Are you looking to take your offline business online for the first time? Or, do you just want to make more of your digital presence and get the web working harder for you? If so, read on. We’re going to go through some of the critical factors that will contribute most towards your success. Let’s get started right away.
An angle
There are millions upon millions of websites out there – and many of these will be competing for your business. The big question is, how do you make yourself stand out from the crowd? Your first step is to think about what you have to offer, and what angle or slant you can give your website. You can almost guarantee that whatever industry you are in, there will be similar sites. You have to be able to offer something that other people don’t – or cannot. Look at your competition, investigate your market, and somewhere in between you will find the right angle for your business.
A good website
No matter how good your idea is, your business will not succeed without a great internet site. Avoid cookie-cutter sites like the plague, and think about investing in professional website design. It will give you the best first impression, will work intuitively, and will be in the hands of experts. Unless you are a web designer yourself, you just won’t get the same results from the DIY method or using a template to build your site. You get what you pay for, in short, and if you want to give off a professional image, it is worth the investment.
Ongoing SEO
A lot of small businesses think that search engine optimization is a one-time fix. However, if you want positive results from your SEO, it is vital that you continue to use it beyond your initial investment. The SEO world is highly competitive, and the search engine’s algorithms change all the time. You don’t want to get left behind and be overtaken in the rankings by your competitors. So, it is essential you put a lot of your focus on keeping yourself on top.
Better content
Content is all-important in the online world. It can help in several ways. Google place an increasing amount of value on excellent content when it comes to ranking websites for specific keywords. But, it also provides a service for your customers. How-to guides, interesting information articles, and videos can all play a part in helping you find new customers. And, they will boost your traffic numbers.
Marketing of content
But, it’s not enough to create content – you have to market it, too. There are several ways you can get people to read your articles and watch your videos. An email is a great tool for attracting people to your website, as is social sharing. So, make sure you are releasing your posts and telling people they exist, as well. Set up your social media channels and find out when the best time of day is to post links. Build your email list so that you reach as many people as possible. And, get in touch with other leading industry figures and try and engage them. One little mention of you from them and your traffic could spike significantly.
Have we left anything out? Let us know in the comments!
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Beatrice McGraw
Aarif Habeeb
Regina Deemer
Kristel Kinne