How to Rank First on Google

by Connie Cermak | May 8, 2025 | Content Marketing

Why Your Website Isn’t #1 on Google

Every week, someone asks me:
“Can you just get my website to the top of Google? Shouldn’t be too hard, right?”

Actually, it’s way harder than you think.

If you’ve been frustrated because your website isn’t ranking where. you want it to on Google, Yahoo or Duck Duck Go, you’re not alone. But there’s a big reality check you need to hear:

There’s no magic button.
No one-click solution.
No $99 secret weapon.

Getting your website to rank on the first page of Google — let alone at the top — is a serious, strategic, time-consuming process that requires skill, consistency, and yes, a real investment.

Let’s walk through what it actually takes.

First, Why Doesn’t Your Website Just “Show Up”?

Google’s mission isn’t to reward websites that want to be first.
It’s to reward websites that deserve to be first.

Meaning:

Your site needs to be the most relevant.

The most trustworthy.

The most user-friendly.

It’s not about who asks nicely. It’s about who earns it — through hard work across multiple areas.

What It Really Takes to Rank on Google

Let’s break it down into three critical areas:

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO is the foundation of your website’s visibility. It’s the art and science of speaking Google’s language.

✅ Keyword research and strategy
✅ Optimized meta titles and descriptions
✅ Smart, natural content structure
✅ Image optimization (file names, alt tags, compression)
✅ Building a strong internal linking system
✅ Keeping your sitemap and robots.txt clean and up-to-date

Translation?
It’s a lot more than “just adding keywords.”
It’s about building trust — brick by brick.

2. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

If SEO is about keywords, AEO is about answering questions.

Today’s Google users want instant answers.
If your site clearly, cleanly answers real-world questions, you can land in:

Featured snippets

Voice search results

“People Also Ask” boxes

Answering better = ranking better.

3. UX (User Experience) Optimization

Here’s the part everyone forgets:
If your site frustrates users, Google notices.

Is your site fast?
✅ Is it mobile-friendly?
✅ Is it easy to navigate?
✅ Do people stay and engage?

If users bounce fast, Google pushes you down.
If they stay and explore? That’s a signal you’re worth ranking higher.

So How Long Does It Take?

Brace yourself:
Real SEO results typically take 6 to 12 months — minimum.

Sure, there are little wins along the way, but truly ranking in competitive markets means consistent, layered efforts over time.

You don’t just sprint up the mountain.
You climb — strategically, patiently, and with a professional guide.

And How Much Does It Cost?

If you think $100 is enough to “get to the top,” I hate to break it to you — it’s not even enough to gas up the car for the climb.

Here’s a realistic range if you’re working with a legit professional:

Initial SEO overhaul: $3,000 to $10,000+

Ongoing SEO maintenance and growth: $500 to $2,500 per month

Prices vary based on:

The size of your website

How competitive your market is

How badly your current setup needs fixing

Whether you also need content creation, link building, or technical SEO support

In short: Good SEO isn’t cheap. Cheap SEO isn’t good.

Why Working With a Professional Matters

Sure, you could DIY your SEO after a few YouTube tutorials…
…kind of like you could try to rewire your house after watching a few TikToks.

But when it comes to your business — your livelihood — it’s smarter to trust someone who knows how to:

Build a full keyword strategy

Align content with search intent

Fix technical issues (without breaking your site)

Improve UX so users — and Google — actually love your pages

Create authority signals through backlinks and media features

Adapt fast when Google updates its algorithms (which it does… a lot)

Professionals don’t just “optimize.”
They plan, track, adapt, and evolve — because SEO is a living, breathing ecosystem.

Final Word: Respect the Process

If you want fast and cheap? You’ll probably get buried on page 10 of Google, waving at tumbleweeds.

If you want real visibility, real authority, and real growth?
It takes:

Strategy

Skill

Time

Investment

And yes, some patience

When you put in the real work (or hire someone who does), that’s when you stop chasing rankings — and start owning them.

Ready to find out where your site actually stands — and what it’ll take to climb?
👉 Contact me here for a real-world SEO evaluation.

No fairy dust. No empty promises.
Just honest strategy to get you where you deserve to be.

Earned First, Conceptual Thinking

by Connie Cermak | Apr 15, 2025 | Content Marketing, Creativity and Execution, Marketing Strategy, Social Media Marketing

Why Earned First Conceptual Thinking Matters So Much

In a world where social feeds are oversaturated, algorithms are smarter, and attention spans are shorter than ever, earned-first conceptual thinking isn’t just a creative flex—it’s a strategic necessity. It’s also a strategy that’s been around for well over a decade!

What Is Earned-First Conceptual Thinking?

Earned-first conceptual thinking, also called “social first” is the art of crafting bold, social-first ideas that don’t rely on paid media to gain traction. These are ideas so strategic, culturally relevant, or emotionally resonant that they connect with your audience and earn attention organically—through shares, comments, press coverage, memes, or DMs.

Think of it as the creative sweet spot where big ideas meet internet instincts. You don’t shout into the void with an ad. You spark a movement, a trend, a moment. And people pay attention—not because you paid them to, but because it’s genuinely worth their time.

In 2025, marketing trends are turning back time to earned-first marketing to get an edge, build loyalty, amplify brand voice, and stretch budgets without sacrificing reach.

For Small businesses, you’re going to want to spend a little time thinking about what really sets you apart from your competition, and create fresh ideas instead of quick posts.

Why It Matters in Today’s Social Media Landscape

Paid media still has its place, but the landscape has shifted significantly

Trust in traditional advertising is at an all-time low.
Users are curating their feeds and tuning out anything that feels overly promotional.
Platforms reward content that drives engagement and conversation.
So if your content doesn’t earn attention naturally, it gets buried in the noise.

Earned-first thinking aligns with how people consume and share content in 2025—quickly, emotionally, and socially. It gives your brand the power to break through without buying your way in.

5 Brilliant Examples of Earned-First, Conceptual Thinking

Dove – “Real Beauty Sketches” (yes, it’s from 2011—and it’s still memorable!)

Concept: Explore the contrast between how women see themselves vs. how others see them, using a forensic artist.

Why It Worked: This emotionally driven piece challenged beauty standards and sparked massive online dialogue. No hard sell—just a powerful, heartfelt concept that naturally went viral.

Check it out here.

Aviation Gin – “The Peloton Ad Response”

Concept: Within days of Peloton’s controversial holiday ad, Aviation Gin responded with a tongue-in-cheek sequel featuring the same actress.

Why It Worked: It rode the cultural wave with perfect timing and self-aware humor. No paid campaign needed—it was picked up by every major outlet and dominated feeds everywhere.

Spotify Wrapped – “Your Year in Music”

Concept: Personalized, visually engaging recaps of each user’s listening habits.

Why It Worked: People couldn’t wait to share their results. Spotify didn’t promote it—users did the work for them. It’s become a December tradition, earning massive social buzz every year.

Check it our here.

Oatly – “Wow, No Cow” + Billboard Rollouts

Concept: Cringe-worthy music videos. Billboards that say almost nothing. A self-aware, anti-advertising tone.

Why It Worked: By leaning into awkwardness and simplicity, Oatly gave the internet something weirdly wonderful to talk about. It didn’t just advertise—it created a vibe.

Check it out here.

Duolingo – The TikTok Owl Goes Wild

Concept: Let the owl mascot take on Gen Z humor and chaos, completely in tune with platform culture.

Why It Worked: Irreverent and unhinged in all the right ways, Duolingo earned a cult following by not taking itself too seriously. Proof that embracing weird can win big.

Check it out here.

How to Think Earned-First in Your Own Strategy

You don’t need a Super Bowl budget. You need big ideas with internet energy. Here’s how:

Start with culture, not campaigns. What’s trending? What’s funny? What’s making people feel something?
Make the audience the hero. Think user-generated content, personalization, or community-driven storytelling.
Design content for screenshottability, shareability, and saveability. That’s what performs.
Be brave. Earned-first content usually involves a little risk. You might need to go there—emotionally, humorously, or culturally.
Act fast. Especially with reactive or real-time content, speed wins.

Social First Ideas for Small Businesses

Go Live with Purpose

Go live once or twice a month:

Tour new arrivals
Host Q&A with a staff member
Share styling or gift tips
Do giveaways with a local biz bestie

Cross-Promote with Local Collaborators and Tap into shared audiences by teaming up with:

Nearby coffee shops, gyms, or salons
Local influencers or stylists
Other retailers for seasonal bundles or giveaways

Make it Interactive

If you want to see results, engage your people:

Use Polls in Stories
Ask Me Anything boxes (e.g. “Need a gift idea? Ask us!”)
“This or That” product comparisons
UGC prompts: “Tag us in your ____ and we’ll share it!”

Offer Social-Only ExclusivesCreate urgency and reward followers:

“Only on Insta” flash sales
Secret Story-only discount codes
Limited edition pre-orders

Weekly Call to Action (CTA)

Don’t post just to post! Instead, each week, rotate between CTAs like:

Visit in-store
DM for a personal styling tip
Share their purchase
Tag a friend
Sign up for a local event

Measure What Matters. Monthly, track:

Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares, saves)
Follower growth
Website clicks / link in bio actions
In-store “heard from Instagram” mentions

Final Thoughts

Earned-first conceptual thinking isn’t about ditching strategy—it’s about supercharging it with bold, sticky, social-first ideas. When you create something people genuinely want to talk about, you don’t just get views. You get traction, loyalty, and momentum.

So the next time you’re planning your content strategy, ask:

“Would anyone share this if we didn’t boost it?”

If the answer is no—it’s time to think “earned-first.”

Next up, while we’re on the topic of focusing on customers, read about the customer journey right here.

The Risky Gamble of Buying Backlinks

by Connie Cermak | Mar 6, 2025 | Content Marketing, Marketing Strategy

Don’t Get Stung Buying Backlinks

I recently had a rather eye-opening experience with a client whose obsession with their Google ranking sent me down a rabbit hole to uncover the cause of their declining rank, and consequently their domain authority. It didn’t take long to spot the culprit—an abundance of bad, spammy backlinks that were actively dragging their business down in search results.

Backlinks are a Great SEO Strategy

Backlinks have long been a crucial component of SEO strategy, acting as digital votes of confidence that tell search engines, “Hey, this content is valuable!” But in the competitive world of online visibility, many businesses find themselves weighing the pros and cons of paying for backlinks. Is it a shortcut to higher rankings, or a one-way ticket to Google penalties? Let’s break it down.

The Pros of Buying Backlinks—Kind of…

Speedy Results – Building backlinks organically takes time. Paid services promise a quicker route to improving your site’s authority and rankings.

Hands-Off Approach – If you don’t have time to run outreach campaigns, backlink services handle everything for you.

Potential Boost in Rankings – In the short term, a well-placed backlink from a high-authority site can give your website a ranking push.

Increased Referral Traffic – If the backlinks are placed on reputable sites, they can drive real visitors to your content.

The Cons of Buying Backlinks—Can be Very Costly

Google’s Strict Policies – Google explicitly warns against manipulative link-building schemes. If the search engine catches wind of paid backlinks that violate their guidelines, your site could face penalties, including de-indexing.

Low-Quality Links Can Harm You – Not all backlinks are created equal. Many paid services generate spammy, irrelevant links that can do more harm than good.

Unnatural Link Profiles – Google’s algorithm is smart. If your site suddenly gains a flood of links from unrelated or low-authority sources, it raises red flags.

Wasted Money – Many backlink services promise the moon but deliver links from dubious, low-value websites that won’t help your rankings.

Will Google De-Rank You for Buying Backlinks?

Yes, it’s a possibility. Google’s algorithm is designed to detect unnatural link-building patterns, and if your site is flagged, you could see a drop in rankings—or worse, a manual penalty. Google’s webspam team has been known to crack down on sites engaging in link schemes, and recovering from a penalty can be a long, painful process.

Several websites have suffered significant harm due to bad backlinks. One example is an unnamed e-commerce platform that experienced a 35% drop in traffic due to toxic links from spammy directories. This was several years ago, and it was one of the first enterprise businesses to experience ranking penalties, loss of organic traffic, and a need for urgent backlink cleanup efforts.

Another case involves Kinsta, a managed WordPress hosting provider, which was hit by a negative SEO attack where many spammy backlinks flooded its profile. Yes, spam can get in there and create havoc! Kinsta had to identify and disavow these bad backlinks to prevent a search engine penalty.

A more severe example is a business website that received a manual penalty from Google due to unnatural backlinks. These links were either artificially built or from low-quality sources, which led to a sharp decline in search engine rankings. The company had to undergo a structured recovery process, which included cleaning up backlinks and rebuilding trust with Google.

How to Check Your Backlinks

I use Ahref’s to check my clients’ backlink status, which is how I discovered the nasty spam that had de-ranked my clients’ site. You can use the same tool to check your website’s backlinks right here. And it’s free!

If your website has bad backlinks, your first course of action is to contact the referring site’s administrator and request removal. The referring site will be noted in your Ahref report. If that proves unsuccessful, you can submit a disavow request to Google to prevent the links from impacting your rankings. Semrush wrote a good article on why and how to do that which you can read right here.

Best Practices for Earning High-Quality Backlinks

Rather than risking penalties, focus on legitimate backlink strategies that build your site’s authority naturally:

Guest Blogging – Writing insightful, valuable content for industry-relevant websites can earn you high-quality backlinks.

Trade Publications & Industry Websites – Pitch articles to respected trade journals or industry news sites.

Use HARO (Help a Reporter Out) – Journalists and bloggers constantly seek expert sources. Responding to queries can land you high-authority backlinks from news sites.

Podcast Guest Spots – Appear on relevant podcasts and often, hosts will include a backlink to your site.

Create Link-Worthy Content – High-value resources, data-driven studies, and in-depth guides attract natural backlinks from other content creators.

Leverage Strategic Partnerships – Work with industry peers to exchange guest posts or get mentions in their content.

Get Featured in Local & Industry Directories – Many high-quality directories provide legitimate backlinks.

Final Verdict: Should You Pay for Backlinks?

If you’re looking for sustainable, long-term SEO success, paying for backlinks is a risky gamble. While some services may provide temporary gains, the potential for penalties and wasted investment outweighs the benefits. Instead, focus on ethical, high-value backlink strategies that position your site as an authoritative, trustworthy resource in your industry. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint—build credibility the right way, and your rankings will thank you.

Looking to strengthen your SEO game with real, lasting results? Focus on strategies that build authority organically, and let Google reward you the right way.

What’s the Difference Between Backlinks, Inbound Links, and Internal Links?

So many links, so little time. Once you understand the significance all these links—and how easy they are to introduce to your website, you’ll want to start adding them throughout your website, too. Learn everything you need to know by reading my simple guide, right here.

Bridging the Gap Between Creativity & Execution

by Connie Cermak | Feb 20, 2025 | Content Marketing, Creativity and Execution

Get Traction with Vision + Executable Steps

If you’re like me, you like brainstorming to come up with juicy marketing ideas that will resonate with your target market. But the buck doesn’t stop there. Great marketing is a blend of creativity plus strategy. One without the other typically falls flat. And when the two work together seamlessly, the results are often fantastic—and measurable! The key to success isn’t just having bold ideas or executing flawlessly—it’s about fusing them into a cohesive strategy that drives real impact—something measurable. Here’s some steps on how you can make your own creativity work for you, and some examples you can follow when you get those tasty little ideas and you want to bring them to fruition.

Where Creative Vision Meets Step-by-Step Action

Great marketing starts with a powerful vision. And ideas don’t always pop in from out of nowhere. It takes throwing all the darts on the wall until the best one sticks.

The greatest and most memorable campaigns are fueled by creativity, inspiring people to engage with brands in new and exciting ways that people talk about. What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial? SEE! Something came to mind, yes? My favorite commercials were all things Matthew McConaughey and Uber Eats.

Today’s marketing is a bit challenging because we’re in flux somewhere between paying homage to the simpler times by creating vintage graphics to super sleek AI-generated graphics. Not only are the good old days resonating with people, but the kids these days are curious about what living with a corded phone must’ve been like. Now’s your chance to give them that visual! In fact, I’m looking for a client who wants to introduce a corded phone into their brand messaging. I have some ideas I’d love to play around with.

All that to say: what sets successful marketing apart is the ability to turn whatever vision you have into reality through structured execution. Because when creativity and execution are in sync, marketing efforts build meaningful connections with your audience, deliver measurable and lasting impact, and create brand consistency and recognition.

How to Make Creativity Work for You

Creativity is the spark that ignites a campaign, but it needs a well-crafted strategy to shine. By designing a clear execution plan, you ensure that every brilliant idea reaches its full potential. In my experience, here’s how to bring creativity to life:

1. Define the Destination

Before launching a campaign, get crystal clear on the end goal. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving conversions, or deepening engagement, defining success gives creativity a roadmap.

Example: A fitness brand wants to launch a new product line of eco-friendly workout gear. Instead of simply promoting it, they define their goal: to position themselves as the leader in sustainable fitness apparel within six months. This clarity helps shape their messaging, partnerships, and promotional strategies.

2. Build an Actionable Plan

Every strong marketing strategy outlines steps to bring an idea to life. Deadlines, team responsibilities, and performance checkpoints help keep execution on track.

Example: A boutique coffee brand wants to increase online sales. They break their goal into actionable steps: launching a social media campaign, collaborating with influencers, offering limited-time specials or daily discounts, and setting weekly performance reviews. This structure ensures that creativity leads to measurable progress.

3. Adapt and Evolve

And here’s one of my other favorites: embrace the power of optimization. If something isn’t working, adjust it. Creativity thrives in flexibility, and data-driven insights guide smarter decisions.

Example: A travel agency launches a digital campaign to promote adventure tourism. Midway through, they notice that engagement is highest on their behind-the-scenes videos rather than traditional ads. They pivot their strategy, focusing on immersive storytelling and real customer experiences to maximize impact. And if you’ve read my previous blogs, you know I’m all about experiential marketing in 2025!

4. Create a Seamless Brand Experience

From social media to email campaigns to website messaging, every touchpoint should feel connected. A cohesive marketing plan ensures that your brand speaks with one voice across all platforms. This includes your URLs. All too often I see one brand using a variety of names on their social sites, their video channels, and their domain. Round ’em up! Sure, you might have to abbreviate a name for Instagram but try to match your names across all channels, just like you maintain the same voice, colors, fonts, and message.

Example: A skincare brand ensures that its website, social media, and email marketing carry the same look, tone, and message, emphasizing its natural approach to anti-aging. Their voice and tone are mature, optimistic, and helpful. Their colors and soft, and of course, must incorporate Pantone’s color of the year: mocha. Whether a customer visits their Instagram page, their website, or open a newsletter, they experience a cohesive journey, reinforcing brand trust and recognition.

5. Marry Creativity with Analytics

Numbers don’t stifle creativity—they enhance it. Use data to shape your marketing approach, ensuring that bold ideas translate into tangible success. Let Google Analytics be your friend. For my WordPress fans, I recommend installing Site Kit on the backend of your website.

Example: A nonprofit runs a fundraising campaign with a heartfelt video message. They use A/B testing on different messaging styles and track engagement rates. By analyzing which version drives more donations, they refine their storytelling approach for future campaigns.

Bringing It All Together

Marketing isn’t about choosing between creativity and execution—it’s about uniting them into a dynamic force that captivates, inspires, and converts. When brands intentionally bridge the gap between ideas and action, they unlock the full potential of their marketing efforts.

Looking to bring creative ideas to life with a keen marketing strategy? Let’s collaborate to design marketing that works—not just in theory, but in reality. Because when vision and execution move together, that’s when the real marketing journey begins.

Marketing Meme Trends in 2025

by Connie Cermak | Feb 7, 2025 | Content Marketing, Memes

Top Meme Trends for 2025 in B2C Marketing Campaigns

You’d have to be totally off the grid to have not seen a clever meme or two over the past few years. These bite-sized nuggets of humor and relatability allow brands to build cultural relevance, engage consumers, and stand out in an oversaturated market. As we step into 2025, the meme game is evolving, blending nostalgia, technology, and hyper-specific humor. Memes continue to reign supreme as one of the most effective tools for connecting with audiences. Here are the top meme trends we believe will dominate B2C marketing campaigns this year.

Retro Tech Nostalgia Memes

As we embrace the digital future, many consumers including myself are craving a touch of the past. Memes that celebrate retro tech, such as old-school flip phones, CRT monitors, and Windows 95 aesthetics, are on the rise.

This trend taps into millennials’ and Gen Z’s collective nostalgia while serving as a playful contrast to today’s ultra-connected lifestyle. Brands can use these memes to sell products that evoke simpler times or highlight their timeless appeal.

AI-Generated Memes

Artificial intelligence has entered the chat—literally. With tools like DALL-E and ChatGPT capable of generating text and images, brands are leaning into AI to create hyper-customized memes. These memes allow for rapid responses to cultural moments, with humor that feels fresh and innovative. Bonus points if the meme plays off the meta-awareness of being AI-generated—self-referential humor continues to resonate.

Text-Heavy Memes

Minimalist imagery paired with maximalist text is gaining traction. These memes read almost like short-form storytelling, often recounting exaggerated scenarios or spiraling tangents that land with a punchline.

The approachable and DIY feel makes them shareable, and their longer format ensures higher engagement—perfect for brands wanting to communicate more nuanced messages. X has a plethra of these types of memes.

Humor and Self-Awareness

Consumers are more media-savvy than ever, and they love brands that are in on the joke. Memes that play with the absurdity of corporate marketing or poke fun at themselves tend to build trust and authenticity. Think Wendy’s roasting its own menu or a brand’s Twitter page sharing a meme about the difficulty of writing clever tweets. Meta-humor helps humanize brands in an age where audiences value transparency.

Memes as Merch

Some memes transcend the digital space and become physical. Whether it’s a viral catchphrase printed on tote bags or an iconic image turned into a sticker, memes-as-merch is a creative way to extend a campaign’s lifespan. This trend also ties into consumers’ love for tangible experiences, creating opportunities for brands to build loyalty through limited-edition products.

Interactive Memes

Memes that invite user participation—polls, “tag a friend” prompts, or remixable templates—are a hit for boosting engagement. In 2025, expect brands to experiment with formats that blur the lines between memes and interactive content. For example, a “choose your own adventure” meme carousel on Instagram or a TikTok meme challenge that ties back to a campaign theme.

Crossover Memes

Collaboration is key. Expect to see more brands teaming up to create crossover memes that combine their audiences’ interests. Picture a fast-food chain partnering with a gaming brand for a meme that pokes fun at late-night cravings during marathon sessions. These partnerships allow brands to tap into new demographics while keeping the content fun and surprising.

Low-Fi, High-Impact Content

In an age of often overly polished content, deliberately low-fi memes that look like they were made in MS Paint or on a decades-old meme generator stand out. This trend signals a return to the roots of meme culture and reinforces a brand’s relatability. Low-fi doesn’t mean low effort, though—clever messaging is crucial for making this style work.

Memes: the New Cultural Currency!

Memes are more than just a quick laugh—they’re a cultural currency that can drive real engagement and brand loyalty. In 2025, successful B2C marketing campaigns will be those that embrace memes not just as content but as a conversation with their audience. By staying ahead of trends and tapping into the zeitgeist, your brand can turn humor into a powerful marketing tool.

So, what’s your meme strategy for 2025? We would love to help you brainstorm on something creative and fitting for your brand.

A few more fun memes that many of us can relate to. What meme could you use for your brand? Does anything relatable come to mind? Email me and let me know!

Password Meme

Dady No we’re not getting a dog meme

Time to Read and Chill Meme

Why Knowing Your Budget is Key to Marketing Success

by Connie Cermak | Nov 15, 2024 | Content Marketing, Marketing Costs, Small Business and DIY Marketing

When it comes to marketing, understanding your budget isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

A clear financial plan allows us to build strategies that align with your goals, prioritize tasks effectively, and ensure your project is completed seamlessly. Whether you’re aiming for a one-time campaign or consistent, ongoing support, knowing your budget upfront can make all the difference. Let’s explore the benefits of budget clarity and how it impacts your marketing journey.

The Benefits of Knowing Your Maximum Marketing Budget

Having a maximum budget in place allows our team to:

Develop a Comprehensive Timeline

A defined budget helps us plan the entire project from start to finish. Whether it’s designing a new website, managing ad campaigns, or producing social media content, we can allocate resources effectively to deliver on time and within budget.

Prioritize Strategically

We focus on the initiatives that bring the most value, ensuring your investment generates measurable returns. Knowing your budget allows for flexibility within the project scope while keeping us laser-focused on the final outcome. Let’s say you decide you won’t have the bandwidth to take on the web-copy (writing all of the content for your site). We can take that on, and pass the Photo editing and optimizing on to you or your team, or we can move something one of them to phase 2 with a new budget.

Balancing Budgets and Progress

Not everyone has a large budget, and that’s okay. We can work within your financial constraints while still making meaningful progress. Here’s how:

Phased Approaches

Instead of tackling everything at once, we break projects into manageable phases that fit your budget.

Aligned Expectations

By understanding your financial comfort zone, we tailor solutions that meet your needs without compromising quality. This approach ensures you’re investing wisely without overextending, giving you peace of mind while still achieving long-term goals.

Monthly Retainers: Top Priority Access

For clients who want consistent, ongoing support, a monthly retainer offers immense benefits. Retainer clients are at the top of our to-do list. We always know what they need and we widdle away at our task list without pestering them for content.

Predictable Deliverables

Retainers typically include a set number of tasks, such as:

Writing blog articles.
Optimizing web pages
Photo SEO
Videography
Updating your website.
Maintaining the backend of your website.
Creating and scheduling newsletters.
Posting and engaging on social media.
Reporting and analytics
Monthly Meetings

Determining What’s Included in a Retainer

The cost of collaborating with you to define the scope of services, ensuring your most pressing needs are met each month and posting to social accounts three to five times per week typically starts at $2500 a month and goes up to $6000 a month depending on the frequency of posts, the level of engagement you want, the amount of copywriting, graphic design, photos and video necessary to maintain brand consistency, keyword research, optimization, data analysis, and reporting you want. We’ll put together the perfect team for your brand. And in some cases—it might just be me! We’ll figure that out together.

Knowing Your Social Marketing Budget

Social media plays a vital role in growing your business. Posting consistently helps you gain traction and maintain momentum. But how often should you post? And how much does it cost to pay someone to do it for you?

Planning Your Yearly Marketing Budget

A yearly marketing budget is the foundation for long-term success. It should include:

Website Costs: Your domain name is where it all begins. Knowing the initial (and annual) costs for your domain and hosting is essential to your overall budget.

Website Updates: Your website is often the first impression—keep it modern, fast, and user-friendly.

For a small business, here’s a suggested budget allocation based on 2024 industry trends:

Digital Marketing Trends: Allocate 10–15% of your marketing budget to emerging trends, SEO updates, and exploring new platforms. Staying adaptive ensures relevance. (subscribe to my newsletter and I’ll do my best to keep you up to date on trends)

Ad Spend: Dedicate 20–30% of your marketing budget for Google Ads, social media campaigns, or other paid promotions. Test campaigns to optimize ROI.

A Team to Support You: Plan for 30–40% of your marketing budget for hiring experts in content creation, social media management, and strategic planning. If you don’t have the team or the time, this investment saves time and boosts results.

Why Budget Clarity Matters

When you provide your marketing agency with clear budget parameters, you empower us to:

Build realistic timelines.
Maximize your investment.
Deliver exceptional results without surprises or setbacks.

Whether you’re planning for a comprehensive campaign or want steady progress within a smaller budget, our team at Social Nectar thrives on creating tailored strategies that work for you.

Ready to Map Out Your Marketing Budget?

Let’s work together to build a plan that aligns with your goals, keeps your brand buzzing, and makes your investment count! Reach out today, and let’s create some buzz! 🐝

Need Website and Logo Budget Help? We’ve got numbers for you here:

How much should I budget for my website? Read this article.

How much should I budget for my logo? Read this article.

« Older Entries