7 Ways to Increase Your Online Presence

Around 10 years ago, having a website with a few HTML pages was enough to establish an online presence. But things changed with the digital boom and now with over 1.84 websites on the web, marketers are fighting hard to claim the attention of their audience. 

However, an average buyer’s journey has changed dramatically over the past years. From scouring brick-and-mortar locations, they now make purchase decisions based on the brand’s internet presence. In fact, 97% of the consumers check a company’s online presence before deciding to visit them. 

This means that as the competition is growing, it is getting more challenging to draw attention to your brand. Luckily, the internet is a versatile medium and provides limitless opportunities to grow and thrive. And in this guide, we will explore just that. So without further delays, let’s explore the seven effective ways to build your online presence. 

1. Create an Engaging Website

Did you know that 38% of the people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive?

Yes, in today’s competitive age, just having a website is not enough. This is because a website is one of the first places a potential customer goes to research a brand. And if you fail to create a lasting impression, chances are the consumer will take their business elsewhere. 

When creating a website, make sure you go for a user-friendly design. Keep the layout simple so it is easy to load and navigate. Incorporate attractive, but easy to read fonts. And adorn your site with a color palette that compliments with your brand color. 

Above all, make sure your website is accessible on mobile and performs optimally on any mobile device. 

2. Master SEO

Practicing the best practices of SEO is one of the top (and free) ways to land on the first page of Google. When done right, SEO has proven to be more effective than any other marketing gimmick. 

Here are some tips to help you master SEO and increase your online presence:

• Create ‘keyword targeted’ content
• Write unique and value-driven content
• Optimize your site’s loading speed
• Name your images with descriptive file names
• Use internal linking and link one page to another on your site
• Prioritize local SEO

3. Blog Regularly

Blogging is another way to increase online presence and establish authority over the leading subjects. Blogs also give you an opportunity to rank for more keywords, hence increasing your chances of appearing on the first page of search results.

When writing blogs, make sure you keep the audience in mind and write useful, relevant content that will attract your readers. Target question keywords to answer any queries your potential consumer might have and make your blogs interesting to stand out from the crowd. 

Another thing to remember when organizing your content is to add images. The human brain processes visuals a lot faster than text-based content so make sure you are adding tons of pictures to build engagement on your blog. Luckily, there are lots of free resources for finding high-quality stock photos that will allow you to fill in the visual gap in your content without any price tag. 

4. Have a Social Media Presence

With over 4.33 billion social media users around the world, having a presence on the medium is an absolute necessity. In fact, it is the key tool for reaching your audience on the platform they prefer. 

When a potential customer is researching your brand, social media is the first place they will look to see what others are saying about your brand. Personally, if I see a company that doesn’t have a social media presence, I lose trust and become wary about its existence. 

When creating social media accounts for your brand, strive for quality not quantity. This means that you don’t have to make accounts on every social media platform out there. Instead, limit your activity to the networks your audience is using and cultivate your efforts on growing limited platforms. 

5. Be Active Online

If you want to show up online, you have to be active online. This means publishing quality posts regularly, responding to queries and comments, replying to direct messages, sharing content, and lots more. And you have to do it consistently or the audience may lose interest. 

Another mistake that many marketers make when pursuing social media is to come off as a faceless corporation with zero personality. However, in today’s modern age, the customer wants to know the brand at a personal level.

So, humanize your brand. Crack jokes and talk to your followers like you would talk to your friends. Share ‘behind the scenes’ footage and pictures of your office and the work in progress. Be prompt in answering their comments. In simple words, connect with your customers as much as possible to form the much-needed connection. 

6. Mark Your Presence In The Inbox

The benefit of email marketing over other marketing channels is that the recipients have chosen to receive the emails sent by your brand. Inboxes are also less crowded than social media feeds and therefore get more recognition. Plus, 99% of email users check their email every day – with some of us checking as much as 20 times a day!

To grow your list of email subscribers, you need to create content or offer that lures the users into signing up. For example, a free guide, industry report, or a specific percent off first purchase works best in enticing the prospective customer. 

Additionally, you can add a call-to-action (CTA) on your website and social media pages to advertise your email newsletter. With a compelling newsletter, you get the chance to stay at the forefront of the customer’s mind. By remaining in their awareness, you increase your chance of being the brand of choice when the potential consumer decides to convert. 

7. Leverage The Power Of Video

In today’s era, the importance of video marketing cannot be ignored. In fact, there are tons of statistics that prove the significance of the medium for growing online presence and getting more engagement. And if you haven’t yet included video as part of your marketing strategy, you are missing out on a lot of potential ROI. 

Here are some steps you can take to improve your online presence through video:

• Create a YouTube channel and regularly post various videos about your brand. 
• Embed the links to your videos on your website and social media channel.
• Interact with your followers through live streams on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 
• Build connections through the Stories feature available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Linkedin. 

Final Words

The beauty of the internet world is that you can be accessible from multiple places – the places where your leads and consumers are spending most of their time. Having a strong online presence in these places will allow your brand to be more discoverable by new customers, enhance your reputation, increase brand awareness, and build loyalty.

So, try the above tips and ultimately see an increase in your online presence. Good luck!