This post is one in a series of five guest posts authored by the super star bloggers pictured below. As part of a celebration of National Small Business Week we are asking readers to match all five guests posts up with the contributing blogger to be entered for a chance to win an iPad2. Read all five posts in today’s series and come back each day this week for five new posts in this great educational series and another chance to win.
Shama Kabani
Web and TV personality. Bestselling author. International Speaker. Award-winning CEO of The Marketing Zen Group – a global digital marketing firm. Shama is a bestselling author with her book –The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue. When not working directly with her clients or shooting her show, Shama travels the world speaking on business, entrepreneurship, and technology.
I Have a WebSite, What Else Should I be Doing Online 5
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards dominating the internet. You have a website that is well-designed, well-functioning, and most importantly well converting. (Correct?) Now, let’s look at 3 things that you can do to continue to market online.
1) Create Compelling Content. There is a lot of noise on the internet. Don’t add to it. That being said, people still turn to the web to research, learn, and buy. It used to be that the loudest merchant in the bazaar won. Today, it’s the merchant that provides the most value and really takes the time to educate the consumers. Don’t let your website sit idle. Continue to create and post content that will provide value to your visitors.
2) Keep in Touch with ALL Visitors. Well, almost all. If you’ve ever watched the classic “You’ve Got Mail!” with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, then you remember the excitement on their faces each time AOL announced “You’ve got mail!” There can never be a remake of the movie. Why? Because no one is that excited to get email today. Not you, not me, and you guessed it…not your customers. That isn’t to say that email marketing is no longer efficient. But, that you need to give your visitors and prospects options. Perhaps they can join your email list. But, can they also like your page on Facebook? How about follow you on Twitter? Or, subscribe to your blog? Once someone lands on your website, make sure that they have plenty of ways to keep in touch with you. And, most importantly, you with them.
3) Leverage people as the media. Also known as social media. Every single customer or client has the potential of becoming a champion or a critic. And, you have the power to sway them. Use websites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to build a community around your audience.
Your website is a crucial piece of the web marketing puzzle. But, it is just the start!
