How Your Target Audience Converts Followers into Customers

Having a vast number of followers on social media does not always mean that a business has an equal – or even close to equal number of sales. It may be that people enjoy the brand, love the content posted but do not know, or feel like making the jump towards becoming a customer. It can be hard work to translate the number of followers you have into sales. Check out our guide to converting followers into customers.

What is Target Audience?

Check your target audience is on point. This is a crucial step that many small businesses miss when they are setting out. They think that because they have new followers arriving on their socials every day that it equates to success. It is an excellent start but does not mean that they will be buying from you.

Your target audience is everyone that you believe will buy your product. These should be the same people that you target your brand to. The same as well as the people that you target your advertising, marketing and content creation towards. If all these people are the same – chances are you will be making plenty of sales.

Make the Translation

It may be that you selected a target audience for your product, but it translated incorrectly when you reached out for followers. 

Let’s see an example to make it clear what we are discussing here;

1. Your Product and Target Audience

Imagine you sell trendy home décor. It is aimed at young couples and families. People buying their first homes who want something extra special as a talking point in their lounge or kitchen. It is bright and fun. You use primary colours that stand out. Your company uses a minimalist style and ethically sourced materials for your products. You source them from around the world, from craft markets and makers and each piece is one of a kind.

You create a great brand and a logo from a logo maker that fits it perfectly. All your market research says that your customers love your products and your brand styling.

1. Your Socials and Target Audience

Select the social networks that will harbour the majority of your target audience. In this case it is probably Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Now you start releasing content that is aimed at your audience. Your Facebook might be full of shares about the latest news you deem relevant. Like new authors, fashion magazines and minimalist artists. Maybe photoshop classics and posts from groups you follow that have interesting content. Maybe you post your blog here in which you answer questions about your travels as you source these items. On Instagram, perhaps you post reels and story posts that contain funny memes and bright, stylized content and share images to your wall from other companies and brands doing the same as you but with different styles. You have some images of your products and links to your shop and website. Your Twitter might be the place you get a little more political in the hope that this will appeal to your target audience as they are of a political age.

You do both these things you get a huge following of over 3000 people but still, you have no major increase in your sales trend.

Why?

Your preliminary target audience and the audience that you are getting are not the same. You have missed a link here and it is so difficult a lot of the time to see where. 

How to Fix it:

Looking at the socials and target audience section, it seems as though you are all set. This is not the case. You have an audience that is interested in reading your content and values your posts. But who is not in the market for buying products. You can leave it as is, but start creating more product-themed content. Post professional product pictures and reviews. Change your blog to have links to your site and collaborate with others to post new ideas. Include content about relevant home décor trends and content that links in with and supports the value of your product. 

Following this advice should help your business take the steps forward that it needs to start appealing to the audience that will be willing to pay you for your products.

Byline: Annie Moody

These Tips Will Keep Your Crypto Wallets Locked Down Against Hackers

Cryptocurrency has been billed to be the currency of the future.

If you fall into any of the current scams and shams around it, though, you could lose all of your money.

That is the case with Eric Savics, a creative who lost all of his cryptocurrency holdings to scammers just last year.

So that you don’t find yourself in the same shoes as Eric, here are some of the things to do today.

Get a Trusted Wallet

We cannot say this enough.

Just a few days ago, a Defi service came out to tell users that they had run away with all of their monies and even bragged that there was nothing the users could do about it.

According to the reports, this scam totaled more than $32 million.

In the case of Eric, as mentioned above, he also fell victim to trusting the wrong wallet.

Above any other thing, make sure the wallet option you have chosen is from a trusted company/ brand with a track record behind them. Otherwise, every other thing we mention here won’t make a difference for you.

Choose a Secure Password

Your crypto wallet is not the place to repeat the same password that you have used for tens of other accounts. Don’t even think about remixing the password to make it look unique either.

For your crypto wallet, it is time to go all out.

Get a random password generator to come up with the best password for you. These generators come up with password strings so long, you will need a password manager to store them. That’s fine – we don’t expect that you remember it offhand either.

Keep your recovery phrase safe

The idea of a recovery phrase is that you can log in to your account from anywhere in the world without the password.

They are the special keys that you can use to access your coins in any kind of wallet too.

This means that anyone with access to those keys might not even need to have your password, your device, or any other personal details before they can access your funds.

Know your wallets

Do you need a cold wallet, or would you be better off with a hot wallet?

Cold storage is the best for cryptocurrency since they are not connected to the internet and is impossible to hack remotely. However, they are not made for everyone.

Read up on the differences between a hot and cold wallet, see what they both hold for you and confirm which one is best for your holding/ trading model.

Keep Anonymous

The idea of cryptocurrency is to stay anonymous. Lose that and you might be on the way to a hacking attempt.

Besides the anonymity that the cryptos provide, you should also do your part.

For one, get a VPN for security and privacy. Always layer your connection over one to ensure your data cannot be intercepted and used to identify you.

Likewise, don't go around telling everyone that cares to hear that you are holding a certain amount of cryptos. Keep your trading/ wallet devices home if possible – and make sure you are always with them if you have to take those units outdoors.

 Get Secure Today

Cryptocurrencies might be anonymous – but that also means that you won’t know who stole your money if it happens. Thus, you don’t want to fall victim to these hacks when you could have prevented them. Start with the above and stand a better chance against them today.

About the Author:

Matthew Stern is a technology content strategist at TechFools, a tech blog aiming at informing readers about the potential dangers of technology and introducing them to the best ways to protect themselves online.  As a tech enthusiast and an advocate for digital freedom, Matthew is dedicated to introducing his readers to the latest technology trends and teaching them how to gain control over their digital lives.

10+ Timeless Pointers to Protect Crypto Users from Scams and Hacks

In September 2020, a Slovakian exchange reported that hackers were able to cart off US$5 million from its hot wallet accounts. In March of 2019, Bithumb was taken for about $13 million by a hacker.

If you thought those numbers are huge, wait till you learn about the $1 billion in cryptos that were stolen from Bitfinex in 2016.

The fact that such large exchanges and platforms can suffer breaches mean that just about anyone can be had. That does not have to be you, though. That is why we have come up with a piece on the best security protocols to follow when holding and trading cryptocurrencies.

Wallets/ Exchanges

First things first, make sure you are trading and holding your cryptos on trusted platforms only. We do not want to endorse any, but some players have been around for a long time. That does not mean the tide can’t sway anywhere tomorrow, but they have an established track record of trust.

When choosing wallets, make sure to know the distinction between cold and hot storages. Look for the one that best attends to your needs, and you are good to go. Finally, be wary of the platforms you are using even if they seem to be the real deal. Hackers are incredibly smart these days, creating fake platforms to look like the real thing so that you trust those.

Password Habits

Passwords are a strong defense against any cyber threat. In the same vein, they could also be a weak door. It all depends on how you have treated your password creation process.

As a rule, with passwords, we recommend:

●       Using a password generator to come up with the best passwords

●       Storing your passwords in a password manager

●       Never using the same password for more than one account

●       Never sharing your passwords with anyone

●       Changing your passwords at a frequent, manageable pace (could be twice in a year, once every quarter, etc.)

To buttress your strong password, enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security.

Network Security

Your network is just as important to your cryptocurrency security as is any other thing. You might not know this but hackers can breach your internet connection to hijack your data. That data includes your interaction with your crypto wallet, exchanges, and other platforms.

With that data, they can retrace your steps and steal all of your money.

We don’t want that to happen. Thus, we recommend:

●       Never connecting to free and public Wi-Fi networks

●       Downloading a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic

●       Updating the firmware of all devices connected to your internet network

●       Changing the router details such as default name and password

●       Updating all apps on all connected devices

●       Segregating the internet connection on which your units are connected.

Final Words

Human error remains one of the largest causes of data breaches and hacks. It is in your best interest to update yourself regularly on how to stay safe online – and implement the knowledge base also. By doing so, you stand a better chance against hackers looking to get you for all that you have.

Cybersecurity for Australians: Top Ways to Protect your Data Better

Australia remains one of the most enviable economies in the world. When it comes to the rate at which they are now being targeted in cyberattacks, though, anyone envying them might want to have a rethink.

Currently sitting in sixth place on the list of the world’s most targeted countries is not telling the full story. Knowing that these attacks go all the way up into even government agencies tell you that these hackers are not here to play.

That is why we have come up with a basic user guide to help keep you safe against this upsurge of scammers and hackers on the prowl.

Improve your Password Habits

There is more sensitization around the importance of passwords, but it seems that many users do not just care. We now set passwords as an afterthought without giving any regard to its importance. Never again, though. If you want to secure your data, at least.

●       Use a password generator for the best chances at a truly secure password.

●       Never reuse the same password for multiple accounts

●       Do not share your passwords with anyone

●       Enable 2FA on all accounts that support such

●       Check your account activity frequently to be informed of suspicious logs

●       Change your password on a rolling basis (quarterly, bi-yearly, etc.)

Secure your Devices

Your devices – from the basic smartphone to tablets and personal computers – can be a major source of breach too. Considering how much information we have on our devices these days, a breach of them is all a hacker needs in many important parts of our lives.

This is how to stand a chance at locking them out:

●       Update your device software regularly

●       Update your apps and programs regularly

●       Never sideload apps

●       Only download trusted programs and extensions to your unit

●       Never connect your device (smartphone and tablets) to an untrusted network

●       Never connect untrusted units (flash drives, hard drives, other phones, etc.) to your computers.

Secure your Network

Even if your device was rightly secured, your internet network could be the Achilles heel to all of your plans.

This is one of the reasons why we abhor the connection to public and free Wi-Fi networks.

Living in a connected world today makes things more complicated too. The network is only as strong as the weakest unit on it. Thus, you have to ensure all of your connected devices – down to that connected light bulb – is secure.

Here’s what to do:

●       Update your connected device software regularly

●       If possible, do not connect all of your devices to the same network

●       Set a strong password for your routers

●       Install a VPN on your router for internet traffic encryption

●       All connected devices should have a strong password behind them

●       Change your router details (default name and password)

●       Never connect to public Wi-Fi networks

Avoid Human Errors

Researchers have established that even the best security models will be invalidated by human error. That makes this one of the most important considerations to make when ensuring the security of your accounts and data.

We have made references to some human errors above so we will not be repeating them here. Others that need to be hammered on include:

●       Beware of phishing scams

●       Never leave your important devices unattended

●       Backup your files frequently. Better to have an offline and online backup model that is independent of one another

You can never be too safe. Never take chances with hackers. Make sure you have these best practices in place.

Simple Steps to Choosing Google Ads Keywords

Ranking in the search results for keywords that are relevant to the products or services your business offers can drive more targeted traffic to your pages. But ranking a website is a long process that can take weeks or even longer. This is where Google Ads comes into play – A PPC (pay per click) platform from Google that lets you advertise within the search results.

As the name suggests, you only pay each time someone clicks on your ad. The downside is that campaigns can cost a lot of money, which is why keyword research is so important. Choose the right keywords and you can bring in new customers, but choose the wrong keywords and you’ll only be wasting clicks.

Here we’ll look at simple steps to choosing Google Ads keywords for your campaigns.

Think Like Your Customers to Brain a Keyword List

Let’s start with brainstorming a keyword list. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and think about the keywords they would type into Google to find the products or services your business offers. What problems are they looking to solve and how would they describe it?

Be sure to also include synonyms in your list (e.g. “shirts” and “tees”). You won’t necessarily use all of these keywords, but many will form the basis of ad groups as we start to get more specific.

Use Keyword Tools to Expand Your List

The next step is to expand the keyword list you’ve brainstormed even further. There are a number of helpful tools you can use including Google’s Keyword Planner. Simply enter your keywords and click the Get Results button for more keyword ideas. Chances are you’ll discover a ton of new keywords that you can add to your list.

As you type in a keyword into Google’s search box, you’ll see a list of search suggestions. Use different keywords to see which autocomplete keywords come up. You can also look at Related Searches at the bottom of the search page for even more keyword ideas.

Select Specific Keywords Based on Your Offer

The absolute worst thing you could do is to throw all your keywords into a single ad group. Google rewards campaigns that are tightly focused, so it’s best to group related keywords together. For example, you could group keywords that target a single product or service your business offers. Doing so also allows you to create a more focused landing page, which can lead to better conversions.

In general, you want to avoid any keywords that are too broad. Targeting terms like “shoes” or “makeup” may allow you to reach a wider audience, but those keywords are less likely to convert as they’re still early in the research cycle. In contrast, keywords like “men’s athletic shoes for flat feet” and “makeup brushes for sensitive skin” are more likely to convert as they’re closer towards the end of the buying cycle. These types of long tail keywords also come at a lower cost per click than their head term counterparts. 

Whether you’re a startup or an established business looking to grow your sales, we offer ongoing advisory services that deliver results. Get in touch today to find out how we can help your business thrive.

Author’s Bio 

Alex Morrison has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in depth understanding of many different industries including home improvement, financial support and health care. As the owner of Integral Media, he is now utilising his knowledge and experience with his rapidly increasing client portfolio to help them achieve their business goals.

How Small Businesses Can Protect Themselves from Phishing Scams

Dealing with junk email can be irritating as they clog up your inbox and push down important emails. But these are easy enough to deal with – Simply mark them as spam or hit the delete button. However, phishing scams are far more nefarious. Attackers hide behind trusted entities such as banks and trick recipients into divulging sensitive data.

Some examples include attackers sending an email stating a problem with a user’s account and that they need to login. These emails contain links that take recipients to a page that looks exactly like their personal banking login page. The difference is that it’s a fake page designed to steal personal information.

Such attacks continue to increase at a staggering rate. Data from Proofpoint found that 83% of its nearly 15,000 global infosec respondents experienced phishing attacks in 2018, an increase from 76% the previous year. As technology becomes more sophisticated, attackers are finding new ways to obtain sensitive information and use it for financial gain.

If you fall for one of these phishing scams, you could be a victim of identity theft or major financial losses. The consequences can be even more dire for small businesses. Here we’ll look at how you can protect yourself from phishing scams.

Don’t Click Links From Suspicious Emails

Email phishing scams rely on unsuspecting recipients to click on the links and divulge their personal information on the next page. Some companies may send emails that detail a legitimate concern such as a data breach. But even in these cases, you should always type the URL into your browser or contact the company directly.

Something else to watch out for are shortened links. Attackers will often use link shortening services to mask fake sites. Hover your mouse over the link to see where the URL links to or use Check Short URL to retrieve the original link.

Be Wary of Threats or Urgent Deadlines

The most obvious sign that an email is a phishing scam is if it contains a threat or urgent deadline. An example might be an email that urges you to log into your account and update your credit card information to stop it from closing. Again, don’t click on any of the links or download any attachments. When in doubt, call the company and get their phone number from the actual website.

Another obvious sign of a phishing email is if it contains typos or impersonal greetings such as “Dear Customer” or “Dear Sir/Madam”. If you see any of these emails, it’s generally safe to delete them from your inbox. 

Be Cautious Downloading Any Software

Another common phishing scam to watch out for are “tech support” cold calls. Attackers call potential victims stating that they found malware on the user’s computer and will attempt to get them to install remote desktop software. But doing so allows them to gain access to your computer where they can steal your information or install software that locks you out.

Just like with a phishing email, be wary of any threats and don’t allow anyone to install software on your computer. The same also applies for downloading any software from the web. Software that offers freebies can contain spyware or even screen scrapers that could steal your information. To be safe, keep your operating system and anti-virus software up to date.

Consider Getting Business Insurance

No matter how many cyber security measures you take, your business is still susceptible to cyber attacks – An employee may accidentally click a link in a phishing email or download compromised software to the network.

Having some form of protection is a good idea to protect your business from damages caused by cyber attacks or data breaches. There are a number of business insurance options available depending on the kind of business you operate. If your business depends extensively on being connected to a network for sales and data storage, it makes sense to consider business insurance to protect against cyber liability claims.

Author’s Bio 

Alex Morrison has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in-depth understanding of many different industries including home improvement, financial support and health care. He has used his knowledge and experience to work for clients as diverse as Adroit Insurance, Simple Biz and Me Bank to help them reach their business goals.

8 Financial Tips For Startups

There are some common mistakes first time entrepreneurs make when starting a business, which in itself is not an easy thing to do, so if you’re considering taking this big step, have a look at these tips. They will help you avert some of the most common financial boo-boos that are made by startups trying to set up a new business. 

1. Manage Your Cash Flow

Running out of money is one of the most frequent reasons for startups failing in their business endeavours. The secret is knowing exactly where every cent is coming from and where it’s going. Your business will be in the danger zone unless you stay abreast of your cash flow. You might have the best business idea since the invention of the wheel, but if your funds run dry you’re up the creek. The answer is to set up a budget and stick to it come hell or high water. 

2. Monitor and Track What is Spent

Expenses are going to fly at you from everywhere when you are a startup business and if you hire a full-time person to handle the books at the start it will hurt your budget. The answer is to use accounting software to keep you on track and organised. This will go a long way in managing your cash flow, and it will make it easier for you when you have to do your tax. As your business develops, you should consider hiring a professional bookkeeper. 

3. Limit Fixed Expenses

The key to business longevity and survival is to keep your expenses low. Do you really need a caterer to bring you three meals a day in a luxurious office in the middle of the CBD? No, not until you’re making millions in profits. If you can operate on a shoestring you can use most of your capital on growth and this will allow you to have any of the perks you hanker after one day. Many startups fail because they have their priorities all wrong. Fancy offices don’t make profits, they eat them. Generating revenue should be your first priority.

4. Be Optimistic But Be Prepared

Anything could happen when you start a business so you’d be well advised to prepare for a fall. The worst mistake you could make would be to quit your job because you will need that income source until you get on your feet. You will need plenty of reserves in your personal account and also in your business account and these are best placed in a savings account solely for emergencies. Remember, there’s no such thing as being too prepared for a downturn, and the truth is, they do happen and usually at the worst time. As a business person you will be responsible for preparing for your retirement, so as soon as you begin to make a profit, that’s the time to start investing, even if it’s in a small way at first.

5. Every Moment Must Be About Money

Yes, it’s an old saying, but it’s true - time is money. Your time is more valuable than anything else and you get only so much so consider this when you plan your schedule - every second you spend on something irrelevant is money and time wasted, and you won’t get it back. So stay focused on your business.

6. Focus on Acquiring Customers

No customers, no business. It is simple as that. So, the faster you can figure out how to attract customers, the more chance you will have of succeeding. Identify where to find your customers, and work hard to optimise ways of lowering your costs. Keep your eye on the most lucrative channels to acquire customers because it’s too hard to just go testing every possible pathway. Once you are successful, you can look at other channels. 

7. Pay Yourself

Paying yourself for all your hard work and dedication is crucial to your success Nd without a salary you can’t pay your personal bills and feed your family. This doesn’t mean a huge salary while you’re just starting out but you will need enough to live on in comfort so you can stay focused on your business. Once you rid yourself of any stress over your personal financial situation you can focus even more of your mind, energy and time on your business. 

8. Set Firm Financial Goals

Anyone can say ‘I want to build a huge company worth multi-millions of dollars’ but to do it you will need to set realistic financial; goals and strive to reach them. Break down your goals into bite-sized ones that you can achieve because success breeds success and If you reach the smaller goals you can start increasing them. Make goals every month or even every day or week and this will help you stay on the right path, adjusting them if need be, which will assure you of continued growth. By reaching the smaller goals you’ll also build your business confidence which will help you on what could be the rocky road of a business startup.

Disclaimer:  This post is only for your information and is not financial or legal advice. 

Author’s Bio 

Alex Morrison has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in depth understanding of many different industries including accounting, recruitment and IT support. He has used his knowledge and experience to work for clients as diverse as BYO Group, Simple Biz and Me Bank to help them reach their business goals.

7 Ways to Fund Your Great Business Idea

All successful enterprises started with the germ of an idea, and just an acorn grows into a huge Oak tree, your idea can develop into a vibrant business, but you need capital to kick start it. Finding the best source of funding for your startup idea can be a challenge, but if you do your research and scrutinise potential sources, you will do yourself a favour down the track. The decision you make now about your source of capital is the linchpin to your future success, so you need to be aware of the pitfalls and choose investors wisely.

1. Bootstrap Funding

‘Bootstrapping’ - pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is an old saying - means cobbling together your personal funds, including raiding your savings account, credit card, lines of credit on your home loan, borrowing on any equity in your home or even crowdfunding. Sourcing funds this way is a good approach to funding your startup, and many successful business owners do it until they’re making a profit. Bootstrapping means you won’t have to service a large business loan, but if you want to grow your business fast, you will probably have to bring in other sources of capital.

2. Friends and Family

It’s hard to ask friends for money and just as challenging to approach members of your family, but these can be trusted sources of capital for your startup. Moreover, remember, the worse they can do is say no. Also, if you get a small amount from each of them, it could add up to something substantial to start the engine. However, it’s a good idea to have your business plan well and truly down pat before you ask friends and family for a loan. If they can see you’re serious and know what you’re doing, they might be just as excited as you and take a real interest in your success. Be clear on what you want from them, a loan, an investment, a gift? They’ll need to know what you’ll be selling, how much you will make and when they should expect anything back from their investment.

3. Try an Accelerator or Incubator

If you need more support for your fledgeling startup you could try an accelerator to get thing moving ahead. Accelerators take on a group of startups for a certain amount of time and funding support. Don’t confuse Accelerators with Incubators which are usually defined by workspaces shared with startups. Accelerator programs can provide a founding team mentorships, cash, and networks that can fast-track growth and learning. They can offer startup teams less than A$100,000, and some, though not all Accelerators take an ownership interest in the startup in exchange for the funds. Also using an Accelerator means you can mingle with like-minded people and if you have a problem there’s someone who can sort it out with you. Incubators offer more than just money (up to $20,000) providing startups with mentorship and guidance worth so much more than that.

4. Preferred Stock

When they raise money, startups commonly offer preferred shares that often come with provisions such as liquidation preferences and rights. Preferred stock can be ‘callable’ which means the business can buy back shares from shareholders for any reason and at any time and usually at a good price. Preferred stock shareholders get their dividends before common stockholders get theirs, and the amounts are usually higher. Preferred shares are senior to the common stock, and this makes the investment more desirable and gives investors confidence that they’ll get paid out first. It’s only fair since these investors were the first ones to help the startup to be successful.

5. Venture Funds 

Venture funds pool investments from a limited amount of cohorts and then manage them by investing in founders that are in line with the aspirations of the fund. If you want to raise money from a venture fund, you’ll need some measurable success and a working prototype of your enterprise. The size of the funds invested is usually a lot higher than the sums provided by angel investments and could reach $1million or more. Therefore, the venture capitalist will want a seat on the board to wield some control over their investment. If you go down the path of venture funding, be aware that venture capitalists will only offer funds to around one or two percent of the applications they view. You’ll need to prepare yourself for lots of pitching.

6. Business Loans

Once you can prove you’re getting ahead and that a bank loan would spur things on even more you might be eligible for a traditional business loan from a bank. Although with the Royal Commission into the banking industry scrutinising lending to small enterprises in Australia, small businesses look like facing more obstacles in getting credit from the banks. Some marginal applicants could find it harder to secure a business loan with banks becoming more conservative in their business lending practices. You might have to provide a lot more paperwork, but small business experts believe the banks need not retreat from business lending because small business is still lucrative for them. 

7. Angel Investors

Angel investors are individuals who fund startups from $50,000 to $100,000, and often combine the money with various other sources into what is known as an ‘early seed round’. There are angel organisations that connect member investors with early-stage startups with formation capital. However, if you’re a startup, it’s a good idea to be careful, especially with angel investors because a deal that looks good can often come with some fine print. Some angel investors feel that since they’ve provided their, say, $50,000, they should wield lots of control over how you run the business. Such funding can cost you more investment down the track because some angels provide funds on the provision that you won’t allow future investors to take part.

Author’s Bio 

Alex Morrison has worked with a range of businesses giving him an in depth understanding of many different industries including home improvement, financial support and health care. He has used his knowledge and experience to work for clients as diverse as Simple Biz, Cosh Living and Me Bank to help them reach their business goals.

5 Online Reputation Management Tips to Avoid Problems!

Having a good online presence isn’t an exclusive privilege for large enterprises anymore. With as many as 95% of consumers reading online reviews for local businesses, small companies also have to pay attention to their digital reputation.

That said, learning how to properly manage your online image can be difficult. Besides the fact that you may not even have opened any profiles, you also have to understand the way consumers behave online.

Managing a local company’s online reputation may take time, but it doesn’t have to be all bad. As a matter of fact, racking up good reviews and creating a positive image for your local business can increase your credibility. 

This, in turn, can make you a crowd favourite and reel in more foot traffic through the front door.

Why Does Online Reputation Matter?

Local businesses have survived through word of mouth for centuries. With this in mind, 91% of people under the age of 35 trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. 

Having a good online reputation with plenty of reviews is like having a group of satisfied customers vouching for your service. Unfortunately, this also applies the other way around, so having a bad name can damage the financial side of your business. Companies are adopting new ways to reward their employees and customers for better online branding, showing how important it is to maintain a good image for anyone who is involved or interacts with your business.

By monitoring your online presence, you’ll make sure that potential customers have a positive image of your company.

5 Online Reputation Management Tips that Help Prevent Problems

Managing your digital reputation is a great way to proactively seek the benefits of a positive online presence. But, finding the best way to control your reputation may not always be easy, especially if you’re not technologically savvy. 

Below, we’ve listed some tips to help manage your online reputation and prevent potential issues.

Target Any and All Relevant Channels

The internet has come a long way since its early days. Today, this ecosystem consists of websites, apps, social media platforms, and other channels that users occupy on a regular basis.

Having a good presence means that you have a good image wherever your audience is present. Identify the channels they use the most and make sure you target these above all others.

Showcase Your Brand and Products as Well

Although having fun and entertaining content can add personality, it should never be the main focus on your digital channels. Instead, you should display your top products and use virtual channels as a branding tool for your company. 

And, you can even produce videos and rich imagery that highlights the quality and features you have to offer.

Bolster the Presence of Your Company Leaders

The leaders within your company should also have a good digital presence. This will give your company more credibility and make your team members accessible to the average consumer. Keep in mind that you should follow the same protocol as with your company page in order to maintain a jovial appearance.

Share Your Knowledge Through a Blog

It’s common to find potential customers who want to know exactly how you do what you do. In these cases, sharing your knowledge via a blog can help cement your position as one of the best local businesses in your area. You can even post blogs designed to showcase specific pieces that you’ve worked on before.

Interact with your Online Audience & Avoid Arguments

Participating in forums and other platforms that allow you to answer questions will also show your local audience that you’re knowledgeable and active. You should look at local directors and virtual community boards and address topics that relate to your industry.

Just remember to veer away from arguments as getting involved in a heated discussion with a consumer or competitor will not do your brand any favours.

Get Expert Advice & Mentoring Services for Business

Whether your business needs assistance in sales, business development, general P&L management, or others, LongBow Digital has the right know-how and experience to drive results for your business.

Get in touch with us to find out how your business can grow and thrive amongst your competitors in the industry. 

Author’s Bio 

Kym Wallis, the founding director of Higher Ranking has over 15 years of advertising sales, digital strategy, and business development experience. He is currently working as Digital Adviser for iChoose Gift Cards.

Risk vs Effort in Online Marketing

Starting a business isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s an incredibly risky endeavour with no guarantees it will succeed. In fact, the odds are against you. Data shows that more than half of new businesses will fail within the first five years of operation. 

Just having compelling products with a clear value proposition isn’t enough then. So how can you increase your chances of building a successful business? The answer is with a solid online marketing plan.

The advent of the Internet has completely changed consumer behaviour. The Yellow Pages may have been widely used to find local businesses but they are now a relic of the past. Consumers today largely rely on channels like search engines and social media for product research.

Marketing on these two channels gives you an opportunity to reach more of your audience online. But before you dive into them, it’s important to understand the risks and effort for each.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Search engine optimisation or SEO is the process of optimising your site to rank higher in the search results for certain keywords. These include optimising individual aspects of a web page (e.g. title tags and content) and building relevant links from other sites. Both can boost your rankings in search engines like Google and Yahoo.

Risks

The main risk with SEO comes from not adhering to the Webmaster Guidelines. Any attempts to manipulate your search engine rankings like using automated programs to build spammy links or scraping content from other sites could lead to ranking penalties. You can minimise your risk by focusing your efforts on publishing quality content and avoiding any questionable tactics. You’ll also need to stay up to date on the latest changes as Google frequently updates its algorithm which can have a direct impact on your rankings.

Effort

SEO is a proven online marketing strategy that can drive more targeted traffic to your pages. But building a campaign requires considerable effort. Ranking for certain keywords can easily take months or longer depending on how much competition there is. If you manage to secure the top spot, you’ll need to maintain your efforts to keep a competing business from overtaking your site in the search results.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing involves using social networks to promote your business. Facebook and Instagram both have well over a billion active users so there’s a good chance that your target audience is on at least one of these platforms.

Risks

One of the main risks with social media marketing is chasing vanity metrics like shares and followers. They can be used to a certain extent to determine how effective a post is but they don’t paint the full picture. Instead, measure actionable metrics like engagement rates and leads generated. Be sure to also monitor any conversations about your brand so you can respond accordingly.

Effort

Social media marketing takes a good deal of effort to build a successful campaign. You can’t suddenly grow your audience overnight with a single post. Building a social media following that actively engages with your brand can take months or even years. Start by researching your target audience and sharing content that is useful to them. If you plan to advertise on Facebook or Instagram, you’ll also need to put in the effort to manage those campaigns.

SEO and social media are both effective marketing channels that can be utilised to reach your target audience online. Whether you are a start-up or an established SME looking to grow your business, we offer ongoing mentoring and advisory services. Contact us today for more information and we’ll be happy to help.

Author’s Bio 

Kym Wallis, the founding director of Higher Ranking has over 15 years of advertising sales, digital strategy, and business development experience. He is currently working as Digital Adviser for iChoose Gift Cards.