If you are not using any of the social media platforms, then it is time to think about developing one. Some of the most popular for business include:
They are all popular for bringing traffic to your website, marketing your brand, helping you to listen to and learn from your customers.
Future blogs will look at each of these platforms and the potential they provide for your organisation.
social media icons
Tip number 2, don’t forget the images talked about the importance of including images on your website. Marketing site Hubspot has recently blogged about the importance of using images recognised by Google. I have added it here as there is some important information to keep in mind when including images on sites and in posts.
Images need to be recognised by Google
Still focussing on the web, today on LinkedIn. Are you on LinkedIn? Do you need to be?
LinkedIn describes itself as …. the world’s largest professional network with over 120 million members and growing rapidly. LinkedIn connects you to your trusted contacts and helps you exchange knowledge, ideas, and opportunities with a broader network of professionals.
You can join put up your own profile on LinkedIn or you can develop a page for your company.
One of the advantages of LinkedIn is that it comes high on google searches. So if someone googles you, they are more likely to see your linked in profile than something that you have since regretted on Facebook!
Individuals and organisations use LinkedIn to find career opportunities, new clients and to build professional reputations. LinkedIn can connect you to jobs, sales leads and business contracts.
A word of warning – LinkedIn is only to your advantage if you have a decent profile. Spend time on it, make it engaging, ensure that it is accurate and get a good photo!
If you have a website (or other online presence) you need to know if people are visiting your site, how long they stay there and which pages they visit. If you don’t already have a system to capture that information, you need Google Analytics.
According to their site, Google Analytics not only lets you measure sales and conversions, but also gives you fresh insights into how visitors use your site, how they arrived on your site, and how you can keep them coming back.
It’s free and if you don’t already have it or something like it you are missing out on important business information. Equally, if you have Google Analytics, but rarely take the time to study your results, you are missing out on opportunities to learn something about your operations and/or improve them.
This tip came because I don’t use letterhead very often and realised today that my letterhead is missing information and needs to be updated.
Is everything on your letterhead correct?
Does it need to include ABN, ACN – if so does it?
Does it include your web address?
Does it include your social media sites?
If so, is the information complete? (This is where mine fell down)
Does your letterhead reflect your branding?
Does it say something about who you are and what you do?
Does it include your logo?
Tip #3 Get a website
The last two tips assume that you have a website. Do you? If not, it is very worthwhile thinking about getting one. The days of looking up organisations and businesses in the Yellow Pages are over! In many cases, before doing business with you, potential clients and customers want to know about what you do, who you are and what you stand for. And much of the time they expect to get this from a website.
It doesn’t have to be flash and expensive and these days you can get free templates to build your own. Weebly is one great example.
For Tip #2 of our year’s tips to get yourself noticed and to be seen as an authority is still within your website.
A much used marketing phrase is Content is King. And that is right content needs to be compelling and relevant to the reader. But you also need images. Good quality, nice sized images to keep your audience interested in your page. A page full of text will turn many people off.
So, have another look at your website and make sure that there is colour and movement (probably in the form of lovely pictures).
Not for everyone's website! But she is eye-catching.