marketing – Ant Pace Blog

November 8, 2023May 30, 2024

Why Every Business Needs a Website in 2024

Don’t Be Invisible: A Website Puts Your Small Business on the Map

Local small businesses without a brick-and-mortar presence fall into a unique category. They might be service-based businesses like freelance consultants (like myself), home repair services, personal trainers, or cleaning services that operate on a mobile basis or from a home office. These businesses rely heavily on word-of-mouth, local advertising, and community networking to attract and maintain their clientele.

Because this business model does not require a physical storefront, these owners may underestimate the value of a digital presence. They might perceive it as unnecessary, believing that their local reputation and personal customer relationships are sufficient for business growth and sustainability. Consequently, they may neglect their online visibility, not realizing the potential reach and efficiency gains from digital tools.

The digital gap for these businesses can be characterized by a lack of a professional website, minimal social media engagement, and reliance on outdated forms of communication like AOL or Gmail email addresses. While this might maintain a certain level of operation, it limits their ability to scale, reach new markets, and ultimately leaves honey on the table.

By not leveraging the digital space, these businesses miss out on the opportunity to build brand awareness beyond their immediate locality, engage with customers online, and streamline their operations through digital tools (customer management). As a result, they might struggle to compete with others who adopt a more integrated approach to physical and digital business practices.

Professional Image: Elevate Your Brand

Your website can be the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. Just as you wouldn’t attend a party in pajamas, you shouldn’t let your online presence be represented by a dated AOL email address or non-existent web page. A sleek, user-friendly website tells customers that you are a serious professional who invests in all aspects of your business. I can help you do it right with a custom domain and business email address.

Some businesses rely on on a third-party subdomain or a link-in-bio service. While these options may seem convenient and cost-effective in the short term, it looks unprofessional. It is harder for customers to remember and doesn’t carry the same weight of brand authority as a standalone domain. It’s like to setting up shop in someone else’s store.

Using a personal @aol.com or @gmail.com email address for business communications can inadvertently signal a lack of professionalism and an outdated approach to business. I can assist you in transitioning to a custom domain email that reinforces your credibility. Too often, I walk around and see businesses make the mistake of thinking this detail doesn’t matter.

Testimonials & Social Validation

Word-of-mouth is powerful, but in the digital age, testimonials and portfolios on your website can reach further and speak louder. They serve as a perpetual source of validation for your work, allowing potential customers to see the breadth and quality of your services at any time. It’s the online equivalent of a recommendation from a trusted friend, accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Logo

Having a logo that fits your business image goes beyond digital space. I can show you tips and details for getting it right and making work across online and print platforms.

Organic & Paid Search (Unclaimed Digital Territory)

If you’re running a business without a website and have been relying solely on traditional methods, it’s time to unlock new opportunity. Customers are searching for your service right now!

Organic search refers to the natural listings on search engine results pages (like Google or Bing) that appear because of their relevance to the search terms, as opposed to being advertisements. By not having a website, you’re missing out on the chance to appear in these listings—a place where a significant portion of your potential customers start their journey.

And, this is another reason to get setup with your own domain name if you’re currently using something like Bitly. Search engines like Google give more credibility to websites with a clear, branded domain name, which can significantly impact your search rankings and, by extension, your visibility to potential customers.

On the flip side, paid search advertising allows your website to jump to the top of search results by paying for prime placement. Paid search campaigns through platforms like Google Ads can be tailored to target the exact demographic you want to reach, with the ability to adjust for location, language, and more.

If you’re ready to explore the untapped potential of online search, let’s chat. I’m here to guide you through every step of the journey.

Who needs a website?

A website is your digital calling card and can be a sales generator if we do it right. Here are some of the top industries that I’ve helped grow online:

Restauraunt websites: Enjoy commision-free online ordering. With enticing designs and easy navigation, your patrons can effortlessly browse menus, book tables, and more.
E-commerce websites: Expand your business horizons by selling online.
Wedding websites: Share your love story, manage RSVPs, provide event details, and create lasting memories for you and your guests.
Martial arts school websites: Enroll students online, share class schedules, highlight events, and build a digital community.
Real Estate websites: Highlight property listings with interactive galleries, virtual tours, and advanced search filters.

January 18, 2022November 19, 2024

How I Helped a Business Optimize Their Google Ads Campaign

After a client approached me about improving their Google Ads campaign, I could tell they were doing a lot of things right—but they weren’t getting the results they wanted. Their ads were active, their click-through rate was decent, and they were spending about $650 per month. On the surface, everything seemed fine.

But as I dug deeper, I saw an opportunity to transform their campaign from “good enough” into something that could truly drive new clients to their business.

The Problem

The first thing I noticed was that their ads were missing some key pieces. For starters, there was no way to measure what happened after someone clicked on an ad. Conversion tracking hadn’t been set up, so there was no way to tell if those clicks led to sign-ups, contact form submissions, or any other meaningful action. It’s like running a sales campaign and never finding out how many people bought something.

Another issue was the structure of the ads themselves. Everything was running through a single ad and ad group, all of which pointed to their homepage. While this kind of setup can work as a starting point, it’s not ideal for targeting specific audiences. Imagine searching for “self-defense classes” and landing on a generic homepage with no mention of self-defense—it’s a missed opportunity to connect with a potential client.

Finally, their campaign wasn’t linked to Google Analytics, which meant there was no insight into what visitors did once they arrived on the site. Did they spend time exploring? Did they leave immediately? Did they look at multiple pages? These questions were left unanswered.

The Plan

After reviewing their campaign, I proposed a complete overhaul. First, I explained the importance of defining what success looks like—what actions do we want people to take when they click on an ad? For this client, it made sense to track things like contact form submissions and clicks to their scheduling platform. By setting up conversion tracking, we could finally measure the real impact of their ad spend.

Next, I suggested restructuring their campaign into three distinct ad groups, each with its own audience and purpose. The first ad group would target people new to their services, highlighting beginner-friendly options. The second would focus on fitness enthusiasts looking for a fun and effective workout. The third would spotlight programs for women, emphasizing empowerment and inclusion.

Each ad group would feature two different ads to test different messages and see what resonated most with each audience. And instead of pointing all traffic to the homepage, I recommended creating dedicated landing pages tailored to the ad group. If someone clicked on an ad for fitness classes, they’d land on a page showcasing the physical and mental benefits of their programs. If they clicked on an ad for women’s classes, they’d be greeted with content specifically designed for that audience.

Finally, I emphasized the need to connect Google Analytics to their campaign. This would give us a clearer picture of how people interacted with the site after clicking on an ad, providing valuable insights for ongoing optimization.

The Work Ahead

The client loved the plan, and here’s what’s next. I’ll spend a couple of hours implementing these changes, setting up the ad groups, writing the ads, building the landing pages, and integrating analytics and conversion tracking. Once that’s done, we’ll be ready to relaunch the campaign with a much stronger foundation.

Of course, ads don’t run themselves. The client will need to decide when they want to turn the campaign back on and how much they’re comfortable spending each month. But with these optimizations in place, they’ll be able to make data-driven decisions and see exactly how their investment is paying off.

Why This Matters

Every business wants to get the most out of their marketing budget. For this client, that means attracting new customers who are truly interested in their services. By taking the time to set up conversion tracking, target specific audiences, and create tailored landing pages, we’re turning their Google Ads campaign into a powerful tool for growth.

If you’re running Google Ads and feel like you’re not getting the results you should, you’re not alone. With the right strategy and a little bit of work, you can transform your campaign into something that delivers real, measurable value.

Want to learn more about how I can help your business grow? Let’s talk.

September 27, 2018January 10, 2024

Writing, engineering, and creativity

It was 2006 and I had just installed WordPress on a web server. I would draft blog posts nightly, before getting ready for bed. At the time I was a philosophy major and wrote prose more than code. That was my first venture into web development and digital marketing. It started with writing.

Writing blog posts and publishing software have a lot in common. For both, “perfect” is the opposite of ready. It’s easy to keep editing your own work. It’s even easier to keep adding half-done features and clutter. That’s why having a plan before you start helps so much. When I write, my first draft tends to be bullet points and a vague outline. The same goes for software. If I’m building something complex, I write comments explaining its functionality before any code. It’s my way of “thinking out loud”, and making sure that what I plan on doing even makes sense.

It’s been over a decade since I’ve maintained a blog. Creative tasks require hard work, lest they bear no fruit. (“Writer’s block is for amateurs”). Problem solving, in its many shapes, is the highest form of creativity. It’s how we build our reality. Modern technology gives us creative leverage through tools, knowledge, and community. We’re being given opportunities to build and create things, to grow and be better, at an unprecedented scale. It’s the best time in history to be CEO of your own life; creative director of your destiny. This also sets the bar higher to stand out.

My plan here is to write regularly, and discuss what I’ve been working on and learning, as well as what’s next. This gives me a chance to explore my thoughts, and prune the branches from which they stem. Hopefully, working at this will help to make me a better storyteller too. This blog is my notes and stories from the field, on the ground!