As a small business owner, you know that if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. You wouldn’t dream of cutting corners in your company’s customer service. So why do it with your website?
When it comes to competing online, many fibre-optic first timers don’t know what they’re up against, which can lead to marketing faux pas.
This article offers just three top tips for businesses launching their ventures online that will help you avoid those pitfalls.
1. Promote your site
A website is a wonderful thing… as long as your customers can find it!
Be mindful of factors such as SEO, which can affect the visibility of your site online and, when used correctly, send traffic your way and boost your business’s online activities.
But don’t forget about those IRL (in-real-life) customers too – those looking for local businesses like yours who want products, services and info online, and most importantly, your existing regular customers.
The best way to connect with all of these groups is to create a build up for your site launch – email marketing can be a great way to offer promotional codes and exclusive discounts to get those early-days sales off to a good start, whilst social media countdowns can generate anticipation and attention.
2. Perfect your content
Everyone assumes they can write good copy, but the reality is often very different, and it’s best to get the professionals in where possible.
If you’re on a budget and determined to take content matters into your own hands, at least be sure to follow a few basic rules – check your spelling and grammar, keep your content relevant to the customer and place the focus on them, not you.
The world of content marketing also has a very visual element, particularly in the on-site realm, and visual content can be used for a variety of purposes.
It makes your site instantly more eye-catching, helping to keep the customer on the page, and can be a great way to put a ‘human’ face on your site – quite literally! Alternatively, infographics are an attractive way to deliver information in a digestible manner, whilst video content can be used for business communications, product tutorials and demonstration and even vlogs!
However, bear in mind that customers are very discerning, especially online, and will sense a bad DIY job a mile off. Visual content should never be skimped on, and pros like SNS Group can make the investment worth your while.
3. Optimise for mobile
Businesses in 2021 are operating in an era where around half your searches – in some cases more – come from a mobile or tablet device.
So not only does your site need to appear spick and span on your computer screen, it also has to be optimised for mobile.
This means ensuring that features such as the visual appearance (including image size and quality), user experience (UX) and loading speeds are the best they can be – these factors make the difference between a customer bouncing or hanging around to get to know you better.
We hope these three tips for first timers online get business booming!