The Found Gen

Marketing That Works.

Strategy

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It’s Time to Check in with Your Content Calendar – How’s Your Year Going?

Here we are, mid-way through the year already, and whether your business has been holding steady, inching upward or hanging on for the ride of your life, today is the day to check in on where you’ve been and where you’re going. The content marketing calendar you mapped out last fall may still be working beautifully for you. Or, you may need a refresh based on what your data is telling you. The point is, you don’t know how well (or poorly) things are going if you don’t take a beat to check things out. 

Consider this your reminder to check things out.

Why Checking in On Your Marketing Plan Matters

Content marketing isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it game. Just like your business evolves, so should your content strategy. By taking a minute to evaluate your content calendar, you can ensure you’re on track to meet your goals – and if you’re not, you will still have time to adjust for what’s not working.

What to Look for When Reviewing Your Content Calendar

Whether or not you’ve drafted an annual content calendar, this exercise is still important. You’ve to look left and look right so you can finish the year strong. Here are key questions to consider at the mid-point of the calendar year:

  • Are you sticking to your plan? Have you been consistent with posting your materials and are you covering the topics you planned, or have you veered off course?
  • What’s performing well? Look at your analytics. Which posts are driving traffic and engagement? Are there certain content formats that are performing better than others? What about topics that resonate more strongly with readers?
  • Where are the gaps? Are there important topics you haven’t touched on yet? Do you have a balance between timely and evergreen content (i.e., stuff that will stand the test of time)?
  • Are you hitting your goals? Speaking of data and KPIs, are your blog posts leading to conversions? Are your social posts generating the engagement you expected? Understanding if your marketing is working can be tricky, but there are benchmarks you can track, like increased web traffic, increased number of leads and decreased cost-per-lead.
  • What adjustments can you make? It’s never too late to make a change. Look objectively at your plan and assess if you should shift your focus based on trends or industry changes, or to see if you need to increase posting frequency.

How to Correct Course if Needed

Based on the answers to these questions, you now have an opportunity to reset for the remainder of the year. If what you’re doing is working well, congratulations! Make note of those wins and identify ways to replicate them. If you need to consider new options, here are a few that may be worth trying:

  • Repurpose successful content – Turn a high-performing blog into a newsletter campaign, infographic or social series.
  • Test new formats – If long-form isn’t working, try bite-sized content or vice versa.
  • Realign with business goals – Ensure your content still aligns with your broader marketing objectives.

Need Help with Your Content Strategy? Call us at The Found Gen.

A content calendar is a roadmap, not a rigid rulebook. Checking in regularly ensures that your strategy remains relevant, engaging and effective – and when it’s not, you have the freedom to change it. 

If you need help making sure your marketing strategy stays on course, call us at The Found Gen today. We can take a fresh look at your marketing strategy to see how we can help you charge boldly ahead.

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The Role of Timing: When to Send Emails for the Best Open Rates

There are so many variables to a successful email marketing campaign. Crafting the right message to the right readers at the right time is no small feat. In addition to writing a stellar subject line, you must also nail your timing. If you miss the mark, your email could get buried under a pile of unread messages.

So, when is the best time to send emails for optimal open rates? Let’s break it down.

Best Days to Send Emails

Not all days are created equally when it comes to email engagement. By and large, Tuesdays and Thursdaysare the champions for open rates. Wednesdays also perform well. 

Midweek emails tend to garner higher open rates because people are still engaged and not yet mentally checked out for the weekend. That said, you must know your audience. If you are marketing directly to consumers, they may not be able to engage with your content during a traditional 9-5 workday. You may have better luck reaching them in the evenings or on the weekends. Do your research on your audience to understand their behaviors and preferences. 

Best Times to Hit Send

In addition to days of the week, the time of day also matters for your open rate. In general, data suggests the mid-morning block of time tends to be most successful, but again, it depends on your audience. Here are some time blocks to consider for your next email campaign:

  • Early morning (6-8 am) – Many people check their emails first thing in the morning, especially on mobile.
  • Mid-morning (9-11 am) – A sweet spot for professionals settling into their workdays.
  • Afternoon (1-3 pm) – After lunch inboxes get another round of attention.
  • Evening (6-9 pm) – Some users check emails after work hours, but engagement rates tend to be lower.

The Power of A/B Testing

While general trends provide a good starting point, A/B testing is the best way for you to zero in on what works for your audience. Try sending the same email at different times to a segmented audience and analyze the results. Over time, you’ll find your sweet spot. If you need help or are looking to see results faster, give us a call at The Found Gen today. 

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How to Write Subject Lines That Boost Your Open Rate by More Than 30%

You can have the most interesting and insightful email ready to enrapt your readers, but if they don’t open it…well, you’ve wasted time and effort. 

Don’t waste time and effort! Maximize your messaging by creating subject lines that spark curiosity, create urgency or offer clear value. 

One place to start is to harken back to your high school English class days. Whether you were preparing to write that 5-paragraph essay or deliver a demonstrative speech, your teacher likely shared suggestions for making your introductions stand out. Asking a question or sharing a startling statistic are classic “hooks” to grab a reader’s attention. Your subject line needs to be your hook. Here are some more suggestions to help you entice readers to click “open” on their inbox. 

Create a Sense of Urgency

FOMO is real. A now-or-never headline can sway even the most click-resistant readers to take immediate action. An example might be: “Last Chance! 50% Off Ends Tonight!”

Make it Personal

Emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. Use the recipient’s name (e.g., “John, Your Exclusive Offer is Waiting!”) or reference past behavior to stand out in the inbox. To take that personalization up a notch, you can also try segmenting your email list. This allows you to tailor your messaging even more. 

Use Numbers and Stats

Tune in to your data lovers by giving your subject line something numeric to stand on. For example, “5 Proven Strategies to Double Your Leads.”

Ask a Question

A well-crafted question piques curiosity and encourages engagement – “Are You Making These Email Marketing Mistakes?” 

Keep it Short and Sweet 

Many email clients cut off subject lines after about 50 characters, so keep it concise. Aim for 6-10 words that pack a punch: “Boost Sales with This Simple Trick!”

Leverage the Preheader

Another way to maximize open rates is by taking full advantage of the preheader (or preview text). This is the short snippet of text that follows the subject line in your inbox and gives a glimpse into the email’s content.

For example, if the subject line is “Boost Sales with This Simple Trick!”, the preheader might read: “Ready to ramp up sales? Consider this game-changing strategy.” 

Steer Clear of Spam Triggers

An email won’t be open if it heads straight to spam. Avoid words that make exaggerated claims, unrealistic promises and otherwise sound spammy.

Need Help Crafting Clever Subject Lines that Convert? Contact Us at The Found Gen

A great subject line is the key to higher open rates, better engagement and ultimately, more conversions. Don’t be afraid to experiment to see what works best for your audience, and if you need help making your email marketing work for you, call our team at The Found Gen today.

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How Often Should You Update Your Website’s Design?

If you aren’t continuously evolving, you’re falling behind. This is as true for your business as it is for the website representing your business. Staying fresh, meeting your client’s needs and demonstrating ongoing relevance is key to competing – and winning! – in a dense playing field. But what exactly does this mean for your website’s design? Simply put, it means you need to update your website every 2-3 years, or more frequently depending on other factors impacting your site and its performance. 

Reasons to Update Your Website Design

For many SMBs, a client’s first interaction with their business is via their website or other online platform. If you’re not leaving a lasting first impression, it’s time to seriously consider the story your website and brand are telling. 

Just think about your own experience landing on an old or outdated website. The impact you feel is immediate and real. It may even leave you assuming the business itself is outdated. Fresh and modern web designs help instill trust and credibility and say to your audience, “We’re here, we’re thriving and we’re ready to help you.”

In addition to ensuring your brand design resonates with your clients, there are also technical and performance-related reasons to update your website. If any of these issues ail you, consider a web refresh:

  • It’s not mobile-friendly – User experience (UX) is the name of the game for website design. An easy-to-navigate site is more likely to win over customers, and this extends to your mobile presence (roughly half of web traffic comes from mobile devices). If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re missing out on a huge audience and potentially harming your SEO rankings. 
  • Your site is slow – Website speed is crucial for UX and SEO. If your pages take forever to load, visitors will bounce and Google will penalize your rankings. Updating your design can improve speed and performance. You’ll also benefit from security updates as old sites are more susceptible to malware and data breaches. 
  • You need an SEO boost – Google rewards freshness. Updating your website and regularly posting new content will improve your website ranking and enable more potential clients to find you.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

Not every web update requires a complete overhaul. Ongoing maintenance with a few well-timed refreshes can keep you relevant and in line with industry trends. Here are a few benchmarks to keep in mind:

  • Every 6-12 months – Update images, refresh content and optimize for the latest SEO trends.
  • Annually – Review navigation, improve calls-to-action (CTAs) and check for broken links or outdated pages.
  • Every 2-3 years – Consider a full redesign to improve aesthetics, functionality and user experience.

Need Help with Your Website? Call us at The Found Gen.

Keep your website, brand and business moving forward with small evolutions that eventually lead to full design revolutions to keep your current with your audience. We’re here to lead the charge. If you need help designing or revamping your site, call us at The Found Gen today. We’re here to make your website work better for your growing business. 

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How to Engage Your Referral Sources Through LinkedIn

LinkedIn has been a staple in business professionals’ lives for more than 20 years, and during that time, it’s come a long way from simply serving as a digital resume board. Today, it’s also a critical tool for growing your business, especially when you leverage your referral sources for maximum impact and embrace grassroots relationship-building to build your network. 

Why LinkedIn is a Powerful Networking and Referral Tool

With more than 200 million users in the U.S. alone, LinkedIn provides an unmatched opportunity to enhance credibility, stay top-of-mind with peers and clients, and generate referrals. That said, simply having a LinkedIn profile isn’t enough, you need to actively engage with your network in a meaningful way. Here are some steps to take:

  • First, ensure you have a solid foundation – Before you start building up connections, you need to make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and the presence you want to portray is established. That means you have a strong headline, compelling summary and detailed experience section to help establish credibility.
  • Connect with intention – Throwing out connection requests and seeing what sticks might sound like a decent idea when you’re trying to build up a network base, but there’s a much more strategic approach to establish connections and engage referrals – one that will build meaningful relationships that will help grow your business. Try this instead: If you’re targeting a specific business or industry, begin making connections with lower-level employees first before reaching out to leaders. In doing so, you will build up a large pool of mutual relationships so that by the time you reach out to the other business leader asking them to connect, they will see the dozens (or more) shared connections and referrals you have, which increases the likelihood of them accepting your invitation to meet.
  • Make valuable contributions to your network – Another key way to engage your referral sources on LinkedIn is by offering value and meaningful content to your community. Remain visible on the platform by regularly posting content that positions you as an expert as it reminds your network why they should refer business your way. In addition, celebrate wins, congratulate peers and remain generous. When you give, give and give some more, others are likely to return the favor.

LinkedIn can be a powerful business tool when used strategically. Build your network and engage referrals by building trust, ensuring maximum visibility and fostering genuine engagement. If you need help getting the most out of your LinkedIn account, turn to us The Found Gen.

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Why Blogging is the Best Thing You Can Do to Boost Your SEO

To start, a brief primer on SEO. SEO, a.k.a. search engine optimization, is a buzzword that’s been buzzing in marketers’ ears for years. The purpose of SEO is to increase your website’s rank on search engine results pages (SERP) by improving the quality and quantity of your website’s content (among other things). Better, more frequent content gives the internet bots something to chomp on, which thus pushes your site higher in SERP. 

Of course, that’s an oversimplified explanation of SEO. It’s far more nuanced than that, and before pursuing any type of SEO marketing campaign, you must know your goal. There’s an SEO strategy for every marketing goal, and without first defining yours, you run the risk of spending a lot of time and money on an effort that won’t yield the results you want. That said, no matter your goal, blogging will usually be an all-star player in the game because it is one of the best ways to increase your presence on Google and other search engines. Here are some reasons why.

Fresh Content for the Win

Google loves fresh content, and a regularly updated blog tells search engines that your website is active, relevant and worthy of higher rankings. Every new post is an opportunity to get indexed. Indexing is basically Google reading your webpage to assess its content so that later it can use this information to determine how useful your site will be in a search result. 

To demonstrate ongoing relevance and usefulness, you need to add at least four new pages of content to your site every 28 days. When you do, the bots will keep chomping on your site, and you’ll be in the best position to boost your SEO ranking.

Bye-bye to Bounce Rates

Another reason blogging is a boon to your business strategy and SEO is because when your content is good – and by that we mean it is useful, relevant, answers a customer’s question, etc. – it feeds a need. When content feeds a need, readers are going to stay on your page longer, which reduces your bounce rate and increases your SEO performance. 

More Keywords, More Ranking Opportunities

Blogging is also beneficial to SEO because more content = more keywords = more ranking opportunities. That said, the days of keyword stuffing are long gone, but that doesn’t mean keywords aren’t important. Keywords are your clues to what your audience really wants to know – and when you answer more questions better than the rest, Google (and the AI-overview feature on Google) will reward you. 

Contact Us at The Found Gen for Help with Your Blog

If you’re serious about SEO, blogging should be at the core of your strategy. It’s not just about ranking higher in search results, it’s about creating engaging content that answers questions, adds value and converts customers. Call us today to learn more about how our team at The Found Gen can help.