4 TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

We are in the Digital Age

The advancement of technology and the power of the internet has undeniably changed the way we do things nowadays.

It has become so much a part of how we live that few recall what life was like without it.

Businesses are scampering to exploit all the benefits this development has to offer. In terms of staying competitive and relevant, adopting/adapting to digital transformation is crucial if it means survival and ease of making business is being talked about.

Where does a new and small business start?

If you are a new business owner, this can be overwhelming and challenging especially when resources are scarce. But you can start with baby-steps that are cost-effective. You might want to focus on digital marketing to grow your connections. Nurture your connections and they will become raving fans and customers.

Below are cost-effective tips that you might want to consider to take your business a little closer to digitalization.

1. Business Branding is the way to go

This is your identity as a business. If you do this right, this can separate you from your competitors. You are not only a logo, you are not just selling a product or rendering a service, you are allowing your customers/clients to experience who you are as a business.

When your clients have finished using your products or service, how do you want them to describe their experience?

If you are, say for example a beauty salon & spa and you have this tagline:

"Experience pampering and relaxation like you never had before without hurting your pocket."

Did you deliver your promise in your tagline? Will they say:

"The ambiance is superb, I slept the minute my head hit the pillow."

"The service is not worth the price."

Or "This is what I'll be looking forward to every payday."

Business branding is creating who you are as a business, so distinct that customers will want to come back and experience your uniqueness.

2. Use the power of Social Media

Ever heard of the so-called Netizens nowadays? Yup, you heard it right. Everyone has jump into the wagon and is heading to another world of experience.

As human beings, we crave for attention, interaction, and socialization. Social media has given these to us and many more with just a click of the finger.

The true power of social media is influence. And the best thing about it? It's FREE!

As business owners, we can bring our businesses closer to where prospective customers usually hang out. We can leverage the right social media platform to spread brand awareness, create interest, promote products or services to target market and increase customer engagement.

If this is done the proper way, expect positive results to follow.

3. Create engaging content

In creating appealing contents for your social media, first you have to know who your target markets are. Who are they? Are they students, professionals, stay-at-home Mommies or athletes? What are their age bracket and gender? Where are they located and where are they hanging out? What are their needs and wants? What are their interest, and nuisances and how do you intend to provide them solutions?

The more you know your market and how they behave, the better and easier it is to create and provide contents that are relevant, inspiring, informative and useful to them.

The idea is to "create the need" for the product or service. So that even if you do not appear to be too "sales-ly" or "market-ty" in your contents, but since you "created the need" and have with you "the solution", you will always have customers following you.

Once they see that your product or service is useful to them, it will always spark interest and encourage engagement and eventual sales.

4. Let search engines find you

Finally, if you want a strong online presence, let search engines find you.

Search Engines in today's generation are your best friend. It will get you traffic from free, organic, editorial and natural search results. But how do customers find you on Google, Amazon or Wikipedia when there are millions of you on the search results pages? Search Engine Optimization is the key.

How is this done?

First, there needs to be an assessment or analysis of the website under study. What does it need or lack, does it have meta keywords, or the right description, do images used have tags. Do contents have internal and external links?

Second is the strategy plan based on the analysis results. How do you intend to implement the plan to optimize the site.

Third is monitoring the results and adding or adjusting the strategy to improve the site's rank in search results pages.

If optimization is done properly, the site will appear high on the list of results returned by a search engine. There is then an assurance that every time a customer searches your product or service online, you will always be found. Ain't that great?

Let me know if this article helps...