Take your small business online: A step-by-step guide

In today’s world of information technology, it is prudent to establish an online presence for your business. Unfortunately, most business owners do not understand the intricacies involved in creating an online brand. So, what entails creating an online presence? Certainly, the market you operate in is likely to influence the success or failure of your endeavor. You have to ensure that you target the right audience who might easily become potential customers.

Establishing an online presence provides your business with limitless benefits. For instance, your business is exposed to millions of people who visit the internet daily. Additionally, there is a variety of platforms where you can market your business at a cheaper price compared to the conventional advertising. Below are some of the factors you should consider when taking your business online.

Market Research

Perhaps the first step in establishing an online presence is doing thorough research. Getting opinions and support from family and friends is important, but they may not have profound insights into how to run a business online. It is therefore advisable to seek advice from experts who will point out the flaws in your plans and provide better recommendations. Also, a qualified professional will also provide you with all the information you need.

Although the process of establishing a website might be confusing, it is not complicated. All you need is a host and a content management system (CMS). The host is the company that will offer you the technologies and services to display your website online. There are two main options for choosing a website host. If you have a minimal budget, you can select free service providers such as WordPress and Tumblr among others. Alternatively, you can buy a domain from a variety of service providers. On the other hand, CMS platforms are used to design and develop the website.

Having a reliable and functional website is very important for the success of the business. It enables you to establish a brand and distinguishes you from your competitors. According to a study by Marketing Land, most small businesses lack functional websites. However, it is important to choose a strong domain name and add plug-ins for a more professional touch and customer interaction.

Design Your Website

The website host and CMS platforms are just the foundations of your site. There are certain considerations you need to put in place to create a viable website. For example, you have to decide the purpose of the site to enable you to choose a suitable design. Depending on your budget and experience, you can either design the template or hire a web designer.

Develop an SEO Strategy

After establishing the website, you need to start driving traffic to the website. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a vital way of achieving impressive traffic on your website through organic search engines. Utilizing SEO tools can help you attract thousands of potential customers on a daily basis.

Conclusion

Establishing an online presence is not as difficult as it may seem. Businesses are projected to reap more benefits as technology continues to develop and proliferation of smartphones increase. Ensure to take advantage of the growth opportunity for your business.

Adam Richards

About Adam Richards

Adam Richards is a semi-retired business professional originally from Bangor, Maine. He spent the majority of his career in sales and marketing where he rose to the marketing lead of a Fortune 1000 company. He then moved on to helping people as a career counselor that specifically helped bring families to self-sufficiency through finding them rewarding careers. He has now returned to Bangor for his retirement and spends his free time writing. This blog will be about everything he learned throughout his career. He'll write on career, workplace, education and technology issues as well as on trends, changes, and advice for the Maine job market and its employers.