2016 has come to an end, and it’s time for some digital resolutions for the new year. A lot happened in 2016: Google made 10 major changes to its algorithm, the average user now spends 88% more time on a website with video, and content marketing leaders experience 7.8 times more site traffic than non-leaders.

Now that 2017 is here, it’s time to think about what those New Year’s resolutions might be. Instead of making a huge list of all the things you should start doing in 2017, here are the three big ones we think you should focus on to get the ball rolling. Any additional resolutions you decide to add to the list will only strengthen your efforts and improve your digital marketing strategy.

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1. Create Compelling Videos

As we all know, video marketing is one of the most important efforts you can make right now to extend your reach and brand awareness. If you’re not already doing so, setting video creation goals is a great place to start for 2017. If you don’t currently have a video marketing strategy, start simple. Create one video per month or quarter just to get the ball rolling. Culture videos can be a great contributor to your strategy, so start there. Set the goal to create one 30-second culture video per month and you can track your engagement to see how your target audience responds.

If you’re already creating videos, use 2017 goal setting as a time to step it up a notch. Where can you take your video marketing next? Try branching out from the types of videos you’re creating now to something a little different. Add in a video about your staff or amenities. Try interviewing current residents to create a testimonial video. The video opportunities are endless in 2017, so make it your goal to take your creation one step further.

If you don’t know where to start with video creation, download the guide for your industry.

2. Commit to a Content Schedule that Works for Your Team

Content marketing can seem overwhelming, especially when you’ve not yet been able to make it a part of your digital marketing strategy. This year, instead of trying to conquer the content marketing world, commit to a schedule or regular cadence that works for your team. If that means one blog post per month, then that’s a great place to start (especially compared to the ‘no blog posts’ of 2016). Once you master your schedule, you can then up the ante and try one blog post every other week, followed by once a week.

Starting out with unobtainable expectations will only lead to disappointment. Instead, start slow and steady, get the process down, and you’ll see how easy it will be to create more content in the future. 

Start with a plan and an organized content marketing schedule. Learn how with this step-by-step
guide.

3. Keep Up with the Googles

As mentioned, Google made 10 major changes to its algorithm this year (and many more minor changes). How many of those changes do you actually know about? It’s important to stay in the know when it comes to what Google has going on behind the scenes, as its changes can directly affect the success of your digital marketing efforts. If you’re putting effort into areas that Google no longer values or not paying attention to the little factors that impact your search engine ranking, you could be wasting time and money.

It’s important to stay as up-to-date as possible with what’s happening on the Google front, and there are a couple of ways you can do this. Check various blogs to make sure you’re not missing anything crucial—Moz, Search Engine Land, and the G5 Blog are great places to start. We’ll always keep you up-to-date with the changes Google is making and how those changes directly impact your industry. Another way is to view the Google blog directly. They will typically post when there’s a new algorithm change.

Whichever way works for you, just make sure you’re paying attention to these updates.

2017 is a new year and a new time to set some professional goals and habits. Make sure all of your resolutions fit with the goals of your business. Work smarter, not harder, and put your efforts where they will yield the most rewarding results.