Brick-and-mortar stores have long been a cornerstone of the American retail industry. However, as e-commerce becomes mainstream, these brick-and-mortar stores are rapidly losing value.
ContentsStart by creating a business websiteCreate a blogJoin the social media partyA digital presence is key to business successMake no mistake:physical stores will always be around as long as humanity exists. But if you own such a store, it's time to start thinking about the online world; otherwise, failure becomes a real possibility.
So how do you market your online store? There are different ways to create a digital presence for your business. In this article, we explain how to do it.
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More than 36 percent of small businesses don't have a website.
Yes, in 2021 there is a business without a website! If your business is one of them, you have done yourself a huge disservice. However, it's never too late to create a website and join in the online party.
A business website does more than create an online address for your business. It can also become a store, where you sell your goods and services.
Building a business website is not just about choosing a domain name and paying for hosting. You need to create a site that can become the foundation of your business' digital presence.
You need a site optimized for search engines. This means that it must be able to appear on the first page of search engines when users search for terms or phrases related to what your business does.
A good business site should load quickly (no more than 3 seconds) and be responsive. A responsive website is able to adapt the display to the size of the user's screen, whether they are using a desktop computer, smart TV or smartphone.
Building a business website is part of the job. The other part is to update and refresh it if necessary, to improve the user experience.
If you're still hesitant about creating a business website, these reasons to consider will change your mind.
Most small business owners who create a business website stick with it.
Yes, a website offers a solid way to boost your business's online presence, but on its own, it can't do much. Accompanying it with a blog is a more effective way to expand your business presence on the web.
What is the difference between a blog and a website? Good question.
A blog and a website have similar technical characteristics:they both need a domain name, web hosting and design.
They differ mainly in their purpose. A blog is largely informative; a platform to publish information about your business and even what you think.
If you've ever searched for "how to start a small business," chances are you've landed on a blog. This is the same way that Internet users will find themselves on your blog.
If you run a coffee shop, for example, you can blog about anything coffee-related, including coffee recipes. So if someone on the web is looking for coffee recipes (and there are a ton of people who do), they might end up on your blog.
There's also a good chance that someone doing this research is interested in buying coffee. Once they've finished reading your blog, they might end up on your website and make a purchase.
As you can see, blogging doesn't just extend your online presence. It also increases your sales.
Social networks are not just for individuals.
It's also for businesses like yours. About 77% of small businesses in the United States already use social media for promotions and marketing. It's not too late to join the party and have fun!
However, managing social media for a business is different from managing your own social media. Personally, you can join as many social media sites as you want, but when it comes to business, you should select a few sites and focus on them.
The big question is:how do you select which site your business should register on?
Much depends on your target audience. Different sites attract different audiences, so you need to be where your audience is.
For example, if your business targets GenZers, you need a site that is popular with these young adults. Good examples include Snapchat and TikTok.
If your target audience is on the other end of the age spectrum, you want your business to be on Facebook. It's where baby boomers and Gen Xers like to hang out.
Signing up with a social media site is a good step, but you need to do more if you want to get the most out of it. You need to grow your audience and to do that the account needs to stay active. Create content relevant to your audience and post it regularly.
Also interact with your followers. Don't just leave them on read. Respond to their comments and like some of their content.
The internet has revolutionized the way we do many things, including how we start and run businesses. As a small business owner, you may have resisted the lures of the web, but you can only do so for so long. Your business must be present on the web to have a chance of succeeding.
From creating a website and blog to using social media, there are various ways to boost your business's digital presence. Get Started!
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