7 things you can do now to boost your online business

In the last decade, particularly since the pandemic began, internet usage has spiked. From online shopping to social media usage, the demand for online services is at its highest.

But competition is fierce. The toughest part of an online business is getting traffic to your website which results in conversions. With more people searching online, you’ll have a better chance of people landing on your website… But so will your competitors.

So here are some things you can do to immediately boost your online business.

Optimise your Google my Business listing

A Google my Business listing is the best way to optimise a local-targeting strategy. It’s imperative to have it established to improve your Google search rankings. Check your listing is up to date with the correct details, add photos to make it stand out, and encourage your happy customers to submit a Google review.

Get your website looking sharp

Tweaking and updating the website is one of those jobs that business owners often put to the bottom of the priority pile. It’s important to keep your website updated for SEO purposes, but we see so many websites that haven’t been updated for months, or even years! Make sure it’s fully optimised for mobile devices too.

Use Google Analytics to track website visits

Set up Google Analytics to view and analyse important metrics on your website. Things you should analyse include where your website traffic comes from (i.e. social media, Google search, email, etc.), which pages on your website are most visited, and how long people are spending on those pages. If it’s a very short amount of time, it could be due to the webpage being slow to load, or it’s just not providing what your audience is seeking.

Utilise LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for finding targeted leads. Ensure your profile is looking up to scratch, with a clear profile photo, a headline clearly stating what you do, and the about section filled in with your experience, company background and USPs. Make sure your website is prominently displayed throughout your profile, such as in your cover photo and about section.

Search for people who might be interest in your services and build relationships with them. Also connect with others within your industry who offer different services – use the platform to network like you would at a business meeting. For example, if you’re a wedding florist, you may want to connect to venue holders, caterers and travel agents.

Set up a referral scheme

A referral programme is a great way to generate brand awareness and gain new customers. If someone is already a loyal follower of your business, incentivise them to share your brand to their friends. Graze snacks provide £1 for every person referred, and each new person receives a free Graze box. Everyone wins.

Write top-quality blog posts

Relevant blog posts will draw traffic to your website, either through Google search results, your email campaigns or by sharing them on social media. If they’re captivating to your audience, they will click through to your website to read more. So truly consider who your target market are and what they would be interested in reading.

Build reviews

Nothing sells a product or service better than customers saying how good it is. With online reviews influencing 94% of consumer’s purchases, all businesses should be thinking big when it comes to encouraging customers to publicly vouch for them in the form of reviews. If you’re just starting your business, include a polite request in your receipts or sales confirmations to encourage customers to leave a review. Some businesses provide incentives, such as entering customers into a monthly prize draw.

We offer a range of services that help online businesses grow and thrive. For more information, please get in touch.