September Right Now Report
The Right Now Report gives you the high-level updates you need without the unnecessary clutter. In the September Right Now Report, we’ll explore why you should keep an eye on your technology and website user interface (UI), social media platform updates and what the loneliness epidemic means for small businesses.
Why Your Sales Problem Might Not Be Marketing—It Could Be Your Tech
If you’re not hitting your revenue goals, it can be easy to blame your marketing efforts, but sometimes the problem lies in your technology or user interface (UI). A Forrester Research study found that optimizing your user interface could double your website’s conversion rate and enhancing the overall user experience might increase conversions by up to 400%. Even the best marketing team with the most well-thought-out strategy, won’t be able to fix bad tech or confusing UI.
Here’s why:
- Bad User Experience (UX): If your website, landing page or app is hard to navigate, your audience might quickly lose patience before they make a purchase or get more information.
- Slow or Unresponsive Platforms: In the past, internet users expected to wait for a page to load, but in 2024 those days are gone. A study from Akamai showed that a 1-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions.
- Complicated Checkout Process: If your checkout process is confusing or takes too long, people will abandon their carts. This is true for service-based businesses too. If someone is ready to sign up for a consultation and can’t figure out how they’ll move on to another service provider that doesn’t have them jumping through hoops.
- Lack of Mobile Optimization: More consumers than ever before are shopping on their phones. According to Statistica, as of 2023, 73% of e-commerce purchases globally are made on mobile devices. A mobile-friendly website ensures a smooth user experience with fast loading times, easy navigation and responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes. Sites that aren’t mobile-optimized can frustrate users with slow load times, difficult-to-read text and cumbersome checkout processes, leading to higher bounce rates and abandoned carts.
- Trust and Security Issues: If your site feels outdated or doesn’t clearly show it’s secure, customers might think twice before completing their purchase. Users often look for security indicators such as an SSL certificate (shown by “https://” or a padlock icon in the address bar), a clear privacy policy and secure payment options through trusted gateways like PayPal or Stripe.
A smooth, secure and easy-to-use process on your website is just as important as good marketing when it comes to driving sales. Try experiencing your website as if you were a first-time user by opening up the site in a private window, what’s frustrating or downright annoying? Fix these problems and regularly test the functionality of your site to keep new problems from popping up.
Social Media Platform Updates: What’s New on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Social media platforms are always testing new features, but this past month has been especially active. Here’s a quick overview of some notable updates you may have seen across your feeds:
Facebook
Facebook has introduced AI-powered tools, including a comment summarization feature that provides an overview of comment threads on posts. If you’d rather not use it, you can easily disable this feature through your settings. Learn how to manage this feature here.
Instagram
Instagram carousels now support up to 20 photos and videos, doubling the previous limit of 10. Carousels, introduced in 2017, have become a favorite way to share multiple visuals, though TikTok still offers more with up to 35 slides in its version of carousels.
Additionally, Instagram now allows users to add a profile song—bringing back a nostalgic feature reminiscent of MySpace days.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is doubling down on video content with in-feed carousels that include video clips, meaning you’re more likely to see video content in new places. It’ll be interesting to see how content creation develops in this area.
Marketing for Small Businesses in the Age of Loneliness
Across the globe, the loneliness epidemic is intensifying. According to Gallup’s latest research, “Over 1 in 5 people worldwide feel lonely a lot of the day.” Loneliness affects mental health and well-being, worsening negative emotions like sadness, worry and stress. For small businesses, the connection between loneliness and marketing presents an opportunity to respond with empathy and build meaningful relationships with customers. We’d never recommend that you try to sell products or services to people who are in a vulnerable position, but you can find ways to form authentic relationships, when appropriate.
Small businesses have a unique opportunity to provide genuine, personal connections with people. By creating tight-knit communitiesᅳwhether through in-store experiences, online groups, or local eventsᅳbusinesses can become a source of support for people looking for connection. You can also leverage storytelling to build trust and empathy, ensuring their messaging resonates without exploiting vulnerability.
Personalized, community-focused marketing efforts, such as local events, pop-ups, or collaborations with other local businesses, can help foster real-world connections. Customized content and communication can make customers feel personally valued, making sure relationships aren’t merely transactional.
Of course, it’s important to always treat people with respect and dignity. The loneliness epidemic should not be used as a tool to manipulate emotions. Make sure to focus on offering real value and fostering supportive environments that prioritize compassion and connection over profit.
If you have any questions about these topics or would like support in implementing these trends in your own marketing strategy, we’re here to help. We’re committed to helping you navigate the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing with ease.
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us today to explore how working with Right Relations can help you stay ahead of the curve and bring joy back to your marketing efforts.