Get discovered online

The power of the internet means it’s now possible to build a broader and more profitable online audience by carefully applying some specific approaches and techniques. All it takes is confidence and an internet connection.

According to new research, 78 percent of internet users conduct product research online (Source: Hubspot). This has changed the game for the marketing companies relying on outbound marketing approaches, such as email newsletter campaigns, TV advertising and telemarketing. But these (often costly) approaches are becoming less effective day by day. This is because:

• More people are online than ever before.
• More people regularly use the internet to shop and investigate products and services before they decide to buy.
• Most of us have adapted quickly to being online so that internet use has become more sophisticated.
• People are more likely to avoid unwanted online ads by using popup blockers, and email spam filters.

How to get discovered # 1: Make the link

Better links equal better business. Links play a big part in achieving a great search engine ranking. You need to use two types of links:

On page: content on your site that links to other ‘relevant’ areas of the site.

Off page: content on other sites that links to your website.

Both types of links are useful in enhancing your online presence. Ideally you should use as many as possible. While it is relatively easy to place links, you need to avoid over-using links that aren’t working effectively. Use services like Link Diagnosis to monitor your ‘off page’ links and SEO Rank Checker to check your website rankings to see how well each link is working and adapt your link strategy accordingly.

Think of each link as a reference for your website. Each link is like a reference because people relate to a link according to whether it leads to a site they know and trust. This means that the links you use show how valid your site is – so the better the reference, the more trusted it will be.

Make sure that your links are from relevant websites. Think about Wikipedia and the way it allows you to begin on one topic and click to move from one related topic to the next, taking you somewhere different. Keep this approach in mind and apply it to as many relevant websites as possible.

How to get discovered # 2: Spread the Word

Getting your website set up is just the start. Your site is set up to showcase your business and sell the value of your service or product. You have high quality, relevant links. The site shows up high in search engine rankings. The next step is to spread the word.

Blog your way to more business. The best place to start is with your blog. A blog can be defined as an online diary that allows you to reach many people.

Your blog enables you to share any information you want – from thoughts and ideas, to lists of other useful sites and everything in between.

Blogs provide a very fast and very convenient way to diversify your site and enhance search engine optimization. Each post, with individual tags, links, and URL, will actively boost your online presence, with the added advantage of giving new web visitors exactly what they want when they arrive on your site.

Most blog services also have their own ‘hub’, i.e all their blogs are catalogued under one site, with links to and from thousands of blogs on a similar subject. Being linked to the other blogs builds the presence of your own blog and its potential audience.

Before you start blogging there are some key points to keep in mind:

Four things every new blogger should know. The decision you make about what to put in your blog is fundamental to the success of your digital marketing strategy. Focus on the particular area you want to get known for – then blog anything and everything you can on it. As long as it’s relevant to you and your business, every post is a brand new advert and your readership will grow with everyone.

Don’t approach your blog like an advert, but as a way to showcase yourself as a helpful source of useful, relevant information.

Add a list of useful links occasionally to build good mutual links with those people you list.

Post a set of ‘top tips’ once in a while – very useful and very easy to spread via word of mouth. On average, companies that blog enjoy 55 percent more web traffic than those that don’t.

How to get discovered # 3: Be Sociable

Don’t just inform – interact. Getting discovered on the internet is all about information and interaction. You’ve created a source of useful, relevant, well indexed information on your blog. But how do you get people to respond to it?

By being sociable – use the different forms of social media like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Useful content on the web is easy to find – and once found, it will get traced back to you.

Conversation, conversation, conversation. Social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter combine content and conversation. They bring your post together with a potential audience of thousands of people – if not more!

This interaction starts with you. Respond to comments. Answer questions. Offer ideas and tips. This shows you as a friendly business, rather than one simply trying to sell. Once someone does need your service, they’ll already be aware of you as a business they can trust. This is how being sociable can help create an audience which then creates leads and customers.

How to get discovered # 4: Keep Tracking and Adapting

See what’s working – and what’s not. Getting recognized online involves many potential different resources and platforms. So how do you see where new leads are actually coming from and which areas need improving?

Here are a few helpful ways to track and adapt your digital marketing strategy:

Most services offer their own tracking software for monitoring and managing leads while most blog hosts will have figures for visits, clicks, and popular landing pages. Google Analytics provides a valuable breakdown of web visitors and on site behavior.

Sookie Shuen is community manager at Tomorrow People, an inbound marketing consulting firm in the U.K.; www.tomorrow-people.com.