July 24th, 2015.
How to: Market Your Business Online
If you’re wondering how to promote your business, there’s no better way to do so than by taking your offline business online, if you haven’t already done so.
Whilst running any type of business is a challenge in itself, you should establish an online presence to ensure that your business progresses. Why? Well, it’ll extend your audience globally. Take a look at our tips and discover how to market a small business online.
Invest in Decent SEO
It’s worth every penny. However, be sure to go with a company that has a very well-established reputation, perhaps one that has been recommended to you. Follow up references, read testimonials and speak to people in the industry to ensure you find the right company to help you.
Once you’ve found a reputable SEO firm, your business’ website will be on its way to being perfectly optimised. You’ll also be in the know on how to build links of significant value both to Google and your business.
Three words: Money well spent.
Get to Grips with Google Analytics
Granted, Google Analytics is not easy to understand, but like with most things ‘anything is easy when you know how’. Immerse yourself in training resources regarding Google Analytics so that you get to grips with it quickly. It’ll soon become an excellent channel for analysing just how well your online marketing efforts are doing.
Use Online Advertising Cautiously
As tempting as it is to use Pay Per Click advertising, be wary of how you use it. It can become quite expensive if you’re not smart about it, … kind of like gambling.
Sales that have been generated by your brand terms tend to be driven by another form of promotion so it’s best to exclude these. And remember to keep your search terms as likely to convert as possible as opposed to general generic searches.
Keep Learning
You’re probably aware that the online world is rapidly changing; however, it’s not completely impossible to keep up with it. If agencies organise free seminars, go to them! Make it a habit to read blogs regularly and build contacts with people in similar businesses; networking is key to learning.
Keep it Interesting
You may have moved your business online, but that doesn’t mean you have to lose your personality. Keep your personality interesting and it will shine through. Customers will then remember you even when they’re away from their computers and will be more likely to return to your website.
This is especially true when managing your social media channels; you want a brand voice that is going to engage others and encourage them to communicate with you and share your brand. No one wants to be presented with purely promotional and sales-driven material from a company when logging onto Facebook or Twitter.
Use faces on your site and social channels so customers can relate to you, have a live chat app, feature stimulating copy, blogs and interviews so that your site catches and keeps attention.
So there you have it, now you know how to market your company online. Are you after more business advice? Then be sure to read the following blogs:
How Much Does it Cost to Market Your Business?
10 Tips for Business Expansion from Richard Branson
Is Your Business Really Successful? Here Are Six Ways to Tell: