How easy is it to promote your Business Online ?

Now that we know why the business has to be online , I have been receiving requests on how to go about it.
Promoting any business online always requires a certain amount of testing to arrive at the right tactic  for your business ,but I believe a mix and match of the below approaches would do the trick for you.

1. Free Website listings on search engines- Google.com/webmasters
2. Ads on search engines- Google.com/adwords
3. Local listings on search engines-Google.com/placesforbusiness
4. Social media
5. Email marketing

1. Free Website listings on search engine

Before we begin, Id like to familiarize you with the term Organic search results.It simply means the free web search results that show up on your search engines like Google as per your search term.

For most of your queries the list spans multiple pages with innumerable websites.

Are you on page 1 of Google's search results?!

Ideally you would like your customer to meet you on the 1st page of the search results. But there are many similar business offering similar products and services.
The more relevant your website,higher the chance for it to be on PAGE 1.

Steps to make organic search work for u

• Make sure your website domains are listed on Google. Go to Google.com/addurl and add your business if not already listed.
• Give your website a content face-lift –Just make sure your website has text, images and other kinds of content that are related to the words that people use to search for products and services like yours. In short make it interesting enough so that people come back!

Google will locate a match between your website and what people are looking for and your business will show up in their search results.

Note:If you are not too sure how to give your website a content face lift,go for Google’s webmaster central at google.com/webmasters or hire a creative web developer.

2. Ads on search engines

If you feel  that just the free listings are not helping you to be on page 1 and you need more control over when, where and how often your business appears on Google you can use Google Ad-words.It helps you place ads on Google by choosing phrases or words for which your ads have to appear.

Search Advertising or Search engine marketing programs like Ad words will place ads for your business next to and above organic search results.

3. Local listings on search engines

If you provide services in a single city or a definite area 
for e.g. Local Plumbing services Google's Local listings is the one for you.
Local listings are displayed in search results when people search for products in a specific location or area.





E.g. Pizza near Dubai mall



Local Listings is a premium opportunity to drive nearby customers to you.According to the nature of your business you may include any of the below in your business listings along with a map.

Real time updates means updating your offerings real time.E.g. Tax free Tuesday or hot Donuts or Sunday-Specials. 

               

4. Social media

I don’t think I would need to elaborate, as it’s role in promoting business by deepening relations and attracting customers is well known and accepted by now.








Social networking sites,Blogs and video-sharing sites helps you to

• Get valuable customer feedback
• Share exclusive offers and information about your product
• Reach customer's family and friends easily

5. Email marketing

My belief!, it is one of the most helpful cost-effective method to market your products and services to new and existing customers and drive traffic to your website.

Many companies offer easy to use low cost email services that help you to design, send and manage email marketing campaigns.
You can always email your customers

• With news about latest products and services
• By thanking them for their prior order and inviting them to come back.
• With Special offers, discounts and promotions.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

A combination of the below techniques will help you go a long way in enhancing your online presence.

1. Free Website listings  helps search engines like Google notice your brand online.
2.  Ads on search engines lets you take the next step by making sure that your business appears on the 1st page of search results.
3.  Local listings on search engines can be utilized if your business caters to local needs.
4. Social media is becoming inevitable for long term customer relations.
5.  Email marketing is a cost effective method to retain and regain your customer base.

Your Online Marketing Plan

To develop an online marketing plan of your own, I would tell you to first think about the end product or your goal, then figure out steps required to reach that goal and in the process set a marketing budget that helps you to achieve the goal.

1.Setting Your Goal

A smart Goal would be whatever your business needs to grow but it should be

•   Few in number 
•   Measurable
•   Actionable 
•   Realistic 
•  Time bound 

Examples of a goal can be

• To make more people find your website. 
• To boost sales by spreading news about your company. 
• Promoting a discount. 

A more specific goal set for a time frame by a medical management representative would be

• Sign up 200 new customers for a free consultation by August. 
• Sell 500 units of a particular medicine by September. 
• Collect 100 Qualified sales leads from 400 existing customers by April.
•  Drive 1000 unique visitors to the site by the end of the month. 

2. Steps to reach the goal

•   Identify where the customers are-Try asking yourself ‘Where are my customers most likely to look for me?’ Different ways to get noticed online would be

 
   a) A Website-A website would be right for you if your goal is to increase sales.

  b) A Blog or social networking site- if your goal is to build stronger relationship with your existing customers.
             




c) Local Online Listings-If your goal is to make sure that potential customers in your  local area can find you easily.

     
Whatever route you choose, existing and potential customers must be able find you.

•  Point customers in the right direction                                                                                                Once you have identified where you customers are point them in the right direction by

              a) Creating an appealing look to your  website suited for customer needs.
               b) Creating ads that link to your website and promote special offers.
               c) Including your business on Google’s local listings to drive local sales.
               d) Creating a social networking site and sharing updates, coupons and more with followers.
               e) Listing your deals on coupons site. 
                f) Listing your business on review sites and ask happy customers for referrals. 

3. Set a marketing budget that works for you

• Think how much you want to put in by analyzing how much a new sale or referral is worth to you. 
• Also factor in any cost associated with your action steps including hosting website, listing your deals ,running ads online and more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1.    Think about final goal and steps to reach that goal when setting a marketing plan for your business and assign marketing budget for each step

2.    Goals should be few and realistic, time bound, measurable and actionable.

3.    Website, Blog or Social Media and Local Listings are some ways to get noticed online. Whatever route you choose, existing and potential customers must be able find you.

4.    Set a marketing strategy that works for you. There is no "one" correct strategy.

Strategies to Build and Polish your Website

BEST PRACTICES TO PERFECT YOUR WEBSITE

You need to have a unique selling point that will make customers choose and stick with you over other similar businesses or competitors and make you the number one existing business.

Once you know how to stand out from the crowd think,

1) Why am I making this website?

2) What can I hope to achieve with my website?

3) How will I use my website to grow my business better than competitors?

If you think you got the answers for the above,these would lead you to the definite goal.

The goal you came up with should be the primary focus of the website.

Example: If your goal is to make customers to

a) Shop online -Make shopping experience fast and easy for them

b) Call your Store-Make Phone number prominent 

c) Find you online-Include map with directions

For the customers to take action, the key is a professional website.

Some useful pointers

1. Good Web address/domain name

• The best option is the name of your business.
• In case it is not available go for alternatives indicating locations or with other keywords that are likely to be searched by customers.

Domain name should be

• Easy to type and remember
• Short and sweet not more than three words

Examples    

www.AneesasDigitalDelights.com   OR

 www.DigitalMarketingDubai.com       OR
www.AneesasDistinctMarketing.com      etc

2. Right Design Template

Look and feel often affects the choices customers go for on your website.

In case you already have a website,

 Make sure

•  The Navigation between pages and posts is kept consistent.
• Attractive high quality photos are being used.                                  

3. Clear-cut Content

The information within pages of your website must be precise and easy to scan through to make it easy for customers.

      Example For any business,

• Home page should depict an overview of your business.
• Product and services page should have photos and detailed description
• About us page should project Info About the company
•  Contact Page should include details to reach you-Address, phone/fax/email.                                   

Before creating a webpage gather the components that go into them including  

•  Company name and logo
• Description and photos of products and services.
•  Photos of store, team, customers using products and service

4. Strong call to action 
   

If you are selling products online, customers should know exactly where and how to make a purchase.

For E.g. Include. Call Us, Add to Cart or Make an Appointment

5. Up-to-date website                                                  

• As your business changes and grows so should your website.
• If there are any new changes or new products and services be sure to write about it and keep customers posted.
• Keywords you write help search engines like Google choose you in the search results.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Your brand's USP will make customers choose and stay with your brand.
2. When making a website think about the Why What and How of your business.
3. A professional website having  a good domain name with clear cut and up-to date content and a strong call to action are found in excellent websites with returning customers.

Bring Your Business Online Now!!!

I don't think I need to talk about the scale and extent of web search at all. Cos these days, it’s way beyond what we can actually visualize.
You have a query, the fastest solution would be to search the web or in my case GOOGLE IT!!.
You and I constitute the millions who search the web daily for their wide-ranging queries and interests.
And we as business owners want our business to be found by the right people when they are actually looking for information …just like the saying goes.A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed.
So, we want to be able to  make friends who treat our business as their friend in need and make sure that it is this friend they reach out to for their solutions.
For this,you need to bring your business online and being online is just not enough you need to get your company noticed online. And how do you do that?

1. Through Your website: Tell customers more details about the company, products, latest developments.Even the smallest locally based business can connect to customers through a website.
Eg:-You can create a website with

• An online store or catalog of the products sold in your shop
• An online invitation for people to visit the shops's opening
• Details about  your location,hours,contact info,products and services,offers and promotions.
• Feedback and reviews from  other customers.

  P.S: Even though your business cannot be open 24*7, your website would be.

2. Through Site Reviews: To be on the top list secure a 4-5 star rating.
3. On E-commerce sites: Sell products on popular sites like Amazon or E-Bay. These Giant market places help businesses sell some or all of products/services because they are benefited from traffic and fame. Customers can click on these virtual stores in E-commerce sites and reach your website.
4. On Social media-: Post exclusive offers on Facebook. You can also create a blog with latest features/newest products.
5. On Forums and other sites- People will call or drop by when you market your product where people are talking about similar products/services.

IMMEDIATE TO DO LIST  FOR YOUR BUSINESS                                                             

1. Create a professional and eye catching website and keep updating it.

• If you just want to start off without spending  too much money,use the paid/free website services with variety of design libraries and inbuilt tools to help you build an eCommerce website online.You must be willing to learn new computer skills.
• If there is no capital shortage but  limited time to devote for your customized website,hire a  website developer.

2. Make sure your brand is known by promoting your site everywhere you can think of to let customers notice your brand.

• Ads in newspaper/ magazines and  direct mails
• Signs on store 
• Company vehicles
• Product boxes
• Containers
• Shopping bags
• Estimates invoices receipts
• Business cards and Email Signatures

3. Utilize Google's products.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1.It's important that your business is found by the right people at the right time.

2.Bringing business online requires making efforts to get it noticed online.

3.Websites,Social media,Forums,Site Reviews and E commerce sites are options to market your business online.

Stepping Foot

Why are you here in the 1st place!!

'Pure accident' ,a 'casual visit' or 'hope for a career',         
May be a friend lead you here or you walked in on your own,
May be you want to sell your brand or be known,
However ,Whatever or  Whosoever  steered you in here..  
Be sure to be thankful!,for You are in the right place to

• Know a little about Digital Marketing 
• Learn more from Digital Marketing     
• Sell the most with Digital Marketing   

I have been thinking of ways to create a crisp Online Marketing tutorial with the right conviction for you guys and I think the best plan would be to introduce the essential know-hows and concepts and then move on to EVERYTHING you need to crack the Adwords and Analytics exams. So Lets’s Get Started!!