In this day and age, we are lucky to have the internet to use to our advantage. It has evened out the playing field for all small business owners. Instead of just competing against each other, and relying on things like word of mouth, they have a real shot at competing against larger businesses, as long as they have an effective online presence. So here are four ways to help you to improve your online presence as a small business owner. You’ll be glad that you did!
Use Social Media To Your Advantage
Even just a few years ago, a lot of businesses hadn’t even bought a domain name or set up a website, let alone thought about social media. But now, social media alongside a website is really key. Most internet users are going to be on at least one form of social media. And they are going to use those channels to hear your news and updates, give feedback or ask questions. You need to engage with them on there; social media is a two-way street. Listening, replying, and commenting on customer’s posts, is a great way to get business loyalty. Customers aren’t going to stick around a business that they never hear from.
Make Changes Quickly
With reviews and online articles written about your business, depending on the type of business that it is, you can make decisions based on that kind of feedback. It is much easier for small businesses to make changes than it is for larger corporations that have teams of people that need to sign things off. So get ahead of the game and make changes where possible when they are needed. Being able to retain customers and listen to what they want is a good way to business success.
Start a Blog
Having a blog running on your main website is a great way to interact with potential new customers, as well as engage with your loyal customers. You can share your products or services, as well as share industry insights. Giving tips and tricks is a good way to improve your online presence as people will be searching online for certain things. If your blog has got the answer, then they’ll reach your site through that and know they’ll know your business’s name. So blogging is more important for small businesses than you might think.
Network with Like-Minded People
You need to be getting yourself out there amongst your peers and attending things like trade shows as much as possible. You need to get to know your peers and competitors. Even better if you can get yourself to the point where you are a resource for your peers, and they consider you to be a thought leader. They are more likely to recommend you or link to you if they know that you offer valuable content for their customers. When you are a small business owner, sharing knowledge will help to earn you plenty of good karma!
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