In
this digital day and age, it is more important than ever to be as savvy
as possible about the newest marketing technology available for use. It
is absolutely vital for a small business to have an online presence. At
the very minimum, the small business owner ought to create a website
for their business. This website must be optimized so that people
searching for goods or services that you provide will locate your
website and not your competitor’s. Gain as many links as possible back
to your website as possible to help improve your page ranking. Be sure
to maintain your website on a regular basis, especially any information
regarding pricing. Nothing will cause people to click off your website
faster than seeing obviously outdated information.
A
blog will help to solidify your online presence. Use it to share
up-to-date information regarding your goods and services – information
that will help your current and potential customers. Be sure to update
it regularly. Make every entry one that your readers will not want to
miss. Search out other blogs with similar content to yours and offer to
guest blog for them or have them guest blog for you.
Social media
is perhaps the best online marketing tool available to small business
owners – made even more valuable because it is free. It only requires
the investment of time and energy. Facebook and Twitter have the ability
to keep your brand and business in front of those who choose to be your
audience. It is extremely important to take advantage of it.
If
applicable, film video footage of your business or an aspect of it and
then post it on your website, blog, and social media pages. Use some
humor in it and it just might go viral – placing your business in front
of more people than you ever dreamed of reaching with your marketing
message!
Include
your website address on every piece of printed literature that you
generate. Encourage your customers to check out your website, blog, and
social media pages. Post coupons on your sites – ones that would provide
some sort of value to your customers for their initial business. Be
sure to provide them such great customer service that they will become
repeat customers that would never dream of going elsewhere.
If
you are not computer-savvy, there is no better small business help than
taking some basic computer classes to help you learn your way around the
keyboard and internet. Alternatively, ask your teenagers or
college-aged children to teach you what you need to know. The importance
of having a strong and vital online presence for your business cannot
be emphasized enough. You can get all the small business training in the
world for everything other than the computer, and yet, your business
will suffer greatly until you recognize the importance of the internet
in promoting your small business. Do yourself a favor and determine to
learn all you can about the computer and the internet and how best to
promote your business online, and you and your business will be sure to
reap great rewards for your efforts!