No matter what business you are in, you need to have an online presence. Your customers and prospects use the internet daily to find the products and services they need. If your business can’t be found online, they will have no other choice but to buy from the places they can find online – and that is your competitors!
However, giving your business an online presence is more than simply putting up a little website with your company's address and phone number.
It means setting up a virtual version of your business, with an engaging, informative website, a Facebook page and Twitter account. In this electronic age, people search online for the products and services they need. They don’t use the phone book any more so if you ignore this important potential marketing platform it is just like you saying, “I don't need any new business.”
But a website is not enough on its own. You need to make sure the people searching for your product or service can actually find it.
This is where SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) comes into play. By making some tweaks on your website and applying some techniques the search engines love, you can help your site be found in seconds by potential customers who are using search engines like Google and Bing to look for a business like yours.
For example, if you are a florist in Florida, employing good SEO practices will ensure your business is shown near the top of the results when potential clients look for a florist in Florida in their favourite search engine.
Combining SEO with good online marketing strategies can go a long way in helping any small business to stand out from the online crowd, and help to send traffic and customers to their website.
