Editor’s note: This article was first published in October 2010. Tuenti is described as the social network Spaniards use most, which was true then; Google AdWords has since been renamed Google Ads, and the advice on blogs, directories and widgets reflects online marketing in 2010.
Few companies or businesses give themselves a facelift every so often. As times change, you have to reinvent yourself. It isn’t complicated at all, and we can improve our business and boost its sales in a few very simple steps that are also necessary in order to grow.
We know you already have some loyal customers and others who know you exist. Refreshing your company’s image won’t make you lose your current customers, but it will help you win new ones. In this first part we’ll work on improving your company’s image on the internet.
Increase your internet presence
If you think having a website solves everything, you’re out of touch with reality, because as a rule a website is only visited by people who have already heard of you. Invest time in signing up to business directories in your sector, and create a blog alongside your website, where you post new promotions or some kind of news every week to draw traffic to your site. Any idea for making your company’s website known is welcome, and in the long run you’ll get more visits, which over time translate into more sales.
You can choose to advertise through advertising systems such as Google AdWords, so that every time an internet user searches for the keywords you’ve selected, your site appears in the search results.
Update and improve your website
Update it, and the more often the better. That will help your site’s organic ranking in search engines. Also change your site’s design to a more professional, more innovative one.
If you built your website 5 years ago, its design has probably become outdated. You should aim for anyone who visits your site to see complete professionalism and think it belongs to Microsoft itself, even if you only have a small business in your garage.
Get fully involved in social networks
We’re already clear that social networks are the future of advertising, which is why you need to be there and communicate with your users through them. Facebook and Twitter are a must, and if you’re in Spain, so is Tuenti, since it’s the network Spaniards use most.
Social networks are a magnificent opportunity to reach the youth market and, above all, customers in your line of business. The more users you gain through social networks, the more people will be informed about your company’s offers and changes.
Connect your social networks with your website. Bring both online systems together. Most companies have a website and are present on a social network, but in a personal capacity, not as a company. It’s time to bring the two together. Put a widget or banner on your website so people can easily contact and communicate with you through social networks.
Once you’ve accepted that these steps are essential to make your business more widely known online, let’s move on to improving your company offline.
Further reading
