Ten Top Tips for Building Your Business in a Digital World

Did you know that almost half (48%) of small to medium businesses and most large businesses (a whopping 79%) in Australia use social media to communicate with their clients?

Are you one of them?1
If not, it’s time to get busy.

In the digital age we live in, we are more connected than ever before… more people own a mobile phone than a toothbrush!2 Australians are now spending over 12 hours each week on Facebook alone, up four hours from last year.1

And 71% of them make a purchase within a week of awareness or desire, with nearly one-third purchasing the item on the same day.3

Yes, your social media presence is more important than ever before… it’s a great way to connect with your existing clients and prospects, receive their feedback, monitor their sentiment and build your brand personality.

So how do you go about it? Here are ten top tips…

  1. Choose your platform. You don’t have to be on all platforms. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat ideal for 18 to 29-year-olds, while LinkedIn and Google+ are preferred by 40 to 49-year-olds .1
  2. Be true to your brand. First impressions count. Your online presence must reflect your business and your professionalism, and appeal to your target audience.
  3. Be clear about who you are and what you do. Make sure it’s easy for visitors to understand the services you provide and what differentiates you from your competition. Most importantly, make sure they can easily visit your website and contact you!
  4. Link, link link. Make sure your social media links to your website and include links to your site in all your blogs. Encourage readers to use the links to find out more about products or offers and engage in e-commerce.
  5. Post regularly but don’t bombard. Too few posts and your customers will forget you, too many and they’ll unsubscribe.
  6. Keep your social media social – use it to build your credibility and inform with blogs and links to the relevant information you know your clients will find valuable.
  7. Build your credibility. Post information about your professional achievements, projects completed etc that demonstrate your expertise and services.
  8. Make offers, buy ads. 27% of social media users have no problem with sponsored posts from businesses they follow; 34% are happy to see ads and 43% will click on the ads occasionally to find out more.1 38% say price and promotions were the factors that drove their most recent product choice.3
  9. Engage in conversation. 31% of social media users rated an organisation’s products or services in the last year – make sure you read your customers’ comments and respond with meaningful, timely conversations… if you have the resources, consider a chatbox for instant communication. This is all part of building your brand and encouraging customer loyalty.
  10. Don’t rush. Your social media presence is a powerful part of your business model. Take your time to get your strategy right, and keep in touch with current trends to ensure you remain tapped into your market.

References

  1. www.sensis.com.au/asset/PDFdirectory/Sensis_Social_Media_Report_2016.PDF
  2. 60secondmarketer.com/blog/2011/10/18/more-mobile-phones-than-toothbrushes
  3. assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2017/01/the-truth-about-online-consumers.pdf