Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
The 4 Main Ingredients for Small Business Online Success
Tuesday, August 03, 2010 by Bryan Anderson
The internet has become an avenue of economic opportunity for
businesses all over the world. The truly fascinating aspect of the
World Wide Web is that any individual can access or penetrate a
target audience. As the world begins to adapt the internet as a
necessity (or even a right), business standard will evolve with all
the opportunities provided by this massive communication arena.
The excitement and opportunity can be overwhelming to small
business and entrepreneurs - with larger companies dominating a
large chunk of online audience, how is it possible to compete
against corporate resources? Yet again, the internet allows any
product, brand, service, or company to have a voice and create its
own reputation among listeners. While corporations build with
strength in resources, small businesses use a more innovative
approach to fortify a stable online presence and maintain a
credible, efficient line of business.
Even with examples of small business success stories online, some
small business owners are hesitant about the investment in online
ventures. Before deciding which social media platform fits your
personality best or which profile picture you want to use, make
sure you have these 4 ingredients before making any small business
online effort:
Audience. This isn't a general audience -
Everyone knows that the internet has millions of users and this
number will only increase with easier access and affordable
hardware. However, is YOUR audience using the internet? Is YOUR
product or service being looked for online? For almost all cases,
this will be a yes - the internet has turned into a "tool for
search," in which search engines and social media have dominated
what content is worth viewing.
Content. Once you've established that an online
market is present, what are you bringing to the table? Internet
users tend to have short attention spans, which is why more than
ever your content needs to be relevant and engaging. No matter how
large or small your market, content is king. Users believe and
trust in genuine online content, not just self-endorsements. An
audience needs an incentive online just like any customer
approaching a street of local restaurants - the outside of the
building doesn't have to look dazzling if the menu is
fantastic.
Web Strategy. The web is a big place - so big
in fact that finding content would be a hassle if it weren't for
search engines. From optimizing a web site to Search Engine
Marketing (SEM), small businesses struggle with understanding the
investment in marketing their content. Because the web is ruled by
search engines defining and ranking content, this is where your
majority audience will reside and this is where you should aim. If
you had to look at it this way, Content is King and Link is Queen.
Without a strong presence around the web (and a site optimized for
your targeted consumer), your audience either won't find you or
won't interact with you.
Patience & Maintenance. Every small
business understands the power of perseverance and patience. As an
entrepreneur, your innovations can help distinguish your company
from the regular scene, but several executions will hit and miss
before you finally find the right marketing avenue for your small
business products. This holds true for online - Google won't
recognize you as the "next best thing" overnight. With a strategic
online plan and powerful, engaging, relevant content, it is only a
matter of time before the mountain ahead seems like a mere speed
bump. Don't be afraid to innovate and renovate as most small
businesses have the ability to change the landscape of internet
business.
Until next time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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