The pandemic have accelerated the growth of eCommerce. It’s true that 97% of consumers nowadays tend to go online to find and research local businesses. This is precisely why every business needs a strong online presence to survive in today’s world.
But online presence may not be all that you think or know. Just existing online for a business is not enough. Having a strong presence online is a different game. Knowing how to drive more sales and revenue with a proper online presence is almost like an art. Moreover, it is mostly tied to your credibility, reputation and visibility. The more you place your business in front of your target audience, the more opportunities you have to build brand awareness. So, the question remains: “How do you maximize the online presence of your business“?
Here’s how!
Table of Contents
Create a modern and attractive website
Nowadays, consumers have high expectations. And why won’t they when they have got so many choices? 75% of customers admit to judging the credibility of a website based on the design of the website. So if you do not have a proper, well-presented and attractive website, you almost do not have anything at all. So you must put in some time when designing your website.
It’s been known that every 1in 3 small businesses (28%) that do not have their own website tends to see the downfall in their businesses. This means the same for even freelancers. When you have a dedicated web page, clients feel assured that they can easily locate you. Your business also gets a sense of legitimacy. You do not need to learn to code, so you do not have to worry about that. You will find many website builders that can help you design professional and beautiful pages within a day. You must make sure the website you are creating is easy to navigate, clean and has a strong web design on mobile devices. Your website is the digital location of your brand. It’s where your customers will get all the necessary information that they want to know. Buyers or shoppers will mostly use your website for getting essential information like:
- Prices
- Range of products or services
- History
- Advantages
- Hours
- Location
Improve the quality of your content
Companies that do not update their web pages do not get to live for years or be remembered. You obviously will not one to be one of them. Improving the content creation process is vital to have a steady online presence. It is necessary to release engaging and exciting content or company law case study to get noticed by potential customers. The content you will publish should be top-notch and well-polished.
Adopt new social media platforms
It is important to focus on social media platforms if you wish to connect with your target demographic. Facebook, as we know, hits just above everyone. However, if your target audience belongs to the younger generation, consider using Instagram, where the majority of users are under 30.
Most businesses nowadays tend to have multiple social media accounts on multiple platforms. Crafting a content calendar will help you track what to post and when to post. You can take the help of Buffer and Hootsuite which come with a wide range of free tools that will help you schedule posts in advance. It lets you manage social media pages without really stealing focus from the rest of the business. Facebook is mostly associated with advertisements and businesses; LinkedIn or Instagram helps you connect with a new audience.
Try getting noticed by major search engines
Master the art of using search engine optimization (SEO), so your website comes at the top of search engine result pages. If you have a popular industry, use long-tail keywords that can help you attract more customers. You will find local SEO to be used when operating the business in a specific geographic area.
Build a list of subscribers
One of the best ways of keeping engaged with your existing customers is by creating an email list. Consider sending email updates that include industry news, blog posts and information on all upcoming promotions. The best tip in this scenario will be to use the most valuable data to capture customer data. Customers will be required to enter their names, and email addresses in case visitors wish to read your guide. This data will let you with building your subscriber list and then improve your reach. This approach is considered one of the basic forms of online presence management. There are paid email services like Constant Contact and MailChimp, but you can use free tools for sending a limited number of emails to a small group of followers.
Invest in online advertising
We all know that search engine optimizations (SEO) can take months to effect fully. Thus, many online businesses nowadays use pay-per-click business to reach out to potential customers.
Digital marketing is an investment that is worth making. Its biggest advantage is that ads reach out to a specific audience and are often triggered by the same set of keywords used in the search engine optimization strategy. These digital ads will enhance your online presence by driving traffic to your website. Clients and customers will request more information, subscribe to your newsletter or even purchase your products or services.
Try making it personal
Priority for any business is communicating as much business information as possible. Do not hesitate to make it personal. Share your unique story to ensure your future and existing customers learn more about you. Videos are an excellent means for making your potential customers connect your brand with your face. You may start a YouTube channel that will allow you to speak conversationally and directly regarding your passion for your industry. Posting these videos on online YouTube channels will help you get greater exposure to your audience. Such exposure will be extremely valuable to freelancers operating consulting businesses. When you tell your store, you touch a nerve that makes your customer see you in a more personal light. They will be able to understand your expertise and character better. Customers will find you more reliable, and it will give them more confidence in terms of specifying their unique needs.
Network with other business
Strength comes with numbers. Another effective way of increasing your brand’s visibility is by connecting with other local businesses to share content. Sharing each other content will help you reach out to a wider audience. You can hire copywriters and ask them to write guest posts on a blog where they discuss the intersection of your industry. External links can be added there to point out the readers to your website or landing page. This tip is useful but avoids local businesses as they might pose as your competitors. You need to ensure that you and other small business owners are on the same page in terms of target audience and “brand voice”.
Create relevant content
Creating relevant content is another way of enhancing the presence of your social media that followers will find interesting. Materials you are producing can be a great way of introducing your brand. It lets you speak with authority to the sector or industry you are really passionate about. Some of the common forms of web content are:
- Video blogs (vlogs)
- Online brochures and e-books
- Starting a blog
- Podcasts
It’s necessary to add a call to action when you are producing content. Such an addition will mean asking readers to contact you, subscribe or sign up for your services. Your website will likely to have some sort of content management system built-in text. However, in today’s time, the text will not be enough to satisfy users. You need to make your content look visually appealing. Here, the information will be more straightforward and enhance your engagement levels. It has been known that our human brain tends to process visuals 60,000 times faster. Thus, visual marketing has become a top priority for most marketers.
WRAPPING UP,
Maximizing the online presence of your business may seem like an undemanding task. It will take consistent efforts and patience to achieve the success you desire. Thus, you must understand which strategies offer your business the best chance at success. Try out the tricks mentioned to track your progress and determine what works best for you and the business. Diversify your digital advertising media mix as much as possible to gain the best exposure and return on investment.
