10 Ways Startups Can Increase Their Online Presence

Many startup companies wonder how they can improve their online presence. There are a few common trends in building a successful online presence that even a traditional brick and mortar company can leverage to their advantage. More people search online to find what they need than ever before and this trend will only increase. An entrepreneur needs to understand some basics about how to interact with clients in the virtual world in order to use these tools.

Build a Clean Website
When people see spelling or grammatical errors on the first page of a site they may lose some trust in the credibility of the source. Make sure your landing page is free of errors and clutter and that it is easy to navigate. Websites are easier than ever to build and maintain. There are several services that will allow a user to create a beautiful site with no coding experience. Domains and web hosting can be purchased for less than $10 a month, but the potential to reach new clients is virtually endless. Don’t forget to include a way for people to contact the business or a physical address if there is one.

Blog
Quality and consistency are the key terms to live by when it comes to blogging. Good content posted two or more times a week is a general rule of thumb when it comes to blogging.

Connect to popular blogs
Linking to other popular blogs on similar content can help raise rankings in popular search engines. It is also helpful to write guest blogs for popular sites that see a lot of traffic.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
When building online content it is important to take SEO into consideration. Good SEO is the practice that will get a business to the first page of a Google search. Bad SEO will land a website lost somewhere in the mix of competitive websites. It takes a lot of work and dedication to get on the first page in competitive industries but the payoff will be worth it.

Paid Ads
Paying for ad space can get a website on the first page of google searches for a specific set of keywords, but users will know that it is a paid ad. Organically appearing on the first page of a search will get more clicks, but paying is faster and a little more simple.

Social Media
Social media has become a powerful way to interact with potential and existing clients. Just posting every now and then won’t achieve the desired result. It’s also important to engage the audience. Post relevant content regularly and interact with people who comment on social media sites to increase brand trust and loyalty.

Email Marketing
This tried and true method is still a great way to keep customers informed about news and deals. Email marketing lists can be purchased, but it is much better to build a marketing list organically. One easy method is to include a subscribe button on a website and get users to enter their email address in order to stay informed about a product or service. This way the client has shown some interest in the product or service and has decided that they want more information.

Mobile Optimization
More people are searching for information on their smartphones and tablets every day. It’s important to make sure a site looks good on mobile sites as well as a computer monitor. If clients run into trouble on a mobile site then it increases their chances of checking out the next service provider on their list.

Analytics
Learn how customers are using a site by installing an analytical program. This will tell a webmaster if users are bouncing or staying and exploring a sites options. Data from analytics can give real numbers on what clients are doing on a site.

Make Improvements
Always be adapting. Once a virtual profile has been built and some data has been collected, it’s time to see what works and what doesn’t. Never get too attached to anything on a site. The virtual marketplace is ever evolving so it is important for a successful entrepreneur to stay with the times. Even small changes online can sometimes lead to big gains.

 

Building an online presence is a great way to get attention for a startup. The relatively low cost of most internet tools makes it an affordable way to advertise and interact with customers. As a business grows, the online presence can adapt and grow with it. Be patient when building online profiles. We may live in a digital age but even Facebook wasn’t built in a day.