Building an online presence for your business
Finally, your business is up and running and now you’re looking for ways to reach more people and establish your business brand. The best way to do this, hands-down, is to put your business online. How do you start building an online presence fo your business? Building an online presence for your business takes strategy.
In this article (and related video), you will learn about some basic strategies to build your online presence for your business and what you and your customers will get out of it.
Trust and Reliability
The majority of people today are using the internet to find solutions to their problems. Whether it is figuring out how to fix your clogged dryer vent or searching for a landscaper, we all go to the internet first. When a person hears about your business, he or she will likely search for you online. A lack of online presence is considered a huge red flag. Conversely, an excellent online presence will gain your trust and reliability points that’ll turn people into customers. Make sure your website looks modern too! Do NOT have your website end up on a Top 5 Worst Website Design Fails EVER list.
Customer Experience
As mentioned, people these days rely on the internet for almost anything. People seek convenience, and the internet has proven to be the most convenient and reliable source to connect with people and businesses today. With a substantial online presence, you’ll be able to address your customers’ needs quickly, and in turn, provide them with an excellent customer experience that will reflect well on your business. As mentioned above, your website experience should be easy for the customer to use. A simple rule of great web design is to not have information more than 1 click away. Customers will not chase the information they want if it is not readily available. If your website has this style of website design, which many older websites do, you probably need to consider redesigning your website.
Building your online presence for your business helps you build customer relationships
One of the things that can make your business succeed is quality relationships with your clients. In fact, satisfied customers are a great marketing tool, and you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to establish quality relationships with clients when you have a good online presence.
Now, how do you establish an online presence?
Build out your website
The first thing that you need is an obvious one, build website. Your website will serve as your primary business platform online. Create a website that is simple and mobile-friendly. Keep in mind that your website design will play a significant role in your overall online presence, therefore you need to hire a reputable website company that can provide you with your business’ needs. Note that starting with a website building option like Squarespace or Wix is not a bad idea, just note that you will quickly outgrow those platforms as your business grows so you will want to invest in a better platform. I use WordPress for my clients and you can read more about that here.
Social Media
Once you have your website up and running, it’s time to expand to social media. There are various social media platforms that you can be a part of today. However, one thing to remember is that marketing on these platforms varies. If you’re only starting out, stick to one social media platform first and master it before you migrate to other platforms. Lastly, do not discredit social media platforms that you personally do not use. You never know where your traffic might come from so why not create accounts on all of them and throw the biggest net you can to attract the most customers!
Directories
Depending on the type of business that you have, target your listing to local, national, and international listings. Be part of credible online directories and put listings where you think your target audience might search for your business. Watch out for scammy directories that charge to be on their list. It just isn’t worth it.
Google My Business (GMB)
Your business must be listed on GMB, especially if you plan to target local areas. Read my #1 Best Marketing Tip For Promoting Your Small Business In Less Than 10 Minutes for more information. Remember to keep your posts updated on GMB as well!
Conclusion
Building an online presence for your business will take a lot of work, but you can guarantee that it will be worth it when you start seeing the results. You don’t have to do it all on your own, either. If you have the funds, you can always seek the help of a website design company to guarantee your success.
At Springboard Website Designs, we strive to make the web design process as easy as possible. We offer excellent in web design in Meridian and Boise, Idaho. Let us help you build your online presence today, we offer free website consult calls!
