Ready to make the next quarter the best one yet? Hit the ground running with Business New Years Resolutions that will position you for success:

Resolution 1: Conduct a Brand Audit

Most brands lose traction because they have an identity crisis. They forget what they stand for and where they want to be—and confuse customers along the way. To learn if your brand is faltering, ask yourself these questions:

- Is my brand promise clear and concise?
- Are my mission and vision statements aligned?
- Do my employees understand our promise, mission and vision?
- Are we all working together to support the brand, and is everyone on the same page?

If you answer ‘no’ to any of these questions, take steps to make the appropriate fixes. This piece by MarketingDonut
includes insights into strengthening your brand.

Resolution 2: Increase Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) IQ

Simply put, SEO is the process of making your website appear first in an online search—or as close to the top of the list as possible. While there are several things you can do to achieve this, a combination of tactics usually work best:

Writing Effective Meta Copy

Meta copy summarizes your web page content. It’s what you see under the search results when you Google something. The more effective the copy (i.e. more specific and descriptive), the more likely the link will be clicked.

Using Popular Keywords

Keywords are common words or phrases used in online searches for a particular topic. It’s what you type in when you’re searching online. For instance, popular keywords for a catering business might be ‘wedding caterers,’ or ‘catering services.’ The more keywords you use in your website or page, the higher your search ranking potential.

Focus on Mobile

Most web searches are done on mobile devices. Making sure your site is optimized for mobile is another way to outrank your competitors in a search. This means getting the design right and making sure its user friendly.

For more keen insights into SEO, feel free to check out this piece at Forbes.com.

Resolution 3: Think Social, Think Content

Today’s consumers are using social media to learn about brands and make buying decisions. They’re consuming content that varies from simple Facebook posts to highly produced YouTube videos.

To put your business at the center of all this, concentrate on creating engaging and well curated social media pages. If you don’t have expertise to do this, hire an agency or freelancer—it’s money well spent.

Fill your website with relevant content and include information visitors want, such as user reviews and simple ways to pay. Make it easy for them to contact you and always be transparent. Additional tips for developing killer content can be found here.

There you have it—a short list of resolutions you can make right now to hit the ground running next—or any—quarter. All you have to do is implement!