I recently made banana chocolate chip bread and lemon bars. For being only a few weeks into 2022, I’ve seemingly gotten a lot done.

I’ve also recently (as of the last seven business days), tried a new productivity method that has so far, been not terrible. In the morning, I take a look at my to-do list (I use Todoist - this is a referral link) and tag each one with an estimated time (15 min, 30 min, 1 hour). Then, I divide the list up into admin and creative via the priority feature (you can also use tags), and created two filters that group tasks by time: AM & PM. So in the morning, I use the AM filter to go through all of my admin tasks and in the afternoon, I focus on my creative ones. I no longer feel whiplash from switching from one type of task or project to another.

Some other random things:

• If you need inspiration or guidance for your 2022 marketing, Sprout has a free 3-session series for you.
• Applications for the GFB Bean for Bean Mentorship Program close on January 23.

Why you should still have a website

An argument could be made that because of the existence of Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google merchants, etc., there’s no longer a need for a standalone company website. It’s just another thing to take care of in a very long list of things. Plus, if you’re new to navigating the backend of a website, it can be very daunting to take on.

Despite the ease of use for creating and maintaining a social media account (sourcing & posting content aside), you are still at the mercy of the networks’ algorithms, rules, and server downtimes. And what if – not saying the company will but what if – Instagram shuts down permanently? Now you’ve lost all that uploaded content. A website will still need a host but those go down rarely and usually not for long periods of time. Plus, what you put on it stays on there, unaffected by algorithms and feature changes.

As a brand, you need to think about how to control your brand image. Oftentimes, this is through channels that you own or have more control over, such as a newsletter, website, and social media accounts. And while 71.6% of Internet users search for brand information on social platforms (including message boards), a website will still show up in search results, oftentimes near the top. Try googling your own company’s name on a private browser window and see what results show up.

Assembling a website is no longer as complicated as before. Sites like Wix and Squarespace, paired with free design tools like Canva, make it far easier to create and organize content blocks. Even a one-page website with basic information like what your company is about, contact info, pertinent links, and the latest update/news can now be created in an hour.

So to sum up: don’t just rely on your Instagram or Facebook page to be your de facto company website. There’s only so much info you can fit into those accounts. To maintain more control over your company’s messaging and digital presence, keep a website maintained and updated.

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Instagram is testing: an edit grid option, vertical scrolling design (like TikTok), private story likes, and status updates at the top of a profile. RivalIQ released a benchmark report on IG Stories.

Twitter added recording for Spaces. It’s testing column creation in Tweetdeck and video “takes” in quote replies. It published a new guide on consumer expectations from brands and released its 2022 planning calendar of events.

In other network news, TikTok published a report on how its ads can drive off-line sales. LinkedIn has decided to add audio rooms like every other network.

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My parlor palm, growing ever so slowly at the top of my kitchen shelf.