With more than 4 billion people on the Internet, having a strong online presence is critical for all businesses. In this digital age, information is right by our fingertips.
We easily gain information about people even before we meet them in real life. Just as we do in our own social lives, we often get the first impression of businesses from their online presence, whether is it a corporate website, E-commerce platform, social media page or search engines.
Investing in the online presence of your business will reap major benefits. A good website can be a great marketing tool to build credibility for your business. It shapes how consumers view your company and has a huge influence on their purchasing decisions.
Even if your business does not conduct businesses online, having an online presence allow both existing and potential customers find out more about your business, increase your customer base and extend your presence beyond geographic limitations.
Below are 4 reasons why your business needs to establish an online presence:
1) It’s a Great Marketing tool
Websites and social media platforms are excellent marketing tools that every business should leverage on. It’s a great way for you to market yourself, to establish your identity, and serves as a platform to showcase your products .
Having all these information available in one place provides you with a competitive edge and allow you to get the point across: what you do, what you practice and what you have to offer.
2) It Provides Accessibility for Potential Customers
The first step potential customers often do is to rely on a search engine like Google. From there, they may delve into your website or your social media pages to learn more about your offerings before they reach out in the form of a call, email, or visit to your company. Making relevant information such as your company’s address and contact details accessible on your page is essential to ensure you are contactable by prospective customers.
In a fast-paced world, consumers have short attention spans and patience when it comes to brand decisions. If your page takes longer than 2 seconds to load, here’s a tip: grab a piece of tissue and start crying as they hop off to your competitor’s. But instead of crying, what you should really do is to arrange an appointment with us.
What’s worse, businesses without online presence are labelled as “not credible”, “dodgy”, “scam”. If they can’t find your brand online, you don’t even need to cry. Chances are, you’ve already lost them, and their trust.
So do you need a website? The answer should be clear by now. Here, contact us.
It is important to note that depending on the region and your target audience, the preferred search engine may also differ. For instance, if your business is targeted at the people in China, Baidu will be your best bet. You should also keep an eye on your SEO ranking to ensure that you’re positioned high up in the first page of the search, and above all your other competitors.
3) It Reaches a Wider Audience
Owned platforms are often the most cost-effective ways to market your brand and a way for you to reach out to a wider pool of customers. With an online presence, you are no longer limited to customers in physical proximity to your business. You can reach a customer in the middle of the Sahara Desert even when your business is situated in North Pole – provided there’s connection to the Internet, but you get my drift.
Having an online platform for your consumers also mean better customer service. When customers are able to find the information they need in one simple click, their satisfaction levels go up, number of enquiries go down and most importantly you get to go to bed earlier because that’s one less phone call and email to reply to
4) It Allows for Personalised Interactions
Being online means being able to connect directly with your customers. One way to do so is by leveraging on social media platforms.
Twitter, for example, is targeted at younger audiences, and a great way to interact with your potential customers while dismissing all formalities. Facebook on the other hand, appeals to a wide range of generations, and allows you to share more information as compared to Twitter’s 280 word limit.
Despite the differences in demographics and usage, users of social media constantly seek for brands whom they can find a connection with. When users start following you, it means that you’ve made an impression! There is actually something in you that attracted and appealed to them
. Now here is the part where you can make meaningful interactions with them. Update your social media pages with the latest news regarding your products and services. Roll out promotions. Receive feedback from your customers. Host online polls to understand what your customers want to see more of. Serve ads to your followers. Retarget them to your website. The possibilities are endless!
Creating and maintaining your social media presence is a great way to understand your customers and the reputation of your business – use it to your organization’s advantage! Spend some time to plan and create an online presence for your business.
You’ll see a world of a difference, with access to a wider audience pool, you’ll be able to build meaningful connections with your customers.
Build on their trust and from there on, you’ll able to market your business with ease.