So, you own a business, started a business, or are thinking about your next entrepreneurial endeavor, Great! Now, where is the best place to start in growing that business?
I’m sure you know the power of having a strong online presence. The evidence for this is impossible to miss. Our entire society has experienced growing pains while coming into the digital information age. How a business owner reaches their ideal customer has changed over recent years and continues to change. I am here to help you lay the necessary foundations for creating a successful online presence.
How you proceed is dependent on what your business or brand has to offer, who your ideal customer is, and how large you wish to grow.
If you are offering local services the best place to start is your GMB a.k.a. Google My Business. This service is entirely free! While at the same time offering local businesses enormous amounts of value and leverage for marketing if utilized correctly. BE Digital’s blog discusses this in a separate post.
Next, you are going to want to create a website. This will be the online home for your business. Think of it as your brick-and-mortar storefront for your online customers. You want your website to represent your business as closely as possible.
To do this really think about your business.
What value are you offering? Why do you want to do your business or why are you still working at what you are doing?
It is important to make sure that it is well designed, professional-looking, and informative. Sure, you can build it yourself! There are several popular easy web builders out there. Anyone can throw a website together these days.
Keep your business goals in mind. In other words, don’t take shortcuts when it comes to your business. Would you want a DIY kit to build your storefront or would you pay a professional construction company to build a space for your business to thrive?
Businesses pay thousands of dollars for professionally built sites for a reason! Digital marketing professionals create working designs that include proper website structure, rank competitively on google, convert traffic into revenue, and represent your business in a way to capture your ideal customer. This may look like a business expense but just like physical property, it is an investment that has the potential to take your business to unimaginable heights if invested properly.
If you don’t have the time or resources to design and build a website yourself, there are plenty of web design and development companies out there that can help create a site that meets your needs and budget. You can check out some of BE Digital’s designs here.
Once you have your website up and running, the next step is to start planning and executing a digital marketing strategy. This is where you define how you are going to reach your target market online.
There are many ways to do this but the most common and effective methods include SEO (search engine optimization), organic asset growth, social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and online advertising.
To refine your digital marketing strategy you will need to determine what your offer is. What value do you bring to your customers and why do you want to bring it to them? Then determine who that customer is!
As you define these ideas you will then have a better understanding of which type of marketing will be most appropriate for your business.
Keep in mind what your budget is. Digital marketing doesn’t need to break the bank, however, in the case of paid marketing, it takes money to make money.
Determine what a customer costs you and what a customer is worth to your business. You don’t need to rush these things either. Take your time to define what each of these tools can mean for your business and brand.
If you own a business and don’t have a digital marketing strategy, you’re missing out on potential customers and growth opportunities. In today’s world, customers are increasingly turning to the internet to find products and services they need. If you’re not visible online, you’re missing out on the chance to reach these customers.
A digital marketing strategy can help you grow your online presence and reach more potential customers. By investing in a website and using digital marketing techniques such as SEO, social media marketing, and content marketing, you can reach a larger audience and build your brand. Digital marketing also allows you to track results so you can see what’s working and what’s not, making it an essential tool for any business owner.
By now, you should have a good idea of the importance of creating an online foundation for your business. But if you’re still not sure where to start? Or maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed by the whole process?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. We offer free 30-minute marketing consultations! Schedule one today here.
