Starting a business in today’s world without a solid online presence is like taking a boat on a river without any oars. Building your brand online is a necessity. Your website and social media profiles need to have appeal by being clear and displaying content that is going to tell persuasive and engaging stories that lead to valuable clicks and converted sales.
After all, as Bill Gates said, “content is king.”
Going online – Where to start
For those with little experience of building a digital presence, or just starting out, starting your business online is likely an overwhelming thought. The time and energy required to get it right however is well worth it. There are countless examples of how businesses have succeeded in this, and of businesses which have fallen short. And success or failure here has real consequences.
Apple is an example of a brand that has successfully appealed to fast-moving consumer trends. The company’s the-whole-working-from-home-thing campaign, launched in the midst of the pandemic, demonstrated the brand’s ability to engage with its customers and promote its products in a dynamic, and unpredictable market.
Having an online presence – The numbers
Appealing to your potential customers through search engines and social media is a must, but why?
Looking at past search engine data can answer this. In January 2022, Google generated 3.5 billion searches per day, and each week 58.4% of searches were carried out by consumers browsing the web.
Of course, in-store business is still a factor for growing and established businesses, but consider that 70% of consumers who answered a global survey reported that they used search engines to trace information about products, or services before visiting in-store.
So when it comes to being online, how can you make yourself stand out from the rest?
Guidance for your online marketing
“What separates good content from great content is willingness to take risks and push the envelope.” Brian Halligan, CEO and Co-Founder, HubSpot
So how do you create great online content that gives you an edge over your competitors?
Well as Halligan says, you need to get creative and present your services and products in a unique way, through a range of channels and social media. There is no point in creating content and advertising yourself online if you are not listening to your customers and their demands. Your business needs to offer content that moves with market trends and sends a defined message to your potential customers. For further information on getting to know what your customers are demanding, see this recent article I wrote at Medium.
While there’s a huge amount that can be written on getting online marketing right, some key points that every entrepreneur should be thinking about are:
- Engage with a variety of social media, and platforms to maximise engagement levels
- Monitor search engine traffic through analytics
- Use targeted advertising to engage with customers
- Always consider SEO
- Have a great website
When it comes to entrepreneurship today, following these steps can set you on your way to building a strong and profitable business online.
