In the latest instalment of Mumble Forum’s new (and popular!) mentorship series, Alyson Lowe, expert digital strategist and founder of Vireo, hosted a workshop for 20 guests centred around audience growth and media strategy. Mumble members – some of whom found the event through the Mumble App – sat down at 12 Hay Hill’s boardroom table to discuss a myriad of relevant topics. Which are the KPIs worth tracking? How should you tackle SEO if you want real results? What makes a successful content strategy? If you missed the session, fear not: below, read five key things we learnt from the session.
1. A Founder Can Never Know Too Much About Analytics
If you own your own business, data is knowledge, and knowledge is power. There is more access to analytics than ever before: website analytics, social listening tools, competitor analysis and so much more. Take time to learn Google Analytics as a base standard for understanding your website traffic: where it’s coming from, growth patterns and audience demographics. In-app insights for social media platforms are a good place to start, but consider investing in a social listening tool like ListenFirst to understand more about the social landscape
2. Get Honest With Yourself About Who Your Audience Are
Now that you’ve got the data, the real learnings come from insights. This can sometimes be a hard pill to swallow: we all tell ourselves narratives about who our clients, customers and audience are, but it might not match the reality of what the data proves. Draw up a list of who your audience are: their lifestyle, motivations and their pain points. Next, write up your list of products or services. Does your business align with their pain points? Or is it time to make some tweaks?
3. You Don’t Need To Be Present On Every Social Platform
First there was Facebook. Then swiftly along came Twitter (or X, as we must now call it). Next: Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Tiktok, Linkedin, Snapchat, Threads… the list changes every year. Rather than feeling the pressure to be in all places at once, pay attention to the analytics and really lean into where you are finding your core clients. But, don’t dismiss platforms before you’ve really done your due diligence: Tiktok isn’t just for Gen Z.
4. Take SEO With A Big Slice Of Context
SEO, SEO… Three letters that are enough to strike fear into many founders. SEO agencies can make big promises: page one of Google for a myriad of keywords and business-transforming results. There’s no denying SEO is powerful, especially within e-commerce where you can entice customers with purchasing intent. But, be realistic about what you can achieve, and plan your efforts accordingly. Look at the other websites ranking well for the search keywords you are aiming for. Analyse their content and look at how powerful and historic their brand and website are.
5. Think About How Your Audience Use Social – And Fit Into It
With digital products and social strategies, it’s far easier to identify the habits and patterns of your audience and fit into those – it’s far harder to ask your audience to adopt new behaviours just to engage with your brand. If your customers are Whatsapping, Snapchatting, using Instagram DMs and commenting on Tiktoks, why are you continuing to blast and one-way-broadcast like it’s 2009? Think outside the box: Instagram broadcast channels, Whatsapp groups and Snapchat are all innovative modes of social communication.