It’s mid-way through Q4, do you know where your 2013 budget is?

Hard to believe, 2012 is nearly behind us and it’s time to start looking ahead.

Here’s 5 tips for planning your 2013 marketing budget:

1. Get Your Website “Responsive”

There are almost 1.2 billion mobile Web users in the world. That means your website has to “respond” to the increasing trend of mobile visitors. Responsive web design basically means that a website responds to different browser sizes, including those displayed on desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. If you haven’t already, make 2013 the year to refresh your website with a responsive design.

2. Be a “Triple Threat” with SEM, SEO, and Email

These three marketing strategies always work well together to increase your traffic. Search Engine Marketing (SEM), or Pay Per Click Marketing, is the quickest way for getting prospects for your business. Consider that Google AdWords now generates more revenue than all print publications combined. SEM, when done right, works.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) complements SEM well because it’s more of a longer-term strategy for ranking high in Google search results for specific keywords.  And Email marketing is still a very, very channel that will help to keep visitors coming back to your site.

3. Two Words: Content Marketing

Nothing attracts like great content.  Great content gets shared, linked-to, commented on, and increases your brand’s credibility.  Earmark a good chunk of your marketing budget to producing content: blogs, white papers, reports, videos, infographics, articles, or news stories.  Great content will find it’s own audience, and will do wonders for your SEO.

4. Convert Visitors into Customers with Website Optimization

Probably the most overlooked aspect of online marketing.  Companies spend thousands upon thousands of dollars creating, updating, and upkeeping their websites, but do they work?  The only way to find out is to test, test, and test!  Split and multivariate testing will help you find out if your promo, call to action, or “add to cart” button could be improved.

5. Reviews, Referrals and Repeat Customers!

They are the 3 “Rs” of growing your business: reviews, referrals, and repeat customers.  The best part is, done right, they all are free!  Focus on getting reviews and testimonials for your website, both for products (bonus: great for SEO) and for your business in general, and highlight them on your site.

Don’t forget to create a process for asking existing customers for referrals (hint: ask them at the exact moment they’re most pleased with your business), as well as targeting your current customer base for repeat business.