In today’s world, an online presence isn’t a should – it’s a must.
In Shoobie Media terms, an online presence is everything from having a great website to an engaging social media presence to showing up in Google searches. In short, having a kick-butt online presence is what we’re all about.
Here are our top 5 reasons why YOUR company needs an online presence:
1 – Create + Maintain Great Relationships
Your online presence should be an extension of your offline presence. You know that great customer service and unique service offering you provide to your clients? It all needs to translate seamlessly. Your loyal customers don’t want to find incorrect information online or have difficulty navigating a website that wasn’t optimized for mobile users.
Your online presence is also a great opportunity to engage with your current clients, as well as build relationships with new visitors. There are many ways for companies to do this – depending on your unique goals and mission – such as writing interesting blog articles, hosting Twitter chats or Facebook AMA’s (Ask-Me-Anything interviews), or sending emails with relevant sales or company information. At the end of the day, your company’s success isn’t about that one-time sale. Instead, it hinges on those cultivated relationships you’ve built with your customers over time.
2- Reach + Engage New Markets
If you’re not online, how do you expect your customers to find you? Word-of-mouth is amazing, and referrals are wonderful, but the reality is that 50% of all web searches are conduced in hopes of finding local results. And even more importantly, 61% of those searches result in a purchase/action.*
So we ask you again: if you don’t have an online presence, how do you expect to reach new customers?
The first step is having a website – it must be modern, easy to navigate, and optimized for mobile users. Next is ensuring that your website utilizes Search Engine Optimization best practices, so that the customers who are looking for you will actually find you. Once you’ve established your unique online presence, you can then start to incorporate social media strategies and digital marketing tools, such as email communications and online advertising.
3- Always “Open” to Provide Useful and Relevant Information
One of the greatest benefits of having an online presence is the ability for your company to always be “open” to customers. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to have e-commerce or 24-hour chat options. Instead, this simply means that your customers can find the information they need, whether its your location and brick-and-mortar opening hours or your prices and service options. It’s the little things like having relevant, accurate information online that goes a long way.
4- Build Credibility and Brand Image
Like we said before, your online presence is your opportunity to expand upon the great services you provide for your clients or customers. It’s an opportunity to dive a little deeper into your mission, your products, or your background. This is especially true when it comes to social media – there are so many tools and platforms available to build your brand’s image and personality. It’s your chance to not just tell your story, but engage your customers with your brand in a whole new way.
5- Increase Ranking + Drive Local Traffic
The quality of your website and your overall online presence has a direct effect on your company’s visibility online. If your competitors are ranking higher than you, it could have a significant impact on your company’s success and growth, as potential customers are driven towards other businesses. This is why it is imperative that your website is set up with SEO best practices and is optimized for mobile users. Simple solutions like these can become key factors in how Google and other search engines rank your company.
These components become even more important with local businesses. Utilizing tools such as Google My Business, Facebook Places, review sites, and local directories may be the difference between your customers walking in your door or finding your competitors instead.
All in all, having an online presence is key to the success of modern-day businesses. And while these 5 reasons are at the top of our list, there are countless others why having an online presence isn’t just a should – it’s a must.
To learn more about our services and how we can help you harness the power of your online presence, you can click here or shoot us an email at hello@shoobiemedia.com!
*Source: Search Engine Watch