Did you know that 97% of users will search online to find a business or service they need? The internet is a powerful tool for your business; it’s not just for personal use anymore. You can use the internet to grow your company, market your products or services, and connect with new customers in ways you never thought possible before.
However, getting started online can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. With this blog post, we’ll outline some clear ways to create an online presence for your business, as well as ways to avoid common mistakes along the way.
Brainstorm Your Purpose
Before doing anything, you want to figure out the purpose of getting your business online. Is it to help people find your product or service? Is it for branding purposes, or are you trying to sell something on your website? Whatever the goal is for getting online in the first place, this will dictate what type of features and content needs to be included on your site.
Second, think about your ideal customers. Where do they hang out? What do they like to do? How does your product or service solve their problems? Once you have an idea of these things, it will be much easier to choose the right features for your website to attract the appropriate customers.
6 Steps to take your Business Online and Mistakes to Avoid
Many business owners make mistakes in their path to go online. That is why, it is important to identify potential issues first by avoiding common mistakes that most entrepreneurs make.
Purchase Your Domain Name
In order to get your business online, you’ll need a domain name. A domain is the website address that people type into their browser to access your site. For example, if you own the “Daily Deals” company and want your company URL to point to dailydeals.com, you’ll need to purchase this exact domain name. Your domain name must be unique and brandable. The domain name is the face of the company – in the form of a URL. Therefore, it should sounds like a brand.
There are many places where you can purchase domains from. The cost varies depending on what type of extension (.com vs. .us vs. etc.) as well as how long they are registered for (one year vs. ten years). It is always recommended to choose a .com domain name. According to research from Domain Name Stat, 35% of all domains have the “.com” extension.
The dot-com domains are the most familiar and easy to remember that is why many users will automatically type “.com” at the end of the domain when they are looking for a website. E.g. google.com, business.com, amazon.com
DON’T: Don’t make your domain name something completely different from your business’s name. This can confuse or deter customers. Don’t use dashes, dots, abbreviations or numbers in your business domain name and keep it short.
Find The Right Hosting Provider
After you have chosen your domain name, it’s time to choose your hosting provider. Hosting is the place where your website’s files live on a server that you pay for monthly or yearly in order to have access to them through the internet.
Many hosting providers offer packages that work for most small businesses. They provide the space on their servers, as well as helping you install an operating system and web-based software like WordPress or Drupal. Some of the best hosts include Bluehost, HostGator, GoDaddy, SiteGround, and more.
DON’T: Don’t commit to a hosting plan without checking out the current features and pricing of each one.
Choose Your Website Design
Your website design is the most crucial part of your site. When someone visits a website, they’ll only spend around 20 seconds on it before deciding to stay or leave (unless you have some kind of pop-up). Therefore, your website design needs to be visually appealing, and it should match what your brand or message is trying to convey.
There are many different ways you can go about designing a site; most hosting providers have templates that come with the package they offer at an additional cost (though these tend to be pretty basic). For something more custom, there are web design agencies who will build out a site for you from scratch to completion. You might also consider hiring someone on Upwork or Fiverr if this option works better for your budget.
DON’T: Don’t feel like you have to create your website by yourself. Let professional designers or developers help you make the best online presence for your business.
Pick Your Websites Keywords
Keyword research is essential when building any kind of online presence because search engines want to find exactly what people are looking for when they search for it. Keywords are the terms people type into Google to find you. By choosing keywords that relate to what your company offers and including them in the content on your site, you’re making it easier for people to find you.
In addition to using words related or relevant to what your business offers, be sure not to use any common words like “the” or “and.” Targeting long-tail key phrases is an excellent way of getting found because those specific types of searches usually result in a handful of results.
DON’T: Don’t forget that SEO, or search engine optimization, plays a significant role in how your content is ranked. Understanding what keywords are worth your time is essential to create a successful, high-ranking online presence.
Create Compelling Content
If you want to keep your visitors on your site for a more extended period, the content must be compelling. This means they need an experience where they feel like their questions have been answered or have received value from your posts.
This can be accomplished by providing helpful articles about things people are looking for (like “How To Get Your Product Online” or “Marketing Tips for Technology Companies“). Providing these types of resources and information without asking a reader for anything in return will lead to more traffic and better conversion rates too!
DON’T: Don’t feel obligated to post all of the time. It’s better to create valuable, well-researched long-form posts than a bunch of useless, off-topic short-form blogs.
Encourage Sharing on Social Media Platforms With Built-In Share Buttons
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter allow users to share any post with one click, making it a great way to increase the reach of your content. In addition, most social media platforms have built-in share buttons that you can add for free by going into the settings section on your site and adding what they call “share widgets.”
These are simple lines of code or embed codes that will be placed on your website to make these features possible. So when someone sees something interesting on your website, all they need to do is click a button to share it with friends, family members, followers instantly. This not only increases traffic but also builds connections between brands and customers too!
DON’T: Don’t spam your customers and repeatedly ask them to share your content on social media.
Get Started With Your Online Presence For Your Business Today
Creating an online presence for your business can seem challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. By following the steps we’ve listed above, you’ll find that it’s easy to get started with your online presence even if you have little to no experience today!