How to Show Your Business Is Still Open: 3 Easy Ways to Stay Visible Online

Even as a business owner who teaches systems, marketing, and workflows, I still have those unexpected “aha” moments when I’m off the clock. During my family’s most recent fall break trip to Rochester and Buffalo, New York, I had one of those moments—and it sparked this very topic: how to show your business is still open (and why it matters more than you think).

While exploring, I noticed several local businesses that made it surprisingly hard to tell whether they were still open. Their websites were outdated, their social media hadn’t been updated in years, and their contact info didn’t match their current hours or offerings.

As a mom traveling with two little ones, that was frustrating—but as a small business owner and marketing educator, it was eye-opening. It made me realize:

“If I’m this confused, your potential clients might be too.”

So in today’s post, I’m breaking down three quick fixes to make sure your business looks active, trustworthy, and ready to serve—no matter the season.

If you would rather watch the YouTube Version of this, click here ⬇️

If you would rather listen to the Podcast Version, listen here ⬇️

(Or keep on reading to get the Blog Version Below) ⬇️

Your Website Footer Is Stuck in the Past

Your website footer might seem small, but it’s one of the most significant trust indicators your business has.

If your copyright still says ©2022 (aka a year in the past), you’re unintentionally signaling that your business might not be active anymore. That one small detail can plant doubt in a potential client’s mind.

✅ How to Fix It:

Update your footer to include both your founding year (aka the year you started your business) and the current year.
Example:

© 2018–Present Dolly DeLong Photography, LLC (put the current year)

This quick tweak instantly reassures both Google and your website visitors that you’re up to date and still running your business.

💡 Pro Tip: Add this to your annual marketing checklist (or automate a reminder in your CRM) to update your footer each January. It takes less than 30 seconds and makes a lasting impression.

You’ve Gone Silent on Social Media

I know social media can feel like a full-time job—but staying active doesn’t mean being everywhere.

You don’t need to post daily on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube (or any other relevant social media platform). What matters most is choosing one main platform and committing to show up consistently.

When someone searches for your business and your last post was two years ago, they might assume you’re no longer active. Consistency tells people you’re still here, still creating, and still ready to serve.

✅ How to Fix It:

Pick one platform (for me, that’s Instagram) and create a simple posting rhythm that works for your schedule.

You can:

• Post once a week or biweekly

• Share behind-the-scenes updates, client wins, or helpful tips

• Batch your content monthly. or weekly, so you’re not scrambling each day

✨ Remember: Consistency builds trust. Even a short weekly post can show your audience—and Google—that your business is alive and well.

You’ve Neglected Your Email List

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how much I love email marketing. It’s the one marketing tool you truly own, and it’s the most powerful way to nurture relationships and stay visible.

When your email list goes quiet for months, it can create the same problem as an outdated website or inactive social media: it can make your business look like it’s gone silent.

✅ How to Fix It:

• Send short, consistent updates—weekly, biweekly, or even monthly.

• Use automations (like a welcome sequence) so your voice stays active even when you’re busy.

• Don’t overthink it! Your emails can be as simple as sharing a quick tip, a behind-the-scenes story, or a seasonal reminder.

Think of your welcome sequence as your digital handshake—it keeps working long after you hit “publish,” introducing you to new subscribers 24/7.

If you would like 50% OFF of my preferred email marketing platform, check out Flodesk by clicking on the banner below

The Takeaway

Keeping your business looking current doesn’t require a rebrand or a full-time marketing schedule. It’s about staying visible, approachable, and trustworthy.

So take 30 minutes this week to:

✅ Update your website footer
✅ Post something new on your primary platform
✅ Send (or schedule) your next email

These three small actions make a big difference in helping your business look active and relevant to future clients—and they help you feel more confident, too.

Want Help Staying Consistent with Your Marketing?

Join me inside The Family Photographers Marketing Society—my monthly membership for family photographers who want to confidently market their business without burnout. 

Inside The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society, you’ll learn how to batch your content, create a repeatable marketing cadence based on my 4C marketing method, and finally stay consistent online without working 24/7.

Plus, like I say EVERY single week inside the membership, the whole point of marketing is NOT to go viral… It’s to build that muscle of consistency and develop a strategic marketing cadence!

If you are a family photographer and would like more information about the Family Photographer’s Marketing Society, click here.

Connect with Dolly DeLong Education

▸ Website: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com
▸ Instagram: https://instagram.com/dollydelongeducation
▸ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DollyDeLongEducation

Did you enjoy this blog post? Share it on Pinterest!

Meet Your Favorite Launch Planner for Small Biz Owners & Marketing Strategist for Family Photographers (Dolly DeLong Education)

Hi! I’m Dolly DeLong—a Nashville-based family photographer turned systems + marketing educator and Fractional CMO for family photographers and solo business owners.  After years of juggling motherhood, running a thriving family photography business, and helping other creatives behind the scenes with their launches and marketing, I realized something: the backend matters just as much as your booking calendar.

Now, I serve two kinds of faith-driven creatives:

• Family photographers who want to stop ghosting their audience and finally stay consistent with Instagram + email marketing.

• Solo business owners who have a digital offer they want to launch—but feel completely overwhelmed by the pre-launch phase

Through my weekly podcast, YouTube channel, and blog, I offer strategic (but doable) content on systems, workflows, launch planning, and consistent marketing rhythms that won’t burn you out.

I’m here to help you stop duct-taping your backend together and instead build systems that support your life and values—whether you’re marketing mini sessions or launching a course.

When I’m not strategizing a launch calendar or batch recording content during nap time, you can find me photographing families in and around Nashville, watching reruns of Survivor, eating something sweet, or walking with a podcast in my ears. (Yes, I’m that girl.)

Are you Ready to finally market with intention and launch with clarity?
Let’s get started—because you don’t have to do this alone.

👉 Work with me to plan out your launch
👉 If you are a family photographer needing marketing help, click here