If you have a business, no matter the size, you know that the internet is going to be an important part of your business strategy moving forward. Everyone is on the internet – and if you aren’t, that is the first thing you need to do. If someone doesn’t have even a small presence online, people start to ask questions and get concerned.

Increasingly, people go on the internet to get advice and information about everything that they do – including local services, purchasing products, and hiring people. As the population gets older, people are starting to rely only on the internet for their information – gone are the days when most people don’t have some connection to the online world.

As such, you need to ensure that your online presence is solid and good – or you won’t get very far. Here are some things to focus on as you build your online reputation:

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is what gets you onto Google. When someone looks for whatever your service is – say you are a landscaping company in Tulsa – they will search for specific keywords. There are some keywords that are more common than others. On top of that, your web design and online marketing are important as well.

Search engine optimization is a formula that you need to master (only for it to change again) to get ranked highly on Google’s first page – something everyone else in your industry is competing for and trying to achieve. It can get difficult and hard to stay on top of, but there are some ways to do it. This is especially true if you can get help from a company that will monitor the recent trends for you.

Online Reviews

Online reviews will make or break your company, depending on what you do. There are so many places where people can leave online reviews, including on Google, Facebook, your website, and Yelp, to name a few. These online reviews are the first things that people see – maybe not the actual words that they write, but the number of stars that are given. This can encourage people to look at your company a little more, or it will cause them to keep scrolling onto the next company.

If you can, encourage reviews from clients that will give you good reviews – and limit (or intercept) bad ones. There are many different ways to do this, including by offering incentives for reviews.

Customer Interactions

How do you interact with your customers online? If you have social media profiles, especially a Facebook profile and an Instagram account, your interactions will matter. Make sure that you have someone who will answer thoughtfully, will look over comments to delete the ones that are inappropriate, and will create meaningful engagement. This will only continue to bolster your brand – but it is a very fine line to walk.

If you are trying to go “viral” in order to gain some presence online, you want to ensure that you are doing it in a way that is beneficial to your company.

Advertising

If you want to do some advertising, it is better to do it online as a PPC ad campaign compared to doing it on television or in the newspapers. More people will see your ads this way and they will be able to engage right away compared to calling a phone number or typing in a web address. All they have to do is click and they will be transported to a page that will sell them on your products or services. Of course, all of this has to be done properly and using best practices in order for it to be effective – but it is a great way to start.

Email Marketing Opportunities

Email isn’t dead, despite what some people will say. Your ability to email out special offers, news, or just information that cna help your clients and keep your name in their minds is essential. Email marketing isn’t always easy to master, but when you do, it can be potent.
These are just a few ways that the internet can make or break your business – there are plenty more. We live in a golden age of getting information out about your company, but you do need to ensure that the information you get out is good, high quality, and accurate.