So you decided to start an online business, figured out the supply and logistics part of it and built a website for it. Now what? The internet is a vast space. How do you get people to visit your site and buy your products or services?
This process requires strategic planning, a keen understanding of your target audience, and effective implementation of time-tested marketing strategies.
Here’s how to get started –
Prioritize Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Whether you’re already running an online business or just starting out, think of SEO as a way to make your online business easy to find in a crowded marketplace. When a potential customer searches for a product or service you offer, you want to appear on the first page of their search results. Here’s how you can do it.
Firstly, make a list of words or phrases (known as ‘keywords’) that people might use to search for your products or services. There are free tools like Google Keyword Planner that can help with this.
Include these keywords naturally in your website content – in your product descriptions, blog posts, and even image captions. For instance, if you sell handmade soaps and “organic handmade soaps” is a keyword, you might have a blog post titled “Why Choose Our Organic Handmade Soaps.”
Optimize your website content with relevant keywords, but remember, “keyword stuffing” can negatively impact SEO. Instead, focus on integrating long-tail keywords in your content that align with customer intent.
Also, take care of your site’s page loading speed – a slow website can drive potential customers away. Additionally, implement schema markup to help search engines understand your content better and boost your visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Woo Customers with Discounts, Coupons and Special Offers
If there’s one thing customers love more than shopping, it’s getting a great deal. Discounts, coupons and special offers are powerful magnets to attract more customers to your online business, whether you’re selling a product or service.
Casinos give away no deposit bonuses for good reason. The same goes for all those “Get 10% off your first purchase” discounts you see online and offline. This is a great strategy to bring in new customers if you are an established brand or a fresh business putting out such offers via targeted advertising on social media or email marketing.
Hosting seasonal sales or flash sales is another great way to create urgency and encourage purchases. For instance, if you run an online clothing store, consider running a “Summer Flash Sale – Flat 50% off for 48 hours only!”
One crucial factor to remember is to ensure your discounts are easy to find and understand. Highlight them on your homepage (whether your site has adequate footfall or not), send out promotional emails, and share them on your social media channels.
Harness the Power of Content Marketing
Content marketing is about creating valuable and relevant content that educates, inspires, and compels potential customers to engage with your brand.
Create shareable infographics, blogs, eBooks, and videos that not only entertain, but also provide value to your audience. The aim isn’t to sell but to educate and provide solutions. Quality content helps you demonstrate your industry expertise and gain your audience’s trust.
Remember the 80-20 rule: 80% of your content should educate, inform, or entertain your audience, and only 20% should directly promote your business.
Leverage Social Media for a Wider Reach
Keep the 80-20 rule in mind for your social media posts too. Every popular online platform has its own unique audience, so consider where your customers are likely to be.
For example, if you run a graphic design business, you might find potential customers on a visually-focused platform like Instagram. Here, you can share images of your designs, offer ‘behind-the-scenes’ insights into your creative process and engage with followers by responding to comments.
Alternatively, LinkedIn could be a great platform if you’re offering professional services. Sharing articles and engaging in discussions about industry trends can help position your business as an industry expert.
If you’re a small bakery, don’t just post pictures of your products. Share baking tips, recipes, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and stories of your happy customers. Encourage your followers to share their baking successes and challenges. This approach fosters engagement, builds a community around your brand, and subtly positions your products as solutions.
Remember, social media is a two-way street. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, and make sure to share content that’s not only about promoting your products but also useful and interesting to your audience.
Consider Influencer Marketing
Partnering with influencers in your niche can provide access to an engaged audience and build brand trust.
Whether it’s through sponsored posts, product reviews, or brand ambassadorships, influencers can enhance your brand’s visibility, credibility, and desirability.
Always remember to thoroughly check the social media profiles of an influencer with whom you want to partner up to ensure that the content they post align with your brand’s image.
Influencer marketing can pay off well, but only when done correctly.
Establish a Robust Email Marketing Strategy
Email marketing is like having a direct line to your potential customers. It allows you to reach out to them personally, right into their inbox. At the same time, it has the advantage of being less intrusive than cold-calling or text messaging your target audience.
To get started, you need a list of email addresses. You can collect these from your website visitors using a simple sign-up form. Offer them something valuable in return for signing up, like a discount on their first purchase or exclusive access to a helpful ebook.
Once you’ve got your list, it’s time to start emailing. But remember, no one likes spam. Aim to provide value in every email. This could be in the form of exclusive discounts, useful information about your products, or sharing helpful tips and advice. For example, if you sell gardening tools, you might share tips for growing vegetables at home.
And finally, make it personal. Tools like MailChimp can help you customize your emails to include the recipient’s name, making your communication more personal and engaging.
Use the Precious Data Available at Your Fingertips
Every action your potential customers take online generates data. This data can provide valuable insights into your customers’ behaviors and preferences, helping you make informed business decisions.
But how do you get hold of this data and interpret it?
You can use tools like Google Analytics, which can track how visitors find your website and what they do once they’re there. If you’re active on social media, platforms like Facebook and Instagram have built-in analytics tools that offer insights into your followers’ demographics, what posts they engage with, and more.
Once you have the data, it’s time for interpretation. For instance, if Google Analytics shows that most of your website visitors come from organic search, you might want to invest more in SEO. If Instagram insights reveal that your followers engage more with videos than images, it’s a cue to create more video content.
Remember, data isn’t just numbers; it’s a goldmine of insights that can help you understand your customers better, refine your marketing strategies, and grow your business. So don’t be overwhelmed by data; embrace it and make it your friend.
Wrapping up
In conclusion, drawing new customers to your online business requires a blend of strategies that engage, inform, and build trust.
By leveraging SEO, social media, content marketing, email marketing, influencer marketing, and data analysis, you can create a customer-centric online presence that drives growth.
