Businesses need more than a website and social media content to succeed online. Green Vine Marketing started out as a service provider building websites, managing SEO and generating content for clients. The challenge was that all businesses today need an integrated plan rather than an a-la-carte program. To effectively build your business online, there are a few important steps you need to take. Read on and get to know the foundational components necessary to succeed.
Get the Tools You Need
First, you need a website with a security certificate and additional backups. A security certificate allows you to integrate WooCommerce or another, similar online selling platform. It means your business has been professionally approved by a trusted third party and vetted to prove that your information is encrypted properly. Backups and added security hardening will also allow you to recover from hacks incredibly quickly. Your information will be much easier to recover and protect from theft.
You also need a compelling brand, including a logo, web design, and collateral, such as business cards. Your clients need to be able to differentiate between your business and that of your close competitors. Choosing the right colors and designs for your icons and banners will help you stand out and be more easily remembered. Also, a business card that showcases your specific appeal and clearly provides your social media handles and website URL will helpfully integrate professional business tactics with digital marketing.
Finally, you need a way to take payments. Whether you choose Paypal or Stripe, you have to find a method of payment that works securely and effectively online. Some businesses are beginning to use options that open up recurring billing payments, such as AfterPay. With this method, your customers can pay in monthly installments for higher-priced products, making them more likely to finalize the sale.
Organize Sales and Inventory
Sales platforms give you a way to add items, adjust pricing, and provide discounts or promotions. The platform you choose will integrate with your chosen payment processor to let you receive money and track it to your sales and items sold.
If you already have a WordPress set up for your business, you may want to use WooCommerce as your platform of choice. It is free to download and supports extensions. Plus, it allows you to easily manage your inventory and optimize search results. However, the learning curve is somewhat steep for new business owners.
Structured data markup is a way to document your products that can be read by Google and entered into Google shop searches. In other words, it is a type of code that will help with your search engine optimization (SEO). Google provides a testing tool that allows you to input your website URL and check the strength of your structured data, so give it a try once your website is fully set up.
Focus on Communications
You need to be accessible to your customers. Make sure that you have email, clickable phone links on your website, mobile-ready shopping, and a social media strategy to effectively convey your brand.
Over half of the potential customers who visit your website will be doing so on their phones. You need to make sure that your website is fully readable and accessible on mobile devices. Plus, having clickable phone links will make sure that calls to your business are simple and efficient. This accessibility will increase client satisfaction and potentially improve your sales.
Seek Professional Assistance
If you want to make the most of your business’s online existence, seek professional guidance. Green Vine’s experienced consultants will improve your marketing strategies so your business can really thrive in the digital world. Talk with us today about setting up a total package that will reposition your new or existing business to become self-sufficient in the online marketplace.
