Part of being an entrepreneur is going with the flow of the world’s evolution and we don’t remain static. We always want to know how we can connect with consumers nowadays. We want to grasp the latest ways to make a profit. Right now, the trend is online marketing. It was already making its name ever since the internet has been invented. But when smartphones allowed people to access the internet anytime, and anywhere, it became the beast on marketing. In fact, according to Google, 97% of consumers use the web to search for businesses. That’s why almost all kinds of businesses are now selling online or they are advertising online. However, not all of them succeed. Yes, they have an online presence but the problem is, it wasn’t strong enough. So, how to achieve a strong online presence?
Let’s get motivated. Here are a few reasons why we need a strong online presence:
- Potential customers will find it easy to come to you.
- It’s easier to showcase your product and services.
- Building a relationship with potential customers is easier.
- With a strong online presence, it’s easier to market your brand.
Now, here’s how to achieve a strong online presence:
Website and App
Again, the reason why you want to have a strong online presence is for your customers to see your products or buy from you wherever you are. The first thing you gotta do to achieve that is by creating a website. It’s hard, especially if you are not computer-savvy. But if you can give it time to learn, there are easy ways to create one. You can do it on WordPress or Wix, or, you can always hire an expert to do it for you. However, making a website is not enough. To make your online presence stronger, you need to set your goals first. Take time to find out what are the things you want your customers to see and access. For instance, if you are running a restaurant, it’s best if your menu and price list are updated on your website. Think carefully about your design too. Check competitor’s websites and get some inspiration.
If you are selling online, it is also advisable to create an app. Consumers who use smartphones find it easy to navigate with an app instead of a website. Apps can also notify your customers every now and then so they have a reason to check your products. That and more advantages.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Have you tried Googling something? Of course, you did! Notice that it will show you websites that best suits what you searched for. What you will do is to click on the 1st one up to the fifth one. You won’t check the 100th or 1000th websites. Unfortunately, your website could be on those numbers when searched. You need your website to be searchable and on top of recommendations on the search engine. Doing so will allow more traffic to your website which turns audiences to a potential customer. But to do that, you need Search Engine Optimization for your website. The purpose of SEO is to make it easy for search engines (like google) to find your website and include it on the “organic” list. Basically, it helps your website to be on one of the top results when consumers search for your products or services. This is a bit hard to do. It will take some time to learn how or you can always hire someone to do so (it may cost a bit though). But this is very important if you want a strong online presence.
Social Media
Make sure your products or your business itself is on social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Add this to creating a website, an app, and using SEO. Why? People nowadays don’t just use a smartphone, they hang out in virtual places like social media. So you want them to see your business wherever they are. But creating social media accounts or pages is not enough. To create a strong online presence, your social media should be lovable and on-trend, keep people updated, rewarding, and is communicable. Basically, it needs to be alive and always connecting to people.
Overall, achieving a strong online presence is not a walk in the park. You need to be patient, innovative, and consistent. At first, you won’t really get as far as others do. But in time you will.
