Business Start-up Guide to the World Wide Web
If you are entering business for the first time, or starting a new venture, then you have to know about the Internet. The world has changed over the last decade, meaning it is more interactive and full of opportunities.
In this article we will take a look at broadband, and how you can use the power of the web to supercharge your business.
A Note on Broadband
Broadband has revolutionised the way that business is done. You only have to look at online shopping to understand that consumer habits have changed. Compare broadband deals now to those we achieved 10 years ago and frankly there is no comparison.
The average broadband speed in the UK is upwards of 15 Mb per second. In city centres we are seeing averages that double that speed. Fibre-optic broadband is rolling around the UK, having hit around 60% of homes; it offers speeds up to 330 Mb per second.
Residential broadband has improved markedly, and so too has business broadband.
The impact that broadband has had on the way that people search for businesses, source products and find out about reputation should not be understated. If you fail to take heed to the new way of the world then you will fail in business.
Get a Decent Connection
The first thing you should certainly do is get a decent broadband connection. Normally that means taking a business broadband connection that will provide you with a better service than residential broadband. You will get better customer service, longer uptime, better upload speeds, static IP addresses and generally a much better deal.
Think Social
The online world has gone social media mad. You need to think about using Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and other platforms in order to promote your business. It isn’t only about talking these days, it is about listening to.
It’s possible to find out what your prospects are saying about your competitors, and use this information to enhance the effectiveness of your marketing promotions.
You can engage with customers by pushing them content that is related to what they are seeking. Top quality content can go viral, spreading around the social networks and promoting your brand better than just about any other marketing medium.
Ensure that you have a consistent brand across your social platforms, and get your voice right. Don’t be too technical, but ensure that you explain in detail the things that people need to know. Spell out benefits and solutions rather than just features, and you will attract far more customers.
Your Website
Every business these days requires a website. If you don’t have one then you are generally not taken seriously. Getting a website these days is very cheap. You can do your own websites using one of the many tools online or you can hire a freelancer from one of the many online freelancer platforms. Hiring someone in Eastern Europe is certainly going to be cheaper than hiring someone in the UK.
If you have a bigger budget then you can go for a brand company, who can consult with you to ensure that you get what you need out of your website.
You should start by getting together a functional requirements document. This will list out all the things that you want your website to achieve.
Do you want customers to be able to order online?
Do you want customers to be able to contact you through live chat support?
Do you want customers to be able to review your products?
Do you want a video gallery, or online catalogue?
Once you have answered these questions and more, you’ll be ready to start working on your site structure. The structure of your site should contain everything that will make up the skeleton of your online presence.
Your Brand
You should also employ experts to develop your brand image. Don’t go for something too generic, get something that really captures the imagination and ensures that your brand stands out from the crowd.
Your brand should cut across all of your advertising and communication mediums at the fundamental level which should include the colours you use the shape or curves that are featured, and the fonts that are used for different levels of content (H1, H2, banners etc.). With the help of your designers, or outside resources, put together a specifications document for the brand image of your business.
You do of course need to get your stationery, business cards, logo, flyers, brochures and everything else done too. Everything should fit seamlessly together as one package.
When your brand is disjointed it will create confusion in the minds of potential customers. If prospects do not understand who you are through your brand, and are not relating to your company, then they will not buy from you.
Your Online Promotion
Press releases, guest posts, feature articles and many other types of content all impact on your brand online. Take a positive and quality approach to your content marketing and you will see the positive effects. Online promotion does not generate immediate results in most cases; you have to wait for the success to happen, but put in place the right building blocks of a successful promotion strategy, generate an appeal to your brand, and be consistent in your activity, and you will have the success you deserve.
It is well worth assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors before you launch any of the online processes. By doing this you will pick out the best bits, and understand what appeals to customers in the market. You should also do thorough research on your potential customer base, including their wants and needs, demographic profiling, and keyword research. It is only by going through a thorough and analytical process that you will be able to get your brand aligned to where it needs to be now and into the future. Take the effort, spend the money, and awards will come.
