In 2015, branding, PR, and marketing all run through the internet. If you want any chance of succeeding in complex and crowded global marketplaces, you need a strong online presence. However, for small business owners who are either inexperienced or preoccupied, it can be challenging to know exactly where to start.
Ignore Internet Users at Your Own Peril
According to a study by BIA/Kelsey, 97 percent of consumers go online prior to making a purchase to research products and services locally. When they go online, 90 percent use major search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo, 48 percent access the online Yellow Pages, 42 percent use shopping comparison sites, and approximately 24 percent use vertical sites. Furthermore, the average consumer uses 7.9 different sources before reaching a conclusion. So why do businesses – especially local ones – continue to ignore the power of the internet
According to Steve Marshall, the director of research for BIA/Kelsey, “The Internet has indeed become an integral part of consumers’ local commercial activity. The data suggests we’re at an inflection point where the balance of power in local shopping is shifting to online.” But regardless of whether your primary focus is on a local market or your aim is much broader, the point remains the same: You need a solid internet presence to be successful in the modern business landscape.
Building Your Internet Presence in 6 Steps
There’s no way to possibly explain every aspect of building your internet presence in detail without compiling a manual the size of a dictionary, but you can learn a lot by taking an expansive look at the various steps involved. From there, you can dig in and learn more about the intricacies of these tasks and how they overlap one another.
Research the Competition
As is the case any time you launch a new product, service, program, or campaign, you have to start with some competitive analysis. Who is already out there and what are they doing Kevin Bloom of Hinge Marketing suggests taking a two-pronged approach in which you start by evaluating each competitor’s website, followed by their social media presence.
When evaluating a competitor’s website, there are three primary areas of concern: the overall design, the perceived user experience, and on-site optimization. By looking at the design of a handful of competitors, you can start to get a feel for what styles of websites are common in your industry or niche. This can (a) give you an idea for what your site should look like, or (b) provide you with an opportunity to differentiate.
The user experience of your competitors’ sites may go hand in hand with the overall design and layout. Study how their on-site navigation works, whether menus are simple to find, how clearly labeled sub-categories are, and whether they offer a mobile site or responsive design. As for on-site optimization, poke around a bit and see if you can gain any insight into which keywords and search terms they’re using. You can then cross-reference how successful they are at ranking for these terms by conducting simple Google searches.
The second task is to evaluate your competitors’ social media presence. Bloom suggests starting with LinkedIn pages, but depending on the industry you’re in, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest may be worth analyzing, too.
Build a Website
After conducting research, the first thing you want to do is build a website. This is your “home base” and all of your internet endeavors will run to and from it. As a starting point, you can head over to a site like GoDaddy or HostGator and conduct a domain search to see if your business name is available. If you discover that it’s taken, you can always add a word to your name to find another option. For example, if your company name is XYZ and XYZ.com is already taken, you could try something like ShopXYZ.com instead.
After selecting a domain and figuring out a quality hosting plan to get off the ground, you need to turn your attention to the design and layout of your site. Use some of the insights you gleaned from your competitive research and select something that’s simple, clean, and engaging. TemplateMonster has a really good selection of ready-to-use designs, while Creately has a fantastic sitemap tool for visualizing the structure of your site.
Claim Social Media Profiles
After building your home base, it’s time to turn your attention towards expansion. You need to claim as much internet real estate as possible. Start with the major social networking sites mentioned in the competitive research section and be as thorough as possible when filling out your profiles. The more information you can include, the more effective these pages will be.
However, you can’t stop there. The goal is to make your brand as visible as possible and develop a thorough web of links connecting back to your website. You should claim profiles on sites like Flickr, Slideshare, YouTube, and Google+. However, only create a profile on a site if you’re willing to take the time to thoroughly establish it. You never want to have empty or incomplete profiles, as they come across as lazy and unprofessional.
Create a Brand Voice Through Blogging
Next, you can turn your attention towards establishing a brand voice through blogging. This includes both creating your own on-site blog, as well as establishing relationships with other websites and blogs. Each opportunity you get to produce original content allows you to further establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry. Furthermore, it has the SEO benefit of increasing the number of backlinks pointing to your website.
Optimize Pages
Speaking of SEO, it’s important to optimize your pages so they’re visible and searchable. Using Google’s Keyword Planner, you can perform some research and discover exactly what keywords your customers are using and how they’re searching for you.
Based on the information and data you uncover, you should attempt to craft content that speaks to these pain points and incorporates long tail semantic search terms. This will maximize your visibility in the search engines and increase your chances of being discovered.
Maintain, Maintain, and Maintain
The final step is to maintain, maintain, and maintain some more. Building your brand’s internet presence is anything but a one-time job. It requires ongoing care and attention to detail. Customer preferences change, search engine algorithms are tweaked, and new social networking sites have a tendency to appear out of nowhere. While these tips will allow you to set up your presence, the job isn’t over by any means.
Reap the Benefits of a Strong Internet Presence
Building a professional and reputable internet presence takes time, but every bit of time, money, and energy you pour into establishing your brand will pay off in the end. Keep these six steps in mind and be ever mindful of major shifts and changes, so that you’re prepared for whatever comes your way. In 2015, and the years to come, the internet will be your strongest ally.
By John Rampton / Forbes
