The pandemic has changed the way businesses operate. Most businesses now offer their services online. With so many companies competing with each other, how can you make your brand stand out? How can you most effectively promote your business online?
In 2020, over 1.79 billion people bought at least one item online. This figure will rapidly multiply in the coming years.
These online audiences are often fickle and impatient. According to research data, 75% of clients expect a response within five minutes of submitting a request.
If you’re serious about growing your business, it’s vital to create a solid online presence and catch your target audience’s attention quickly and effectively.
In this article, we’ll tell you about some great, cost-effective channels you can use to promote your business, generate leads, and increase sales.
How to Promote Your Business Online: 3 Cost-Free Channels
There are over 4.6 billion internet users across the globe. If you want to reach more customers, widely and actively promoting your business is key.
Fortunately, the internet offers you several free and low-cost options to grow your commercial venture.
These options include:
•Google and other online directories
•Social media
•Local communities
Let’s examine each of these sources.
Promoting Your Business on Google and Online Directories
Capturing over 90% of the global market share, Google is the undisputed directory leader today. Also, Bing, Yahoo, Yelp, and YellowPages are other popular directories with high domain authority.
Smaller directories often create listings using information from larger ones. If your business is displayed prominently on the bigger sites, you’ll most likely show up on the smaller ones as well.
Here’s what you can do to appear on the initial listings of top directories:
1. Develop a Business Website
Statistics reveal that about 64% of small businesses have a website. A well-designed website can tell visitors about your brand, your business, and your products.
For example, you can use websites to:
•Provide contact information
•Post promotional material
•Use analytics to assess the reach of your business
Consider investing in a professional website. Not only will it look appealing, but it will also allow you to scale up and add more features when required.
2. Implement SEO Strategies
SEO or search engine optimization is a way to generate organic, free traffic to your website.
When utilized effectively, SEO will automatically help you rank higher in Google’s eyes. It will also display your business more prominently in SERPs.
Basic SEO strategies include:
•Using relevant keywords
•Producing and updating high-quality content
•Maintaining high page load speeds
•Offering a user-friendly website interface
•Giving customers a great user experience
3. Create a Business Blog
According to Learn Hub, brands with websites or blogs can generate about 67% more leads than those who don’t.
Update your blog regularly with relevant, useful, and timely content.
You can either maintain your own blog or hire experts to write for you.
Promoting Your Business on Social Media
Social media is one of the best free tools for promoting your business online.
Here are some of the ways you can use these platforms to reach your target audience:
1. Connect with Users
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn are some of the most popular websites today. Here’s how you can use these social media giants to your advantage:
•Create a business page and a shopping channel for both Facebook and Instagram
•Add your contact information and a CTA for visitors
•Regularly post promotions, deals, and events
•Conduct live sessions to engage your audience
•Network with LinkedIn users and explore possibilities for partnership
•Use Twitter to share your social media posts
•Use hashtags to create social campaigns
•Ask customers to share your social media posts and updates
2. Get Active on YouTube and TikTok
YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels enable you to create, upload, and share video content online.
Some ways you can use these platforms to gain more exposure include:
•Creating useful video clips like demo tutorials that can resolve user queries
•Sharing clips on your blog and website
Going live on YouTube to engage with users
3. Interact with Users
Most importantly, always look for opportunities to interact with your users online. To do so, you may want to:
•Create a community page on channels like Facebook
•Monitor and reply to reviews and queries
•Reply to negative feedback and resolve users’ issues
•Host quizzes, events, and giveaways
Request that your customers share reviews online
Promoting Your Business Locally
Recent consumer statistics from Shopify indicate that over half of North American consumers support independently-owned businesses.
The reasons for this may include a desire to back entrepreneurs and local businesses in their community, shop for unique products, experience better customer service, and save on shipping costs.
Here’s how you can use this trend to your advantage and promote your business locally:
1. Build a Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) profile will display your company details in the Google Maps search results.
To optimize your listing, do the following:
•Verify business ownership through your Google Business Profile account
•Publish posts directly to your listing
•Update your contact information
•Add high-quality photos and videos to attract your audience
•Share user reviews
2. Join or Sponsor Local Events
Local events invariably attract local audiences and help businesses connect with them.
Make an effort to participate in local trade shows, craft fairs, and artisan markets. You can even sponsor these events if your budget permits it.
3. Offer Free Local Delivery
Data from Shopify reveals that shoppers order 25% more commodities from vendors that offer free local delivery. By following suit, you can easily increase your sales and generate more profit.
4. Involve Local Media
Seek out opportunities for media and press coverage for your business. An appearance in the local news can help drive scores of potential customers to your business. Focus on talking about your products and emphasizing what makes your brand unique.
Make an effort to help your community in some way. That way, you can offer your services without making a sales pitch.
Let Visual Rankings Help You Grow Your Business Online
Today’s market requires business owners to think out of the box. They must develop novel, low-cost marketing tactics that raise brand awareness, drive traffic to their website, and reach more customers online.
To really improve your business prospects and meet your goals, start applying the techniques above. They are sure to make a measurable impact.
Do you wish to grow your business online? Contact Visual Rankings to help you succeed in your business.
