There are dozens of ways to get your business noticed online. Sadly, as a small business, most of us just don’t have the time to exploit them all to the max. There are so many other priorities when it comes to running a business. We tend to spend our time where we spend our money. Traditional advertising such as print and TV advertising costs the most, so we focus our attention to ensure we are getting a healthy return on investment. Ignoring the power of online marketing may be costing you market share against your competitors. We give you the four best ways to reach your customers using the internet:
- Your website – SEO is essential if you want your website to appear on the first page of results for your product category. You can also pay per click of a link advertising your website on sites like Google search. This can start from just pennies per click and can be switched off instantly when you have reached your budget max. Natural search is free though, and you can work your way up the listings by keeping your website content fresh and useful to readers. Speak to an SEO specialist to see what you can do to improve your website content.
- Social media – FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube, are very well known. Businesses are utilizing their own corporate accounts on these sites and more to reach customers. They can alert customers to upcoming offers, news and new product offerings. You can also address any customer concerns that are raised through this media, but it is sometimes best to let a PR agency handle these kinds of problems. YouTube is a great forum for you to publish product information videos, demonstrating their application.
- Mobile apps – Lots of businesses are supplying slimmed down versions of their mobile websites in the form of an app. This improves the functionality for browsing specific categories. You can include entertainment elements like games, news, chat and other tools. Apps should be useful and a good source of information. Apps can also be used to place orders, or access content elsewhere on the internet. Provide functionality and customers are more likely to keep the apps on their phones. You may choose to use the app to provide a service your website doesn’t so customers can use it for special options.
- News streams – If you regularly have updates on products, services, or your market in general, you can provide news feeds to countless other websites and blogs. With a simple bit of HTML coding, owners of websites can install your news feed on their homepage. This places your company name or brand on thousands of websites, and reaches far more people than your website alone can do. Much of the news feeds you provide will probably incorporate your own business news. However, try to include as much general interest information as possible, so it fits well on other websites.