Choosing an Online Presence

Having an online presence is important to help boost business goals and reach more customers to do business with. Online presence varies from website, social media platforms, and local business listings. We can see these days how important it is to be online to reach more to people.

It is paramount these days to be online due to high search for solutions by various individuals. One of the key ways to achieve online presence is through a website. Early websites were more than online brochures that describes the “who”, “the what”, and “where”. The website we have in the 21st century can do much more than that. Your website can help people do research, chat with experts, customer reviews, watch videos, buy things, track orders and much more.

In building a website, you need to first of all think of the business goal support you want to achieve with your website. You can however, do business online without a website. For example a bakery business owner who wants customers to be able to find you with or without a website. Think of the last time you craved for doughnut, then you went on line to search for a bakery beside you and you found various options in which you began to review the various results that popped up on your screen. Some businesses use local listings to create a digital presence like “google my business”, “Bing places for business”. However, this type of directories allows business to publish their descriptions, reviews, maps, contact details, images. These listings are free and help business owners achieve successful search online by people. Beyond business listings, there are other review sites such as “rave reviews” that can give an edge over your competitors. People all over the world make use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google + pages to either compliment or replace a website.

Furthermore, to reach customers via online presence is through mobile apps. It is possible for you to have downloaded mobile apps. Apps can take great advantage for a mobile activities such as GPS, mapping and phone to connect with customers and to ensure the app is installed on their phone so the next time they are near your store, the app can send a special offer to them through GPS. Mobile apps are always used as loyalty tools to encourage existing customers to come back such as get a free coffee.

Whether you use a website, local listings, GPS, mobile apps, social media etc. the trick is to think of what you want your customers to do then create the home that helps accomplish your business goals.