Having a small company doesn’t mean that you can’t compete with bigger businesses; you just need to be aware of the ways to promote your small business online. There are many resources and online tools that you can use to achieve this – including this guide! Covering everything from a basic email signature to mastering the technicalities of SEO, we spoke to marketing expert Javier Bello at UENI who shares his top tips on how to promote your small business online.
1. Using SEO to promote your small business online
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a process through which a website can increase its traffic. Implementing an SEO strategy is a keyway to improve your site’s ranking and better promote your business online. By working on this, you can ensure that your website stands out from the competition with a better position on Google searches. Optimizing your website for SEO can take time. You’ll need to write specific content, edit it, test it, and edit it again. This seems like a long process, but it is part of how to rank higher on Google and the results are worth it.
2. Promoting your small business online through local listing services
Online local business directories can help improve your site’s online visibility. They gather all of your important business details and make it easy for anyone looking for a particular service to contact you. There are tons of local listing services that you can choose from. However, don’t assume that all listings are equally effective. Some can genuinely benefit your business by driving real traffic to your site, but some might not really make a difference. Google My Business, LinkedIn Company Directory, and Yelp are three of the most powerful listing services to look out for. Be sure to register in one that operates in your country.
3. Look more professional and boost your business’s profile with a branded email signature
Having a branded email signature may sound trivial, but you need one if you’re planning on taking your business to the next level. A professional email signature may not promote your business in the traditional sense. However, it will demonstrate that your company is professional and reliable. When a client sees a branded signature, they immediately know that they can trust your services/products. Make sure to only include relevant information about your company in your signature, such as the contact details and a link to your website. Use your brand colours to unify the layout, a clean and polished design will do wonders for your email.
4. Using your social media savvy to promote your small business online
Currently, there are 2.77 billion social media users worldwide and this number shows no sign of slowing down. When it comes to promoting your business, having a social media is a definite must. If you do it right, you’ll be able to reach millions of people at once. Select only the relevant ones that your clients frequent as this will help you connect with them more directly. For example, you could use a Twitter account to showcase your expertise and position your brand as a leader in the field. It all depends on the platforms that best fit your audience.
5. Making the most of email marketing
Email marketing allows you to promote your business by building trust, improving your brand awareness and increasing customer loyalty. As well as communicating information about your brand with customers, you can also use your emails to let them know about any promotions and offers you are currently running. Before you start any emails, you’ll need to build an email subscriber list.
As a small business, this is vital to growing your audience and reaching new markets. There are different ways to capture email data:
– Offer a discount or professional advice in exchange for their email
– Create online surveys through your social media channels
– By adding a signup form on your site
6. Facebook and Instagram Ads
Most people you know probably have a Facebook or Instagram account, or in all likelihood both. These are the two main social media platforms used around the world. According to Facebook, for every five minutes that people spend on their phones, one is spent on Facebook or Instagram. Launching a campaign on Facebook and Instagram will help you boost your sales and increase your followers. Want to save time? Try running the same ad on both platforms.
7. Google Ads
With Google Ads, you can choose to reach a local or even global audience. Just tailor your campaign and let Google do its magic. Running an ad on Google means that people will see it when they’ve actively been searching for services or products like yours. And, with this type of ad, you will only pay for results. This means that you only pay when someone actually clicks on your site or calls your company.
