Interesting things Archives - MiHiDigital https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/category/interesting-things/ Just another WordPress site Fri, 16 Jun 2023 16:49:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.5 Our Overview of the South West Tourism Sector During Q2 of 2023 https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/south-west-tourism-sector-q2-23/ Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:55:30 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=12463 Working with more than 100 accommodation and hospitality providers across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, as well as some of the country’s best-known visitor attractions gives us a front row seat to the overall trends impacting the Westcountry tourism market. So, if you’re wondering if you’re on trend, behind or perhaps even a little ahead of the curve, here are our Managing Director’s thoughts on how the South West Tourism Sector has been shaping up in the second quarter of this year… When are we now comparing to? You’ll be familiar with the saying you want to be comparing ‘apples with apples’ or ‘oranges with oranges’. It’s certainly no different with website data; you want to be comparing like for like, season with season, year with year. However, Covid has obviously made that very difficult; if you compare 2021 with 2020, you’ll likely be filled with a warm fuzzy feeling. Compare 2019 with 2020 and you’re likely to be brought out in lockdown sweats. But when should you be comparing to? Up until the start of this year, I had been a strong advocate of comparing your data back to 2019. It was the last year of ‘normality’ and a decent gauge of where you stood against that stasis. However, far too much water is now under the bridge, so it’s time to move that comparison forward and reflect on where you stand against the same period last year. Although there are of course variances to take into consideration, we can factor those into our own thoughts and feelings on overall performance. Let’s take a look at the average performance against last year…. Bookings are still being made late I highlighted at the start of the year that people were making booking decisions a lot closer to the date of arrival. This trend has continued throughout the second quarter of the year, with those looking forward in their booking calendars still seeing gaps where they’d usually not. But, when looking back, thinking to themselves that performance on the whole has certainly not been as bad as they would have anticipated. Late bookings are an obvious breeding ground for uncertainty and nervousness. However, with website traffic starting to rally, my belief is that bookings should pick up from here, although they will be made later, even as we head into the school summer holidays in some cases (read on for more on that!). The exception to any late booking rule is repeat bookers; they will always book earlier and more regularly, so if you aren’t already putting in place methods to woo people that have already been with you, then now is the time to get moving. Your cash flow will look better as will your booking calendar. Website traffic has strengthened through May The first four months of the year represented a 10 – 20% drop in traffic for most websites when compared to last year. That kind of makes sense; they’re booking later, so they won’t be looking earlier! However, May was the first month that we saw most sites rally above their 2022 traffic levels; sometimes only marginally but some are up by 10 – 15%. These are certainly encouraging signs for those still looking to fill the months ahead and do buck the trend of lower traffic often seen on bank holidays (if you’ve forgotten, May was rammed full of them!). Further evidence of the late booking culture is the level of traffic seen during school holidays; this is riding higher than usual and does suggest that some are looking for a holiday during the actual period of the school holiday. Very last minute indeed. The July and August divide Funny one this; if I tell you that people are booking later, then logic would suggest that July is booked before August. Not the case for many; several of our clients are busier in August than they are in July. If I cast the data net wider, that’s not necessarily uncommon and we’ve often seen a trend of August booking before July in the past. However, if you’re reading this and thinking you’re the opposite, then you’re also not alone! Several of our other clients are seeing strong July performance with a more hollow August. The only common denominator here is that there are still gaps in these school summer holiday months when there are usually not. Remember though, later bookings suggest that not all is lost here. Deals aren’t gaining traction We’ve seen a poor response to deals and offers. Why might that be? It’s important to remember that a deal or special offer is there to nudge someone over the line; it won’t change their mind completely. What I mean by this is that if someone is wanting to stay during July, when they can get time off work or it’s during school holidays, offering them a discount for June is not going to work. Having an offer that makes your price competitive for when they are staying will. But what I would say there is that that is more about price than the offer itself. We’re undoubtedly in a strange pricing stage; we had Covid and the resulting period where prices went up purely because demand was so high. Since then, the input costs for you as a business have soared, so the temptation is to now rise again. That’s understandable but getting your pricing right now will mean you’ll gain more than any deal or special offer you have to resort to down the line. Our overall feeling? Reasonably optimistic. We’ve had a slow start to the year and all indicators are suggesting that the late booking trend will continue into the busiest part of the year. The growth in traffic during May and into June gives definite hope that demand is picking back up (although there is still too much in the way of supply on the market), so getting your pricing and proposition right now will stand you in good […]

The post Our Overview of the South West Tourism Sector During Q2 of 2023 appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Working with more than 100 accommodation and hospitality providers across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, as well as some of the country’s best-known visitor attractions gives us a front row seat to the overall trends impacting the Westcountry tourism market.

So, if you’re wondering if you’re on trend, behind or perhaps even a little ahead of the curve, here are our Managing Director’s thoughts on how the South West Tourism Sector has been shaping up in the second quarter of this year…

When are we now comparing to?

You’ll be familiar with the saying you want to be comparing ‘apples with apples’ or ‘oranges with oranges’. It’s certainly no different with website data; you want to be comparing like for like, season with season, year with year. However, Covid has obviously made that very difficult; if you compare 2021 with 2020, you’ll likely be filled with a warm fuzzy feeling. Compare 2019 with 2020 and you’re likely to be brought out in lockdown sweats.

But when should you be comparing to? Up until the start of this year, I had been a strong advocate of comparing your data back to 2019. It was the last year of ‘normality’ and a decent gauge of where you stood against that stasis. However, far too much water is now under the bridge, so it’s time to move that comparison forward and reflect on where you stand against the same period last year.

Although there are of course variances to take into consideration, we can factor those into our own thoughts and feelings on overall performance.

Let’s take a look at the average performance against last year….

Bookings are still being made late

I highlighted at the start of the year that people were making booking decisions a lot closer to the date of arrival. This trend has continued throughout the second quarter of the year, with those looking forward in their booking calendars still seeing gaps where they’d usually not. But, when looking back, thinking to themselves that performance on the whole has certainly not been as bad as they would have anticipated.

Late bookings are an obvious breeding ground for uncertainty and nervousness. However, with website traffic starting to rally, my belief is that bookings should pick up from here, although they will be made later, even as we head into the school summer holidays in some cases (read on for more on that!).

The exception to any late booking rule is repeat bookers; they will always book earlier and more regularly, so if you aren’t already putting in place methods to woo people that have already been with you, then now is the time to get moving.

Your cash flow will look better as will your booking calendar.

Website traffic has strengthened through May

The first four months of the year represented a 10 – 20% drop in traffic for most websites when compared to last year. That kind of makes sense; they’re booking later, so they won’t be looking earlier!

However, May was the first month that we saw most sites rally above their 2022 traffic levels; sometimes only marginally but some are up by 10 – 15%. These are certainly encouraging signs for those still looking to fill the months ahead and do buck the trend of lower traffic often seen on bank holidays (if you’ve forgotten, May was rammed full of them!).

Further evidence of the late booking culture is the level of traffic seen during school holidays; this is riding higher than usual and does suggest that some are looking for a holiday during the actual period of the school holiday. Very last minute indeed.

The July and August divide

Funny one this; if I tell you that people are booking later, then logic would suggest that July is booked before August. Not the case for many; several of our clients are busier in August than they are in July. If I cast the data net wider, that’s not necessarily uncommon and we’ve often seen a trend of August booking before July in the past.

However, if you’re reading this and thinking you’re the opposite, then you’re also not alone! Several of our other clients are seeing strong July performance with a more hollow August.

The only common denominator here is that there are still gaps in these school summer holiday months when there are usually not. Remember though, later bookings suggest that not all is lost here.

Deals aren’t gaining traction

We’ve seen a poor response to deals and offers. Why might that be? It’s important to remember that a deal or special offer is there to nudge someone over the line; it won’t change their mind completely. What I mean by this is that if someone is wanting to stay during July, when they can get time off work or it’s during school holidays, offering them a discount for June is not going to work. Having an offer that makes your price competitive for when they are staying will.

But what I would say there is that that is more about price than the offer itself. We’re undoubtedly in a strange pricing stage; we had Covid and the resulting period where prices went up purely because demand was so high. Since then, the input costs for you as a business have soared, so the temptation is to now rise again. That’s understandable but getting your pricing right now will mean you’ll gain more than any deal or special offer you have to resort to down the line.

Our overall feeling?

Reasonably optimistic. We’ve had a slow start to the year and all indicators are suggesting that the late booking trend will continue into the busiest part of the year. The growth in traffic during May and into June gives definite hope that demand is picking back up (although there is still too much in the way of supply on the market), so getting your pricing and proposition right now will stand you in good stead for what’s to come.

If you’re a business in the tourism industry that needs help from experts in the field, then get in touch with the team. 

Call us on 01566 232323 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk.

The post Our Overview of the South West Tourism Sector During Q2 of 2023 appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Our Overview of the South West Tourism Sector During Q1 of 2023 https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/south-west-tourism-sector-q1-2023/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:32:06 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=12388 Where does time go? We’re almost at the end of the first quarter of the year and that means we’ve now got more than enough data to draw some early conclusions on how this year is shaping up for businesses in the South West Tourism Industry.  Because we work with more than 100 accommodation and hospitality providers in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, as well as some of the major destinations, we’re fortunate to have a front row seat to overall trends in the industry in this part of the world is seeing.  Here’s what we’ve noticed…. A drop in early traffic levels during the year Many sites within the South West Tourism Industry have seen year-on-year traffic for Q1 drop by somewhere between 5 – 25%. There are two core reasons for this: January of last year was at the back end of the post-Covid traffic surge of 2021 (brought about by a lack of international travel and people seeking their first opportunity to get out after lockdowns). This means that figures were artificially higher last year, and you would expect to have some drop off this year. However, there has been a noticeable drop in demand since last year, which has been exacerbated by people booking closer and closer to the date of their arrival. This means, as an example, that traffic that would commonly be booking for the summer may currently be booking for Easter. As a result of that summer booking traffic levels (which are often higher) are being pushed to later in the year. In terms of good news, the majority of the 5 – 25% drop is usually found in January, with February and March traffic levels rallying against and sometimes above last year’s numbers. My overall feeling is a lot more positive now than it was at the start of the year. Uncertainty leads to a delay in decision making and bookings  We’ve mentioned that people are booking closer and closer to the time of arrival, but why are they doing that? As humans we like certainty, and many people need it when planning. Over recent months we’ve faced what seemed like a long winter, economic difficulties, a cost of living crisis, a war in Europe….the list goes on and on…. All those factors bring uncertainty and that in turn delays decision making. For you, it means their booking comes into your booking engine closer to when they’ll be joining you. That in turn brings you uncertainty, as you look at your calendar and feel that it’s not as full as it usually would be by now  My view on this is that bookings will come, but they will come later; I’ve every expectation that if your marketing is right, booking revenue this year shouldn’t be dropping by any large amount. The importance of repeat trade There’s one thing that trumps the trend above (of people booking later) and that is the beauty of repeat guests; they book earlier, they come more often and they’ll also tell people about you too!  There’s never been a more important time to be on your game when it comes to getting people back to your property than now; if you’re not doing it then you’re going to be paying more for new guests (see my next point) and you’re going to have the stress of them booking later.  Levels of supply are still high  Another factor affecting the market is the level of supply. During the Covid period, and just after, the number of cottages on the market through platforms such as Airbnb soared. That wasn’t a problem when supply was also soaring and there was a limited amount of international travel.  However, there has been a drop in demand and because supply is still high in South West Tourism, it means that demand is spread across a wider range of options. Just like spreading jam on a loaf of toast rather than a slice, it means that booking coverage is being stretched and effective marketing to a defined audience is becoming more important. If you don’t market, you’re likely to find yourself often being the ones with the gap. My summary:  Traffic to sites was down in January but has begun to rally. Levels of supply are still very high, and demand has dropped slightly. People are generally booking later. A focus on repeat trade can insulate cottage owners from market fluctuations. if you want to know more about how MiHi Digital can help your business grow, then get in touch with the team! Call us on 01566 232323 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk.

The post Our Overview of the South West Tourism Sector During Q1 of 2023 appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Where does time go? We’re almost at the end of the first quarter of the year and that means we’ve now got more than enough data to draw some early conclusions on how this year is shaping up for businesses in the South West Tourism Industry. 

Because we work with more than 100 accommodation and hospitality providers in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, and Dorset, as well as some of the major destinations, we’re fortunate to have a front row seat to overall trends in the industry in this part of the world is seeing. 

Here’s what we’ve noticed….

A drop in early traffic levels during the year

Many sites within the South West Tourism Industry have seen year-on-year traffic for Q1 drop by somewhere between 5 – 25%.

There are two core reasons for this:

  • January of last year was at the back end of the post-Covid traffic surge of 2021 (brought about by a lack of international travel and people seeking their first opportunity to get out after lockdowns). This means that figures were artificially higher last year, and you would expect to have some drop off this year.
  • However, there has been a noticeable drop in demand since last year, which has been exacerbated by people booking closer and closer to the date of their arrival. This means, as an example, that traffic that would commonly be booking for the summer may currently be booking for Easter. As a result of that summer booking traffic levels (which are often higher) are being pushed to later in the year.

In terms of good news, the majority of the 5 – 25% drop is usually found in January, with February and March traffic levels rallying against and sometimes above last year’s numbers.

My overall feeling is a lot more positive now than it was at the start of the year.

Uncertainty leads to a delay in decision making and bookings 

We’ve mentioned that people are booking closer and closer to the time of arrival, but why are they doing that? As humans we like certainty, and many people need it when planning. Over recent months we’ve faced what seemed like a long winter, economic difficulties, a cost of living crisis, a war in Europe….the list goes on and on….

All those factors bring uncertainty and that in turn delays decision making. For you, it means their booking comes into your booking engine closer to when they’ll be joining you. That in turn brings you uncertainty, as you look at your calendar and feel that it’s not as full as it usually would be by now 

My view on this is that bookings will come, but they will come later; I’ve every expectation that if your marketing is right, booking revenue this year shouldn’t be dropping by any large amount.

The importance of repeat trade

There’s one thing that trumps the trend above (of people booking later) and that is the beauty of repeat guests; they book earlier, they come more often and they’ll also tell people about you too! 

There’s never been a more important time to be on your game when it comes to getting people back to your property than now; if you’re not doing it then you’re going to be paying more for new guests (see my next point) and you’re going to have the stress of them booking later. 

Levels of supply are still high 

Another factor affecting the market is the level of supply. During the Covid period, and just after, the number of cottages on the market through platforms such as Airbnb soared. That wasn’t a problem when supply was also soaring and there was a limited amount of international travel. 

However, there has been a drop in demand and because supply is still high in South West Tourism, it means that demand is spread across a wider range of options. Just like spreading jam on a loaf of toast rather than a slice, it means that booking coverage is being stretched and effective marketing to a defined audience is becoming more important. If you don’t market, you’re likely to find yourself often being the ones with the gap.

My summary: 
  • Traffic to sites was down in January but has begun to rally.
  • Levels of supply are still very high, and demand has dropped slightly.
  • People are generally booking later.
  • A focus on repeat trade can insulate cottage owners from market fluctuations.

if you want to know more about how MiHi Digital can help your business grow, then get in touch with the team!

Call us on 01566 232323 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk.

The post Our Overview of the South West Tourism Sector During Q1 of 2023 appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Five features your business SHOULD be using to maximise Instagram performance https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/five-features-your-business-should-be-using-to-maximise-instagram-performance/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:12:46 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=10881 In May 2022, Instagram had over 34 million active users across the United Kingdom. That is an enormous pool of potential followers to discover your business. So ask yourself, are you making full use of all the tools available to grow your brand online?  Instagram have a reputation for quietly releasing new tools and features that can easily go unnoticed and can often appear daunting at first site. However, these tools have proven essential in maximising your post performance, reaching new audiences, and celebrating your online community. So we’ve gathered the five essential features that we think you should be using to increase your success on Instagram. Promotions: Boost your posts and build target demographics Increasing website traffic and growing your following are made so much easier by Instagram’s option to convert Instagram posts into paid ads. With the tools to narrow down your target demographic, you can take control of the new audiences discovering your content.  Start by thinking about why you’re promoting your posts, whether it be increasing profile visits and website traffic, or starting more conversations in your inbox, make sure to define your goal. The next step allows you to create a personalised audience by filtering users by location, age, interests and lifestyles, growing the potential reach of your ad. Finally, establish the duration and total spend of your boosted post. Doing this allows Instagram to estimate the total reach of your promotion, giving you a good idea as to how many eyes your content will reach. Instagram Insights: The importance of regular analysis Understanding the performance of your content and audience growth is important to any business with the goal of expanding on social media. Instagram Insights offer you clear and in-depth reporting on how your posts are performing, how many accounts you’re reaching, breaks down your audience and tracks their journeys. Checking in here every week to monitor performance can inform your marketing strategy, discover new audiences, and give you a good idea as to whether or not your content is WORKING. User Generated Content: Celebrate your community with real stories UGC has become so important to digital marketing. Audiences find organic content from real customers more trustworthy than branded posts, more appealing than product images, and are more likely to follow your brand. So stop air brushing your images and start celebrating your customers with real, transparent stories and reviews. If you’re struggling to increase the flow of images and videos you’re tagged in, then think about starting a branded hashtag for customers to use when they’re talking about your business. Encourage them to celebrate their experience with you, make them feel welcome, make them WANT to be featured on your feed. Instagram Bio: Make a good first impression Social media is the face of your business for so many new users landing on your profile. So it’s important that your bio is as clear and helpful as possible, and with a 150 word limit, there are plenty of ways to quickly engage your visitors. Start by writing what your business offers, and why people should follow you, if you have any ongoing campaigns or upcoming events, make sure to shout about them! You can also engage and mobilise users by including calls to action such as directing them to your stories, sharing brand hashtags, or promoting your Instagram shop. If you can’t decide on which website link to share, then we’d recommend using Linktree, a free tool that allows you to share multiple links via a customised landing page. Instagram Highlights: Keep it tidy and prolong performance Instagram Highlights are a brilliant tool to promote your brand, they are the front and centre of your profile, and a great way to direct new visitors to your most interesting content.  Unlike regular Instagram Stories with a lifetime of 24 hours, Highlights sit permanently on your page. So, use Insights to identify your most engaging Stories, before curating and featuring them on your profile as Highlights.  So to recap: Use Boosting to promote your content and build new target audiences Understand the importance of performance analysis using Insights Nail your Bio to make a good and lasting first impression Use Highlights to direct visitors to your most engaging content Celebrate the customer and tell real stories with UGC Keeping on top of these five features is guaranteed to start expanding your brand on Instagram, so make sure to follow us at @mihidigital to stay tuned for more social media training and tips. To make an enquiry or learn more about the social media training courses we provide at MiHi, just hit the link below. Instagram Training Cornwall, Devon (mihidigital.co.uk)

The post Five features your business SHOULD be using to maximise Instagram performance appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> In May 2022, Instagram had over 34 million active users across the United Kingdom. That is an enormous pool of potential followers to discover your business. So ask yourself, are you making full use of all the tools available to grow your brand online? 

Instagram have a reputation for quietly releasing new tools and features that can easily go unnoticed and can often appear daunting at first site. However, these tools have proven essential in maximising your post performance, reaching new audiences, and celebrating your online community. So we’ve gathered the five essential features that we think you should be using to increase your success on Instagram.

Promotions: Boost your posts and build target demographics

Increasing website traffic and growing your following are made so much easier by Instagram’s option to convert Instagram posts into paid ads. With the tools to narrow down your target demographic, you can take control of the new audiences discovering your content. 

Start by thinking about why you’re promoting your posts, whether it be increasing profile visits and website traffic, or starting more conversations in your inbox, make sure to define your goal. The next step allows you to create a personalised audience by filtering users by location, age, interests and lifestyles, growing the potential reach of your ad. Finally, establish the duration and total spend of your boosted post. Doing this allows Instagram to estimate the total reach of your promotion, giving you a good idea as to how many eyes your content will reach.

Instagram Insights: The importance of regular analysis

Understanding the performance of your content and audience growth is important to any business with the goal of expanding on social media. Instagram Insights offer you clear and in-depth reporting on how your posts are performing, how many accounts you’re reaching, breaks down your audience and tracks their journeys. Checking in here every week to monitor performance can inform your marketing strategy, discover new audiences, and give you a good idea as to whether or not your content is WORKING.

User Generated Content: Celebrate your community with real stories

UGC has become so important to digital marketing. Audiences find organic content from real customers more trustworthy than branded posts, more appealing than product images, and are more likely to follow your brand. So stop air brushing your images and start celebrating your customers with real, transparent stories and reviews.

If you’re struggling to increase the flow of images and videos you’re tagged in, then think about starting a branded hashtag for customers to use when they’re talking about your business. Encourage them to celebrate their experience with you, make them feel welcome, make them WANT to be featured on your feed.

Instagram Bio: Make a good first impression

Social media is the face of your business for so many new users landing on your profile. So it’s important that your bio is as clear and helpful as possible, and with a 150 word limit, there are plenty of ways to quickly engage your visitors.

Start by writing what your business offers, and why people should follow you, if you have any ongoing campaigns or upcoming events, make sure to shout about them! You can also engage and mobilise users by including calls to action such as directing them to your stories, sharing brand hashtags, or promoting your Instagram shop. If you can’t decide on which website link to share, then we’d recommend using Linktree, a free tool that allows you to share multiple links via a customised landing page.

Instagram Highlights: Keep it tidy and prolong performance

Instagram Highlights are a brilliant tool to promote your brand, they are the front and centre of your profile, and a great way to direct new visitors to your most interesting content. 

Unlike regular Instagram Stories with a lifetime of 24 hours, Highlights sit permanently on your page. So, use Insights to identify your most engaging Stories, before curating and featuring them on your profile as Highlights. 

So to recap:

  1. Use Boosting to promote your content and build new target audiences
  2. Understand the importance of performance analysis using Insights
  3. Nail your Bio to make a good and lasting first impression
  4. Use Highlights to direct visitors to your most engaging content
  5. Celebrate the customer and tell real stories with UGC

Keeping on top of these five features is guaranteed to start expanding your brand on Instagram, so make sure to follow us at @mihidigital to stay tuned for more social media training and tips.

To make an enquiry or learn more about the social media training courses we provide at MiHi, just hit the link below.

Instagram Training Cornwall, Devon (mihidigital.co.uk)

The post Five features your business SHOULD be using to maximise Instagram performance appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> 5 things you can do during Lockdown that can help your business online https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/5-things-you-can-do-during-lockdown-that-can-help-your-business-online/ Fri, 06 Nov 2020 13:36:18 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=10749 Lockdown number two is here and it’s a strange time for all of us. Businesses are closing until December at the very least and people have to work from home if they are able. If you run a business and you’re worried about what you could be doing from home, here are 5 things you can do during Lockdown that can help your business online. Set up ways for people to order from you online If people can’t come to your shop, bring the shop to them. Make it easy for them to order from you online! If you have a website use plugins such as WooCommerce and Shopify so people can order products directly from your website. They also allow you to take payments through things like Paypal, so it really couldn’t be any easier. You can also use Instagram Shopping to sell products online. This is especially useful if you’re really active on Instagram, as you can tag in products on your feed which can link to your website. If you don’t have a website, don’t worry. Instagram Shopping can be set up without a website, so you can sell your products directly through Instagram without the need of a website. Name images on your website When it’s busy it’s easy to upload images and forget to name them properly. But those images can help your Google ranking if you give them titles and descriptions. If you find that you have a bit more time, go through your website’s media library and give each image a title and a description that include keywords you want to rank for. So for example, if I owned a shoe shop in Plymouth and I wanted customers to find me when they search ‘Plymouth Shoe Shop’, I would use key phrases such as ‘Plymouth Shoe Shop’ ‘Shoe shops in Plymouth’ ‘Mens shoes Plymouth’ and so on. This will help your Google ranking and make it easier for people to find you online. Re-engage with people online When your business is in full flow during normal working hours, it’s really easy to neglect your social media platforms, in particular engaging with other people. But engaging with your customers and other businesses can increase your sales, engagement and reach. This is particularly important for platforms that focus on conversations and encourage interaction between accounts like Twitter and Instagram, because both of those platforms like to connect you with people that you know or interact with a lot. So if John in Exeter comments and likes a lot of photos on Tesco’s Instagram, Instagram will think that John likes Tesco and will show John more of Tesco’s content. So use Twitter lists to engage with the people you want quickly and easily, and remember to comment and like on other people’s photos on Instagram too. Keep posting on social media Because the majority of people will be at home or working from home at the moment, you can get high levels of interaction now throughout the day. Before lockdown it was advisable to post early morning or evening as people get home, but with more home workers you can more flexible with your timings, posting earlier or even as late as 9pm. However, its important to note that although you want to promote your business, don’t come across too salesy. Post behind the scenes photos, what you’re doing to keep yourself positive and other things so that you can connect as a person as well as a business. Stay positive and look out for one another It’s a strange time for everyone, and everyone’s business will be in the same boat more or less. So as we’re all in this together, make sure you share and retweet other local businesses’ news and content. They’ll appreciate it and more often than not they’ll share your content too. Remember to keep your feed positive; it’ll keep your engagement high and you never know which of your customers will appreciate the positivity. And that’s our list. If you have any questions about anything we’ve spoken about let us know in the comments. Stay safe and stay positive everyone.

The post 5 things you can do during Lockdown that can help your business online appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Lockdown number two is here and it’s a strange time for all of us. Businesses are closing until December at the very least and people have to work from home if they are able. If you run a business and you’re worried about what you could be doing from home, here are 5 things you can do during Lockdown that can help your business online.

Set up ways for people to order from you online

If people can’t come to your shop, bring the shop to them. Make it easy for them to order from you online! If you have a website use plugins such as WooCommerce and Shopify so people can order products directly from your website. They also allow you to take payments through things like Paypal, so it really couldn’t be any easier. You can also use Instagram Shopping to sell products online. This is especially useful if you’re really active on Instagram, as you can tag in products on your feed which can link to your website. If you don’t have a website, don’t worry. Instagram Shopping can be set up without a website, so you can sell your products directly through Instagram without the need of a website.

Name images on your website

When it’s busy it’s easy to upload images and forget to name them properly. But those images can help your Google ranking if you give them titles and descriptions. If you find that you have a bit more time, go through your website’s media library and give each image a title and a description that include keywords you want to rank for.

So for example, if I owned a shoe shop in Plymouth and I wanted customers to find me when they search ‘Plymouth Shoe Shop’, I would use key phrases such as ‘Plymouth Shoe Shop’ ‘Shoe shops in Plymouth’ ‘Mens shoes Plymouth’ and so on. This will help your Google ranking and make it easier for people to find you online.

Re-engage with people online

When your business is in full flow during normal working hours, it’s really easy to neglect your social media platforms, in particular engaging with other people. But engaging with your customers and other businesses can increase your sales, engagement and reach. This is particularly important for platforms that focus on conversations and encourage interaction between accounts like Twitter and Instagram, because both of those platforms like to connect you with people that you know or interact with a lot.

So if John in Exeter comments and likes a lot of photos on Tesco’s Instagram, Instagram will think that John likes Tesco and will show John more of Tesco’s content. So use Twitter lists to engage with the people you want quickly and easily, and remember to comment and like on other people’s photos on Instagram too.

Keep posting on social media

Because the majority of people will be at home or working from home at the moment, you can get high levels of interaction now throughout the day. Before lockdown it was advisable to post early morning or evening as people get home, but with more home workers you can more flexible with your timings, posting earlier or even as late as 9pm. However, its important to note that although you want to promote your business, don’t come across too salesy. Post behind the scenes photos, what you’re doing to keep yourself positive and other things so that you can connect as a person as well as a business.

Stay positive and look out for one another

It’s a strange time for everyone, and everyone’s business will be in the same boat more or less. So as we’re all in this together, make sure you share and retweet other local businesses’ news and content. They’ll appreciate it and more often than not they’ll share your content too. Remember to keep your feed positive; it’ll keep your engagement high and you never know which of your customers will appreciate the positivity.

And that’s our list. If you have any questions about anything we’ve spoken about let us know in the comments. Stay safe and stay positive everyone.

The post 5 things you can do during Lockdown that can help your business online appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Communicating during Coronavirus – our guidance https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/communicating-during-coronavirus-our-guidance/ Sun, 29 Mar 2020 11:33:56 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=8120 We know that the situation surrounding the Coronavirus is changing on a daily and even hourly basis. With that in mind it can be difficult to know what to say and when, fearing that you’ll say the wrong thing or that what you have said will quickly become outdated. Be proactive If you’ve not already communicated with customers and guests, then it’s time to start doing so now. Whilst you may not know what the situation is going to be in a week’s time, it’s reassuring for them to know where you stand at this point in time. If you’re open for business let them know. If you’re taking extra measures, let them know what those are and why. Stay factual and honest. Give plenty of updates as and when you can As and when the situation changes, which inevitably it will, give them an update to ally their fears and concerns as soon as you are in a position to do so. When this message comes out, ensure that it is the same on all platforms; Facebook, email and Twitter. Be personal with your communication Whilst it’s important to communicate through online channels, the more personal this experience is, the better the response will generally be. Whilst we understand that you can’t speak to absolutely every customer on the phone, consider prioritising those that have already booked and are due to stay with / or visit you first. If you have a disgruntled email or someone requesting the return of a deposit, speak to them over the phone rather than by email to make sure you’re able to answer any questions / concerns they have. Check your social media scheduling Many businesses will schedule posts onto Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. If you do, make sure you review what is currently scheduled in order to ensure that it is not jarring with the current situation. When it comes to any potential controversy or insensitivity in wording / phrasing… ‘If in doubt, take it out.’ Social Media As well as posting updates, there are a few things you’ll need to do when looking at your when it comes to your social media: 1. Make sure you’re on hand – many people will now go to your social media rather than your website for up to date information. A large part of this is the instant access they have to messenger on platforms such as Facebook. People are looking for information quickly, so ensure that someone is on hand to answer queries, even if this is for more hours in the day than usual. It can be prudent to give someone responsibility for this role. 2. Don’t be dragged into a debate – social media is notorious for conversation – in this case don’t allow yourself to be drawn into debate and provide them with a link to further information on your website. On your website Provide them with easy-to-access information on your current position surrounding the Corona Virus. If you are providing information, it is useful to indicate when the page was last updated in order for them to know when the information was relevant. If you have urgent information then you may also want to consider having a popup which displays when someone arrives on site. No matter the methodology on your particular site, ensure information is easy to find, clear and concise. Review advertising spend If you are currently running campaigns, such as boosted posts and Google AdWords, take a look at current traffic levels to your site and make a decision on whether this is providing you with a return during the most difficult times of development. Be ready for the recovery Whilst it may seem like a never-ending cycling of negative information at the moment, we will get through this and we will come back again. At that point, make sure that you’re ready to go and make the most of the return. Some Useful links: Coronavirus Government response Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. Find out the latest government advice and NHS guidance on how to protect yourself and others FSB advice to small businesses Advice and guidance on reducing risks of disruption from the COVID-19 virus to you and your business Coronavirus information for the public Find out the number of cases and risk level in the UK, what to do if you’re a returning traveller and what the government is doing about the virus Coronavirus guidance to employers and businesses This guidance will assist you In providing advice to your staff on COVID-19, how to help prevent the spread of respiratory infections, what to do if someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been in business settings and actions to take if staff come into contact with someone who is self-isolating or is a possible or confirmed case of COVID-19 British Chamber of Commerce in China Coronavirus outbreak information page Information sourced and updated daily from UK and China government, news outlets, schools and businesses including useful information for UK nationals in China. That’s our basic advice on communicating with your customers during the Coronavirus outbreak – to find out more and talk to us about how we can help you communicate better with your customers generally, give us a call on 01566 232323 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk

The post Communicating during Coronavirus – our guidance appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> We know that the situation surrounding the Coronavirus is changing on a daily and even hourly basis. With that in mind it can be difficult to know what to say and when, fearing that you’ll say the wrong thing or that what you have said will quickly become outdated.

Be proactive

If you’ve not already communicated with customers and guests, then it’s time to start doing so now. Whilst you may not know what the situation is going to be in a week’s time, it’s reassuring for them to know where you stand at this point in time.

If you’re open for business let them know.

If you’re taking extra measures, let them know what those are and why.

Stay factual and honest.

Give plenty of updates as and when you can

As and when the situation changes, which inevitably it will, give them an update to ally their fears and concerns as soon as you are in a position to do so.

When this message comes out, ensure that it is the same on all platforms; Facebook, email and Twitter.

Be personal with your communication

Whilst it’s important to communicate through online channels, the more personal this experience is, the better the response will generally be. Whilst we understand that you can’t speak to absolutely every customer on the phone, consider prioritising those that have already booked and are due to stay with / or visit you first.

If you have a disgruntled email or someone requesting the return of a deposit, speak to them over the phone rather than by email to make sure you’re able to answer any questions / concerns they have.

Check your social media scheduling

Many businesses will schedule posts onto Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. If you do, make sure you review what is currently scheduled in order to ensure that it is not jarring with the current situation.

When it comes to any potential controversy or insensitivity in wording / phrasing… ‘If in doubt, take it out.’

Social Media

As well as posting updates, there are a few things you’ll need to do when looking at your when it comes to your social media:

1. Make sure you’re on hand – many people will now go to your social media rather than your website for up to date information. A large part of this is the instant access they have to messenger on platforms such as Facebook. People are looking for information quickly, so ensure that someone is on hand to answer queries, even if this is for more hours in the day than usual. It can be prudent to give someone responsibility for this role.

2. Don’t be dragged into a debate – social media is notorious for conversation – in this case don’t allow yourself to be drawn into debate and provide them with a link to further information on your website.

On your website

Provide them with easy-to-access information on your current position surrounding the Corona Virus. If you are providing information, it is useful to indicate when the page was last updated in order for them to know when the information was relevant.

If you have urgent information then you may also want to consider having a popup which displays when someone arrives on site.

No matter the methodology on your particular site, ensure information is easy to find, clear and concise.

Review advertising spend

If you are currently running campaigns, such as boosted posts and Google AdWords, take a look at current traffic levels to your site and make a decision on whether this is providing you with a return during the most difficult times of development.

Be ready for the recovery

Whilst it may seem like a never-ending cycling of negative information at the moment, we will get through this and we will come back again. At that point, make sure that you’re ready to go and make the most of the return.

Some Useful links:

Coronavirus Government response Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. Find out the latest government advice and NHS guidance on how to protect yourself and others

FSB advice to small businesses Advice and guidance on reducing risks of disruption from the COVID-19 virus to you and your business

Coronavirus information for the public Find out the number of cases and risk level in the UK, what to do if you’re a returning traveller and what the government is doing about the virus

Coronavirus guidance to employers and businesses This guidance will assist you In providing advice to your staff on COVID-19, how to help prevent the spread of respiratory infections, what to do if someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been in business settings and actions to take if staff come into contact with someone who is self-isolating or is a possible or confirmed case of COVID-19

British Chamber of Commerce in China Coronavirus outbreak information page Information sourced and updated daily from UK and China government, news outlets, schools and businesses including useful information for UK nationals in China.

That’s our basic advice on communicating with your customers during the Coronavirus outbreak – to find out more and talk to us about how we can help you communicate better with your customers generally, give us a call on 01566 232323 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk

The post Communicating during Coronavirus – our guidance appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> MiHi Digital continues Cornwall Tourism Awards sponsorship for fifth year https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/mihi-digital-continues-cornwall-tourism-awards-sponsorship-fifth-year/ Wed, 29 May 2019 11:49:38 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=7688 PRESS RELEASE A local digital marketing firm has continued its support of the duchy’s hospitality sector by sponsoring one of the biggest events of the year; the Cornwall Tourism Awards. MiHi Digital, who specialise in online marketing for tourism businesses and have built a national reputation working with some of the country’s leading accommodation providers, will be sponsoring the Self Catering Accommodation of the Year category which recognises those that have demonstrated excellence across every aspect of their business and provide truly memorable guest experiences. Director at MiHi Digital Mark Worden said “The self-catering category is one that’s close to our hearts at MiHi – we’ve worked with more than a hundred of these businesses in recent years, many of whom have gone on to win national acclaim, so we’re looking forward to handing over the awards to those that really are at the top of their game!” The Cornwall Tourism Awards take place annually and celebrate the work of hundreds of businesses operating in the region’s tourism sector. From cafés to caravan sites, holiday parks to hotels, they attract hundreds of entrants from across Cornwall each year, and have received a record-breaking number of entries this time around. Organiser of the awards, Robin Barker said, “We made many changes this year following extensive consultation with entrants and judges – and we’re delighted with the response. Feedback tells us that the tourism awards play a significant role in helping businesses achieve excellence, something that remains essential if we are to compete successfully in the global tourism industry.” Mark Worden added, “We’re delighted to be able to support these awards for a fifth consecutive year and to shine a spotlight on those that play such a vital role in attracting and welcoming people in their thousands to our amazing part of the world! We wish everyone entering the awards the very best of luck!” For more information on MiHi Digital and their services please visit www.mihidigital.co.uk/our-services/

The post MiHi Digital continues Cornwall Tourism Awards sponsorship for fifth year appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> PRESS RELEASE
A local digital marketing firm has continued its support of the duchy’s hospitality sector by sponsoring one of the biggest events of the year; the Cornwall Tourism Awards.
MiHi Digital, who specialise in online marketing for tourism businesses and have built a national reputation working with some of the country’s leading accommodation providers, will be sponsoring the Self Catering Accommodation of the Year category which recognises those that have demonstrated excellence across every aspect of their business and provide truly memorable guest experiences.
Director at MiHi Digital Mark Worden said “The self-catering category is one that’s close to our hearts at MiHi – we’ve worked with more than a hundred of these businesses in recent years, many of whom have gone on to win national acclaim, so we’re looking forward to handing over the awards to those that really are at the top of their game!”
The Cornwall Tourism Awards take place annually and celebrate the work of hundreds of businesses operating in the region’s tourism sector. From cafés to caravan sites, holiday parks to hotels, they attract hundreds of entrants from across Cornwall each year, and have received a record-breaking number of entries this time around.
Organiser of the awards, Robin Barker said, “We made many changes this year following extensive consultation with entrants and judges – and we’re delighted with the response. Feedback tells us that the tourism awards play a significant role in helping businesses achieve excellence, something that remains essential if we are to compete successfully in the global tourism industry.”
Mark Worden added, “We’re delighted to be able to support these awards for a fifth consecutive year and to shine a spotlight on those that play such a vital role in attracting and welcoming people in their thousands to our amazing part of the world! We wish everyone entering the awards the very best of luck!”
For more information on MiHi Digital and their services please visit www.mihidigital.co.uk/our-services/

The post MiHi Digital continues Cornwall Tourism Awards sponsorship for fifth year appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> MiHi Digital continues Devon Tourism Awards sponsorship for fifth year https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/digital-marketing-agency-continues-tourism-sponsorship-fifth-year/ Wed, 29 May 2019 11:43:03 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=7685 PRESS RELEASE A local digital marketing firm has continued its support of the county’s hospitality sector by sponsoring one of the biggest events of the year; the Devon Tourism Awards. MiHi Digital, who specialise in online marketing for tourism businesses and have built a national reputation working with some of the country’s leading accommodation providers, will be sponsoring the the Glamping Business and Alternative Accommodation of the Year category which recognises those that have demonstrated excellence across every aspect of the business and provide truly memorable guest experiences. Director at MiHi Digital Mark Worden said “The glamping category is one that’s close to our hearts at MiHi – we’ve worked with more than a hundred hospitality businesses in recent years, many of whom have gone on to win national acclaim, so we’re looking forward to handing over the awards to those that really are at the top of their game!” The Devon Tourism Awards take place annually and celebrate the work of hundreds of businesses operating in the region’s tourism sector. From cafés to caravan sites, holiday parks to hotels, they attract hundreds of entrants from across Devon each year, and have received a record-breaking number of entries this time around. Organiser of the awards, Robin Barker said, “We made many changes this year following extensive consultation with entrants and judges – and we’re delighted with the response. Feedback tells us that the tourism awards play a significant role in helping businesses achieve excellence, something that remains essential if we are to compete successfully in the global tourism industry.” Mark Worden added, “We’re delighted to be able to support these awards for a fifth consecutive year and to shine a spotlight on those that play such a vital role in attracting and welcoming people in their thousands to our amazing part of the world! We wish everyone entering the awards the very best of luck!” For more information on MiHi Digital and their services please visit www.mihidigital.co.uk/our-services/

The post MiHi Digital continues Devon Tourism Awards sponsorship for fifth year appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> PRESS RELEASE
A local digital marketing firm has continued its support of the county’s hospitality sector by sponsoring one of the biggest events of the year; the Devon Tourism Awards.
MiHi Digital, who specialise in online marketing for tourism businesses and have built a national reputation working with some of the country’s leading accommodation providers, will be sponsoring the the Glamping Business and Alternative Accommodation of the Year category which recognises those that have demonstrated excellence across every aspect of the business and provide truly memorable guest experiences.
Director at MiHi Digital Mark Worden said “The glamping category is one that’s close to our hearts at MiHi – we’ve worked with more than a hundred hospitality businesses in recent years, many of whom have gone on to win national acclaim, so we’re looking forward to handing over the awards to those that really are at the top of their game!”
The Devon Tourism Awards take place annually and celebrate the work of hundreds of businesses operating in the region’s tourism sector. From cafés to caravan sites, holiday parks to hotels, they attract hundreds of entrants from across Devon each year, and have received a record-breaking number of entries this time around.
Organiser of the awards, Robin Barker said, “We made many changes this year following extensive consultation with entrants and judges – and we’re delighted with the response. Feedback tells us that the tourism awards play a significant role in helping businesses achieve excellence, something that remains essential if we are to compete successfully in the global tourism industry.”
Mark Worden added, “We’re delighted to be able to support these awards for a fifth consecutive year and to shine a spotlight on those that play such a vital role in attracting and welcoming people in their thousands to our amazing part of the world! We wish everyone entering the awards the very best of luck!”
For more information on MiHi Digital and their services please visit www.mihidigital.co.uk/our-services/

The post MiHi Digital continues Devon Tourism Awards sponsorship for fifth year appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> South West Tourism Awards Records Smashed https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/south-west-tourism-awards-records-smashed/ Thu, 16 May 2019 11:18:35 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=7682 Entries to the region’s Tourism Awards have been broken again with 737 entries already received from across the South West including the Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Bristol, Bath and Somerset awards. The news follows a period of major changes for the awards with new websites, shorter and online entry forms and a launch to industry nearly two months earlier than in the past. It also follows the organisers’ recent success in achieving a Gold accolade in the Awards Trustmark scheme, the only winner of this accolade in South West England. Entry numbers are expected to grow further, with entry into the Customer Service Superstar and Outstanding Contribution Award categories remaining open to judge nominations during the summer. Organiser of the awards Robin Barker says: “We made many changes this year following extensive consultation with entrants and judges – and we’re delighted with the response. Feedback tells us that the tourism awards play a significant role in helping businesses achieve excellence, something that remains essential if we are to compete successfully in the global tourism industry.  “We must also thank our many sponsors who fund the year-round programme, including headline sponsors Beco Energy, Quality in Tourism, NFU Mutual and Saffery Champness.  They and other sponsors will be benefiting from record visits to the awards websites, totalling over 114,000 page views over the past year across the region.” The awards celebrate excellence in tourism across the South West with linked schemes in Dorset, Cornwall and Bristol, Bath and Somerset.  They aim to promote and reward businesses and individuals in the tourism industry, whatever their sector and size. They are free to enter, independently judged and all entrants receive feedback. The awards also represent the South West ‘heat’ of the national awards, with many South West winners going on to be nominated to represent the region in the national VisitEngland Awards in June 2020. Judging will be taking place from now until the autumn, with county awards events in the autumn and the South West ‘Grand Finale’ in Exeter Cathedral on 6 February 2020. Full details of the tourism awards including links to county schemes can be found at www.southwesttourismawards.org.uk

The post South West Tourism Awards Records Smashed appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Entries to the region’s Tourism Awards have been broken again with 737 entries already received from across the South West including the Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Bristol, Bath and Somerset awards.
The news follows a period of major changes for the awards with new websites, shorter and online entry forms and a launch to industry nearly two months earlier than in the past. It also follows the organisers’ recent success in achieving a Gold accolade in the Awards Trustmark scheme, the only winner of this accolade in South West England.
Entry numbers are expected to grow further, with entry into the Customer Service Superstar and Outstanding Contribution Award categories remaining open to judge nominations during the summer.
Organiser of the awards Robin Barker says: “We made many changes this year following extensive consultation with entrants and judges – and we’re delighted with the response. Feedback tells us that the tourism awards play a significant role in helping businesses achieve excellence, something that remains essential if we are to compete successfully in the global tourism industry.
 “We must also thank our many sponsors who fund the year-round programme, including headline sponsors Beco Energy, Quality in Tourism, NFU Mutual and Saffery Champness.  They and other sponsors will be benefiting from record visits to the awards websites, totalling over 114,000 page views over the past year across the region.”
The awards celebrate excellence in tourism across the South West with linked schemes in Dorset, Cornwall and Bristol, Bath and Somerset.  They aim to promote and reward businesses and individuals in the tourism industry, whatever their sector and size. They are free to enter, independently judged and all entrants receive feedback.
The awards also represent the South West ‘heat’ of the national awards, with many South West winners going on to be nominated to represent the region in the national VisitEngland Awards in June 2020.
Judging will be taking place from now until the autumn, with county awards events in the autumn and the South West ‘Grand Finale’ in Exeter Cathedral on 6 February 2020.
Full details of the tourism awards including links to county schemes can be found at www.southwesttourismawards.org.uk

The post South West Tourism Awards Records Smashed appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Building Traffic to your Website – Event with North Devon + on 25th of April 2019 https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/building-traffic-website-event-north-devon-25th-april-2019/ Thu, 21 Mar 2019 15:52:44 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=7643 Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm Date: Thursday 25th of April 2019 Venue: Caddsdown Business Support Centre, Caddsdown Industrial Park, Bideford EX39 3DX If you’re a new business it’s vital that people are not only able to find you, but also get to your website and buy your products or services.  This seminar will give attendees an understanding of how to drive traffic to their website from search engines and social media, and provide them with some easy to implement steps in order to increase their reach and visitor levels. We’ll also answer any questions you may have. Who’s the event for? The event is aimed at any business in North Devon wanting to understand how they can increase the performance of their online presence. You’ll go away with some simple actions to implement which will improve your results over the coming months. The Speaker Mark Worden, Director here at MiHi Digital will be speaking. Mark has been specialising in digital marketing for more than a decade, and having set up his own business four years ago, has worked with more than 200 across a wide range of industries and generated more than £1 million in client enquiries. The Venue The event will be held at 9:30am – 12:30pm on Thursday 25th of April 2019 at the North Devon Plus offices – Caddsdown Business Support Centre, Caddsdown Industrial Park, Bideford EX39 3DX Booking your Place To book your place please give Vicky Fether a call from North Devon Plus a call on 01237 426 426 or email her at VFether@northdevonplus.co.uk

The post Building Traffic to your Website – Event with North Devon + on 25th of April 2019 appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm
Date: Thursday 25th of April 2019
Venue: Caddsdown Business Support Centre, Caddsdown Industrial Park, Bideford EX39 3DX
If you’re a new business it’s vital that people are not only able to find you, but also get to your website and buy your products or services.  This seminar will give attendees an understanding of how to drive traffic to their website from search engines and social media, and provide them with some easy to implement steps in order to increase their reach and visitor levels. We’ll also answer any questions you may have.

Who’s the event for?

The event is aimed at any business in North Devon wanting to understand how they can increase the performance of their online presence. You’ll go away with some simple actions to implement which will improve your results over the coming months.

The Speaker

Mark Worden, Director here at MiHi Digital will be speaking. Mark has been specialising in digital marketing for more than a decade, and having set up his own business four years ago, has worked with more than 200 across a wide range of industries and generated more than £1 million in client enquiries.

The Venue

The event will be held at 9:30am – 12:30pm on Thursday 25th of April 2019 at the North Devon Plus offices – Caddsdown Business Support Centre, Caddsdown Industrial Park, Bideford EX39 3DX

Booking your Place

To book your place please give Vicky Fether a call from North Devon Plus a call on 01237 426 426 or email her at VFether@northdevonplus.co.uk

The post Building Traffic to your Website – Event with North Devon + on 25th of April 2019 appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> Seven things your wedding business should be doing online at this time of year https://mihidigital.co.uk/blog/seven-things-wedding-business-online-time-year/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 11:57:41 +0000 https://mihidigital.1c7bfa7d0ad0ed81c314972280bc4e61-10268.sites.k-hosting.co.uk/?p=7403 It’s the end of another busy summer wedding season; a time to rest for a few well-earned weeks, a time to reflect on what went well and of course, a time to prepare and start working toward filling your diary for next year. So now that those hot summer days are beginning to feel like a distant memory, what is it that your wedding business could be doing online to boost your results, reach more people and get that phone ringing at a time of the year when engagements and web searches are at their lowest point? We’ve worked with every wedding business you can think of – from venues and caterers to marquee providers and evening entertainers, so here’s just a few things you could be considering… Real weddings bring home the bacon When it comes to the wedding industry there’s one piece of content that works better than any other and that’s real weddings. No matter if you’re a caterer, a photographer or a venue, a real wedding is likely to get you more likes, more comments and more shares than anything else you share online. Now is the perfect time to line up all of your content for the next couple of months; get your real weddings going out on a regular interval and if you can, tag the bride and groom in any post you make – you’ll find that they’ll share amongst their peer group, giving you extra exposure than you’d have otherwise garnered from just a standard post. How about video? (Usually!) if someone is planning a wedding they’ll be doing it for the first time and they’ll have plenty to think about! From venues to catering choices and photographers, most will be a little out of their comfort zone, even if they’ve been planning their big day in their mind for most of their lives. What this means is that anything you can do to become more engaging and break down online barriers, the better. Video is the ultimate way of doing this – no matter what you’re buying, people buy from people, so if you’re a photographer have you got a short video introduction on your website somewhere? If you’re a venue, have you got the same or perhaps short clips of certain parts of your site? These don’t need to be professionally created and if you’re sharing on social media then they can sometimes gain greater results than if they were. So the summary here? Start thinking about video and how you can make yourself more engaging than the next person you’re competing against. Mastering Instagram You’ll probably already know that someone planning their wedding is likely to use Instagram as a research tool, so make sure that you’re using the right hashtags (as many as you can on each post). You should also vary these on different posts to ensure that you’re getting as much visibility as possible. Using the same ones each time is a little like going fishing and sitting in the same place all day waiting for the fish to find you. Also make sure you’re using Instagram stories as these are the best way of expanding your reach and following. If you’re already using them then ensure that you’re not adding lots at the same time – by spreading your posting out over a day you maximise the amount of time your logo is first in the story list. Keeping Pinterest ticking If you know they use Instagram, then you’ll also know that many use Pinterest too. If you’ve not added boards and photos recently then make sure this is on your to-do list (and this includes your real weddings mentioned in our first point!). Optimise each board and pin by using key phrases people are going to be searching for. Luckily the Pinterest algorithm is simpler than other social media platforms out there so there’s a quicker road to success. If you’re not sure about this area, then please do get in touch with us. Timing is everything People use the weekend to really research so always ensure there’s plenty of content for them to enjoy. If you’ve not got posts going on on Sunday afternoon or evening, then you’re potentially missing out on a good slice of visibility pie! A gallery takes many minutes How many photos should a Facebook post have? Short answer is more than four and less than 15. The reason why? If you have more than four it creates a + sign on the gallery and has a higher click rate than if not. This means that people are spending more time on your post, which in turn means more interaction and greater chances of conversion. But why no more than 15? Purely that people stop clicking and cycling through the photos. If you’ve got that many then best to have two posts and two bites of the content cherry! Having that conversion machine Ultimately everything you do on social media is geared toward getting people to your website. If it’s not up to scratch, then you’re not going to convert as many people. If you don’t convert as many people, then you’ve got to send more people to the site to get the numbers you want. That costs money. Money spent on advertising means less profit and less happy faces! If you’ve done your website, then you should be getting someone to do it properly. Are we saying that because we build them? No – it’s just common sense and ultimately means you get better results. If you are looking to get one, then you need to start soon though or you’ll miss the January engagement season whilst your competitors reap the rewards! For more information on how we can help your wedding business please give us a call on 01566 232323 or email us on hello@mihidigital.co.uk

The post Seven things your wedding business should be doing online at this time of year appeared first on MiHiDigital.

]]> It’s the end of another busy summer wedding season; a time to rest for a few well-earned weeks, a time to reflect on what went well and of course, a time to prepare and start working toward filling your diary for next year. So now that those hot summer days are beginning to feel like a distant memory, what is it that your wedding business could be doing online to boost your results, reach more people and get that phone ringing at a time of the year when engagements and web searches are at their lowest point?
We’ve worked with every wedding business you can think of – from venues and caterers to marquee providers and evening entertainers, so here’s just a few things you could be considering…
Real weddings bring home the bacon
When it comes to the wedding industry there’s one piece of content that works better than any other and that’s real weddings. No matter if you’re a caterer, a photographer or a venue, a real wedding is likely to get you more likes, more comments and more shares than anything else you share online. Now is the perfect time to line up all of your content for the next couple of months; get your real weddings going out on a regular interval and if you can, tag the bride and groom in any post you make – you’ll find that they’ll share amongst their peer group, giving you extra exposure than you’d have otherwise garnered from just a standard post.
How about video?
(Usually!) if someone is planning a wedding they’ll be doing it for the first time and they’ll have plenty to think about! From venues to catering choices and photographers, most will be a little out of their comfort zone, even if they’ve been planning their big day in their mind for most of their lives. What this means is that anything you can do to become more engaging and break down online barriers, the better.
Video is the ultimate way of doing this – no matter what you’re buying, people buy from people, so if you’re a photographer have you got a short video introduction on your website somewhere? If you’re a venue, have you got the same or perhaps short clips of certain parts of your site? These don’t need to be professionally created and if you’re sharing on social media then they can sometimes gain greater results than if they were.
So the summary here? Start thinking about video and how you can make yourself more engaging than the next person you’re competing against.
Mastering Instagram
You’ll probably already know that someone planning their wedding is likely to use Instagram as a research tool, so make sure that you’re using the right hashtags (as many as you can on each post). You should also vary these on different posts to ensure that you’re getting as much visibility as possible. Using the same ones each time is a little like going fishing and sitting in the same place all day waiting for the fish to find you.
Also make sure you’re using Instagram stories as these are the best way of expanding your reach and following. If you’re already using them then ensure that you’re not adding lots at the same time – by spreading your posting out over a day you maximise the amount of time your logo is first in the story list.
Keeping Pinterest ticking
If you know they use Instagram, then you’ll also know that many use Pinterest too. If you’ve not added boards and photos recently then make sure this is on your to-do list (and this includes your real weddings mentioned in our first point!).
Optimise each board and pin by using key phrases people are going to be searching for. Luckily the Pinterest algorithm is simpler than other social media platforms out there so there’s a quicker road to success. If you’re not sure about this area, then please do get in touch with us.
Timing is everything
People use the weekend to really research so always ensure there’s plenty of content for them to enjoy. If you’ve not got posts going on on Sunday afternoon or evening, then you’re potentially missing out on a good slice of visibility pie!
A gallery takes many minutes
How many photos should a Facebook post have? Short answer is more than four and less than 15. The reason why? If you have more than four it creates a + sign on the gallery and has a higher click rate than if not. This means that people are spending more time on your post, which in turn means more interaction and greater chances of conversion.
But why no more than 15? Purely that people stop clicking and cycling through the photos. If you’ve got that many then best to have two posts and two bites of the content cherry!
Having that conversion machine
Ultimately everything you do on social media is geared toward getting people to your website. If it’s not up to scratch, then you’re not going to convert as many people. If you don’t convert as many people, then you’ve got to send more people to the site to get the numbers you want. That costs money. Money spent on advertising means less profit and less happy faces!
If you’ve done your website, then you should be getting someone to do it properly. Are we saying that because we build them? No – it’s just common sense and ultimately means you get better results.
If you are looking to get one, then you need to start soon though or you’ll miss the January engagement season whilst your competitors reap the rewards!
For more information on how we can help your wedding business please give us a call on 01566 232323 or email us on hello@mihidigital.co.uk

The post Seven things your wedding business should be doing online at this time of year appeared first on MiHiDigital.

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