Best Practices Of Online Presence
Last Updated: Jan 16, 2021
Online Presence is the core of any Online Business involving fundamental components such as Website, Social media profiles, Webshop, Marketing Automation, and more. Having any of those set wrong means losing bucks on an hourly basis.
It is no secret that the majority of the population worldwide are now more inclined to rely on the use of the Internet to find what they need and where to buy them. Searching on Google search, Google Maps, Facebook, LinkedIn, or other usual places to look for businesses and services, your customers expect to find you! This makes your online presence the key to your consumer's mind and heart. If and whenever they search for products they wish to buy or need, you would want them to find you and turn them to be your webshop's repeat buyers.
One of the advantages of solo entrepreneurs or small business owners is they can work on their branding as early as they start gaining patrons. Apart from only focusing on sales, part of any business's success is its supporters who may have learned to value their quality products and services. Ultimately, these satisfied buyers would effectively lead other consumers to your webshop. As they say, nothing beats the "word-of-mouth marketing strategy" or what we now call "customer reviews." We'll talk more about that, but first...
How do we define an Online Business?
It is no rocket science. Any market or services offered, sold, or delivered online is what makes an online business. The beauty of starting an online business is it could be quick to build overnight, unlike the old fashion way of establishing businesses. I'm not saying the old is gone, but anyone, if not all entrepreneurs, would choose to be found online.
New-age entrepreneurs begin in establishing their website. Some would say it took them time to plan their business before getting where they are, while some pour their business ideations out like a lightning bolt and still reach progress. Now, let me ask you? What do you think makes these two find success in what they've built?
Action. In between planning and success, entrepreneurs took steps to make it far. As G.K. Nelson once said, "Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose." Hence, do not stay still about your business’s Online Presence; here are some fundamental components entrepreneurs focus on:
Business Branding and Visual Identity
Let me ask you some questions first. How do you think your family and friends feel when they hear your name? How would they define you? Lastly, how do they picture you?
It is quite alike in business branding. Your business brand is your business image. The idea of 'branding’ is how your company is perceived, what it offers, what it owns, its reputation, and its value. It is the emotional connection of the brand rooted to the users or consumers.
The logo, product signatures, packaging, commercials, website’s look and feel, social media content’s theme and style, and other visual representations of a business are what comprise visual identity. Visual identity helps your business be recognizable and sets an impression on the public. It is the icon that helps the public think of your brand.
Utilize your client records not only to make sales but to also gather feedback from them about your visual identity. Bring positive feedback to the spotlight and make use of the negative feedback for your business improvement. Be consistent and invest in unique visuals such as original photos and creating your graphics and design to increase your success and customers’ satisfaction.
Website and E-commerce
Your website is what brings you and your business online. Choose a theme or design that best suits your business. Your audience would appreciate it more if you have a well-organized and user-friendly layout. Your website is where you could strongly promote your branding and visuals. Get help on creating a great website for your business. There are different ways to build websites for your business and your products. Learn the key success factors from experts before jumping on the first solution you find.
Same applies to your webshop. Many website builder software can also help you build your webshop. But to run a professional online store, you may need to use some and not the other ones. Knowing which webshop builder and e-commerce to use from day one, saves you money and time.
Social Media Presence
Your business’s social media is your key to relate and engage with your target market. That said, it is also a component that could help you research more about your customers, have an eye on what is on-trend and your competitors, and interact with your audience. It is a powerful platform that could bring in huge traffic to your webshop and convert these to sales. With the right digital marketing strategies, your social media presence has the most potential in attracting high revenue results to your business.
Other than your website, your social media pages could shape your business image. Use these platforms to share feedbacks especially positive ones. Be consistent in your engagement and stay relevant.
Payment Gateways
To be able to be paid online, you need to find and use the most relevant payment gateways for your business. In integrating the payment gateway to your webshop, it is your responsibility to ensure security in the process. You need to be aware of the various fees that could affect your sales per transaction. To add, you also must be sure that your customer support system is accessible if possible, at any time for any inconvenience or issue the customer might have in between the process. In such a way, you can assure safety to your customers and resolve issues promptly.
Marketing Automation
Marketing campaigns are now made efficient for any business. Marketing Automation tools allow businesses to automate their marketing flows which aim to grow revenue faster. These tools are now more advanced and systematic while still retaining that personalization of each record.
When utilizing these tools, it would help your business if you can define your clients by gathering some info from them that could help you determine your ideal market. You must capture data that is relevant to your business. Your marketing workflow should be as organized and smooth for your customer experience. Your target market should be able to understand and receive the right message. It is not an stretch if one says “Marketing Automation is the core of any online business.”
Process Automation
Business process automation is music to the ear of most business owners and entrepreneurs. Business process automation is formulated to automate business processes such as online sales, customer interactions and support, invoicing, credit collection and much more to increase efficiency and reduce cost.
You must pick the right process and tool to be able to gain the potential efficiencies. When you decide to automate your business, you would have to review and find out the most suitable processes to be automated. Experts can help you learn about the vast possibilities in the market, define your goals from automation and achieve them using the right software.
Chatbots and AI
A quick resolution could create a good lasting impression for any business. It is in this area where chatbots come in handy to provide efficient response to customers' common issues. Chatbots make it possible to partially automate your customer interaction increasing the quality of your service, reducing your cost and becoming available 24/7.
It is important to select the right chatbot tool and to program it strategically. When setting up your chatbot, be mindful of your greeting and your grammar. Try to put in your brand's personality to your automated responses. Avoid bombarding messages to your visitors. Keeping it simple, direct to the point and a smooth flow draws more engagement to your audience.
Business Specific Solution
These days there are business-specific solutions out in the market for almost any business you can imagine. Running a physical store or any other brick-and-mortar business, or any online business such as a webshop, an online training business, coaching and consulting or an online health or fitness program, you find software and solutions which are specifically built to enable you run your business.
Choosing the right software and implementing it properly is the real key to success in operating your traditional or online business. Do study what is out in the market and talk to experts before giving away your credit card details to the first person you meet.
There is only one common goal - the aim of building your online presence is to attract the right market and to convert your visitors to buyers. If you are still to create your business’s online presence or if you're considering making improvements and enhancement, make sure to not forget these guidelines and the best practices. We Should want us to assist you, contact us below.
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