What you don’t know about… Online Presence 🖥️

Pretend you own a store. 

And your business runs from that store. 

After you get a space, you put your name on the door, and then you go work from home.

It seems like a huge waste of resources, right?

If you’re not actively managing your online presence, you’re doing just that.

I learned this recently from Michael Morse, a sales team manager at RevLocal, when he pointed out the difference between “being present online and being found online”. 

Which one of these matters to you? Your digital presence, like a physical store, needs to be maintained, managed, and presented well.

To do that, know these two facts.

It is more than one thing

It is not enough to work “only on updating your website or only focusing on social media”. 

Why not? 

Because “online marketing today is so much more”. 

Google is not going to trust your business just because you say so. 

“There are anywhere from 50 to 60 different search engines depending on the industry that Google will look at to determine if this business is one of the top options for customers.“

Make sure Google and any other platform know you’re worth it.

It doesn’t end

Once you create a business profile, don’t just let it sit there “expecting the Google Map section or Local Search to decide to show customers that you are an option in your area.”

In two months and six months after that, Google wants proof that you’re still in business.

Which shouldn’t be too hard, because your business is always changing. 

“This means that business hours need to be updated, pictures on Google need to be updated, and customers need to be leaving reviews monthly about the business.”

How do you behave online?

Chances are that your first contact with any business these days is online. 

The same is true for your clients. You’ll make your first impression online, and it’s not always your website:

“A business’ front door and first impression are online first for most consumers. That means customers will read reviews about your business, they will look at your social media, and they will use Google for driving directions to get to you. All of this typically happens before they even visit your website and sometimes, they never visit the website. “

Make it a great first impression. 

What next

What first impression do you want to make? Let’s talk about how you want to be known by customers and prospects, and once you have that description, make it your online presence.