There are 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide—about 59.5% of the global population. It is highly likely that people within your community are using the internet daily, oftentimes for many hours. What does that mean for your organization? Prospects are out there, online and likely searching for activities, programs and events that you offer. But how you do ensure that your organization gets in front of them? By establishing a strong digital presence.
Read on to learn how to effectively strengthen and enhance your organization’s online presence so it can get in front of prospects within your community.
Social Media
If your organization doesn’t have a business page on Facebook, it’s imperative that one is created as soon as possible. Having a Facebook page, or even an Instagram profile, establishes legitimacy and trust. If you currently have a Facebook page for your organization, make sure you’re posting a few times a week about happenings, offerings and other things your community might be interested in. Invite members of your community to follow the page via email or in person at your facilities. You can even include the page as a link in your email signature. Do whatever you can to get the word out and gain followers.
Organic Posts
The main reason you want to gain as many followers as possible is so they can see your organization’s posts. Those who don’t follow you will not see them unless those posts are engaged with in any way by your followers. This could be by liking a post, commenting on it or even sharing it. The more engagement with your posts, the more likely they will be seen by more than just your followers. Make sure your posts are fun, informative and engaging. Utilize great photos and video, as well as fun and enticing copy with a clear call to action.
Paid Ads
If you have an event, program or even a membership campaign that you really want to get in front of the right people within your community, paid ads are the way to go. Through paid ads on Facebook and Instagram, you can create a highly targeted audience, thus ensuring your marketing dollars don’t go to waste. You can target by age, gender, interests, hobbies, education and so much more. Much like organic posts, you need to utilize quality imagery and video, as well as concise copy with a clear call to action.
Groups
There are a myriad of groups on Facebook that your organization can participate in, OR you can create some yourself. Facebook groups are an effective marketing tool that will help you attract prospects and engage current customers within your community while providing valuable content, information and support.
Through Facebook groups you can build a digital community for your actual community, thus making it easier to disseminate pertinent information and engage where your community is—online and from anywhere, anytime.
While your organization’s Facebook page is a place for updates about your offerings that can be seen by anyone, a Facebook group is specifically for your members to come together and have open discussions about things that are important to them. This is a great place to gain insight into exactly what your community needs and how you can go about offering it to them. Groups can be public, private or even secret. The more open your group is, the more likely you can reach a larger audience. However, that also opens you up to people who may not be in your community.
You can lead the conversation, or a member of your community can. Just remember to engage and be authentic. The goal is to build long-lasting relationships in your community.
Search Engine Optimization
As Google is the most-used search engine in the world, it’s imperative to optimize your organization’s website with SEO so it will appear on the first search engine results page. Seventy-five percent of people don’t go beyond the first page of results, so the goal is to rank and rank highly, so prospects don’t have to scroll to find your organization. The easier your organization is to find, the more likely your prospects will turn into customers.
Google My Business
A great way to establish trust and legitimacy in your organization, as well as expand your organization’s digital footprint, is to claim a Google My Business page. This is a great free tool for any business that helps organizations update information, such as an address, phone number and website. This panel appears on the right side of the search engine results page when a customer or a prospect searches for your organization via Google.
ACTIVE Can Help Expand Your Digital Footprint
ACTIVE’s digital marketing services can get your organization in front of the right audience by utilizing paid ads on social platforms and Google, as well as improve your website’s SEO. Our digital marketing services team can assist you with the creation, implementation and optimization of a digital marketing strategy that’s sure to see a return on investment. Connect with us today to see how ACTIVE can help take your organization’s digital marketing to the next level.
