Making an impact online

We’re living in a digital world and setting up a business is far from what it was 20 years ago. With the number of internet users growing every day, it is more important than ever for businesses to get online.

However, with the increasing number of people online comes an increased level of competitors and a greater need to make an impact online. So how do you make an impact online and stand out in a saturated market? There are a range of different methods that can help you to get noticed in the digital world.

Start with good foundations

It’s essential that you start off with good foundations and one of the best ways of doing this is with a good website design. The quality of this design will depend on the sort of budget you’re working with but as a general rule it’s always best to keep things simple, sleek and clean.

Of course, it is also essential to have a responsive web design to make sure that you keep up to date with the constantly growing trend of mobile browsing. With more than half of consumer traffic to leading UK websites coming from mobile devices it’s clear that the trend is growing and businesses must react to this in order to succeed. If you’ve ever tried to visit a website on your mobile device that wasn’t responsive you’ll know how frustrating it can be and how unlikely you are to visit that site again.

Make your site search engine friendly

SEO practices have been around for years but as the internet landscape changes so do they. SEO is more of a science than other digital marketing practices so it’s important to know what you’re doing or hire somebody who does.

There are plenty of online resources to help you get a basic understanding of SEO practices from sites like Moz.com. One of the most important things to be aware of when it comes to SEO is to stay away from what is known as ‘black hat’ practices. This is when companies use questionable methods to market their business online, such as buying links and keyword stuffing. Using these methods can seem like a quick and easy option but Google is getting smarter every day and is able to pick up on these methods, handing out hefty penalties to those who partake in dubious methods.

Not sure where to start when it comes to SEO? Our free SEO toolkit for start up businesses has a range of simple and also more advanced tips and techniques to get your site noticed online.

Find your online voice

We all know how huge social media is and how important it is for brands to get on social media networks but it’s also essential to establish a consistent voice for your clients and potential clients to interact with. Blogging is one of the best ways in which to truly establish a tone and let your clients know what you’re all about.

While some believe blogging is best left to the Generation Y’s and Z’s of the world it can actually be an incredibly powerful tool in the business world. It is a great way of increasing your visibility online as well as showing that you are an authority within your industry. One great way of taking advantage of the blogging platform is by answering direct questions that your customers may be asking. Find out what it is that your customers want to know and start answering them!

Get sociable

Blogging is closely linked to social media so this is a great addition to your start up marketing campaign. With an average of 1.13 billion active daily Facebook users during June 2016 it’s clear to see that a huge number of prospective clients are going to be online and easy to reach. By getting involved in a number of networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, you can take advantage of the opportunity for direct communication between you and your clients.

It’s important to remember that this is the place for making connections and building relationships, so don’t just focus on sales when using social media as it can lead to you losing followers in the long run.

Be obvious

As a generation of internet users we can be a little fickle and incredibly forgetful so it is essential to keep reminding your site visitors that you exist! Once upon a time this was not an easy thing to do but these days providing a constant reminder of your services is a lot easier.

The majority of websites use cookies which means that users preferences are picked up on and are used to show them the most relevant adverts and remarketing banners. If a user visits a product page on your site, you can create a banner ad that will pop up on other sites to remind them of what they were looking at. By utilising this option, you ensure that you are on the mind of your potential customers to return to.

Good examples of remarketing will provide a call to action, pushing customers to make a purchase, and will be relevant and eye catching, ensuring that they are hard to miss!

The digital world can seem impossible when you are setting up a new business. With so many users and businesses online it can be difficult to make an impact but by using the right tools and methods you can put yourself right in front of your clients and see the difference it can truly make.

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Rapid Formations specialise in laying the groundwork for your new start up, from providing your domain name to your PAYE registration.

 

 

Reference to any organisation, business and event on this page does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation from the British Business Bank or the UK Government. Whilst we make reasonable efforts to keep the information on this page up to date, we do not guarantee or warrant (implied or otherwise) that it is current, accurate or complete. The information is intended for general information purposes only and does not take into account your personal situation, nor does it constitute legal, financial, tax or other professional advice. You should always consider whether the information is applicable to your particular circumstances and, where appropriate, seek professional or specialist advice or support.