How to get your small business online attention
Ahh, the internet. It provides endless opportunities for us to find great brands and gather inspiration.
This sea of information is valuable for consumers and business owners alike. But for businesses it can also present serious challenges, because they have to compete with the rest of their industry for customer attention.
Whether you’re a locally-based service or an online retailer, there are a few strategies you should employ to get your business more attention online.
Stand out from the crowd
Think about some of the brands you know and love. Who comes to mind? Apple, Target, Nike, Starbucks?
Even though these companies span across totally different industries, they all have one thing in common that makes them so successful (and memorable): they have a strong brand story.
From designated brand colors to mascots and striking logos, each of these companies are ingrained into our memory and guide our purchasing decisions.
In fact, brand image is so important to consumers that 38% of online shoppers said they stop engaging with a website if the content is unattractive. Depending on your traffic volume, that could translate to hundreds of sales dollars lost.
When creating a brand for your business, you should highlight what’s different about your company, your values, and your style if you want to stand out from the crowd.
If visual design isn’t really in your wheelhouse, you can hire a branding agency to help you design a brand image that reflects your best qualities and appeals to your audience.
“Hey, Google”
Let’s take a journey, a journey to the last time you made a purchase or hired a service. What’d you do? If you’re like 1.92 billion digital consumers, you probably started your search online – and you likely used Google at some point in your buying process.
Maybe you clicked an ad, or perhaps you went straight for the organic search results that appeared just below. But have you ever wondered how Google decides who earns that top ranking position?
In short, Google has an algorithm that helps them figure out what content is most helpful to users, and whoever meets that criteria, gets into those top spots. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the strategy businesses and SEO services use to snag those primary positions at the top of the search results, in hopes that they’ll earn more traffic (leads) for that website.
Here are a few basic SEO practices that you might incorporate into your own marketing efforts:
- Use Keywords Everywhere to find keywords that you should be including on your website and content.
- Boost your blog with content that answers customer questions and uses keywords that you want to rank for.
- Once you have a library of content, link to other blogs and areas on your website within each of your blog posts.
- Make sure your website has a great design and user interface—check site speed, make sure images render, and create an experience you’d be satisfied using.
Expand your marketing efforts
In addition to optimizing for organic search, you should be incorporating a variety of mediums within your marketing efforts.
Use social media to post updates about your business, engage with customers, and announce promotions. You can use a social media management platform to help you maintain a consistent posting schedule and glean insight on your posts’ performance.
While you’re posting away on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, why not repurpose your content and announcements by reconnecting with your email list? There are tons of email automation tools that can make your marketing effortsessentiallyeffortless.
Build industry connections
Yes, there are tons of incredible online tools out there to help you score some attention from existing and new customers. But there’s something to be said about a good old fashioned handshake.
Connect with other experts in your industry to learn about what’s working for them, what resources they use, and even find partnerships to create a force to be reckoned with!
Look for online forums specific to your location, or join networking groups that hold events for like minded individuals and businesses to attend.
Ready to grow your business online?
Growing your business online can be challenging, but use these tips to help you navigate the world of online marketing and lead generation and you’ll be on your way to making this a record-breaking year.
