The necessity of online presence for small businesses cannot be understated. A substantial amount of commercial traffic takes place online, and this is unlikely to change. To understand why an online presence is important, business owners must grasp the concepts of brand visibility and digital marketing.
This article aims to elaborate on why online presence is important and how to achieve it through online marketing, social media, tailoring to a target audience, and more.
The Importance of Boosting Your Online Presence, No Matter Your Industry or Niche
As a small business, growth should be your priority. Increased lead generation, credibility, and website traffic are a few of the benefits of online presence for business.
The internet is one of the most effective channels for growing a consumer base because users always research businesses that suit their needs. Even if your specialization is a niche, your website and marketing should cater to your target audience.
Patrons will primarily find your content through search engines, social media, and organic word-of-mouth. Proliferating any of these marketing tools will positively affect the others, considering that some customers only use one or two of the three.
It is most effective to establish a customer base before you dedicate yourself to improving the quality of your services. Focus on drawing people to your company website and social media outlets.
Building a Website & How to Structure Your Offers and Contact Information
A common misconception is thinking that only advertising affects your online presence. The design of your company website is integral to its traffic. Information about your services and your company must be accessible for users of all ages. Menus that list your contact, business information, and products heavily streamline the browsing experience.
One of the most critical components of growing your company is making sure that online visitors can contact you. When designing a website, insert your contact information as part of a footer or menu so it is accessible on every page.
Create visible links to any social media platforms your company uses and internal links to elsewhere on the site. Creating multiple pathways to important pages greatly increases site usability and reduces frustration. The result is fewer potential clients turned away.
If you provide products that result in customer reviews, display them on your site. Patrons like to see responses to your business from people similar to them. Presenting consumer feedback also helps to establish credibility, which immensely aids organic marketing.
If you aren’t well-versed in web design and optimization, consider enlisting the help of a digital marketing agency. They have the tools and knowledge to bolster your website appeal, content, social media accounts, and more. All of this equates to higher lead generation for your business.
Establishing Your Voice & Creating Written Content
Once users know how to find your website content, your writing can teach them what your company offers. It is best to establish a standardized voice that stays consistent across your site. The tone of voice, structure, and style of the writings on your site should be digestible to readers.
Know your target audience and tailor your writing style to them. Doing so will increase the responsiveness of your web pages and your lead generation for sales.
Many companies accomplish this through the use of a blog. A blog is a parsed and personable format for conveying information in language that your target audience can understand. If your site has one, however, you must maintain it by adding new entries regularly. Forgotten, stale series of posts repel users.
The written content of your company website should be your central location for search engine optimization. SEO-optimized content features different keywords that improve the visibility of your site in search results. Study your competitors in the market and their written voices, and then try to compose a unique style that stands out.
The higher your site appears in Google search results, the more credible your business seems. Having plenty of organic, optimized content is the best way to be near the top of the list.
Building Visibility Across All Social Media Platforms
Social media is a popular online presence management system. It is also one of the easiest DIY digital marketing tactics for small businesses to learn. A Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter page is easy to make and maintain regularly. Like with a blog, if you have social media accounts for your business, you must post often and appear active.
Many people look for businesses and people on social media platforms to assess their trustworthiness. Patrons look for images and organic conversation as well as the account age. The best way to increase social media visibility is to post often and link back to your website whenever appropriate.
Make sure that your business information is accessible to social media visitors. A bio about your company, its establishment date, and a website link will add authenticity. If you have accounts on multiple platforms, cross-referencing them can potentially create a large business network.
If applicable, post images, such as pictures of a live networking event your team attended or a photo of your production site or office building. On Twitter, use hashtags when relevant. Hashtags greatly increase your tweet traffic, especially those that are currently trending.
Engaging With Your Market & Creating Value on Social Media Regularly
What sets corporate social media marketing accounts apart from genuine marketing is the value you create. Online presence for small business is as simple as engaging with your website and media viewers. Establishing credibility through communication is a great way to grow your market and generate leads.
What is value in terms of social media? Photos, personable content, and direct responses to clientele are some examples. Answer questions and show visitors your friendly, connective business model. If there are causes or other businesses you support, show it by liking their content.
Once again, updating your company website and social media often is another great way to boost credibility and create value. Stagnant social media pages with no recent posts look inactive and unattractive. When you post, include links to your sales pages and website where appropriate.
Now you know how to get an online presence, maintain it, and slowly grow your business, company website, and social media accounts.
Click here for more details or call 214-629-7223 or email jthomas@fmconsulting.net for more information. Or, apply now.
An Outsourced CEO and expert witness, Jim Thomas is the founder and president of Fitness Management USA Inc., a management consulting, turnaround and brokerage firm specializing in the gym and sports industry. With more than 25 years of experience owning, operating and managing clubs of all sizes, Thomas lectures and delivers seminars, webinars and workshops across the globe on the practical skills required to successfully overcome obscurity, improve sales, build teamwork and market fitness programs and products. Visit his Web site at: www.fmconsulting.net or www.youtube.com/gymconsultant.
