Since 2020, American (and global) businesses have struggled with a chaotic financial system that continually threatens stability and prosperity. And now, with the looming tariffs that will affect the salability of products coupled with the loss of consumer spending power from layoffs/AI replacements, the rising inflation crisis continues to be an archon against positive profit margins.

Additionally, our country's inability to regulate and stabilize the disparity between salaries and cost-of-living, will only add fuel to the fire, forcing businesses, for the foreseeable future, to adopt innovative selling strategies and proactively plan to navigate this turbulent economic landscape1, 2,.  I can only hope that this new administration finds a way to support entrepreneurs/business owners with long term incentives to make, Made in America again.

Researched Content: For Long Term ROI

Which brings me to the topic at hand, how to at least maximize your online ROI. Digital marketing is crucial for businesses to ensure their web efforts are practical and profitable. ROI, has and continues to be, a key performance indicator; that helps companies grade strategies and allocate resources efficiently.

By focusing on ROI, companies can identify high-performing plays, optimize their budgets, and make data-driven decisions to enhance their impact 3, 4. SEO researched content, though time consuming still remains an intelligent, long-term ROI strategy for attracting warm leads that can yield:

1. Long-Term Benefits: Unlike paid ads, which stop driving traffic once the budget runs out, SEO-researched content can continue to attract visitors for months or even years after publication.
2. Building Authority: Regularly publishing informative and valuable content helps establish your business as an authority in your industry. This builds trust with your audience and encourages them to return to your site.
3. Engaging Your Audience: SEO-researched content creates an ecosystem that encourages your audience to comment and discuss relevant topics. This interaction nudges algorithms to take you content more seriously winning you repeat visits.
4. Understanding User Search Intent: Researched content allows you to address specific questions/problems to target your audiences search habits. By creating content that aligns with user search intent, you increase the chances of your content appearing in search engine results.
5. Keyword Optimization: Content libraries provide an opportunity to incorporate relevant keywords naturally. This improves your website's visibility on search engines, driving more organic traffic.
6. Generating Backlinks: High-quality content is more likely to be shared and linked to by other websites. Fostering an organic/natural way to win backlinks to your site; a key factor for improving your site's search engine ranking.

By focusing on creating valuable, well-researched SEO-optimized content, business owners can effectively attract and retain organic traffic, ultimately boosting their online presence and revenue.

Go Green, Recycle/Repurpose

You’ve created a great piece of content—instead of letting it stay as is, think on how you can "Recycle/Repurpose" it. Perhaps it can easily translate to a quick simple video, or a bite-sized infographic for your social media. Perhaps it can become an accessory or download that can be seeded throughout your site. Honestly, it doesn't even have to be new piece of content, perhaps something from the archives can be polished off and mage magically relevant today?

How does this help:

1. Reach more people: Different people prefer different formats. Some love visuals like video, or some may just want a quick scan on social. By repurposing your content (old or new) you’re engaging you audience on their terms.
2. Save time and money: Creating brand-new content is time-consuming and can be expensive. Repurposing means you maximize the value of what you’ve already made.
3. Strengthen your message: Repeating your core message across formats makes it stick in people’s minds, reinforcing your brand or goal.

During economic hard times, this is especially useful because doing more with less is smart. Instead of spending money on constantly developing now content, mix it up to keep your costs down while still improving ROI. It’s smart and sustainable. 

Free/Affordable Tools to Better Navigate the Web

Here's a list of some SEO tools to help you simply and effectively improve your online ROI:

FREE -Google Search Console (GSC): I'm constantly surprised by how many organizations still haven't utilized this platform.  I recall validating your property being somewhat tricky in the past but there's no excuse today. But okay, let's break down how Google Search Console (GSC) can be an asset.

• In simple terms GSC shows you the words/phrases associated with your website, helping you understand whether or not your content is on target. This data is a direct insight to how Google understands your site and how/when its being delivered in search results. Moreover, it also gives insight to performance like click-through rates and average positions. Knowing how to decipher this information helps you identify areas where you can improve your website attract more traffic.
• Further GSC spotlights various problems, like page speed load times a key metric in Technical SEO.

FREE - Bing Webmaster:  Like GSC, Bing Webmaster scans your site and points out problems to make it more user-friendly to their search network, a network that has been growing, especially with the advancement of Windows 11. 5 Thus I strongly urge you to take Microsoft Search results more seriously this day and age. 

• Keyword Insights: What words and phrases people type into Bing to find your business (or its competitors). Use this data as a compass to adjust your website content direction so to capitalize on keywords that could have you land on first page search results, pulling in more organic (free) traffic.
• Performance Tracking:  Data on how well a website does on Bing, such as how many clicks it gets, or which pages are the most popular.
• Stay Ahead of Competitors: Bing Webmaster shares information about search trends and audience behavior, potentially helping you stay one step ahead. 

FREE and Paid Version - Keywords Everywhere (KE): A friendly research assistant that gives you immediate insights into the phrases people use to search online, similar to Google's "People also seach for" data at the bottom of its search pages. 

However, KE offers actual data to determine the value of the keyword/phrase/question. By seeing the actual words and phrases people use to look for products or services like yours, you gain a better understanding of your target audience's needs and how they think.

This allows you to:

• Use the right language on your website: So, your website content resonates with potential customers.
• Create effective blog posts and articles: That answer the questions people are actually asking.
• Optimize your product descriptions: To attract more buyers. 
• Finding Content Ideas: The "related keywords" feature is a goldmine for content ideas. You can see what topics people are interested in within your industry and create valuable content that attracts them to your website.
• Analyzing Competitors: When you visit your competitors' websites or see their content ranking in search results, "Keywords Everywhere" can give you insights into the keywords they might be targeting. This helps you understand their strategy and identify opportunities to differentiate yourself. 
• Time-Saving: Instead of having to go to a separate keyword research tool and manually enter terms, "Keywords Everywhere" provides the data directly within your browser as you work. This saves you valuable time, allowing you to focus on implementing your strategies. 

In Summary

Make smarter use of these free/affordable resources, to help optimize your online presence without spending much—and that means improving ROI when every penny counts!

Maximize Your Local-ness for Map Searches

I don't see enough discussion about this. and I'm also really surprised by how often this is overlooked by brick-and-mortar business owners. But if you have a physical location, you should absolutely set-up and take care of your Google Business Profile and Bing Business Profile.  Personally, I almost exclusively search for businesses via my maps app and having a clear and well-organized business profile is great for your visibility/brand and allows for transparent customer engagement.

Google Business Profile

1. Free to Use: Making it a budget-friendly way to enhance your online presence. And setting it up doesn't take much, in fact the only "difficult" part is waiting for the snail mail to deliver your verification code to prove business ownership. Otherwise managing a Google Business Profile costs nothing but time and only delivers ROI since it was free to set-up!,
2. Local SEO Boost: It helps your business appear in local search results and Google Maps, reducing the need for paid ads to attract local customers.
3. Customer Engagement: Features like reviews, Q&A, and direct messaging allow you to interact with customers without additional marketing tools.
4. Increased Traffic: By optimizing your profile, you can drive more organic (free) traffic to your website or physical location, saving on advertising costs.

Bing Business Profile

1. Free Listing: Like Google, Bing Business Profile is free to set up and maintain, offering cost-effective exposure on Bing and Bing Maps.
2. Reach a Different Audience: Bing users often have higher purchasing power, so you can tap into a valuable customer base without extra spending.
3. Improved Search Visibility: A well-maintained Bing profile can help your business rank higher in Bing search results, reducing the need for paid search campaigns.
4. Cross-Platform Benefits: Bing integrates with Microsoft products like Windows and Office, giving your business additional visibility across platforms.

Cut down on expenses while still driving growth. It's a smart move, especially nowadays.

Harnessing Social Media Effectively

Most Social platform have all gone the way of pay-to-play to get any real exposure, but they're still free to join.  So, picking the right stage to showcase your business—ensures you’re talking to the audience.

Right Platform, Right Audience:

• LinkedIn for B2B Businesses. LinkedIng should be used for businesses that sell services or products to other businesses (B2B). You can connect directly with industry leaders, decision-makers, and potential partners.
• Why it Works: Share thought leadership content, success stories, or case studies that demonstrate your expertise. By engaging with posts and joining relevant groups, you can establish your business as an authority in your field and grow relationships that lead to real opportunities.
• Instagram for Visual/Product Brands. Instagram is like a digital showroom. It’s ideal for businesses with visually appealing products or experiences, such as fashion, food, travel, or fitness brands. The platform thrives on eye-catching images and videos that tell a story.
• Why It Works: Use posts, Stories, and Reels to showcase your brand’s personality and products in action. Highlight your brand’s lifestyle appeal, run creative campaigns, and engage your audience with polls, quizzes, and behind-the-scenes content. Authentic, fun visuals = loyal followers who convert into customers.
• Facebook Best for Community Building: It's ideal for small businesses, local services, and family-friendly brands, as its users span a wide demographic.
• Why It Works: With features like Groups and Events, Facebook fosters community engagement, making it great for brands that thrive on loyal, interactive customer bases.
• Twitter (X) Best for Real-Time Updates and Thought Leadership: Perfect for news outlets, tech startups, and businesses in fast-changing industries.
• Why It Works: Twitter's fast-paced, text-based format is ideal for sharing updates, industry insights, and engaging in trending topics or hashtags.
• Pinterest Best for Visual Inspiration and DIY Brands: Great for businesses focused on design, crafts, recipes, fashion, or home decor.
• Why It Works: Pinterest users are often actively looking for ideas and products, making it a goldmine for niche brands with strong visuals.
• TikTok Best for Short-Form Entertainment and Younger Audiences: Ideal for businesses with a playful or creative side, such as beauty, fitness, or lifestyle brands.
• Why It Works: TikTok's algorithm and focus on viral trends can give even small brands massive exposure if they create engaging, shareable content.
• YouTube Best for Long-Form Storytelling and Tutorials: Excellent for brands that want to educate, demonstrate, or entertain.
• Why It Works: YouTube’s video format is perfect for in-depth product reviews, how-to guides, or building a personal connection through storytelling.
• Snapchat Best for Direct, Ephemeral Marketing: Works well for trendy or youth-focused brands that thrive on FOMO (fear of missing out) and real-time interaction.
• Why It Works: Snapchat’s temporary content creates urgency and exclusivity, which can drive quick engagement.
• Reddit Best for Niche Communities and Authentic Conversations: Ideal for businesses targeting very specific interest groups or industries.
• Why It Works: Reddit users value authenticity, so it's a great platform for brands willing to genuinely engage and offer value.

Consistency Builds Trust and Visibility:

Think of posting consistently like watering a plant. If you do it regularly, it grows. If you skip too many days, it withers. By pairing the right platform with regular content, you maximize your chances of connecting with your audience and growing your business!

In Summary

References

1. https://icg-funding.com/top-10-financial-challenges-faced-by-small-businesses-and-how-to-overcome-them/?form=MG0AV3&form=MG0AV3
2. https://www.fastcompany.com/91227594/the-toughest-challenges-facing-small-businesses-in-2025-how-to-adapt-and-thrive?form=MG0AV3&form=MG0AV3
3. https://highzeal.com/blog/what-is-roi-in-digital-marketing?form=MG0AV3&form=MG0AV3
4. https://business.adobe.com/blog/basics/understanding-roi-in-digital-marketing?form=MG0AV3&form=MG0AV3
5. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/bing-ai-powered-search-edge-browser-grow-users-engagement/481948/?form=MG0AV3&form=MG0AV3