Now that spring is here, we can mark the end of the first quarter in 2014. This is a great time to evaluate your
Review Your Daily Tasks
The first thing you want to do is write down all the activities you do on a daily basis. This might include checking your website analytics or measuring your Twitter activity. It is a good idea to have a set schedule of when you are working on these type of activities so that you have a specific time frame and you can make sure it gets done but will be out of the way for a more efficient day. If you post daily to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social media sites, using a website called HootSuite allows you to post to multiple social media sites simultaneously, as well as schedule future posts, minimizing time spent on routine tasks.
Clean Your Email Lists
Review your email mailing lists that you are currently using and make sure they are well segmented. It is a good idea to do this at the end of this first quarter so you can make sure the rest of the year goes smoothly if you have set up a campaign schedule. If you have sent out email campaigns in the last few months this would be a good time to compare and analyze your results. Make sure your lists are segmented by audience so you can compose emails with specific messaging. MailChimp is an easy to use email provider that provides the capability to segment and create multiple email lists, as well as view your campaign statistics.
Check Your Reputation
By now you should have a good idea of how the year is going in terms of your online activities. It would be beneficial to check all of your social media platforms for any feedback that customers are giving you, either through posting on your Facebook page, commenting on your blog posts or posting a Yelp review. Make sure you respond to any comments in the most neutral way possible, but also remember to stay consistent and check for any mentions of your company regularly.
Examine Your Website
If you do not have Google Analytics and/or Google Webmaster tools already, it is recommended that you sign up for a free account. Google Analytics offers a robust dashboard of information that includes page views, visitor information, time spent on each page and much more. It is a great snapshot tool to see how well your website is doing. The Google Webmaster tool allows you to analyze your website from a more technical standpoint. You can see if any of your webpages produce errors or contain bad links. Make sure any website errors and loading time are to a minimum so visitors can find and stay on your website easily.
Cleaning and scrubbing your online presence are key ways to ensure your business is smooth and shiny. Maintaining an error-free website, updating your mailing lists, checking your online reputation and increasing efficiency, are simple steps you can take to make sure you stay on the right path in 2014.