The Internet has a vast, untapped potential for small businesses. How can entrepreneurs tap into that and achieve online success?
Whether you’re creating the next Facebook, a commercial blog or an online store, without the knowledge and understanding of online platforms, your business won’t probably take off the way you wanted it to. No successful online-based business has ever become a sensation to the masses without taking advantage of the digital landscape. Think of Zappos, Amazon or even famous YouTubers; they all did something right.
Here’s how you can walk their path to online success:
Harness the Power of Authenticity
There’s nothing that draws people in quite like authenticity. Cambridge dictionary defines authenticity as “the quality of being real or true.” Aside from being the gold standard for leadership, genuineness makes your online business relatable to an audience.
Zappos, for example, thrived on bringing personalities to life with their customer service instead of customers having to talk to faceless husks. When it comes to online video, food magazine Bon Appétit’s YouTube channel became one of the fastest-growing food channels on the website because of its authentic, down-to-earth chefs with magnetic personalities, like Brad Leone and Claire Saffitz.
Showing potential customers and clients a bit of humanity never hurts, only helps.
Optimize Your Website
Through search engine optimization or SEO, your business’s website can reach more interested people. An SEO company or wherever you are can help tweak and adjust your website’s “searchability” in Google. Imagine owning an online store. Such a company can use strategies involving technical SEO for eCommerce websites, letting more potential customers along your direction. Taking advantage of SEO marketing techniques can help your business be one step ahead of your competitors.
Leverage Social Media
Go where your customers are. Most of them are on social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. These websites help you get one step closer towards customers. They also let you gauge what your customers want, the topics they’re talking about and what they like about your company. There are a lot of advantages to using such platforms to your advantage. You can use the information you can gather here to modify your products or services, or create content that directly caters to what they like.
Effective Customer Service is Key
Customers want companies to be accessible to them in case something’s wrong with their products and services. Having a customer service team that spans across various channels can help your business grow reputation online.
Online stores are more transactional; the lack of visible salespersons guiding you through a purchase makes everything impersonal. Giving customers various channels for customer support lets them contact your company with any means necessary. Not only that, providing them with options, such as self-service or through proactive chat widgets, lets them navigate through their issues with the product or website under their own terms.
Create Compelling Content
Adding a blog for your business can also lead you to success. Content marketing lets you provide help to customers through creating compelling content, such as articles, videos or infographics. They must be engaging, entertaining and understandable enough to be read and shared by potential readers. These content must solve the underlying problems your customers have, and somehow connect it with the product you’re trying to sell online. Such blogs provide customers insight into your company and your products.
Achieving success online requires authenticity, a huge amount of time, a bit of creative thinking and a whole lot of effort on your part. Just like any other business who got there, work hard and smart until you reach your goals.