These days, a strong online presence is a must-have for businesses to reach their target customers and grow. Even companies in the most traditional industries are using the internet to their advantage, helping them to stand out from the competition, and engage their audience to sell products and services.
Whether you’re new to the concept or have been working on your online presence for years, it’s always good to learn the latest insights. The nature of the internet and technology in general means what worked last month, might not be as effective today.
In this article, we share some top tips for increasing your online presence in a way that gets your brand or business seen. Read on to find out more.
Start with your website
If you haven’t yet, you should invest in a modern website with strong UX that makes it easy for your customers to navigate. Your business’s website is one of the key ways that a customer builds a perception of what you offer them.
You should think of your website as your online store front. You’d be much less likely to buy products or services from a physical shop that was dated, messy or not easy to access, wouldn’t you? The same logic applies to your company’s website.
If you don’t have the skill set, it’s worth spending the money to get an expert to design your site. It should be a keystone for your online presence and have the kind of verbal and visual messaging that can generate you leads. A great example of websites to look at are actually online casino sites, which often have engaging content like blogs around slot tips and are simple to navigate.
Have a social media strategy in place
Social media is another place where your customers can regularly engage with your brand, learn about your services and keep updated on your company. It’s worth taking the time to build out a social media strategy, even if it’s just a basic one.
Consider what platforms you’ll be sharing information on, the content you’ll want to put out and how frequently. Whether you’re on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or X, you’ll want there to be a consistent look and feel about how you present yourself.
Remember, online presence is about quality, not quantity. So limit the platforms to what you can handle. And when it comes to followers, a smaller, more engaged audience is much more valuable than hitting the big numbers. You could have millions of followers, but if only a couple of them are buying your products or services then you really only have a few customers.
Consider influencers
One way that brands are increasing their online presence these days is by leveraging the power of influencers.
Influencers can expand your brand’s reach to a relevant and engaged audience. In fact, the global market for influencer marketing has doubled since 2019! People follow these individuals because they trust what they have to say, and a positive review of your product or service on their platform can drive eyes (and sales) your way. They don’t need to have millions of followers, as long as those that do follow them are engaging with their content.
Your customers have influence too and can help build your online presence through positive reviews on places like Google. It’s worth asking them to leave a review for your product or service when it’s complete, especially if they’ve had positive things to say. Building up a bank of reviews online can also get you up the ranks on search sites, so that when people are looking out for a service, they’ll see your business sooner.
Use video
Video has been shown to be an incredibly powerful tool online when it comes to engaging your audience. So much so, that social video actually generates 1200% more shares than image and text content combined. And adults in the UK alone watch 5 online videos a day on average, with those in the 18-24 category spending even more time watching videos.
You can use video across social platforms, creating reels and Tiktok videos to connect with customers and talk about your service or products features and benefits.
It doesn’t have to be an expensive venture either. These days, videos shot on iPhone or other smart devices are incredibly high quality and can feel more personal to viewers, which builds credibility for your business.
