Having a strong digital presence has never been so important for doing business as it is today.
Why? Because, believe it or not, your customers—both the existing and prospective ones—expect to see you out there. You may think that your business is not the kind that needs an online presence, but the truth is there is no set convention guiding which businesses should or shouldn’t do so.
You don’t have to be an e-commerce firm or a media organization to go digital. Whatever the nature of your business, enhancing its virtual presence can do wonders. You can increase your customer base, get your word out in the industry and even generate revenue!
Yes, creating an online “brand” for your business does take time and of course, money; but if you do it right, it’s a profitable investment.
So, how do you take your business into the digital realm? Read on to learn five ways to do it.
1. Engage in marketing from your website.
Having a website is just another avenue to generate market awareness and improve your firm’s brand. Here, marketing doesn’t stand for “selling” only. Advertising and market research also come under the same umbrella. In simple words, you can advertise products or services on the website. You can also make use of digital tools for conducting research and identifying opportunities that are viable for further growth.
2. Use social media tools.
Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. are some of the widely used social media tools. However, having your business’ presence felt on them doesn’t guarantee success. You can’t have a profile on Facebook or a page on Google+ and leave it at that. You have to stay in tune with their upgrades or recently added features. You not only have to constantly update content on all platforms but also engage in customer interaction from time-to-time.
3. Create a business blog.
Having a company blog does work. In fact, they are touted to be more effective than social media tools. You can upload high-quality blog posts, pictures, links and even polls to boost online presence. On top of it, you can also create infographics, slide decks and videos to give a more authoritative tone to the blog. And, the best part is you can have as many contributing writers as you want. With different voices and writing styles populating the blog, it is bound to widen your customer reach.
4. Advertise on other sites.
With the help of sponsored advertising, direct your advertising investments towards those websites that are associated with your product or service in some way. Each click on the ad will bring traffic to your website. Even if the customer doesn’t click, he or she still gets to know about your company!
5. Conduct webinars or online chats.
Webinars are the “in” thing in this digital age. With the help of tools like Google Hangouts, Microsoft Office Live Meeting, Dimdim, Gather Place, etc, you can not only interact with your customers but also with people from your business community. In addition, you can post the link on your website, social media, and blog so people know that you’re out there and you mean business!
Remember – it’s an exciting “digital” world out there that’s constantly evolving. An effective digital presence will give customers and other businesses a taste of what you have to offer. So make it worthwhile.
Asavari Sharma
Asavari is a copywriter and marketer specializing in content creation, social media, and inbound marketing for multiple industries such as outsourcing/offshoring, eCommerce, SaaS, CX, and finance. She currently heads the content division at Think Little Big, a UK-based marketing agency, where she writes content for corporate blogs, landing pages, email newsletters, guides and eBooks, and microcopy for social media. As of today, she has bylines in MarketingProfs, E27.co, Thrive Global, SmallBizDaily, The Times Group, and The Indian Express, among others, and has helped 72+ businesses boost their online visibility with the power of content.
Follow Me:
I agree. You really need to boost your business’s digital presence especially the competition nowadays. Thank you for these tips! 🙂