Struggling To Beat Your Competition Online?
The majority of startups will fail. We’re sorry to open this post with that rather bleak summarization, but it’s important that to realize this. Only then will you understand the true challenge that you will be facing when you open a new company. If you’re opening a new business online, the outlook is even grimmer. While you may see the benefits of opening an online company, it’s difficult to ignore just how much competition you’ll be facing online. Many of these companies will be offering the same or similar services and products as you. Some will even have the upper hand and you’ll have to find a way to get customers on board. This isn’t easy, but it is certainly not impossible. There are a few simple aspects of your business that you’ll need to focus on to come out on top.
Establishing Your Website
Think of your business website as the heart of your online business. You need it to be stylish and interesting. It’s got to be somewhere that users online would want to visit frequently. That might be because of how easy it is to use or the information readily available there. Either way, you have to win them over the first time they see your site. You can’t afford to let them slip through your fingers. They might never come back, and at that point you’ve lost a valuable customer.
Of course the first part of establishing your website is making sure that it is set up effectively. You can do this yourself. Or you can get a professional designer to help. Using a web design agency to set up your site has it’s advantages. First, you’ll be able to get everything that you need from the website quickly, without further issues. Second and perhaps more importantly, they will offer you numerous features you might not have considered. For example, a mobile responsive design has become an integral part of shaping a website. Now more than ever customers are accessing websites through their phone. If they access yours, you need to make sure that it still operates effectively.
If you are stylizing and establishing your website, you can use a builder. But make sure that you are hosting your own site. It will give your site a unique domain, and this means customers will be able to find you more easily. You then need to think about how to make it visually interesting. We suggest that you add images and videos to your site. Don’t forget your site has got to be easy to use. If your site is difficult to understand, or worse, difficult to buy from, your customers will go somewhere else. They will try to find a different company offering the same product that has made searching and purchasing easy for them. You can’t afford to make this mistake. You must ensure that the e-commerce software on your website is fast and effective.
Don’t Forget SEO
It’s time to look at the bigger picture and that’s the strength of your SEO campaign. If you’re not sure what SEO is, you might need a little guidance. SEO refers to search engine optimization. In short, it describes a series of methods that make it easier for customers and users to find your business. The more you use SEO, the higher your business will be in the SERPs (search engine ranking position). This is a fundamental part of making your company a success online. It’s a race to see which URL reaches the top of the SERPs and stays there.
There are numerous methods you can improve the ranking of your site. First, you may find that a web design agency offers these options. They’ll ensure that SEO is built into your site when they set it up. They might add keywords or even backlinks. You may also want to consider adding different pieces of content. Adding new content to your site is one of the best ways to boost ranking. But it’s not enough to overload your site with new content. It’s has to be high quality content as well.
Then there is social media. New content is effective at increasing SEO. But you should also try and get it shared across various social media networks. It’s not enough to just copy the links to your feeds either. You’ve got to make sure that you are writing content that’s designed to be shared. It needs to appeal to the target customer and it has to have an impact. You have to make a connection with your audience and your customers.
Customer Interaction
There are numerous ways you can connect with customers online. You can interact with them on Twitter and other social networks. Your social profiles should be updated on a regular basis with fresh information for your customers. You may also want to think about speaking to them directly. Every so often it’s not a bad idea to message a customer or two and get a feel for the reactions they have toward your business. They may want you to add a new feature or service. Or they may be dissatisfied with a particular part of your company model. If you can do this you’ll be able to improve the situation and win back their support. Remember that not all businesses are doing this. Some are still missing the importance of the customer and their opinion. But as far as we’re concerned, the customer is king.
An important facet of this are online reviews. As a business owner, you shouldn’t fear reviews of your company online. In fact, you should encourage them. If they are positive, they could have a significant impact on the demand for your company. Negative, and the outcome won’t be quite as rosy. But you can use their comments to make improvements in your business. You might also consider setting up a survey on your site to find out how you’re doing. Again, this is another way you can get useful and important feedback from customers about your business. Surveys are easy to set up and establish. This could give you the edge over your current competition.
