At the back-end of 2023, our DM, Janet, attended a Google Digital Garage event organised by Enterprise Nation and presented by our good friend Kristian Downer of DowSocial at The Glassbox in Huddersfield.

Digital marketing is an ever-evolving landscape, and staying updated with the latest trends and strategies is crucial for success. Therefore, attending a Google Digital Garage workshop offers invaluable insights and tools for navigating some of the most used Google applications for small businesses.

Below are five key takeaways for any small business to consider:

Digital Marketing Strategy

The workshop provided a comprehensive overview of digital marketing essentials, covering topics like SEO, content marketing, social media, and online advertising, to name a few. Starting with the basics of developing a digital marketing strategy—who, what, why, where, etc.—this knowledge should help any business grasp the core concepts and purposes for a successful digital marketing campaign. As a result, businesses can develop more effective strategies and achieve better outcomes.

Practical Application of Google Tools

We then explored a number of Google tools and platforms, such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google My Business. By learning how to effectively utilize these tools, small and medium businesses (SMBs) can gain the practical skills needed to analyse data, run campaigns, and enhance online visibility for their businesses. In this way, they can make data-driven decisions that improve their digital presence.

Insights into Consumer Behaviour

Next, we looked at what consumers are searching for online, which is crucial in crafting targeted marketing campaigns. To illustrate, we covered how to use Google Trends, Google Search Console, and consumer insights to get the best possible results from your online presence. This knowledge enables businesses to tailor their strategies to better engage and connect with their target audience. Furthermore, it helps businesses stay relevant by understanding shifting trends.

Customer Journey

Crafting a well-defined journey for potential customers is pivotal for any business’s online success. Often, we forget that we may know where to look for our products and services, our contact details, etc., but people visiting our website may not know exactly where to go to find what they’re looking for. Thus, Google Digital Garage workshops emphasize the importance of a clear path—from finding your business online (via website or social media channels) to contacting you or buying your services and products. By doing so, businesses can enhance their user experience and drive higher conversion rates.

Continuous Learning and Skill Development

Digital marketing is constantly evolving, and staying updated with the latest trends and techniques is essential. One of the most significant takeaways from these workshops is the encouragement for continuous learning. As Social Progress are digital marketing specialists and Janet is a Digital Marketing Trainer, we like to ensure that we are up to date with the latest developments. In fact, Google Digital Garage fosters a mindset of ongoing skill development, encouraging attendees to explore further resources and continue honing their expertise.

And now, to Janet’s hints and tips. As we’ve already mentioned, we are familiar with the suite of Google products, but sometimes we all need a reminder of some of the tools we have at hand. Plus, things do change, and the best of us can miss these updates. So, it was great to revisit some of these online resources that help any business become better online.

At the end of Kristian’s official presentation, he invited Janet to the front of the room for the Q&A part of the workshop. Interestingly, Kristian and Janet are both Business Advisers on the Enterprise Nation website and have worked together on the Meta She Means Business Programme in the past.

So, what did Janet revisit, review, and reuse?

• Google Analytics – Although this may seem overwhelming and full of too much information at first, it’s easy to focus on a few key things. For instance, identifying which page people land on when visiting your website (your landing pages) and where else they go on the website. Moreover, tracking how many new and returning visitors you are getting and how long they stay on a page can offer valuable insights.
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – Getting the right content that people are searching for on your website is key to it being found organically (without spending money on advertising). There’s a great book called ‘They Ask You Answer’ which helps you develop content that is search-engine-friendly for your website. For example, we have a blog post on our website titled ‘Facebook Pages Can Now Set Up & Engage With Facebook Groups’. We know from our Google Analytics that this is searched for quite often. By having the steps on our website, it’s helping to drive traffic to the site, and then visitors explore other parts of our website, such as our products and services.
• Google Alerts – A tool which we feel is massively underutilised is Google Alerts. Free to use, you can set up multiple alerts to get the latest news, blogs, and online content for anything. For example, we have one set up for the search term ‘Social Progress,’ which enables us to see new content each week where we have been mentioned.
• Google Trends – We have this as a quick-access link to make sure we’re keeping up to date with what’s happening daily. This helps us in working out what topics are popular and where we can create either website or social media content to link in with trending topics.
• Google Ads – If you want your business to be seen in searches, paying to be at the top of a search could be an option. However, be warned—it’s not simple. You are in a bidding ‘war’ with other businesses looking to be in front of the same target audiences as your business. Therefore, defining your key target audience is a must to make sure you’re spending wisely.

Conclusion

Attending a Google Digital Garage workshop offers an invaluable opportunity to gain fundamental knowledge, practical skills, and strategic insights into digital marketing. In summary, the key takeaways not only give individuals the confidence to navigate this dynamic landscape but also inspire a commitment to continuous learning and growth in the ever-evolving world of online marketing.

For more details and learning, check out Google’s online training: Google Digital Garage.