The arrival of the new year provides the perfect opportunity to review your digital marketing performance strategy from 2022 and shape your plans for 2023. You’ll want to ask yourself:
- How did 2022 compare to past years?
- Did we reach all our digital marketing goals?
- What worked and what didn’t?
- How can we adapt our strategy for a successful 2023?
In the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, it’s essential to be proactive and stay one step ahead of your competitors. Therefore, make a New Year’s resolution to take an
in-depth look at where you stand with your digital marketing — and most importantly, where you can improve. Start right now by following this digital marketing checklist for 2023:
1. Upgrade to Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google’s next-generation measurement solution, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), is set to replace Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023. That’s why you need to make sure your website is set up with GA4 analytics tracking if you haven’t already done so.
GA4 offers smarter insights to drastically improve your marketing decisions. This free resource is simply one of the most powerful digital data tools in your arsenal. Benefits of Google Analytics 4 for your business include:
- Get Better Value from Your Data
- Measure Engagement and Conversions within New Privacy Standards
- Understand Your Customers Across Their Entire Lifecycle
2. Protect Your Business from Google Business Profile Theft
The number of fraudulent requests to claim and take ownership of GBP listings just like yours has skyrocketed in recent months. Don’t let GBP fraudsters destroy the reputation of your business and steal your valuable traffic.
Make sure you claim your GBP listing if you haven’t already. According to Google, only 44% of businesses have claimed their Google Business Profile. Make sure all notifications regarding activity in your Profile come to you. Then constantly keep your GBP page updated and limit access to it so it is less likely to be compromised. Never give access to your GBP to anyone you do not know and trust.
For more information about how you can protect your Google Business Profile from getting hijacked, read our blog article, Why Are So Many People Trying to Steal Your Google Business Profile Listing?
3. Know When Your Domain Expires
If you accidentally let your domain expire, Google will automatically de-index your website. Then you can say goodbye to your domain name and all your hard-earned rankings.
That’s why you need to double-check when your domain expires, where it’s hosted and if you need to update your credit card on file. Make sure to renew your domain immediately if it is set to expire. Keep all your up-to-date domain information in a safe and accessible location.
If you’ve lost track of your domain information, you can simply do a WhoIs search to find out where it’s registered. This will let you know both who you registered your domain with and when it expires, as well as where your website is hosted.
4. Check your Rankings
2022 was a year of constant and rapid change in regard to organic search. For example, Google implemented several algorithm updates, including the Google Helpful Content Update, which began rolling out in late August. This was designed to detect low-quality content created primarily for search engines and NOT to help or inform people.
In addition, Google introduced a new “continuous scrolling” feature. This allows desktop users to view up to six pages of search results by scrolling down before they view a “More Results” button if they wish to continue searching further. Ideally, this new feature will make it less important for websites to be on the first page of search results.
With these major search developments, it’s more critical than ever to understand where you are in regard to organic ranking as we enter 2023.
Remember, you can’t judge where you rank based on what you see on your computer or phone. Instead, use a quality keyword rank checker tool such as Sitechecker (which offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card needed).
The ability to adapt your digital strategy to change is crucial. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find out what works and what doesn’t.
5. Create a Branded YouTube Channel
Have you implemented a video marketing plan? If not, you’re missing out on an essential component of your digital strategy.
YouTube boasts more than 2 billion monthly active users. 62% of Internet users in the United States access YouTube daily. It’s the world’s second most-visited search engine.
That’s why your business needs a strong and consistent presence on YouTube. A branded YouTube channel significantly expands your social outreach by exposing your brand to a huge audience.