Or is there a more cost effective way to market online for small business?
Where to Start? What do I need to know?
If you’re a business in 2018, you must build an online presence. This does NOT mean you must have a website, but you cannot survive on word-of-mouth and recurring customers forever. A constant stream of new customers is the only way to insure longevity. New potential clients and customers find services needed almost 100% online now, so you must be present online in some form. Here are some simple, low-cost ways to do so.
This article was inspired by a local mom/pop taco restaurant we like, that we Could Not find online. We thought “how can they survive?” They almost weren’t making it.
With newspaper ads and phone directories going by the wayside as marketing channels, and with a plethora of TV channels and platforms out there that help viewers avoid commercials, if you own a business and want new business, the internet is really the most affordable and most effective option for new exposure.
That said, what is the best way to get that exposure? Do you need a website, an ecommerce website, or will free social media channels work for you? We will look at all the options here…
Below, you will find the key questions that you should be asking about how to start and maintain an online presence, and at which level you may need to invest.
Do I Even Need a Website? Will Social Media Accounts Alone Suffice?
Websites offer several benefits.
- Displaying the “vibe” of your company, and the products or services you offer
- Your location and general business information
- A compelling story about what makes you the best
- 24/7 access: Your website works as an always-on sales tool, if done right
- A direct presence on Google and other search engines
- Unlimited content and details about your company, people and products
There are several other good reasons to have a website, including collecting leads after hours, displaying samples, testimonials, job opportunities, online buying opportunities, qualifying leads, giving samples and examples, and so on.
That all said, having a website is NOT the only way to market online.
Get Found On Search Engines. How to use FREE Social Media and Listing Sites
At least, do the following. Big bang for no buck (i.e. FREE):
- Google Business Profile – Claim account and completely fill out the profile. Be specific and remember Google is dumb. What do you sell and where do you service? Google and people can’t guess this. What makes you the best? Pick the right category. Update it weekly with a new post, and regularly with photos.
- Yelp – Yelp has started to dominate the top search results, so don’t ignore them. Claim your account, complete the profile with all the appropriate descriptive words (keywords) and update it regularly with photos.
- Facebook – Claim your account (your “page”), completely fill out the profile and update it weekly with new posts, videos as you can get them, and photos.
“If you weren’t coming up online for your business name or in local search for your products or services before, expect a possible 30% jump in business if you compete these three steps!” Says Ken O’Donnell, President at KO Websites, Inc. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Having a website designed can be cheap or expensive; it can provide great ROI or turn out to be a waste of money, unless you build it right. In our next blog, we will cover the basics, the building blocks needed if you’re going to create a custom website design for your business.
Ready to Get Some Questions Answered? Call or Contact KO Websites and SEO Pro
We’ve been building websites that work and websites that you will find fast on Google for more than 15 years. We know what it takes to get you onto page 1 and we know how to help you choose terms that will attract the right traffic. Call 510-276-9902 or fill out our short contact form to get the conversation started.