Sadly, not; to do so would be akin to planting a bunch of seeds and expecting them to grow and bloom without an inch of water or a glimpse of sunlight. Because it’s one thing to have an online presence, but it’s another thing altogether to have a SUCCESSFUL online presence. The latter takes time, a fair bit of nous and a good dollop of elbow grease. Here are top 7 tips to help you on your way:
Keep it consistent
These days, your customers can find your brand in any number of places: in their Facebook newsfeed, on Google, through Instagram or Twitter or by going straight to your website. If you want to make an impact, send a clear message about who you are and build trust then having brand consistency across all your online channels in imperative, and the sames goes for your offline marketing too. Find your brand’s voice an use it! Use images that align with your core values, use your logo on every platform and keep the visuals consistent, this way people will recognise your brand no matter where they encounter it.
Engage
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it many times more: social media is SOCIAL! Sitting alone in a corner doesn’t work at a dinner party and it won’t work online either. Interacting with people is what works; engagement helps your brand and is a crucial step towards a sale. So if someone comments on your facebook post, respond; always reply to questions, even if you don’t have the answer right away; address criticism, share others’ content, tag people, retweet like and comment on others’ posts. Get out there, get mingling!
Update Your Website.
If you haven’t updated your website in a while, there’s a chance that you’re missing out on some really great tools and methods to increase sales, build your brand, improve your rankings and develop your online reputation. If your answer to any of the below is “no” thaen it might be time to update your site:
- Is the content on your website useful, interesting and fresh?
- Is it visually appealing, clear and uncluttered?
- Can visitors locate information quickly and easily via their mobile browsers or iPad?
- Is social media integrated into your website?
- Does it have extra features such as a newsletter?
Submit your site with Google
When it comes to search engines, Google is the king. As the most used site on the planet and the principal driver of traffic in the UK, it’s the one you really should submit your site to. Getting listed in Google is one of the most effective ways of directing free, targeted traffic to your website. It’s a pretty straightforward process to submit your site to Google. Sign up with ‘Google Webmaster Tools‘, click on ‘Add Site’ and follow the steps.
Give clear call to actions
A call-to-action is an image or line of text that prompts your followers, visitors, leads, and customers to take action. It is, quite literally, a “call” to take an “action.” This action could be to download an ebook, sign up for your weekly newsletter, get a coupon, etc. Whatever action it is that you want them to take, make sure that the image or text is eye-catching, clear includes copy that makes people want to act, and that the call to action explicitly tells them what to expect in return for their click. Compelling calls to action are a brilliant way to increase subscribers and sales.
There isn’t a magic ingredient that will see your online presence suddenly burst forth into the limelight, it takes time and effort to build a brand online, but there are many ways to improve your reach and encourage growth. Following my top seven tips will certainly help your business to branch out online!
Naomi x
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