(This is a contributed post)
For any business, your online presence is incredibly important. More and more marketing is moving online, with digital options becoming the most common, successful and cheapest way to speak to your customers. Here are some easy ways to improve your company’s online presence.
Every business needs a good website, regardless of what kind of company you are. Even the most basic site should have simple information like your opening hours, contact details and an overview of the services or products you provide. A company website needs to look professional too, so make sure you choose an easy to navigate, responsive design. Keep the site up to date, so the information on there is always correct and looks like someone is taking care of it.
Pay attention to the functionality of your site too. It needs to load quickly to stop customers from navigating away in frustration. Don’t forget to ensure your website works correctly on mobile too. A huge amount of web traffic comes from mobile devices like phones or tablets, so be sure the site functions correctly, with easy clickable links and text that is readable on different screens.
Everyone knows that SEO is an important tool. However, many businesses focus on ranking internationally, and forget to think about local SEO. If you offer services in your local area, you should be aiming to rank within that area. This means that instead of, or as well as, aiming to be at the top of the search engine for keywords like ‘plumber’, you would target ‘plumber Sydney’, so potential customers in your area can find you more easily. If your product is seasonal, for example something like pool cleaning, you can use local SEO to target areas having the sort of weather that would make them want to use your service.
Build a local SEO strategy with an SEO management agency, who can help you create backlinks, quality content and the right keywords to rank in your area.
Online reviews can be a cause of stress and frustration for many companies, especially when they seem to be unfair. As much as many businesses wish they could get rid of reviews, they are important. Most of us check the reviews before buying anything or using a company, so make sure you encourage people to leave reviews. Ask for reviews wherever makes sense for your business, like Facebook, TripAdvisor, Google or Yelp.
A bad review doesn’t have to spell doom. Respond promptly and politely to any negative comments, making sure to explain the situation and what will be done to rectify it. Check anywhere where reviews are left, and check it often. Respond, and handle any issues that are brought up. Use the reviews as a tool to help you improve your business. If a complaint is turning nasty, reply but then move the communication away from public eyes as soon as you can, either via email or over the phone.