The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted virtually everyone’s lives and businesses. Times are uncertain. While daily life is starting to feel like it’s regaining some normalcy, many business owners currently have a lot of time on their hands due to decreased pace.
One of the best things you can do right now is to look for ways you can improve your online presence. It is a convenient time for a new strategy and online growth.
With so many people still limiting person-to-person contact, take an honest look at your digital presence. Make sure it’s as productive and powerful as possible. Review your website and digital marketing strategy and find ways it can be elevated.
Once businesses start to pick back up, you can be comfortable and confident, knowing that your digital footprint is strong. Your actions now will undoubtedly affect your business once normalcy is regained.
1. Scope out your competition
The first way to improve your online presence starts by seeing what your competition is doing. A huge part of running a successful business is knowing who your competitors are, what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it.
Most businesses have an online presence, so keeping tabs on their activities has never been easier. Through your research, here are a few things to take note of:
- Products or services
- Overall marketing strategy and tactics
- Pricing
- Branding and design
- Content
You can then use this information to be strategic about your marketing and pricing and take advantage of the deficiencies you see in your competition. Where they seem to lack is how you can differentiate your business.
2. Create new and fresh content
If you haven’t taken the time to develop content for social media, your blog, or email newsletters, here’s your chance.
Take some time to create a content strategy for your business or enhance what you have planned.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when creating new content. If you aren’t sure what you should focus on, ask yourself if it meets the criterion of any of the questions below.
- Does it build brand awareness?
- Does it establish my expertise?
- Does it help deepen my relationship with my clients?
- Does it drive traffic to my website?
- Does it introduce a new product or service?
3. Update your website
How many times have you looked at your website and thought, “We should update that.”? Now is the time to make sure that your website’s elements are precisely how you want them to represent your brand truly.
While digital products and trends come and go, nothing will ever change the importance of your website. Your website is the constant face of your brand in this digital world and should be updated frequently.
Let customers know about any changes to your business due to COVID-19 in the form of a popup, banner, or blog post.
Take a discerning look at your website and ensure that it is memorable, modern, and connects with your audience. Freshening up headlines, content, and other visual elements will breathe life into your website and do wonders for your online presence.
4. Spend some time with Google
Over 99,000 Google searches are submitted every second, meaning having a strong search presence is vital for your brand.
Search engine optimization will ensure that your website is:
- Valuable and relevant for your audience
- Delivering a positive user experience
- Growing organic traffic
- Leveraging existing traffic
By investing in quality SEO efforts, you will ultimately lower your advertising costs.
Think ahead and remember that this pandemic will not last forever. By staying focused on optimizing your SEO and working through this period of uncertainty, you will be prepared for more favorable results.
5. Check your online listings throughout the internet
If you’ve had a website for a while, you’ve likely had your business listed in major online directories such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp.
While the major directories are crucial, don’t underestimate some less popular directories, many of which might be specific to your industry. Listing your business in as many online directories as possible can help strengthen your digital presence and visibility and provide additional links to your website, which will help improve your SEO.
The best way to go about seeing which directories are most relevant to your industry is by doing a simple Google search for industry-relevant search terms. The first directories that come up in the organic results are going to be essential for your business to list with.
Take the time to check your online listings and ensure your information is accurate and stands out from competitors on the search results page. This means going beyond just listing your company name, address, and phone number.
DURING & POST-COVID-19, WE’RE HERE FOR YOU!
Life and business may feel unstable, but business owners must continue pushing forward to ensure their company’s survival and success.
Now is not the time to step back from digital marketing efforts. People are fully engaged and immersed in their devices. Take this opportunity to lead your business through this crisis and connect with your customers.
Here at Vibrandt Websites, we are here to alleviate some of your stress so that you can focus on your business’s other development areas. Whether it’s a website redesign, SEO management, or content creation, let us be your digital partner.
While COVID-19 has likely brought you some worries about your business, connect with us today to schedule a call to feel confident and well-positioned for growth post-pandemic.
