--GUEST POST--
Did you know that google searches average at about 1.2 trillion worldwide searches per year? Did you also know that there 64% of small businesses have a website? Online business has been growing exponentially over the past two decades, with so many consumers now shopping primarily online. The pandemic saw a massive rise in online purchases due to the high street being shut down. The internet has become a fundamental part of modern commerce. Putting effort into the online part of your business could make your company grow massively. But where do you begin? Here is a rundown of the best ways to optimise your business online, and why it can be a very lucrative part of expanding your company.
Online Business Success: Where To Begin?
Cultivating an online presence plays a key role in the optimisation of your business's online sales. There are many things you can do to help build a good online presence.
Create A Website
A significant 19% of small business owners without a company website believe that their company would grow massively if only they had one. There is a large amount of truth to this perception. Before buying something, many consumers look up the item that they want online. Having a website is a great way for potential customers to find your company if they may not have seen it before. Getting a web developer that is knowledgeable in search engine optimisation for websites can be a great way to begin creating your online presence. They can help you to make sure your website is placing at the top of the search results pages. They can also make sure that your website is user-friendly and contains relevant, interesting information about your company to attract more potential customers.
Share And Create Local Content
Putting local content on your website can attract local customers to your company, which can help cultivate a loyal customer base.
Furthermore, many consumers want their business to be relatable, and as a small business, you could have a great opportunity to provide this. Local content can project how much your company is quintessential to the local community and economy. This content can be as short as a blog post or a video talking about your business operations within the local community. This local content can really make your company’s website stand out amongst the rest- and for all the right reasons.
Bailey, a Bristol-based caravan supplier uses videos to give honest updates on their local business.
Branding Online
The internet has also provided a great opportunity to breathe innovation into a company’s branding. Internet branding is a type of branding strategy that uses the internet and social media channels to better position your company in the modern marketplace. As the internet becomes a fundamental part of modern commerce, this way of branding is essential when ensuring your company’s success.
There are many benefits to online branding. It can bring you closer to prospective customers' feedback, as it happens over social media almost instantly. By taking this into account you can massively improve customer retention and conversion. Without a strong online brand, your company will be less able to compete in the marketplace.
A top design agency Sheffield based has put forth these tips when it comes to online branding:
Never Underestimate The Power Of Social Media
A tweet or a snap can create a lot of online discussions.
Making sure your brand identity is consistent throughout each of your social media accounts can make you more memorable. The most used social media platforms can create a lot of followers and potential customers.
Dr Jackson uses strong branding throughout their social media content to help build their brand.
Monitor Your Competitors
The best online branding must pay attention to competitors’ branding. By observing what they do, you can avoid mistakes and you can safeguard your company’s image. You can also see how to make your company stand out amongst the rest.
Utilise Audience Targeting
When a brand identifies a target audience, it can better concentrate its advertising efforts. This means that your advertising could be more effectively used, as only people likely to buy your product or services would see the adverts. An online branding strategy that promotes its goods or services that are in tandem with potential customers is ultimately more successful than those that do not utilise this.
Online Marketing
As well as a solid online branding strategy, making the most of the internet with your marketing plan can only grow your business even more.
SEO
Search Engine Optimisation is a great marketing tool for your business.
By making sure that your company has a higher presence on search engine results, it can generate a lot of sales and traffic to your company’s website. When SEO is done well, it can bring amazing results. It is definitely one of the most lucrative marketing tools for your small business online.
Social Media Marketing
SMM is a form of digital marketing that allows a company to reach many potential customers through social media channels. Making content and engaging with your followers on these company social media profiles is a great way to market your company online. SMM also includes paid social media advertising, where social media users can see adverts for your company.
Considering 4.2 billion internet users use social media, this is a great way for you to promote your business.
Reviews
A whopping 97% of consumers look at reviews of a company before they buy from them.
Bad reviews can cost you lots of potential customers- and money. Promoting satisfied customer feedback can improve the image of your company and attract potential customers. Responding to all feedback in a way that is personal and friendly is a way where a small business can really shine. It is important to know there are some risks that you must consider when it comes to creating your business's online presence. Having an online presence can unfortunately make you a target for scammers- your company could be at risk from cyber-attacks. There are ways in which you can mitigate the effects of this, however: 1. Educate your staff so they can be more resilient against cyber attacks.
2. Get cyber security protection for your company’s devices such as anti-virus software.
3. Look into cyber and data insurance to protect you financially in case anything goes wrong.
4. Have a cyber incident response plan in place to mitigate the damage if your company does come under attack.
By taking all of these things into consideration, you can set your business up for success online. You won’t regret carving a place for your company in the lucrative world of e-commerce.
Optimising Online Business Success: Summary
In short, there are many things you can do to optimise your business's success in the current market. Taking the time to really understand online commerce and marketing can grow your company exponentially. Don’t delay and take the positive steps to grow your company- you won’t regret it.
About the author: Zoe-Louise Thomlinson
Zoe-Louise is a freelance author that likes to help people know more about business and marketing. When she’s not in a bookshop, you can connect with her on Twitter: @ ZoeThomlinson