Since the rise of the internet, businesses have been forced to grapple with the question of whether they need an online presence, and how to increase their visibility and profits through the internet. Amazon alone generated $178 billion in revenue in 2017, and Google brought in almost $110 billion the same year. But does your particular business need to be online?
Importance of a web presence
With the lure of staggering profits that online companies like Amazon and Google are turning, businesses are increasingly setting up websites. Although not all businesses need to be online, it is increasingly important for large and small companies that serve people in localized areas or around the world to have a web presence.
One of the reasons why a web presence is important is because it’s expected. Many people no longer prioritize in-person shopping or business activities. They appreciate the convenience that comes from browsing selections and comparing prices through their computer at home.
Another reason why a web presence can be essential for local businesses is because their website will confirm hours of operation and contact information. People no longer turn to telephone directories for addresses, and placing phone calls to check business hours isn’t as common as it once was.
When a potential customer wants to find your business, there is a high degree of probability that they will look online for that information. And if they can’t find it, they may take their business elsewhere.
Use reviews to find customers online
Simply setting up a website and making it available online isn’t enough to generate web traffic. In order to profit from your online presence, you need to increase your visibility so that people are aware of your company.
One obvious way to do this is through advertising. This is how Google makes most of their money. Companies pay to promote their website and services so that potential customers will discover what they have to offer.
However, advertising alone isn’t enough to generate long-term business. Online reviews are very important to the success of a company. They can boost sales without incurring the expense of advertising. Research has shown that there’s a clear link between consumer decisions and customer reviews, so the importance of online reviews shouldn’t be underestimated.
Visibility through search engines is a great way to boost business. For example, if you sell books at your business, when a person types “bookstore” into a search engine, you want your bookstore to come up on the list of options. If you sell online as well as from a physical location, then you want to ensure that your store listing comes up on the first page of returns.
For stores that focus on local traffic, your goal should be a first page search result for ‘bookstore’ with the name of the city you’re nearest. You need a quality website that operates efficiently and has great, relevant material on it. But another key strategy for boosting your company’s search returns is through reviews. Not only do reviews impress potential customers with genuine feedback, they also feed into search engine algorithms to improve a website’s ranking.
Due to the potential business impact from customer reviews, one option companies can consider is turning to experts in digital marketing such as Straight Marketing LLC reviews. These types of companies work with businesses of all sizes to help them increase their online visibility, but they don’t simply focus on increasing search returns. They emphasize targeted returns that are intended to reach people who could actually become customers.
A major benefit of hiring a company that specializes in digital marketing is that they understand how online traffic flows and know how to redirect it. Another benefit is that they have the skills in place to help both new businesses and companies that have been online but lacked a sound promotional strategy. These marketing experts help you generate reviews that attract customers and raise your business profile, which helps you expand your reach to other new customers.