Around 30.7 million small businesses are registered in the U.S. However, over 42 percent of this number fails because of a lack of demand in the market.
As the COVID-19 pandemic struck across the country, with shelter-in-place orders and lockdowns implemented by government and health authorities on every border, more than 60 percent of small businesses were forced to close.
Because of this, consumer trends have drastically changed as well. In the past months, there has been an increasing rise in e-commerce. Even with businesses from various sectors reopening and the vaccination rollouts, the e-commerce market is expected to stay strong in the foreseeable future.
As a result of this rising trend, countless small businesses are scrambling to embrace digital technology to survive. Nonetheless, there are still companies from the small business sector struggling to transition their business online.
It is not that they do not want to adapt to change, but they have no idea where to start.
The Current Business Landscape
People nowadays expect to see you online. If you do not put your business out there in the digital market, you would be losing the opportunity to boost your customer base and earn more money.
Whatever industry you are in, having a digital presence is not just about selling your service or product online. Still, it is also about expanding your business and engaging more audiences.
The Value of Boosting Your Digital Presence
There are several reasons why increasing your business’s digital presence is extremely crucial in today’s saturated e-commerce market.
Establish Authority
Using your digital presence effectively, whether through an e-commerce platform, a website, social media, or any combination of the aforementioned, can make your business an authority in your industry.
With just a few simple clicks, you can showcase your products or services to the world and why yours is better than other competitors.
Boost Brand Awareness
Brick-and-mortar stores are open just 8 to 12 hours per day. Most often, they are closed on Saturdays or Sundays. Considering this, your business is actually missing out on tons of opportunities to sell products or services and supply information to customers and potential ones.
Putting your business online offers an avenue to plug your business 24/7, even overcoming distance barriers.
Accessibility for Customers
Though depending on what they want to purchase, most customers still prefer to shop in person. The internet makes it more convenient for people to search for products or services online, find the best store nearby, and learn more information such as hours of operation and directions to the business.
Strong Customer Service
Businesses nowadays are not just keen on earning more money but also on relating more to their audience.
A strong online presence allows your customers and potential ones to interact with you on a more personal level, thus making your business more “human” and relatable.
Plus, it gives you additional insight into your customers’ persona, and you can use this feedback as leverage for your business success.
Ways to Boost Your Digital Presence in 2021
Utilize Social Media Platforms
Almost half the world’s population today are social media users.
With the outbreak of the coronavirus, the number of hours spent by users increased since people are looking for ways to entertain themselves amidst lockdowns.
By banking on this, you can increase your digital presence by using different social media outlets.
Most businesses now have Facebook profiles. However, other social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, are way better avenues to market your products or services online. Most consumers, particularly younger ones, are more active on these sites.
Press Release Campaigns
A good press release is another way of increasing market reach.
But we are not talking about traditional methods of issuing press releases, such as utilizing newspapers, magazines, television, and radio stations. These are not as effective as they were 10 years ago. Audiences these days are now more reliant on the internet for information.
An ad agency could help you widen your digital presence and market reach in a more cost-efficient manner than relying on traditional press releases. With their eye-catching posters and video snippets, sure enough, you can catch your audiences’ attention.
By Website Optimization
Web optimization is another good way to extend your business’s digital presence for several reasons — it increases traffic, it’s an economical marketing strategy, and it increases brand awareness.
Unfortunately, a surprising number of small businesses do not have a website. Common reasons include a lack of resources or skill. Since modern consumers are more reliant on search engines for looking up products or services online, having no website is a major oversight for business owners.
Social media platforms are great outlets to increase digital presence, but you have less control over technical aspects since algorithms change over time.
All things considered, the bottom line is: the increased digital presence of your business is essential to survive not just this pandemic but the ever-changing tide of marketing trends. As an entrepreneur, you ought to be hospitable change.
Meta title: Boosting Your Digital Presence in 2021
Meta desc: E-commerce has become more competitive than ever. Learn how you can boost your business’s digital presence this year.
