More consumers search online first before stepping foot inside a brick and mortar business or reaching out to a service provider.
Not having an online presence hurts your credibility and keeps prospective customers from even wanting to find you in the real world.
When you have a strong online presence, you attract more customers and guide them into your sales process to grow your business and increase your revenue.
Building Blocks of an Online Presence
Most businesses create a website as the foundation of their online presence. It’s often the first thing a prospect sees when they search for products or services just like yours.
A website design that’s functional, engaging, informative, and compelling is the start of a strong presence that enhances your credibility as a business.
But this is only the first step in a longer sales process. Today’s consumers need more than an immediate offer. They need to learn more about how your offer can address their unique pain points.
How your website appears in search engine results pages (SERP) directly affects the number of users who land on your website. If you’re not showing up in the SERPs, then you’ve already lost potential customers.
Being Online Helps Future Customers Buy From You
An online presence is essential to growing a business in today’s marketplace. Social media, paid advertising, directory listings, and other channels make you more visible and accessible.
Make your brand consistent throughout all of your online channels. Logos, images, color schemes, and other elements help users recognize you anywhere online. Keep your address and contact information updated on all platforms.
Include information that showcases your products or services and helps users understand what you do, who you do it for, and how you do it. Make it easy for your audience to buy.
A Better Experience for Your Customers
Any issues that slow down the momentum of your sales process creates the friction that hurts your bottom line and can damage your reputation.
Create an optimal experience that puts the needs of your audience first. Use social media and email to build and maintain relationships.
Your brand will develop its own unique voice to engage with a growing audience. Users and search engines will see your business as more trustworthy.
Your online presence may be the first point of contact for customers with questions or issues you need to resolve. This makes it easy for you to enhance the value you provide and how you engage with your customers.
Businesses that respond to users see greater customer satisfaction, a higher number or repeat purchases, and better word-of-mouth marketing.
People Buy From Businesses They Trust
Being online shows you’re a serious player in your industry, and marketers can no longer ignore the importance of showing up in the SERPs, social media, and online directories.
Your online activity strengthens your brand and positions you as an industry leader. You demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and experience in solving the problems of your audience.
Create content that educates your audience. Share it across all online channels so you attract more prospects and convert them into paying customers.
Most businesses don’t take the time to plan. You need to consider your business goals and define your sales process. Knowing your target audience helps you customize your marketing messages for better results.
Building an online presence is a long-term process. You’ll need to monitor, manage, and optimize it over time. The stronger your presence is online, the more credible your business will be and the faster it can grow.
