An online presence for your business is a necessity for companies operating in the information age. Most customers find out about new businesses and products online, so an online presence is needed to reach them. In addition, your online presence needs to be a quality one so customers will be persuaded to either make a purchase or visit again. This is easier said than done, however, so this guide will go over three things your online business presence needs and how to utilize them to the most effective extent.
Social Media Accounts
A presence on social media platforms is an integral part of any online business strategy. Social media gives customers the ability to share information about your company, relate experiences and share coupons and deals that can draw customers in for business. A social media presence also allows your company to interact with its customers directly, and personal interaction builds a stronger link between company and customer.
Modern customers, especially young customers, love the ability to instant message a company and get a personalized response. You can have a business account on many different social media sites, but remember that maintaining an account on even one platform is a significant investment in time and energy. It is usually best to pick and choose just a handful of sites on which to be active. You can choose these sites by looking at their user base and picking the ones that have the largest user bases of your target demographic.
Another way to choose is by matching the type of business you do with the social media platform that is best suited to it. For example, if your business primarily deals in B2B, LinkedIn is actually the best social media site for lead generation. Facebook is the one every business should be on because of its wide reach and your ability to advertise directly through it.
Interesting Content
Content marketing is the current hot trend in digital marketing, and for good reason. Instead of trying to reach your customers through ads, you instead catch their attention by producing interesting and informative content. However, it’s not as simple as it may sound. Thousands of businesses and other entities are posting content too, and your competition can be overwhelming.
The key is to target. Produce content your target audience will actually be interested in and then find ways to deliver it to them. For example, companies that manufacture and install hot tubs discuss the benefits of hot tub ownership because it is interesting and relevant to their audience.
An Attractive, User-Friendly Website
You must never neglect your website. It is the core of your online business presence and needs to be treated as such. The key to making a quality business website is to look at it the way a customer would. Ask yourself what you like to see when browsing a company’s website. It has to be easy to navigate and customers need to be able to find what they are looking for without frustration.
It has to have all important information front and center in an easily digestible fashion, while still covering the important details. You can compare your site to the sites of your competitors and see if they are doing anything differently that your company should implement. Finally, hire a professional web designer to ensure a quality presentation.
The necessities of forming an online business presence are fairly standard. It is how you take those foundations and make them your own that matter. Try different strategies and see what nets results. You never know what strategies might work best for your business until you try them. Strongly consider working with a digital marketer, whether in-house or through a hired agency, to strengthen your online presence. Your company will soon have a strong online presence that attracts the attention of customers.