How can you really tell if your marketing efforts are outdated? We've developed a simple check list to help you determine if how you're running your small (or big) business is in-line with the newest technology and innovative marketing trends. Note: If you answer "Yes" to any of these categories below, pick up the phone and contact us today--we're here to help!

• You don't remember what your website looks like....if you can no longer remember the details of what your site looks like, then it is safe to say that you haven't visited your own website in a while--quite possibly a long while and I bet it could use some major updating! Ask yourself: What images are on my homepage? What pages are included in my navigation? Here are a few more key signs your site is outdated:

• You have a starburst on your site
• Your color palette includes fluorescents
• There is not a functioning navigation
• You have broken links
• You cannot view your site from an iPhone or iPad

• You lost rankings when Google Places was launched...Google launched a game-changing search process in 2011 called Google Places. In order to capture more of the lucrative local search audience, Google started to integrate places results with organic rankings (rather than simply showing a map with markers). What does this mean for your SEO? Google Places listings can dominate the entire first page of search results pushing the link to your company's website further down the list.

• The administrator of your company Facebook page is no longer with the company...if you no longer remember the logins to your company's social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter or otherwise), you're officially outdated. Even if your Facebook page looks nice and people continue to interact with it, you're still missing the ball by not engaging with your consumers. Social media might not generate the same ROI as traditional direct response channels, but that doesn't mean there is no value.

• Your search traffic directs to your homepage...if you are not using landing pages to create cohesive campaigns, you can guarantee users are bouncing off your site as fast as they arrive. You can do all the keyword research you want, but if you aren't using landing pages that are aligned with your keyword approach, you're not running an effective end-to-end paid search campaign. When paying for online ads or promotions, it's important to consider the path your users are taking to convert.

• You're not taking advantage of online advertising...small businesses have a tremendous resource at their disposal: the internet. Without a doubt, the internet provides the best forum for small business advertising. Here are a few reasons why entrepreneurs should look toward the internet to advertise their business:

• More and more consumers look to the internet for their purchasing-it's convenient, fast and online sales are generating billions of dollars each year.
• The Internets scope is world-wide--businesses can expand their customer base across the globe and customers can make purchases anytime, anywhere 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• There is a wide variety of internet ad options-banner ads, promotional, newsletter, social media, audio/video...just to name a few!

Keeping a marketing plan fresh by adding or adjusting key ingredients is a constant and timely job and unfortunately it is not always made a top priority for many small businesses. Why not make the step in the right direction today by letting Old City Web Services and OldCity.com help turn your marketing efforts around? After all, we're a local, small business too! The difference is we specialize in web development, internet advertising and integrated marketing...and we love what we do! Contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.