Key Steps Before Implementing an Online Marketing Plan

You Have a Website; Now How Do You Attract New Clients?

Having a website doesn't do much for your business if no one visits it. Try these initial steps to marketing your website online.

Whether a big corporation or a solo-entrepreneurship, there is likelihood some form of online presence is necessary. And for anyone dealing in business to consumer (B2C) space, a website can even be the business.

So you get a new website build, but what about getting qualified potential customers to it?

The truth is, traffic is the life blood of any business website and not having any can be very harmful to the bottom line.

This is where on-site SEO, off-site SEO, paid efforts, content marketing and social marketing can all work together (and should) for a complete online marketing approach.

What makes one component necessary is often the ability of the business owner to perform it. That can mean hiring marketing professionals, taking the time to attempt it themselves, or having a solid budget for paid methods and experts to navigate them for you.

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Ideally you want it all so all bases are covered. Many businesses have none of these tactics in place, or have them done wrong and as a result are struggling to gain qualified leads and traffic.

This article covers what you need to gain traffic to your website and next week we'll get into more specifics of what to do once these preliminary steps are done.

Do These Three Things Before You Start Marketing

How to add or claim your small business on Google

How does your business appear on a Google Search or in Google Maps? If it is not as good as your competitors it may be because you haven't claimed your business on Google!

This really helps you as you can update your profile, add your opening hours, gather reviews and start getting found.

This video, from Google shows you what you need to do help your small business and your Google rankings.

Still Not Having a Mobile Friendly Website in 2017?

In 2015, Google unveiled a change to the search engine algorithms which is now considered as a ranking signal in a website's mobile presence. For this reason, responsive design is a must.

In other words, a website has to be accessible on a smartphone.

It should contain the following elements: 

• Clear text that does not require zooming
• Enough space for tap targets
• No horizontal scrolling

You probably can recall that viewing a website on your phone some time ago was not a favourable experience at all.

During 2017, the amount of Smartphone users worldwide will exceed 2 billion.

Search Engine Optimisation: Why Small Business Gets SEO Wrong

Like it or loath it, search engine optimisation (SEO) is a necessary part of your online marketing strategy.

Many believe it involves gathering together a list of keywords, sticking them into a website and people will find you.

Sadly it doesn't work like that, which is why so many businesses are getting it wrong.

People also have the view that SEO is incredibly complex and time-consuming. In truth, it's not. 

Granted, it takes a bit of getting your head around it, but the on page stuff is easy to grasp, although you will need a web designer who understands SEO to get all the 'behind the scenes' stuff right. The problem is many can't be bothered to invest the time it takes to get to grips with what needs doing, and that's when it all goes horribly wrong.

So, what are the most common SEO mistakes that small businesses make? 

SEO Tips : Mobile Friendly Websites

For some time now Google has been making recommendations around the mobile experience; so it's really no surprise that it's now becoming a part of their algorithm.

One point we should highlight since writing that article, is that Google has refined its interpretation of 'Mobile Friendly'. Simply being able to use your site on a mobile device (i.e. not using flash etc.), is no longer sufficient; the new algorithm requires that you now either need a dedicated mobile site, or a mobile responsive site in order to gain Google favour.

So what does this actually mean? 

How to Add Your Business to Google Maps

Previously known as Google Places, the Google Maps Function presently belongs to the dashboard of Google My Business, the dashboard of Google to track and manage your digital presence across different platforms of Google with the inclusion of AdWords, Google Analytics, Google+, Google Maps (Google Local).

If you are getting ready to start listing, just remember that in some situations, Google will show businesses from communities around in the Local search results; however, you are just permitted for registering your business in the city or town in which you stay physically.

Claiming or adding your business on Google My Business: