Technology has greatly changed the way we do things. Businesses are by far the primary beneficiaries of the ever-growing technology. Most have invested huge capital and resources in software and innovations to improve their business efficiency. But still, there are those who haven’t gone online yet we are in a digital era.
One of the best things you can do for your business and your customer is to have an online presence – perhaps a blog, a social media page, a website, an e-commerce platform, or a combination of all four. The time and money you spend building an online presence will be worth it.
Easy accessibility
In the modern world, dominated by technology, any business without an online presence is non-existent. How can customers know about you? How can they reach you? Where are you located? These are some of the questions which you can answer by having an online presence. For instance, Brandywine Living at Alexandria has all its information on its website.
You should understand that you are not the only person selling those products or services – you have competitors working day and night to improve their operations and accessibility. If you don’t make it easier for customers to find you, your competitors will, and you will lose many customers.
It’s not as simple as just building a website and figuring that should be “good enough”. You also need to be mindful of where your site is ranking on the Google search page. When people seek out businesses in your industry, or your company, you want to appear top of the list or at the very least on the first page of search results. If your website isn’t located on the first page of results, you can bet you’re not going to have the kind of results you’re after.
How do you make that happen? If you haven’t yet heard of SEO – search engine optimization – now is the time to familiarize yourself with the practice. By optimizing your content the search engines will be able to find it and like it easier, which means you’ll rank higher on the search result. One of the best ways to go about this is by using keywords in a strategic way on your website. This doesn’t mean you should be stuffing keywords into content randomly rather it is done in a specific and natural manner.
Effortless marketing
The moment you decide to start any kind of business, always be ready for stiff competition. Remember, you are not the only one with that idea. However, what distinguishes your business from others is the effort you put into marketing your products or services. Marketing is the heart of any business.
But why should you struggle to market your business offline when you can do it online at your own convenience? A website with informative content helps customers make better purchasing decisions, thus increasing your sales. Again, online marketing is cost-effective compared to conventional marketing techniques and will help you reach a wider audience from all over the world.
Audience reach is something that every marketer is mindful of, and can struggle with. If your business is looking to expand to out-of-state markets or international markets you want to choose a route that gives you the most “bang for your buck” and that’s exactly what online marketing is capable of.
Online marketing also gives you the ability to run a variety of promotional and marketing campaigns at once. You don’t have to worry about waiting on printed content, filming video spots, and so forth. If your business likes to run weekly sales or offers, for example, it’s simple and fast to simply post the new offers online.
Don’t forget, online marketing spans across more than just the website. Becoming active on social network platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook allows you to expand your marketing reach and link content back to the website.
Helps build relationships
Relationships are built on trust. A strong online presence is essential in building your brand, which enables you to gain credibility. This, in turn, increases traffic on your website or social media page, thus increasing the number of your customers. An online presence gives customers a reason to trust you and your business.
Again, the good thing about having a website or a blog is that you can get reviews and comments from your customers about the products or services you offer. If you receive many positive reviews, then your online presence will be where it needs to be. For new customers still on the fence about making that first purchase, these online reviews can be exactly what they need to push them over the edge and make that purchase.
To keep that healthy supply of reviews coming in after a sale is made you should always have a link for them to leave a review and comment on their experience.
It also gives you an opportunity to answer questions asked by customers. Because customers can ask questions online you may even be able to answer in real-time, or at least in a very prompt manner. This not only builds trust with customers, but it helps to create a positive brand image. It shows you stand behind your product and you’re happy to answer any questions or concerns people may have.
24/7 availability
Last but not least, an online presence makes your business run at any time of the day or night. You are always available to your customers 24/7. You never know when a customer wants to buy something. He/she may just be browsing at midnight and lands on your page, prompting him/her to make a purchase or an order.
For those looking to enter an international market, the fact the website is available 24/7 makes even more sense, as people will be browsing and shopping from different time zones, so you don’t want them to feel limited and restricted to your particular time zone and hours of business.
Businesses Shouldn’t Be Hesitating on Creating a Website
Offline businesses have time limits and, at some point, this could end up limiting your sales. Also, with varying time zones, having an online presence will enable you to serve customers from across the world and at any time, thereby opening up your customer market and most likely increasing visibility and profits. So if you haven’t gone online with your business, now is the right time.
