BusinessVibesSo, you started a business and clients kept asking about your website, to which you turned up your palms and said, “What website?” Then a funny thing happened: you never heard from those folks again and you lost money. Well, that sold you on the idea of getting a website, so you talked to your cousin about it. You know, the cousin who took that one computer class at the junior college. He agreed to make you one, and it looked pretty much like what you would expect from someone who’d never created a website before. And then, again, something funny happened: when clients visited your website, they mysteriously stopped being your clients. Go figure.
We jest, of course, but the point is clear (we hope). In today’s world, having a robust web presence isn’t optional anymore. It’s a prerequisite for a thriving business, one that requires a professional plan, a professional execution, and professional upkeep. Half measures won’t get you anywhere. So, read on for our tips on how to boost your business’s web presence.
Your website
As your web presence hub, your website’s importance is impossible to overstate. Here are the basics of what it needs: Tasteful aesthetics and ease of use should go without saying, but given the many labyrinthine eyesores we encounter everyday online, clearly it does not. You may even want to go as far as hiring a web designer.
Beyond those surface features, you want to help potential clients quickly discern what products or services your business offers. You’ll want an “About” page to help clients form a connection of trust with your business, as well as a “Contact” page that provides the relevant info for prospective customers to get in touch. And finally, you’ll need a web application firewall (WAF) to protect your site and those who visit it from malicious software. WAF software will allow you to install and display a trust seal on your website and assure your customers that they are browsing your site safely.
Blogs
This is your opportunity to stake out your unique business identity and connect with consumers on a deeper level. Instead of simply laying out the basics of what your business offers (as you would on an “About” page), on your blog you can go into greater specificity about upcoming products, business practices and philosophy, use-case scenarios for your products or services, profiles of satisfied customers, and so on. The point is to offer an ongoing, though always relevant, dialogue with anyone who might be seeking what your business has to offer. It’s all about casting out the widest net possible, and if you take your blog seriously, you’ll be amazed at the increase in your website’s traffic.
Social media
Maybe you love to hate it, but the reality today is that your web presence can’t thrive without it. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter offer a unique opportunity to make your business more visible to your target audiences. And visibility means greater potential for meaningful connection. So, yes, start a Facebook page and open a Twitter account for your business and include on your website a “Fan Box” and a “Follow Me on Twitter” link. It’s a simple and efficient way to get consumers in the loop, and that’s right where you want them.
Email List
Also known as your business’s newsletter, getting your potential clients to sign up puts you in an excellent position to bring the message to them. Whatever new products, services, discounts, etc. your business offers are worthless unless you can spread the word, generate interest, and ultimately makes sales. With an email list and a newsletter, you don’t have to cross your fingers and hope the stars align. You put the good news in their inboxes and right before their eyes. Of course, that newsletter will have imbedded links to make the purchasing process as simple as possible! A newsletter also serves as an excellent venue for thanking your clients for their patronage. While there are many software solutions around for managing your email list and newsletter, we recommend MailChimp.
As we said, a robust web presence is no longer optional. Your business just might live or die by it, so implement the four strategies above and you’ll have a fighting chance in today’s crowded web landscape.
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