If you have an online business, you’re going to need to do plenty of marketing to make sure it’s seen and noticed. Unlike a store on a high street or in a mall that can get at least some business from foot traffic, an online business needs good marketing to get any business at all - it’s unlikely that enough people will just accidentally stumble upon your site to make a profit.
The good news is that although marketing is vital, there are also lots of different ways to go about it that can work, so it’s a question of understanding as many as possible and employing the right ones for your business. With that in mind, here are some to think about.
Use SEO
SEO is a fantastic way to increase your visibility online, so it’s ideal for an eCommerce store or something similar. You’ll need to carry out keyword research first to see what terms your audience is searching for, and once you know that, you can use those keywords in your website content to ensure your site ranks highly in search engine results.
SEO - which stands for search engine optimization - is all about getting your website to the top (or as close to the top as possible) of the first page of search engines like Google because people are more likely to trust it and click on the link, and that means they’re more likely to buy from you, so it’s a great thing to try.
Of course, SEO is also a fairly complex thing, which is why outsourcing this task can be the best move. Keywords are crucial, but there’s more to SEO than that, and if you really want to use it to make a difference in your marketing, it’s wise to let experts take control.
Use Social Media
Since your business is online, it makes sense to do as much of your marketing online as possible - that’s literally where your target market is, after all. One excellent way to do this is to harness the power of social media.
Social media isn’t just for sharing vacation photos anymore; it’s an important tool for marketing, and when it’s done right, it can make a big difference to your business’s bottom line. You’ll need to not just create profiles but keep them active and up to date as well, and you’ll need to make sure you engage with your visitors as much as possible, but if you can do this, it’s a great way to find new markets.
Use Email Marketing
Email marketing is a hugely effective way to finds new leads and to keep your old and current customers aware of who you are - the more you remind them that you exist, the more likely it is they’ll choose you over someone else when they need whatever it is you provide.
With email marketing you have the opportunity to send out personalized emails that include your customers’ names as well as information about things you know they’ll be interested in and therefore will be more likely to buy.