How visible is your business online? Having a strong online presence is crucial for your business’s survival in the digital age. People spend a considerable amount of time behind computer screens or on their smartphones surfing the net and on their favourite social media platforms. If you need the services of a plumber, it’s as easy as typing ‘plumbers in Cape Town’, and thousands of listings appear in the search results. If your business is nowhere to be found on search engines or social media platforms, you’re missing out on growing your company BIG time.
Focusing on your digital presence is beneficial in many ways, including:
- 24-hour availability: your customers have around-the-clock access to your products
- Broadening your customer base: being online brings more eyes to your brand
- Cost-effective marketing: online advertising is cheaper than traditional advertising
- Customer service accessibility: your customers can have greater access to support and a shorter turnaround time for customer queries
- Brand building: gain credibility with customers
It’s not too late to prioritize your online presence and reap the benefits of being readily accessible to customers on the internet. We have a few tips to point you in the right direction.
Ten tips for improving your online visibility
- Get a website
A business website can accelerate your growth because, if done right, it brings more eyes to your business. Having a professional website also adds credibility to your brand. If your business doesn’t have a website yet, start by registering a domain and creating a website online DIY website builder. A website builder allows you to drag and drop to build your website with no coding skills required.
2. Focus on your SEO strategy
With your website up and running, you’ll need to zero in on your SEO strategy. SEO will help get your website to the top of Google search results. Dedicating a few hours a week to your website SEO and implementing small changes in the way you upload content, can make a big difference. Here’s what your SEO strategy should focus on:
- Meta titles and descriptions: these elements describe what the page is about. It gets displayed on search engine results and lets searchers know, as well as the engine, what your page is about.
- Image optimization: Use descriptive naming conventions when naming your images and reduce the file size to facilitate good page load speed. Also, focus on your image ALT attributes by being descriptive and using key search terms.
- Blogging regularly: Blogging is a great way of targeting longer keywords that your product pages do not contain. Blog pieces provide compelling information that is useful to your customers plus, you can naturally plug your products.
3. Use social media effectively
Social media is a great tool for small businesses. Not only can you market your products directly to your customers, but you also get immediate feedback. Social networks are a direct line of communication for your customers and when used effectively, can elevate your business to new levels.
Work on a thorough social media strategy for your business by:
- Setting clear and measurable goals for each platform
- Gather as much data as you can about your customers and create audience personas
- Study your competition to stay a step ahead
- Conduct regular social media audits
- Create a social media calendar
- Evaluate and track your progress
4. Encourage customer reviews
Customer feedback is the backbone of a functional business. Getting constructive feedback from customers allows you to improve your product or services. A happy customer will also gladly share their positive experience with their loved ones and on their social media platform. Encourage customers to share their experience with your company because small businesses thrive from word of mouth.
5. Create a blog
When it comes to Google, content is king. A key component of SEO is content creation. Starting a blog for your business allows you to regularly share useful information with your customers and also positions you as an authoritative voice in your chosen field.
6. Invest in influencer marketing
If you have the money, consider investing in influencer marketing. Start small by using micro or nano influencers as a test. Influencers can open up a whole new customer base for your business.
Here are some tips to get you started on your first influencer campaign:
- Conduct thorough research on which influencers align best with your brand
- Set a budget to manage expectations
- Decide on what the objective and messaging for the campaign is
- Reach out to the influencers
- Review and improve your strategy
7. Make use of paid ads
Targeted paid advertising can yield great rewards for your business. When done right, paid ads can get you an instant increase in traffic and conversions. You don’t have to spend a lot, you can start small and work your way up. Make sure to research the basics of paid advertising before you start to set yourself up for success.
8. Get verified by Google
Being verified by Google puts your business on Google Maps and that equates to more visibility. When customers search your business on Google, your verified business location will appear.
Submit your business to Google My Business and get verified in these easy steps:
- Create a Google My Business account
- Find your business on Google Maps
- Claim your business on Google Maps
Then you wait for the physical verification code that will come in the mail and enter it into your Google My Business profile.
9. Add your website to online directories
Online directors function as online Yellow Pages in 2021. Do a quick search to get your local online directories and get your business listed. There are a ton and the more places you appear on the internet the more people you can reach.
10. Guest blog on other websites
Reach out to reputable websites in your field and ask to guest blog on their platform or invite them to blog on yours. The more your business gets featured on high authority websites, the more credibility you build in the eyes of customers and google.
We hope these ten tips help you get a head start in being more visible online. The online space is filled with opportunities and has leveled the playing field – anyone from anywhere can be successful with enough ingenuity and patience.
