Below is less of a how-to guide and more of a prioritized checklist. There are already fantastic articles on the internet on how to create listings and pages with the tools below. We we aren't going to re-create the wheel. Instead, we want to cut through all the clutter and make sure you spend your time focusing only on what will deliver the most bang for your buck.
Is your business already online? Use this as a refresher to make sure you didn't miss anything and fill in any of the gaps to improve your presence online.
Is your business already online? Use this as a refresher to make sure you didn't miss anything and fill in any of the gaps to improve your presence online.
*Enjoy and please provide feedback using our feedback widget on the right hand side (free tool btw) if you see anything you like, dislike, or an awful typo!
The Shrewd Guide To Your Online Presence
Step 1: Create Your 'Google My Business' ListingIn 2018, I believe this to be THE most important step to beginning your online presence. This literally puts you on the map. Google has a 70%+ market share on search, so if you want your business to be on the map when users search "restaurants near me" you must create/claim/optimize your business listing with Google.
To get started, you can either claim an existing listing you see when you search for your business, or if you don't see any, create one here. It's important to fill out this listing with relevant photo's, business information, and any other information you want to get across to potential customers as this may be their first impression of you. |
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Step 2: Create Your Facebook Business PageNow that people can find you on a map, time to let them find you where they are - on social media. There are many social platforms that might fit your niche more closely like Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. None of these, however, have the reach that Facebook has. All your potential customers that use these niche social sites also use Facebook. Use this as your starting point to create your business' social presence. You can use Facebook to engage with your current and potential customers.
Go to your personal Facebook and in the menu, click "Create Page" to get started. ***B2B? Check out LinkedIn instead*** |
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Step 3: Create Your WebsiteYou may have wondered why this wasn't step 1. People spend most of their time online in social media (Facebook being king) or searching for what they need. With the power Facebook and Google have, your brand new website comes second to making sure you can be found on where users already are. Once your online presence builds, your website will eventually become more important, but off the bat, hold off on this step till you have Steps 1 and 2 done.
I only recommend utilizing one of two website platforms for your business. Weebly - Weebly is the KODAK of website platforms. Very intuitive, gets the job done for most uses, but doesn't allow you to get as technical or custom as my other recommendation. Use Weebly to build and manage your website if you fall into one of these categories:
*If you really feel all you'll need is a bare bones webpage that is mostly a single page site speaking to your business, you can also try the website builder within Google My Business if you're really trying to keep it simple. |
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Step 4: Install Google Analytics On Your WebsiteIn my shrewd opinion, there is hardly any point in having a website if you're not going to understand how people are using it. Google Analytics is completely free and will give you great data on how people are using your site, what pages their visiting, how long their staying, actions taken, and where they're coming from. With a little self training, Google Analytics will become your friend and home base for answering that question, "How am is my business doing online?"
Check out my blog on the proper settings you need to have your Google Analytics primed to give you actionable insights. |
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Step 5: Determine Your SEO StrategyThe good news is the days of keyword stuffing your page and buying spammy links for critical "SEO Juice" are near over. Your best chance for long term success is creating great content on your website about your products and services. Having an understanding of what people are searching for can help you focus on what you'll spend your time building content for. Here is a great tool from Moz to help understand what people are searching for. If you're a local business, you'll want to pay attention to these four pillars of Local SEO:
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Step 6: Advertise With CautionOnce you've firmly established your online presence, it's time to start advertising to get people to notice you. If you're on a tight budget, you must be careful and diligent about how and where you advertise online. There are too many places to waste valuable dollars with misleading stats that make you think you're getting quality traffic. Take a hard look at where your audience lives online, how they discover products and services like you, and what your value proposition is to these potential customers.
Check out my blog on evaluating where you should start your online advertising based on your business. |
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Step 7: Grow With What's WorkingUnless you're a venture backed business, the best strategy for long term growth is to grow slow at a pace you can keep up with, and your digital presence is no different. Understand how your customers are interacting with you online. Iterate and test what's doing well, and what isn't. If you've reached the point where you're ready to have an expert help you, find someone with the heart of a teacher that will truly understand your business needs and offer meaningful solutions to help you take your business to the next step. Digital consultants are no different than other professions. Some will just try to sell you what they know, the good ones will advise on what they feel is truly in your best interest.
If you're interested in understanding your digital presence or strategy better, contact me today for a Free 30-minute consultation. |
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