EVERYTHINGNEEDED

TO IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE

PRESENCE

An improved online presence is dependent on the condition of your website and how you market it.

Maybe you’ve tried various attempts at marketing and advertising online, but nothing is improving your business’ online presence. When it comes to improving online presence, many efforts need to come together to compliment a successful strategy.

Fill out this checklist (or keep it as a reminder) to make sure you have everything needed to improve your online presence.

ENSURE MOBILE-FRIENDLINESS Have your web developer program your website to automatically adjust itself to function best on all devices. This is often referred to as a “responsive” or “mobile-friendly” design. Google’s “mobile first” update also means that it judges websites (and ranks them on the SERP) solely on their mobile site. Even more importantly, as of December 2018, over half of all website traffic is from a mobile device, meaning people are more likely to view your website on a mobile device than they are on a desktop.

PROVIDE USER-FRIENDLY WEB DESIGNGreat web design is attractive and eye-catching while remaining centered on the user and the user’s journey. Make sure your website is designed with a clear and simple structure that prioritizes your user’s needs. You can even use design elements to guide your user’s eyes and mouse through your site. Good design strategically aligns your user’s journey with your unique selling proposition.

RESPOND TO ALL USER REVIEWSWe know – that dreaded negative review can sometimes suck the soul out of you. The good news is that most negative reviews can be solved with a simple, short, and kind response from the business. It shows other readers that the company is professional in its dealings and does what it can to take care of its clients. And thankfully, most online users reading reviews can spot a troll when they see one.

BE ACTIVE ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS YOUR AUDIENCE ENGAGES WITHIt’s common sense, but it has to be said: Instagram doesn’t work for all businesses, and neither does LinkedIn. Find what social media platforms your audience is on and start posting, commenting, and engaging – your audience, especially millennials, is likely to check out your social media profiles to validate you as a company.

Besides organic tactics, paid social ads should be an important part of your online presence strategy as they can be used to promote brand awareness and generate leads.

PROVIDE VALUABLE CONTENTCreate a blog, news, or resources section on your website through which prospects can receive valuable information related to your business or industry. Write what your audience cares about – answer their questions, dig deeper into their problems, and be willing to provide solutions. Content that educates helps build trust and loyalty, and will help guide users down the sales funnel.

OPTIMIZE FOR SEARCH ENGINES Research keywords and phrases that your customers would use to find you online (some good tools to use are Google Search Console and SEMrush). At least once a month, create valuable content using the agreed upon keywords so that search engines, like Google, can include your website in their search results.

MONITOR EFFECTIVENESS Install Google Analytics onto your website (make sure it’s installed in a way that allows the service to monitor every page). If you’ve already installed Google Analytics, take a look at a couple of other valuable marketing metrics that can help you monitor the effectiveness of your online presence.

UPDATE DIRECTORY LISTINGS Reach out to online directory listings and use Google My Business to get your business information listed on webpages that provide links back to your website. These backlinks are referred to as “citations.” Incoming hyperlinks like these digitally boost your company’s reputation when they’re from authoritative webpages.

DISPLAY DIGITAL ADSSetup an account with Google AdWords, Google’s advertising service. With AdWords, you can bid on agreed upon keywords to place pay-per-click (PPC) ads under search results or display ads on websites that target your prospects. When prospects are in the buying phase of the sales funnel, they are likely to engage with these ads. Paid ads are a great way to promote brand awareness, boost website traffic, and keep your business top-of-mind at the top of the list.

This list of nine ways to improve your business’s online presence is in no way exhaustive. These are fundamental techniques that are easy to implement and monitor, but should be kept with. Think of your digital presence as a long term investment, not a quick fix. If you don’t have the time to invest in it, that’s what we’re here for.

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