Visibility is everything in business. In the past, that would have meant spending money on a billboard and a blinking sign. But today, visibility is all about focusing on your online presence. According to a well-documented survey, 97% of people conduct online research before buying products and services. So your next customer will probably find your company via the internet.
But with so many businesses vying for customers’ attention in the online space, how do you make your brand stand out? Well, fret not! In this post, you will learn tried-and-true strategies for expanding your online presence:
1. Design A Great Website
Over a third of SMBs (28%) do not have a website. If you are also one of them, you should create a website right away. Ensure the website’s homepage addresses the most common questions of first-time visitors, such as providing information about what you do and how they may interact with your site. The key is to include just about enough information on your homepage to pique visitors’ interest without overwhelming it. Limit the text to 120 words or less.
Do not forget to add catchy visuals. Be sure to keep your website on top of mobile-friendliness. This is where a responsive design can help you, as it adjusts to any screen size. Besides, smart utilization of pop-ups is another step in optimizing your site for mobile users. Anyone who browses the web on a mobile device finds pop-up advertisements rather annoying. If adverts are necessary, try to make them as subtle as possible. If performing all these measures sounds too much for you, consider hiring local professionals with years of experience. For example, if you are in Denver, you should hire a Denver web development agency as they will be aware of the local market and consumer preferences.
2. Leverage SEO
SEO is hands down one of the best strategies to spice up your online presence. This online marketing tactic aims to boost your site’s ranking on major search engines like Google and Bing. For instance, if you run a business selling noise-canceling headphones, you would want your website to come up when people type search terms like “noise-canceling headphones” in Google or another search engine.
SEO could be effectively broken down into two distinct subfields: on-site and off-site. On-site optimization relies heavily on the content. It revolves around tasks such as conducting keyword research and producing helpful content that answers questions that your target audience might have. When conducting off-site SEO, you will focus on the nuts and bolts of the SEO. Among other things, you will ensure that your site is properly configured, has a straightforward URL structure, and loads rapidly.
3. Make The Most Of Email Marketing
Emails have been around for a while. The best thing about email is that they allow you to communicate directly with your target demographic. Email marketing has several applications, including product promotion, information dissemination, reducing shopping cart abandonment, and narrative building. It bears worth mentioning that cookie-cutter email marketing tactics will not get the job done for you because customers receive hundreds of emails every day. To cut through the noise, you must exploit proven email marketing hacks.
First off, a welcome email is a great way to establish rapport with a new subscriber and make a striking first impression. Take a new reader behind the scenes of your company’s inception by telling them about yourself and the inspiration for its establishment. Include a photo of your staff and a handwritten signature at the end of the email to make it more personable.
Do not forget to maintain a conversational tone in your emails. When people sign up for an email list, they usually want to learn something from professionals in a specific field. But it does not necessitate the use of flowery language as it could turn off or confuse the majority of your audience. That is why the success of your email marketing heavily hinges upon your language. The easier the language, the higher the chances of getting a better ROI.
Lastly, do not drag your emails. Studies show that between 50 and 125 words are the sweet spot for an email copy. So whether it is the launch of a new product or an upcoming sale, your best bet to hook the reader is to get to the point immediately.
4. Get Social
One of the most important promotional objectives for every organization is to increase brand recognition. It is because customers prefer purchasing brands that they are familiar with. Thankfully, brand building on social media is quick and efficient. Create a social media account and connect with users to get things going. Encourage your staff, clients, and sponsors to “like” and share your profile. Having people engage with your content is the first step in growing your company’s reputation and expanding your brand’s reach.
Most businesses make the mistake of selecting social media platforms without any consideration. That is a flawed tactic. Every social media channel caters to a specific type of audience. For example, Twitter is wonderful for conversations and popular topics, while LinkedIn is excellent for sharing professional experience and corporate details. So invest some time into learning the ins and outs of the potential channels and brush up on the language of communication. That way, you can select the most suitable platform(s) for your business and prevent embarrassing errors.
5. Start Guest Posting
Adding a blog post to another person’s website is known as guest posting. Submitting guest posts to certain sites in a specialized market increases the likelihood that people will view you as an authority on that topic. One of the greatest benefits of guest blogging is the high-quality traffic it brings to your website. People who find your site through guest posts are much more likely to buy something from you than those who find it through other means.
The unpleasant reality of guest posting is that many blogs will disregard your email, irrespective of how well you pitch your content. The rule of thumb is to pitch at least five to ten sites if you want to publish one guest article. It is preferable to have several sites approve your request rather than none.
Conclusion
You might have seen a company launching a website hoping to draw in new clients but then neglecting the site for years. Despite popular belief, being online is not enough to succeed in today’s digital marketing climate. The only reliable way to gain clients’ trust and boost sales is to have an impressive online presence across many platforms. With that in mind, we have put together some of the best tips to amp up your online presence in this write-up.