Being present online is a necessity in today’s business world. Therefore, investing in building an online image is one of the most important business decisions. Today, most of our business clients or customers are more than active on the internet and social media. By using wisely that fact, you can make some significant changes to your business and marketing campaign.
Yet, this goes far beyond having a web presentation or business pages on social media platforms. This is something you must take seriously. Especially if you want to make an impression and be relevant and visible to your customers.
This is a rocky road, so arm yourself with knowledge, and try to avoid some of these typical mistakes…
Table of Contents
The Impossibility Of Running A Business Without A Website
In today’s digital era, a lack of online presence can cost you a lot.
The majority of people are using the internet. They are searching and buying so you can’t afford to be present online. Even if you’re running an offline business like a hair salon or a coffee shop – you must have a functional website that will represent your business. Having a website will help you use tremendous business potential and make closer relationships with your consumers.
For example, take VoIP providers. Their websites allow viewers to see their offer – VoIP systems for home, business VoIP, available numbers, prices, etc. But, they usually have a blog section where you can find tons of articles with numerous useful information. You can find topics about marketing and business trends, best VoIP features or technical availability. This way, the brand is making a relationship with its customers by offering them useful advice.
Be careful when running a website, because first impressions are usually the most important ones. Besides the fact that you must have a visually appealing web presentation – you must take care of the content. You need to ensure that the message you want to share is clearly presented to your customers. An original visual image, quality content, and good loading speed are the base of a good website. Keep in mind this is the first point of contact for potential new customers.
Optimize Your Website For Mobile
According to sources published by Statista – in 2017, mobile devices accounted for 49.74% of worldwide website views. Some predictions say that in 2019 this number will go up to 2.5 billion smartphone users. Therefore, if you’re running a business – having a website optimized for mobile users is a “must have”.
Do Not Create Specific-Device Ads
Keep in mind that internet searching habits are different between desktop and mobile users. Desktop or tablet users are just looking for more information. Unlike those, mobile phone users are looking for fast results, and usually responding to your CTA. For that reason, your ad should be made according to a device category. Even more, the ads that are mobile-optimized are receiving higher click-through rate compared to unoptimized ads. So, make sure you set mobile preferences for your ads and start being creative!
Be Accessible
People who are your potential customers will probably look for you online. If you have made a good online presence it’ll give you the advantage over other competitors in your industry. Whatmore, with the power of the internet – you can remain your business open 24/7. This way, you can make your business accessible to people, by making information available to them at any time. You can help your customers with tips and directions and this will build a stronger relationship with them.
Good And Bad Sides Of Being Present Everywhere
Being present online is an important thing, but do not bite too much.
That does not literally mean you have to be present on all social media platforms.
Too much presence can be harmful as well as useful in business. So think about whether you can chew what you have bitten. If you already have your website, blog and using other traditional types of advertising – be careful when considering other ad platforms. Publishing and sharing the same content across the platforms will not help you in reaching your targeted audience.
Therefore, you must keep in mind to create different content for all networks. Otherwise, you’ll end up with bored followers, and decreased results. When making a decision on where to be present, you must think and understand well where your customers spend time.
If they are connecting over LinkedIn, make your presence there. If they’re more likely to use Facebook – then head over there. Be sure you hit your targeted group in the right place, at the right time.
You can’t ignore local SEO
No matter if you think global, you must act locally as well.
According to Go-Globe statistic survey, 89% of participants claimed they are searching for a local business on their smartphone once a week. It is perfectly clear that you cannot ignore local SEO when building your business presence online. Even if you think global – implementing a local campaign will boost your business with a good ranking on the search page. It will also expand your business within the local internet users. You can boost your local SEO by optimizing meta tags or implementing local keywords to your website content.
Abandoning Is Not The Solution
Whether you have a stagnant website or a social media page, abandoning is not the solution. You have already made an effort to build your presence online. Leaving it can lead you to your business image fall-down. In that case, your customers can wonder if you’re still in business, or they can even turn to your competitors. Giving up on online presence means cutting off ties with your followers.
That can be extremely bad for your business, or it can even break your business image in total. There’s no doubt that businesses can benefit from an online presence in many ways. Now, with these pieces of information, you can prevent yourself from making some typical mistakes.
Now it’s up to you to use your potential and start building your online presence.
About Carson Derrow
