Effective Online Presence: SEO and Content Marketing for Small Businesses
by Parul Sharma - July 04, 2024
Parul Sharma, Comms and Strategy expert, at Unlock Impact, talks about a robust digital presence and how it is paramount for small businesses to thrive.
How often have you made a purchase decision based on a Google search? Booked a restaurant table after reading online reviews? Or chosen one product over another because it seemed more authentic online? That is how powerful an online presence is to a business. And, if not controlled well, it can be a deal breaker. So, why then are small businesses still largely ignoring the Internet?
We live in a digital age where laptops, tablets, and smartphones dominate our daily lives. Many businesses are now using this DigiTech to their advantage, connecting with new and existing customers in entirely new ways. But, for small business owners, particularly those just starting, creating an online presence requires exploring unknown terrain and opportunities, like settling a new frontier.
Consider asking some important questions before you think about building your online presence:
What does the company's online presence say about the company?
Are we allocating enough resources towards building and maintaining a strong online presence?
What online strategies are our competitors employing, and how do we measure up?
How can we strengthen and enhance our online presence?
What are the key benefits of having an online presence for my business?
A strong online presence is no longer a luxury but a necessity for small businesses. With most consumers increasingly turning to the internet to search for products and services, it's evident why you need to have an online presence. But, if you’re not online, you're missing a heap of opportunities for your business. If you’re one of those business owners, we’re here to help. The article below discusses the benefits you'll see from building a digital presence for your small business and how to make it work to your advantage. First, let’s learn some basics.
What does an Search Engine Optimisation mean for small businesses?
Ok, so when we say SEO or "online presence" what do we exactly mean? The online presence (or footprint) of your business refers to all the activity and content under your name that is on the internet. This includes your website, social media profiles, local search listings, mobile apps, videos on YouTube, blogs, online advertising, or your e-commerce shop.
The Importance of an Online Presence for Small Businesses
Did you know that there are over 2.1 billion unique online shoppers? From these statistics, it's shown that over 90% of consumers search for local businesses online before making a purchase. This means if you don’t have a digital footprint, you are missing out on a large chunk of potential customers. In today's modern market, businesses need to reach customers where they are. Having a strong online presence can ensure that your business doesn't get left behind. By leveraging social media platforms and search engines, small businesses can target specific demographics ensuring their message reaches the right people. This approach leads to increased visibility, translating into higher sales and enhanced brand recognition.
Since we are now aware of what an online presence means and why one should have it, let’s unlock the potential of incredible benefits a small business can hold in the world of online promotion.
The Benefits of Search Engine Optimisation for Small Businesses
Enhanced Online Visibility and Reach
In the fiercely competitive digital landscape, a strong online presence ensures that your business is visible to potential customers looking for products or services similar to what you offer. But how do you achieve this? Employing tactics of having a website, a page on any of the social media channels, and a blog, provides you with three different opportunities for customers to find you online. These days, a customer's first part of a call is a search on the internet. #BeFound!
Building a Trusted Brand
Any interaction a potential customer has with your brand online is a chance for you to put your business's best foot forward. It allows you an opportunity to build trust and tell people who you are and what you do. The beauty of having a website, blog, and social media accounts enables small businesses to build trust among consumers. Any glowing praise that is publicly available helps build your online presence and even show brand-new customers that you’re a reputable business. Unlike Chondo, the first-ever Bangladeshi Period tracking app, which uses knowledge and technology to help women understand and embrace their bodies while encouraging women to bleed with pride.
Chondo, the first-ever Bangladeshi Period tracking app
Cost-Effective Marketing
Online marketing is a powerful marketing tool that can drive tremendous growth for your business, at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing. It’s a win-win, especially for small businesses with modest marketing budgets. We all appreciate being cost-efficient, don't we?
Hopefully, we haven't sent you into panic mode thinking you need a website, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, and a blog, all at the time of launch! You don't need to have all of these things in one go. We recommend starting with the basics, like a simple website and a LinkedIn page or a YouTube channel, For instance, Pollinate Impact, a member-driven network of impact incubators serving the Global South, is gearing up to launch on Facebook and Instagram as part of their broader communication and marketing strategy for the year, leveraging their extensive reach among impact incubators.
Pollinate Impact, a member-driven network of impact incubators serving the Global South
Customer Engagement
Having an online presence is like having your business open 24x7, working for you, selling for you, and growing your business even when you are not available. It also provides you with an exemplary opportunity to engage with your customers. For example, if someone is searching for a local beauty salon at 10 pm, they can still find you and learn at what time you'll be open tomorrow. Or doing some online shopping while they're trying to stay awake. These factors not only enhance customer engagement but also foster customer loyalty.
Insights and Feedback
We hear from a lot of small businesses that are afraid of having a social media profile because they fear getting customer complaints. However, your customers can still complain online whether you're there or not. But if you're not there, you miss the opportunity to respond, or refine your marketing strategies, improve on a negative customer experience, thank customers for feedback, and generally manage the reputation of your business.
Impact of Search Engine Optimisation on Small Businesses
We know the importance of effective SEO and the difference it can make in driving traffic to your business. Hence, showcasing a few examples would help you visualise the possible impacts of the decisions you make. As niche as the subject looks, SEO makes the most of your online presence and helps you stand out in the search results. An e-commerce website offering an extensive collection of collectable items in the Philippines was able to achieve impressive organic traffic with a tailored SEO strategy since its launch, thanks to our SEO experts. It is one of those businesses that experienced increased visibility and traffic on blog pages, achieved through a combination of on-page and off-page activities. The below image shows the number of blogs worked to date.
Comparision SEO Analysis Report
The Bottom Line
Small businesses can maximise their online presence by implementing effective marketing strategies such as website optimization, social media engagement, email marketing, and content creation. Be present. Be active. Engage. Moreover, by hiring a digital marketing expert, small businesses can streamline operations, enhance productivity, and achieve tremendous success online. With the right combination of strategy, execution, and support, small businesses can establish a solid digital footprint and drive sustainable growth in the ever-evolving digital ecosystem.
The important part is knowing that these opportunities are out there and can help you grow your business through an online presence. The even better part is that we are here to help you with all of this! It's our jam and we'd love to help you! So if you need to design a website, help with a social media strategy, content creation, build your brand or just don't know where to start at all - we're your gals!
Get in touch, say hello, and let's set up a meeting to chat about what you need. Leave your comms to our Ninjas and witness a tangible change!
