This past year has posed so many challenges for everyone, especially business owners. And the horse industry is no exception.  Now, more than ever, your company’s online image and visibility are crucial to its success. Let’s take a brief look at some of the key elements of a successful digital marketing strategy to help you advance your business in these uncertain times:​

YOUR COMPANY WEBSITE

Your website is your company’s face to the world. It’s your home base where prospective customers can go to learn more about your products and services. A professional, effective website is a powerful lead generation machine! And without a doubt – first impressions are crucial. Now is the ideal time to audit your website to assure it’s functioning as effectively as possible. Things to consider:

• Broken or outdated links
• Modern, aesthetic design
• On and off-page SEO
• Consistent, fresh content and images
• User-friendly navigation
• Calls to action (CTAs)
• Lead generation/opt-in landing pages
• Convenient sales process
• Mobile responsive design

After your initial review, you may find that professional assistance with the technical aspects of optimization and/or a more comprehensive redesign are needed. Don’t put it off. The benefits will far outweigh the effort.

CONSISTENT, PROFESSIONAL BRANDING

Your brand is your company’s personal image. It differentiates you from your competition. And so, it goes without saying that professional branding elements strategically and consistently placed throughout your online channels ultimately provide instant recognition for your audience.  The most notable element of your brand is your company logo. But it also consists of branded colors, fonts, graphic elements and even your tagline and the content you publish and share. These all combine to reflect who you are and what you have to offer.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

These days, more and more people are turning to social media for entertainment, enrichment and to connect with others.  It’s also a place to consume news and be introduced to new offers and opportunities. Keep in mind, social media marketing is most successful when the message is presented as interest-based using storytelling and emotionally triggered content, not through a hard “sales” push. Some things to consider to enhance your visibility and engagement on social media:

• Optimize your business page
• Use professional images and video
• Evoke emotion through storytelling
• Brief post text works best
• Link to content on your website
• Use ads to increase visibility, engagement and prospects
• Post consistently
• Include CTAs

HAVE A PLAN

A basic marketing plan will help provide clarity about your goals, allowing you to better measure your success and adjust where needed.  The key elements of a basic marketing plan include:

• Defining your target market
• Identifying your competition
• Establishing a budget
• Outlining your marketing strategies
• Determining a pricing structure
• Setting measurable goals

Rather than haphazard efforts, including a simple marketing calendar in your plan will allow you to provide consistent, topic oriented content across all of your marketing channels. Some marketing tactics to consider, include: social media posts and ads, blog posts and articles, press releases, sales promotions, online events, company news items, etc. And when mapping out your plan, remember to not overlook contacting those most powerful and loyal people in your audience - your personal connections. Friends, family, business associates, current and past clients and other personal contacts are those who already know, like and trust you. Be sure to include time to stay in touch with this valuable circle on a consistent basis. More than likely, they'd be delighted to purchase your products or services when needed or refer you to others who will.

DATA FOR SMART MARKETING DECISIONS

I know - data is boring and often intimidating. But it doesn't have to be. And quite frankly, periodically reviewing the basic data available to you is the ONLY way to accurately measure your success in relation to your goals. Check the data available to you through your social business pages, email marketing platform, website and google analytics.  Then add this data to each piece of content and activity listed in your marketing calendar for a crystal clear view of the ROI (Return on Investment) that your marketing efforts have received.


It's easy to just try to coast through difficult times. However, with some reflection, structured planning and consistent, focused marketing efforts you will help guide your business toward greater success throughout these challenging times and beyond.  

​1. DEVELOP A QUALITY LEAD GENERATION OFFER Blog posts are great for driving website traffic and SEO. However, if you want to grow your list you need to create free, 'gated content' that requires visitors to provide their email address for access.  Your offer should be of significant value to your ideal customers, helping to solve a challenge they face. Remember, quite often this will be your first impression - make it outstanding!

2. PROMINENTLY DISPLAY YOUR LEAD GENERATION OFFER Don't make people rummage through your site to try and find out how they can sign-up for your emails. Include subscribe options prominently throughout your website, either through a dedicated tab on your main navigation, or through ‘display ads’ or buttons on your site’s main pages.

3. SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF YOUR LEAD CAPTURE FORMS Most people don't want to take the time to fill in a long string of fields with personal information just to acquire a freebie. Keep your subscribe forms short and simple. Often first name and email is enough. Going one step further by giving them the option to provide their website url as well will allow you to gain a clearer understanding of your audience and segment your list.

4. BUILD A BLOG AS A HOME BASE FOR YOUR CONTENT Google loves blogs. By consistently updating your blog with new, keyword-rich content, you’ll boost your SEO and rankings with Google. That means more people will find your website, and if they find  your content valuable and engaging there’s a good chance that they will subscribe.

5. INCLUDE A CTA AT THE END OF EVERY BLOG POST Give your audience the chance to take that next step by including a call to action (CTA) at the bottom of every blog post. These may include links to further content, an invitation to contact you or a link to your free offer or special sales offer.  

6. SHARE LINKS TO YOUR CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA Sharing links to your free and gated content through appropriate social channels can be extremely effective in reaching your target audience and increasing subscribers. People love helpful information, and by providing consistent, quality content, they will come to see you as a knowledgeable industry leader.

7. OPTIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES Give your social media followers clear and prominent access to your website and content. For example, your Facebook business page has the option for a button under your header image. You can link this button to your 'free offer' landing page. You also want to be sure your personal social media pages include reference to your business with a link to your website and free offer.

8. COLLABORATE Look for friends and associates who have businesses that compliment yours, have excellent reputations and ideally, significant email subscriber lists. Then, think of ways you can work together that will benefit both of you. Some collaborative activities to consider may include hosting a webinar, podcast or Facebook live. Write an article or ebook together.  Offer to interview them. Cross promote each other’s products, services or offers.  Then, make the event or content gated, people must provide their email address, and you will then both have access to that list. Just remember to be transparent about your opt-in policies so they know how their email will be used.  It’s a win, win! For more details on the benefits of collaboration, check out: Establishing Collaborative Partnerships with Equine Business Professionals.

9. ENHANCE YOUR EMAIL SIGNATURE If you’re simply including your name and business name at the end of every email, you’re wasting valuable real estate. At the very least, include a link to your website, and even better, also include a link to your opt-in page so people can easily subscribe. But don’t just say “subscribe to my list”. Make it an enticing offer to grab a valuable piece of content!

10. MAKE YOUR CONTENT SHAREABLE Include social sharing buttons and "forward to a friend" links on every piece of content you produce. This will expand your content’s reach beyond your regular readers and increase the chance for new subscribers.

11. HOST A CONTEST, RAFFLE OR QUIZ Contests, raffles and quizzes, held either online or onsite at trade shows, provide the opportunity for your audience to enter their email address and perhaps answer a few short questions for the chance to win a prize. Consider what prize your audience would find valuable enough to take the time to participate.    
 
These are just a few ways you can increase your subscriber list and grow your qualified leads. If you need more details or help implementing any of these tactics and strategies, contact us today for a complimentary discovery session.  
 
​
For more helpful information on how to grow your equine business, check out the links below:
 
HOW TO DRIVE 10X MORE TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE

FREE VIDEO GUIDE – THE POWER OF MARKETING FUNNELS

PROMOTING CONTENT BEYOND YOUR SUBSCRIBERS’ INBOX

THE TOP FOUR MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR YOUR EQUINE BUSINESS

BUILDING CUSTOMER LOYALTY

​By: Carol M. Aldridge

​Driving quality traffic to your website is key to increasing your qualified leads and conversions. Of course, you can pay for traffic through social media ads and Google AdWords, but there are  many other ways to drive targeted traffic as well, that won't cost you a dime.
 
OPTIMIZE YOUR WEBSITE
 
To assure you have the best chance of converting leads into customers, the first place to start is by making sure your website is optimized for visitors and search engines. Even if your promotions are getting clicks, if the user experience and content on your site are not of value to your visitors, your conversion rates will be low.
 
Ways to optimize your website for conversion:

• Landing Pages - Landing page graphics and aesthetics should match or closely compliment those of your link origins for a seamless, transitional experience. This assures you will build trust and avoid confusion for your site visitors.
• Quality Content - The #1 way to drive traffic is by creating quality content that will be of value to your target audience. In the next section we will explore different types of content options for you to consider.
• Keywords & SEO - SEO can get complicated.  Simply put, by inserting relevant keyword phrases in the appropriate places, you will significantly increase traffic and Google rankings. Choose only one target keyword phrase for each webpage. Then insert that phrase into the page content, page title, header tags, page link urls, page description and image alt tags. By doing this you’re telling Google, this page is all about your 'keyword phrase'. Then when someone searches for that phrase,  your web page will show up.
• Calls to Action - Encourage engagement to strengthen your relationship with your audience and move them through your sales funnel.
• Lead Capture Forms - Your email list is still your most valuable tool for converting leads into customers.
• Aesthetics & Ease of Navigation -  Three words: Positive. User. Experience.

 
TYPES OF CONTENT
Some content will simply drive traffic, increasing your SEO and building trust.  Other types of content will serve as lead capture tools, allowing you to gather email addresses, moving your prospects through your sales funnel and providing other key demographics for your future follow-up.
 
Consider a mix of the following when creating your content:

• Informative Articles & Blog Posts
• Contests
• Sales Offers
• Product Reviews
• Interviews
• Videos
• Webinars
• Company News
• Testimonials & Case Studies
• Polls & Surveys
• "How-To's"
• White Papers & Ebooks

 
ATTRACTING CLICKS
So you've optimized your website. Your awesome content is ready for the world to see.  Now, how do you get your audience from point A to point B?  Backlinks. By sharing links to your content through a variety of platforms you will maximize traffic and leads.

• Social Media Posts - Create a post with an inspiring image (complimenting the imagery on your linked webpage) and enticing text, with a link to the full content.
• Email Newsletters - Share your new content with your email subscribers.  Include an enticing introduction and perhaps the first paragraph. Then place a "Read More" link taking them to your website to continue reading.
• Email Personal Contacts -  Send individual emails to clients, prospects and business associates inviting them to click and share. 
• Social Media Groups - Share your new content with pertinent equine & industry groups on your social media channels.
• Media Promotions - Create a short, targeted list of journalists and publication contacts, then share a press release about your new content.
• Networking Publications - create a news item for publication through your chamber of commerce or equine club's newsletter. 

 
OTHER SOURCES OF FREE TRAFFIC

• Local Google Listing - If you own a business that caters to customers or clients within your local area, the first thing you should do is set up a local Google listing. It's free, and provides valuable SEO. 
• Reputable Online Directories - Listing your business in reputable online directories provides an often free or low cost opportunity to promote your business to those searching for your products or services. 
• Guest Blogging - Guest blog posts often provide the option to include an 'about' section at the bottom of your article, so those who've found your content helpful can click through to your website to learn more about your business.
• Collaborative Partnerships - Partnering with other industry experts and thought leaders through collaborative content and offerings can be an extremely beneficial way to expand your audience and potential leads.
• Optimize Personal Social Media Profiles - By including links to your business page and website in the about section of your personal social media profile you will introduce your business to a whole new audience.
• Email Signatures - Never miss an opportunity to share a link to your website. Your email signature should serve as  your digital business card.
• Engage Online - Be active and helpful in relevant online groups and websites.  Comment on blogs and social media posts, answer questions, and participate in conversations. You'll gain authority, respect and traffic. Remember, never be spammy or salesy. Increased traffic should not be the goal of your engagement, but rather a secondary benefit.

 
PAID TRAFFIC

• Google AdWords - Google AdWords can be a bit pricey and may require the assistance of an expert, but when done well, provides fast, effective results.
• Paid Social Ads - Paid social ads are an extremely valuable way to target specific segments of your audience. Again, an expert will help you get the most for your money.
• Remarketing (aka retargeting) - Remarketing through Facebook Ads or Google AdWords, allows you to target subsequent ads to people who have previously clicked through to your website. It is an excellent way to repeatedly get your brand in front of qualified leads, nurture your audience and increase the success of your digital marketing efforts.
• Digital Display Ads - Branded banner ads placed on relevant websites help expand your audience.
• Print Ads - Although distribution of print publications has somewhat decreased in recent years, strategically placed print ads and content promotions are still an effective way to reach your target audience.

 
LEARN FROM YOUR ANALYTICS
 
Google Analytics is a powerful tool, especially when used in conjunction with the reporting provided through your social media pages, email marketing platform and website.  Tracking your sources of traffic will help you understand what's working and what's not.
 
In conclusion, attracting quality website traffic takes some time & effort. However, each step you take will garner greater results. Start slow, build your efforts over time and track your analytics. You will consistently increase quality traffic & qualified leads, ultimately converting those leads into customers.
 
Let's connect. If you found this information helpful, or if you have questions or suggested topics for future articles, send a quick email and let me know. I'd love to hear from you and will respond personally. If you'd like help implementing these recommendations and growing you your equine business, let's schedule a complimentary Discovery Session to explore how we can best reach your goals together.
 
RESOURCES:
 
Moz: It's Content & It's Links - Are We Making SEO Too Complicated?
https://moz.com/blog/are-we-making-seo-too-complicated

HubSpot: 27 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/increase-website-traffic
 
Quicksprout: 25 Ways To Increase Website Traffic
https://www.quicksprout.com/increase-website-traffic/
 
WordStream: Increase Traffic To Your Website
https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/08/14/increase-traffic-to-my-website
 

You may think, “I’m too busy to manage social media for my business”. However, the key to successful inbound marketing is to find out where your audience is and increase your visibility there. Therefore, with over 1.7 billion users logging on daily, you can’t afford not to be on Facebook.
 
THE BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
 
Interactive communication with your audience
The beauty of social media is that it provides the opportunity to communicate directly with your audience.  It’s the “social” in social media that allows for conversations to take place. For instance you may post an image that is of particular interest to your audience and ask them to share their personal experience or thoughts on the topic.  
 
Widespread Visibility
Social media is a key strategy for any inbound marketing campaign. Consistently posting a variety of content that speaks to your audience’s needs and interests will enhance awareness and engagement for your business exponentially over time. 

Enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
One of the key goals when posting content on Facebook and other social media sites is to drive traffic back to your website.  By posting fresh content on your site (blog posts, sale items, etc.) and sharing links to that content on social, you will drive more traffic and visitors to your site which in turn will enhance your ranking with Google. Simple as that.
 
Increased leads and subscribers
Your website is your home base.  It’s where you are able to convert visitors into qualified leads, and leads into customers. By occasionally posting offers to intriguing, valuable, original content (video series, ‘how-to’, article, eBook, etc.) that require an email address for access, you will increase your leads and subscribers and gain permission to stay in contact with them via email.
 
EFFECTIVE  FACEBOOK  MARKETING TACTICS
 
Business Page vs. Personal Profile
One of the main reasons you shouldn’t use a personal profile page to promote your business is that it goes against Facebook’s Terms of Service. However, you can share your business page posts on your personal profile for even greater visibility.
 
However, a Facebook Business Page provides the ability to increase audience reach by creating advertisements that target more people than just friends of your friends. With a Business Page, you can actually get feedback and monitor analytics for your page to determine the preferences of your audience and how many likes and shares your page and posts are generating.   
 
Ads and Boosted Posts
When it starts getting hard to pierce through the noise of your competition, Facebook offers your business page away to boost your posts’ visibility. You can distribute boosted posts to potential clients based on demographics and interests. You can also choose who to target based on age, gender, location, and interest.
 
Facebook Ads provide a powerful marketing tool that uses enhanced targeting criteria to reach a specific, focused audience. With a straightforward interface, you have complete control over your advertisements. Overall, Facebook Ads are much less expensive than traditional forms of advertising, with greater visibility to those who are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
 
Live Video
Videos are known to garner a stronger engagement rate from audiences. That’s why Facebook Live has been so popular since it launched, simple posts may not always be enough. That’s why Facebook has designed Live videos to work a little differently, built to boost more visibility to audiences.
 
The authenticity of live videos allows you to connect on a deeper level with your audience and interact with them in real-time. Building anticipation for the event through teasers and offering rewards encourages more subscribers.
 
A compelling title and description title will help the event stand out among others. While it should appear to be unrehearsed and unscripted, it’s a good idea to know what you’re going to talk about ahead of time and limit the length of your video to prevent ramblings and hold the attention of your viewers.
 
To create a more compelling video, utilize the front and rear-facing camera to both showcase and give a behind-the-scenes look into your business. Acknowledge the audience every so often either by answering questions and comments while shooting the video.
 
The Benefits of Groups
Facebook groups are communities of like-minded people who come together to share ideas and interests. Reach out to new customers and make new connections by joining groups related to your business or create your own group. Engaging with group members by offering help and support will provide visibility and help establish you as a thought leader in the industry.     
 
Mobile vs. Desktop
In this era of users on the go, mobile has become the primary medium for accessing social media newsfeeds. Keep this in mind when creating image and video content, and follow Facebook’s guidelines regarding resolution, file size & dimensions.  
 
BUILDING THE PERFECT POST   
 
Create and Share Stand-Out Content
One of the first goals for content posts on Facebook is to always be creative and address the interests of your audience. Remember, you are competing with family, friends, and competitors for attention and should strive to break through the noise of the other posts and content that constantly flow through the audience’s news feeds.
 
Attention Grabbing Headlines
Grabbing the audience’s attention is the first step in getting them to read your content. Create headlines with “thumb-stopping” action to make viewers want to pause and read the post or watch a video. Titles need to be descriptive, but it should be short and simple so don’t go overboard. When posting content that links to a blog, video, or an article, add engaging quotes from the linked content to draw in audience interest.
 
Emotional Connections
Draw in audiences by evoking sentiment, by making them laugh, or by contributing positively to their day. Creating an emotional connection is a great way to create impact and help your posts stand out.  
 
Timing & Scheduling Posts
Timing is everything, and the right timing is important to ensure your audiences are even going to see your content. It’s a good idea to avoid hours when your audiences might be asleep or at work. Even if you can’t always be around to post content, there are sites like Hootsite and Buffer that allow you to schedule posts and publish them for you automatically.
 
GOALS & MEASURING SUCCESS
​
Setting specific goals as related to key performance indicators such as increased number of fans, engagement (likes, comments & shares), conversions (subscribers, clicks, sales, etc.) and then measureing the success of each post and ad through the use of FB insights, google analytics and reports available through social media scheduling tools such as Hootsuite or Bufferapp, will clearly define the topics, posts and type of content that best resonates with your audience. This final step with ultimately make your efforts worthwhile because without a clear understanding of what’s working and what’s not, there can be no true success.
 
 
GUEST AUTHOR: LARISSA HOLMES
Larissa is a graduate of the University of Findlay with a degree in English & Equestrian Studies, and served as a summer intern with Equine Office Solutions.
 

​ 
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
 
5 Tips to Creating an Unbeatable Facebook Ad Campaign
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/unbeatable-facebook-ad-campaign/
 
10 Little-Known Facebook Marketing Features and Hacks You Can Try Today
https://blog.bufferapp.com/10-hidden-facebook-marketing-features
 
Success Stories | Facebook Marketing Partners
https://www.facebook.com/business/success
 
8 Reasons Facebook Will Beat All Other Digital Marketing Channels
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/286441
 
Facebook Video for Marketers: Strategy for Future Success
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-video-for-marketers-strategy-for-future-success-jay-baer/
 
5 Benefits of Using Facebook Live Video
http://www.business2community.com/facebook/5-benefits-using-facebook-live-video-01773422#vZ86GkOMcMwCTbOL.97

Five Crucial Tips for a Successful Boost Post on Facebook
https://komarketing.com/blog/tips-for-successful-facebook-boost-posts

Tips for Using Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/best-practices/live

Facebook Live – What Marketers Need to Know
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/facebook-live-what-marketers-need-to-know
​
How to Choose Between Facebook Profiles, Pages, and Groups
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/marketing-your-business-on-facebook-how-to-choose-between-profiles-pages-and-groups