Congrats! You survived the holiday season, and now you’re currently in the “new year, new me” phase, which is fine if you’re thinking about how to grow your business, and not really thinking you’ll stick to that gym schedule you came up with last weekend. This time of year bring all the business owners out of the woodwork. A new year means that everyone is currently thinking about what their 2026 will look like, but you’re probably thinking about what small businesses should prioritize this quarter. Now it is time to tackle something actually productive: your small business marketing plan for the first quarter of 2026.
If you are a small business in Myrtle Beach trying to figure out where to even start, you are not alone. The good news is that with a little strategy and minimal mental breakdowns, you can create a plan that actually works for your business this year.
1. SEO Isn’t Optional Anymore
Remember when SEO was something only big companies did? That stopped being true a long time ago. Now, to even show up on the first page of Google, you need to make sure your SEO is top notch. Today, if your business is not paying attention to search engine optimization, you might as well be invisible.
Google processes more than 8.5 billion searches per day, and most of them are people actually looking to spend money. Think about it… that’s more searches per day than there are people on Earth. And yes, some are just searching for stupid things like “Elon Musk’s birthday” or “Is it okay for my dog to poop 10 times a day”, but most are actually searching for solutions to problems that your business might just be perfect for. So, as you prep your website for Google, start with the basics:
- Keyword research. Yes, that “Myrtle Beach + your service” combo still matters.
- On-page SEO. Titles, headers, and alt text that make sense to humans. Remember to add alternative text to all the images on your website!
- Local SEO. Your Google Business Profile should be more active this year. That’s how the locals find you in a tourist town so you’re not stressing by the time October comes around.
2. Website Design Should MEAN Something
Your website isn’t just your super cool homepage on the internet. Instead, your website is quite literally most customer’s first impressions of your business. The only different between your website and decorating your window at your brick-and-mortar is that nobody is going to walk by it in person. Looks matter, but function matters more.
If your site loads slower than a tourist finding free parking on Ocean Boulevard in August, you have a problem. Your site should focus on being accessible to everyone. Not only will it attract more customers, but Google will appreciate it so much, they might even put you on the front page of people’s relevant searches. To get your website prepped for the year, focus on:
- Mobile responsiveness. Everyone Googles from their phones.
- Fast page speed. Attention spans are shorter than sitcom catchphrases.
- Clear calls to action. Use “Buy Now,” “Contact Us,” or “Get a Quote,” not “Click if curious.” Make it so obvious what you want people to do.
3. Social Media With a Strategy
Before you ask, yes, posting a picture of your team lunch on Instagram DOES count as marketing, and we’re tired of pretending it doesn’t. This year, we want to break the stigma that every post on social media needs to be a sales pitch. In fact, the more you show off the people behind the page and the fun aspects of your business, the more customers you’ll attract! Once you’re established, you can focus on trying to sell your product a little more. Still, some fun office pictures and showing off customer love goes a long way.
In terms of how the algorithms are working now… that’s a different story. The year 2026 does not care about hashtags anymore. It cares about content with purpose. With Instagram’s newest update that only allows three hashtags, what small businesses should prioritize on platforms include SEO relevant captions. That’s right — be sure to include a ton of silly little words that are important to your company. When people look up “pizza Myrtle Beach”, you want your restaurant to pop right now!
Finally, there’s something we have to tell you all, and we’re going to hold your hand when we say this. Just because everyone is on TikTok does not mean everyone should be on TikTok. Choose platforms where your audience actually lives and deliver content that educates, entertains, or solves problems. If you’re a local real estate company, you won’t see much traction from TikTok, where the median age is just about 15. Instead, focus on Instagram where to median age sits around the mid 30’s — aka, people who can actually afford to buy a home right now.
4. Learn To Read Your Analytics
Nothing says “professional” like checking your numbers regularly instead of once every several months or so. The only thing worse is not knowing how to read them! Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console are not just for techies. They can tell you what is working, what is not, and where your next customer might be hiding. If you’re feeling insecure about a certain aspect of your marketing strategy, you can always check in on it through your Google Analytics and social impressions. To start, track things like:
- Page views and engagement
- Conversion rates
- Search rankings
- Click-through rates
Guessing is not strategy. Data is.
Turn What Small Businesses Should Prioritize Into Results
The first quarter of the year is the perfect time to build momentum, not get excited for a few weeks and let it fall off. If you are launching, scaling, or just trying to make sense of your digital marketing, website design, or SEO strategy, let Three Ring Focus be your newest employee, without the health insurance.
We will help you plan, optimize, and execute a marketing strategy that actually makes sense for your small business in 2026. We help small businesses around the Grand Strand clean up their social media, sharpen their marketing strategy, and keep their websites as polished as their feeds. Whether you need a full content plan, analytics tracking, or a complete site overhaul, we’ve got the tools to get you back on track. Check out of some the work we’ve done for a little sneak peek. Don’t miss out on the benefits of having an expertly crafted branding identity.