Promoting your online presence

… so with that in mind having a professional and easily accessible website is the foundation of any great online presence. This includes ensuring that your website and email marketing are compatible with all the latest mobile devices and tablets.

The following are just a few tips for maximum exposure online.

Security on your website should be a priority, customers need to feel safe when asked personal information so there confidence in you as a business needs to be second to none. Reminding them their information is safe by displaying clear policies, security badges, by having secure areas, trust certificates and clearly visible contact information will all help to instill confidence in you.

Having an event to launch your new site will help generate interest, make sure that your web address is on on your print literature, stationary and advertisements.

The use of email campaigns will attract new customers and show existing customers whats new with the company and what you have to offer. Email campaigns can have a high return on investment, and are an excellent marketing tool because its possible to monitor your customers clicks and see what they were interested in.

Creating business profile pages on business listings websites such as Yell.com and sites like Google Places are usually free for the basic listing and will be highlighted in search results.

Joining social networks such as Facebook and Twitter is a good way to network with others and raise awareness of your company. Social networks can be an inexpensive way to keep potential customers up to date with promotions on your Facebook wall or tweeting time limited deals to your followers. (More in depth blog coming soon on this topic)

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) can work wonders when used correctly. Techniques include picking the right key words, making sure every page on your website is search engine friendly, making sure you have a good balance between text and pictures on your website, and that your heading and tags relate to your content.

No matter how good your online presence becomes it is very important to back it up with support from your companies offline presence. Your stationery needs to retain your corperate identity and carry your physical, email and web addresses. Your physical address can also be a good opportunity to promote your online presence. Print advertising is still a good way of promoting offers and discounts and reaching the demographic that has yet to embrace online technology.