Web presence is more than just having a website, it’s having a connected network of accounts where people can interact with you and your business on the internet. Your web presence is your digital fingerprint ranging from your social media, to your website, to your online reviews.
As you start growing your business, the tone and reliability of this presence grows ever more important. So, too, does the need to assess your audience and reach them online via the platforms they use most.
Whether this means having a more active Facebook page or asserting yourself as an industry expert through your blog, the main takeaway is that the benefits of online presence, for business, is immeasurable.
Below is our quick introduction on some ways to boost your online image and take your business a step in the right direction.
Tip 1: Have a Blog and Post Regularly
This is by far one of the most important tips on this list. That’s why it is going first.
We read all over the internet about the importance of maintaining a blog. We don’t always understand why.
Think about the following scenario: you are leaving the grocery store and, while approaching your vehicle, realize someone dented your bumper. No insurance information was left behind and you’re not sure how to proceed.
The first thing you will do is search online for what to do next. That information you are reading are blogs for various websites.
The individuals coming to your blog are in the same situation. By finding you organically, these individuals become your next qualified leads– people who are already in the market and searching for the service you offer.
Tip 2: Have a Professional Website
After finding your business and visiting your blog, searching though your site is the next step customers and potential clients take when deciding whether to work together.
Having a website is the cornerstone for small businesses to have a strong online presence. It not only gives you and your services credibility, but it is a home for your blog, your offer pages, a bio, and so much more.
As you’ll see in the next tip, websites are also a treasure trove of information when it comes to analytics.
Tip 3: Watch Your Metrics
While on the topic of professional websites, you should get in the habit of gathering and analysing your site metrics to see who is visiting you, when, and whether or not they stay on your site.
Here, there are free and powerful softwares such as Google Analytics that will work to gather various data points on the individuals who visit your site. This includes information such as the age of your site visitor, their gender, general location, device used, and how long they stayed on your site.
When looking at this information, you have the opportunity to refine your audience, understand which parts of your website are working, and further understand which parts are not.
Tip 4: Social Media
No conversation about the importance of online presence would be complete without mentioning social media. Whether your business is offering a service, a product, or even a subscription, having social media is a must when it comes to digital marketing.
Through social media, you have the opportunity to connect back directly with your audience by offering content they enjoy and even speaking with them in real time. This gives your company a unique voice that potential clients will come to know, trust, and remember, raising your chances that they will try your services in the future.
Tip 5: Provide Excellent Customer Service
The last part of web presence that many don’t think about is online reviews. This is partly because some of the content on popular review sites, such as Yelp, is not actually within your control. However, the way you handle review is.
Especially important for local businesses, online reviews (and how you handle them) have a major impact on whether customers trust your business. Be grateful for both your positive and negative reviews. The first shows why your business is great, the second gives you an opportunity to show off customer service and even find ways to improve.
Your Online Marketing Experts
For many, trying to build a website, produce steady content, manage social media, try to rank on search engines, all while running a business, becomes an impossible task. With over 20 years of digital marketing under my belt, I opened Sting Marketing to help business owners with their online presence to give them back the time to focus on clients.
Our process is simple and effective. We make a marketing plan based on the information we gather about your audience, start watching your metrics, and then start making a marketing strategy that is tailored to the way your prospective clients behave.
If you want to know more about our process, we are just a message away. You can also subscribe to our site so you never miss another update.
