Building a strong online presence is the key to success for all businesses today. This makes online marketing a crucial part of your business growth regardless of what industry you are in, or the size of your business. The process of creating big enough an online footprint for your business can however be a time consuming, and a frustrating experience. Nevertheless, the company gets to reap significantly in the long run.
Online marketing is particularly important for businesses that depend on the internet (and its influence) to find potential customers or make in-store sales online. If you have an online store or business, then this is the way to go. Outlined below are 7 tips on how to harness the power of the internet for the good of your business.
1. Create a highly responsive website
The business needs a website for its online presence. No matter how small or big your business is, a site is necessary as it will be the link between you and your target customers/clients. You only need a basic site (with all the fundamental information and services) to attract both loyal and future customers your way.
With many people today using technologically advanced and internet enabled gadgets to shop online, the site will make it possible for them to access and even make orders from the comfort of their homes/offices. Gone are the days when businesses thrived through word-of-mouth and other traditional marketing techniques.
The website needs to be kept current to attract new customers your way. Failure to update it with fresh content could lead to a mass exodus of loyal customers. Have the menu updated daily (if in the hotel industry), or have social media outlets and contact information included in the same.
2. Choose a unique name for the website
The website name can break or make your business. You should, therefore, think about its name carefully, as well as its domain. The good news about this, however, is that you are no longer confined to the .com domain, meaning you can play around with it however you like so long as it is safe and accepted. The key point here is a unique name for the website.
3. Optimize for search engines (SEO)
A running website isn’t enough to attract the right traffic and audience your way. This therefore means you need to optimize it for both organic visitors and search engines. More than 81% of internet users rely on search engines to find a product, service, or even a business. With hundreds of similar businesses online, it would be advisable to optimize your site for search engines to garner ranks on the same. Higher ranks mean more visitors will be redirected to the site, thus higher returns on investment.
The first step of optimizing your website for search engines entails publishing high-quality and relevant information for target audiences. Proper use of keywords, as well as tags is also required to make an impact in the overly crowded space.
4. Use the power of the social media
Using the social media correctly can have immense benefits for your business online. With billions of people using these platforms for various reasons, engaging your target audience and customers via the same can help bring the numbers up, as well as improve online awareness. According to research, e-commerce sales grew by over 200% in 2014 alone, thanks to social media marketing. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube are some of the leading channels to make use of in your marketing campaigns. Be sure to create/publish compelling and engaging content for your target market to build a following.
5. Go Mobile
Although a desktop website may seem enough, most Internet marketing companies would suggest that you sure need to ensure it is mobile-ready. The site should be easy to access with smaller screens to make an impact in the real world. Having your developer optimize the site for mobile access would be a wise idea.
6. Consistency
Some level of flexibility is needed to attract the right clients/traffic. Consistency helps keep your target audience engaged, which means you have to create consistent and valuable content for your followers. This can be done through social media channels created, a blog, or even the website.
It is by having some consistency that you can gain authority and credibility in the industry, as well as help the business grow. One of the best ways to get trust from followers and potential clients is by publishing content that they can relate to. Responding to the queries, posts, and even suggestions make them feel appreciated, thus a good way to create a relationship with them.
7. Keep track of your progress
While you may have started seeing the fruits already, you still need to keep track of your progress and marketing campaigns. Tracking every metric will help identify converting strategies and those that aren’t performing at all. If a strategy/campaign doesn’t seem to work, you may need to take it down or come up with new ways to make it work. Take some time to test various strategies first before rolling them out.
Always have an open mind when marketing your business online. While a strategy may be effective today, it could become obsolete tomorrow, meaning you have to move with the trends.
Guest SEO Expert Bio
Stephen Ball writes for a number of blog posts and has a strong interest in social media marketing and also SEO.
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One Comment on “7 Online Marketing Tips & Tricks From The Pros”
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