s go over the basics of social media management.

First, you need to understand what social media platforms your target audience is using. Then, you need to create profiles on those platforms and complete your profile information.

Once your social media profiles are set up, it’s time to start posting content. When starting out, it’s important to post regularly so your audience knows you’re active and engaged. Then, as you grow your social media following, you can experiment with the frequency of your posts.

Remember, quality is better than quantity when it comes to social media. Posting one high-quality piece of content is better than several low-quality pieces.

Your audience will also engage more with interesting, informative, or entertaining content. So, ensure you’re creating appropriate content for your target audience that will resonate with them.

Lastly, you need to supervise your social media accounts. This means keeping an eye on your activity and engagement levels, as well as any negative feedback.

Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let’s get into the daily checklist.

Daily Social Media Checklist

This checklist will help you focus on the most important tasks related to social media management. By following this guide, you’ll be sure to stay on top of your content and build trust with your audience.

Here’s what you should do every day:

1. Review Your Analytics

The first thing you should do is review your social media analytics. This will provide you with a good overview of how your accounts are performing and where you can improve.

You should look at your overall engagement levels and the engagement levels for each post. This will help you identify which types of content have an impact on your audience and which ones don’t.

Lastly, look at your followership to get an idea of how well your social media marketing efforts are working. If you’re not seeing much growth, it may be time to adjust your strategy.

2. Share Engaging Content

Once you’ve reviewed your analytics, it’s time to start sharing content. Remember to mix up the content you share so your audience doesn’t get bored. Try to share a mix of text, images, videos, and infographics. And be sure to post both original and curated content.

Curation is important because it shows that you’re not just self-promoting all the time. It also helps you fill up your social media calendars if you’re struggling to come up with original content.

Just remember to provide credit to the original source when you share someone else’s content.

When you’re sharing content, be sure to use hashtags, @mentions, and geotags. This will help you reach a broader target audience and get more engagement.

If you don’t have time to post daily, you can schedule your social media content using a tool like Hootsuite. This will help you prepare your posts in advance so that you don’t have to worry about them every day.

You can also share user-generated content or repurpose content from other platforms. Just make sure the content you’re sharing is still relevant and engaging.

3. Respond to Comments and Messages

Another important task to do every day is to respond to comments and messages. This includes both positive and negative feedback.

Responding to positive comments is important and lets your audience know you appreciate their feedback. You should also reply to negative comments in a timely and professional manner. This will show your audience you’re committed to providing excellent customer service.

Use your responses as an opportunity to build relationships with your audience. Be friendly and helpful, and you’ll be sure to win over some fans.

And don’t forget to thank your fans and followers for their support! A simple “thank you” can go a long way.

4. Develop Relationships with Influencers

Finally, you should spend some time every day developing relationships with influencers. You can do this by commenting and liking their posts, sharing their content, and tagging them in your posts.

Try reaching out to influencers directly and introducing yourself. If they’re interested in what you have to say, they may be willing to collaborate with you on a future project.

Influencer marketing is an excellent way to reach a wider audience and get more engagement. And it can also help you build trust with your customers while diversifying your content.

The Bottom Line

By following this daily checklist, you’ll be sure to stay on top of your social media presence and build trust with your audience. Just remember to be consistent, engage with your followers, and monitor your analytics to see what’s working.

If you need help or are uncertain about how to do something, check out our other articles. In addition, we’ve got a ton of great resources to help you with your social media marketing.

We want to help you make effective content to add to your content calendar! Sign up to meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast. Click here to learn how you can get your name out there!