When you first think of getting online with your business, what comes to mind? Probably a website. But not all small business owners are sure they are ready for a website just yet. Maybe you're interested in a website, but you haven't quite figured out what you want your website to do yet.
Luckily today there are several ways to have an "online presence" for your business. Not all of them involve a website. In fact, social media and ecommerce platforms can serve as stand-ins for a website until you are ready. Here are some things to consider;
- Growth: An online presence grows your business. According to a survey, 91% of
customers look online for local goods and services. People go online or pull
out their Smartphones when they need information.
- Control: Customer referrals are really important to small businesses but we need ones that are positive. Online reviews and comments make it easy for a few unhappy customers to take over the story. If you don't have control of your business' online presence, it leaves the door open for others to take control.
There are three basic options to get started online: a profile or page on a social network or e-commerce site; and email address using your company's domain name in it; and a website. Eventually you are going to want all three included in your online efforts. But start with at least one of these three options.
Social Networks and E-Commerce
It's hard to believe, but Facebook is just 10 years old and Twitter is eight years old. Yet today over a billion people use these social networks as well as e-commerce sites like Amazon.com and Etsy.com. There are positives to having a business presence on sites like these. For one thing, it's easy to set up a social media profile. There's a built-in base of potential customers. If you decide that your sole online presence will be on a Facebook-type site, you should still buy your own domain name and have it "point" to your social network or e-commerce page. That way, you will have a single "address" on the web no matter which social network you use.
Company-Branded Email
Secure a domain name and start using that name for your email addresses. Ninety percent of consumers feel more comfortable as the customer of a small business with branded email versus those that use @yahoo.com, or @gmail.com, according to one survey. Be sure to set up email addresses for different employees or departments in order to give a professional impression at every level.
Company Website
A website gives you flexibility and control very simple, such as a 1-page flyer or online brochure for your business. The first and most important step is getting your domain name on the Web. Try to come up with a domain name that represents your business name and choose a domain extension that is highly recognized and credible such as .com, .net, or .org. The key is to keep your domain name simple and make it easily found on search engines like Google. There are many companies that offer domain name registrations and can help you build a website that will get your business online. As Disual, we can support you in this regard.