Monthly Archives: January 2011

If You Build It…Will They Come?

There are so many options out there now days to market your business, with social media being the latest and greatest.  But just because you build a website or create a Facebook or Twitter account, does that mean customers and clients will flock to your site?  Yes, if you do it correctly.  No, if you don’t have all the tools you need to make it succeed.  Below are some tips on some of the most popular types of online marketing today.

1. Creating a website for your business is a no brainer but can come at a high price.  The golden rule is you get what you pay for, for the most part.  Websites can cost thousands and look and work great, but most small businesses just don’t have the money for that.  Try a WordPress site. It’s a blog site that costs little to no money and can be set up to look just like a website…unless they are a “computer guy”, nobody will notice the difference, or won’t care. The one thing you want to make sure you do on your website is to change the content on a regular basis.  Google looks for relevant material and if your website has been the same since 2010, yes I know we are in January 2011, then Google loses interest in your site.  Add video and pictures, a weekly blog, whatever you need to do to keep it from being a stagnant site and you are on your way!
2. Many businesses are building custom Facebook pages using the “Welcome” tab feature.  This is a great tool to make your page look nice and professional but there is no guarantee this feature will bring you new “likes”, customers or business.  Facebook and other developers provide you with many useful tools for your Facebook such as tabs for linking your blog, twitter feed, and YouTube account.  The bottom line with getting more “likes” on Facebook is to provide good content on your page by giving a healthy combination of useful information for the industry, promoting your business, and engaging your fans.
3. Be everywhere you can be!  If you only have a website and a Facebook page, then guess where Google will find you?  Great, you say? If Google can only reach out to 2 places to find your business, where do you think you will rank?  However, if Google reaches out and finds your business in 20 different locations on the web because you are utilizing social media to it’s maximum potential, now where do you think Google will rank you?  Exactly!

The moral to the story is this…Just because your website or Facebook page looks pretty, doesn’t mean anything.  How does that business communicate with me? Do they care that I am a customer? How do they treat me? Are they just one commercial after another? Do they really want my business or am I just another “like” to them? What have they done for me lately?