Growing your online presence can seem like a daunting task. Many business owners may know they need to dedicate time, research, and potentially an investment to expand their business, but end up not developing a full plan due to intimidation or not knowing where to start. I get it, and I’m here to help! Here’s a roadmap to any small business owners who aren’t sure where to start with expanding their brand.
Create Social Media Channels
I’m not saying you have to create a Facebook page, Instagram profile, Linkedin, and Pinterest all at once or even altogether, but having at least one of these social media profiles will give your visitors/clients a separate channel to learn about you. While it depends on the nature of your business, I mostly recommend investing time on your Facebook page due to its ability to highlight local searches.
Looking to uplevel your website design before getting started on creating social media channels? I recommend Brynn of Amber Isle.
Set Up a Google My Business Listing
Again, this one may depend on the nature of your business and whether you’re targeting a local audience or nationwide – but having a credible listing that is able to be a resource is incredibly valuable. Google My Business listings can highlight your business’s:
- reviews
- operating hours
- driving directions
- website
- products
- posts
Think about it from your own personal experiences when searching for something. You’re much more likely to view a business as reputable and credible when you can see their listing and browse through their information. Another reason your listing is important? It has the potential to rank in the map pack, which is the top three map results that display when searching for something like “florist in (city)” or “facials in Chicago”
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Partner with Local Businesses
It can certainly be a step outside of your comfort zone to get in touch with other business owners in your area to team up and share each other’s mission. I myself am an extroverted introvert, so I feel the struggle of wanting to create connections but also feeling most safe in my own company and being in control of my own things. With that said, beautiful things can happy for those who truly believe in, and practice, community over competition.
Whether you team up for a few days of giveaways, a popup, or an Instagram live, finding another small business to pair up with can help you both spread the word about your businesses through your community AND build relationships.
