How To Weave a Strong Web Presence
By Karla Zientowski of B. Sheppard Consulting
Today’s business world is all about you. Or from a customer’s perspective– all about I. Everywhere consumers look they are bombarded with products or gadgets designed to cater to their unique set of wants and needs. Heading up this list of customized products and services are the iPhone, iPod, iGoogle, YouTube, etc.
With the widespread availability of the internet, today’s consumer has the business and commercial world at his or her fingertips. It is no longer about the consumer finding you, as it was in the days when Yellow Pages reigned; it is now about you, as a business owner, reaching out to the consumer. Short on time and often patience, many consumers turn to the web first thing when researching a product or service, making it essential that your business have a strong web presence. A strong web presence starts with a strong website. There are three components to creating a successful website and web presence.
1. User-friendly site – Because consumers are short on time, they want quality information quickly. In order to deliver this, a website should have several key components. First the site should be clear and concise in its presentation. An effective internet site presents the brand in an appropriate and relevant tone, along with supplemental information and images that support the brand and its voice. Websites should be easy to navigate and the ability to print documents or forms on the website is absolutely essential. Consumers often like to have hard copies of information they view on the web. Also be sure to incorporate an outlet for consumers to contact your business on the site as well, as that is the first step to establishing a potential relationship with the consumer.
2. Fresh Information – One of the largest turn-offs to consumers is that of stale or outdated information on a company’s website. If you have information, news or promotions dated from months or years past without any new or recent content, it could affect your company’s credibility. Your website is your window to the world and consumers will use it as a benchmark when judging the credibility of your company. Outdated or old content suggests that you do not have the capability or simply do not care to properly manage your website. A blog is a great way to post fresh content and news on your site. Consistent blogging not only demonstrates that you are up to date on the latest trends concerning your industry but it can also boost your rankings in search results. Refreshing the copy on your website is another way to ensure that your site is not static.
3. Generating Publicity – Once you have established a strong website, it is important to generate publicity in order to drive traffic to your website. One of the best ways to generate traffic is through the use of social media. Creating a Facebook page or Twitter account will help promote your company to a wide and diverse audience. Either of these sites can be used to spread the word about your brand and attract consumers that may not be reached through traditional advertising methods. In addition to social media, distributing press releases announcing news or accomplishments concerning your company can generate publicity for your company. You can write the releases in-house and distribute on the web for a minimal cost via online distribution services such as prweb.com. Your releases will not only receive exposure to thousands of web viewers, but you will receive a report that tracks just how many web users viewed the release.
However, before you embark on the above you need to begin with a marketing plan, not just for web, but for your entire company. Developing a plan, along with written goals, objectives, action items and a realistic budget are essential precursors to creating a strong web presence.
Founded in 1999, B. Sheppard Consulting specializes in residential real-estate marketing and advertising and delivers a multi-dimensional consulting service to residential builders and developers across the Southeast. B. Sheppard Consulting is based in Atlanta.
