Maintaining an active and engaging online presence is a must for any modern business. With the overwhelming majority of customers heading online to research a product and company before making a purchase, and with the internet being where most of these customers are introduced to products for the very first time, it’s no wonder that the online ad market in the US is valued at over $304 billion as of 2019.
Millions of Canadians are now stuck at home due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and major ISPs are reporting double-digit increases in usage over the last two weeks. The question is, is your business popping up in their searches? If you know the answer is no, then here are a few things to take into consideration going into the rest of 2020.
An active social media presence on The Big Three (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) is a key element to online visibility, and must be included as part of any effort to increase web traffic. It’s on these very platforms that companies are engaging most with their customer base by replying to comments, settling complaints and posting new products, which is a perk that is increasingly being valued by customers across all industries. Social media provides, for better or for worse, a level of access and connectivity between brands and customers that traditional phone channels or websites can’t. Whether it’s a major brand or local business, an active social media presence is the new way companies are connecting to and retaining their base, as well as attracting new customers.
Understanding SEOs and how to leverage it is a make or break when talking about the viability of any company on the internet. Of course, the best time to understand and use SEOs was 10 years ago. The next best time is today. There are lots of free online tutorials and in-depth guides on what SEOs are and how to use them effectively to drive traffic to your business. It could seem a little overwhelming and complex, and there is no lack of marketing agencies offering their services in this regard. But there are some simple things you can do as a business owner to maximize the chances of your website or social media platform popping up on someone’s searches. It really boils down to the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization and can be easily integrated into the contents of any webpage to boost traffic by following a few key guidelines:
• Keyword optimization – Using relevant keywords that people are likely to search for when looking up you, your industry or the product you’re selling.
• Backlinks – Inserting links into your website that link back to your other webpages, social platforms, or other reputable and relevant websites boost your sites visibility on search platforms.
• User friendliness – Things like the speed at which a webpage loads and whether it’s compatible on mobile and desktop affects how likely search engines like Google will recommend your site
Applying the above and maintaining an active presence on social media is essential for any business not wanting to fall through the cracks. If this has been on the backburner for a while, now’s a better time than ever to start taking your company’s online presence seriously and start engaging with the millions of Canadians stuck at home who need to know about you.