Follow these ways to let more people know about your business online: To get an online presence for local businesses it’s important that you use your social media network, local search results, business directory listing, map, and website. Along with that, you need basic business competitive strategies and basic knowledge of the internet/computer.
When your business is known by people online then it will help you in many ways such as:
- You build long-term relationships with existing customers.
- Online presence helps new people to find your business in the local area.
- You will get new customers
- You will be able to sell more
- You start thinking and working like a brand.
- You will get new opportunities to expand your business in other cities as well.
Now each benefit has different strategies, tools, costs, and methods. That is called digital marketing or internet marketing.
1. Create a Facebook business page and get it liked or followed by your existed and first-time buyers:
You can find create the page for a business option in your profile header. Select your business category and write the appropriate description and a message that relates very well with the people you’re attracting (customers). Add working hours, add an attractive profile photo and cover page such as your business logo and invite your friends to get more likes. You can also add business hours, websites, and more than one admin or contributor to update your Facebook business page frequently.
Related: Social media marketing ideas for small business
2. List the business on Google my business website which is a free listing service
Create a free profile for your business on Google My Business. A business profile on Google helps your customers to find you on Google Maps and local search results. Google my Business profile is similar to your Facebook profile.
When people do a local search for products/services your business will appear in search results. And when they want to visit your store/shop/business for products and services they can see it on Google Maps. This is the most important and basic digital marketing practice that you can execute for free to get your business on the internet.
Try to achieve the following goals from the online presence of your business:
- People are able to find your store by using google maps.
- Your existed customers are getting updates and liking your posts on the Facebook business page.
- People connected with your business and got attracted to purchase from you.
- You’re helping and replying to your customer’s queries on the Facebook business page.
- Your customers can see your working hours, and open days and it will save there and your time.
- Customers will be able to review and feedback on your business experience.
3. Build a website for your local business
After getting known by people in the local area or internationally. You have to keep moving forward. It’s because there are bigger online opportunities for the success of your local business. That opportunity is a business website.
How the website will help you to get an online presence for your local business:
Soon people take an interest to know more about you and your local business. They want to know who is behind this Facebook business page. In this case, the website will help you to share the story that you hold behind your products, services, and overall reasons for doing business.
- On the website, you will share your services and product details. It can be 2 paragraphs or 3 pages. But more importantly, you have to explain the problem you’re solving through your business or solutions.
- On the business website, you can share the existed customer experiences. It can be customers with reviews and feedback, testimonials, photographs, etc.
- You can use a blog in which you can educate people about certain features and methods to use your products and services. And how it can be beneficial for people. You can do it regularly. The other benefits of a blog are that you will be able to get customers directly from a search engine such as Google.
Other benefits:
- You can use the website on your Facebook page and google my business listing. So that people can visit directly and find out the information about you.
- You can also add website names to your business card, product pamphlets, packing and many other things that carry your customers around the product such as a car manufacturer adding the brand name or car model in the backside, front grill, tire, seats in various interior and exterior spaces.
- You can also share this link with potential customers whenever they ask for more information.
- According to the above points, it means the website is a robot for your local business that welcomes new potential buyers from search engines and social media, informs them about your business, helps to find your variants and updates, and connects them for the future updates. It means it’s automatic when you’re spending time with your family, your robot is marketing and communicating with the people.
Tip: Just watch the other websites, and social media pages related to your products and services by using the google search engine. Search on Google about your business, and see what they are doing or how they have built it.
Add these essential features/functions to your business website:
- Add review options so that your new and existing customers can share their experiences. You can also integrate Google my business review feature on your website.
- Add social media sharing buttons so that whenever they like any updates and new product lines they can share it easily with their personal networks.
- Add Google Map, address, and a contact form. Also add the subject line in the contact form such as reasons for contact – first-time buyer, partner, distributor, job seekers, etc.
- Add a one-line brand message. It can be 1 sentence or 3 words and that holds something that connects people with your business.
- Add a blog page so that you post little or bigger educational, press, and media posts, and people can read and share your solutions.
- Present the product and service line in a way that is easy to read, and analyze all the devices such as mobile, tablets, desktops, and laptops. It means you should have a responsive website for your business.
Etc.
Learn more:
Importance of having a website for small business
How can a business benefit from using analytics on its website?
Adding these features to your business website helps you to build a strong online presence. It’s also helpful to make your business presence viral on the web. Everything that you share and do on the internet (social media and website) will impact your business positively and increase sales and grow your business. And most of the things are less costly but hold great value for your business.
So, these are the above works that I think will be very effective to get an online presence for any local business. You can start it from home by using your personal computer or mobile phone.