Creating a successful business online takes time, effort, and a bit of luck. There are no shortcuts – it takes planning. We’ve defined seven steps every business should take to maximize its chances of generating leads – the source of profitability.

Keep in mind that the order of the steps is not set in stone. However, our testing shows that the order we have defined here often leads to optimal success.

Step 1 – Website

Your website is a storefront in the online landscape. It’s where potential customers go to get acquainted with your business and form their impression. It’s crucial to make the most out of this opportunity by ensuring that your website is visually appealing, user-friendly, and informative. Additionally, optimizing your website for search engines is essential so that potential customers can easily discover your offerings. This is key to developing a successful business online.

Think of your website as a persuasive salesperson who works tirelessly to persuade customers to choose you over your competitors. This virtual representative knows how to showcase your strengths address any weaknesses and ultimately seal the deal.

However, being a salesperson goes beyond having a great product or service. It involves building trust establishing rapport and creating a connection with customers. Your website should strive for the outcome—making visitors feel like they know you, that you understand their needs and concerns, and that you are the person to solve their problems.

In essence, your website should be more than a brochure; it should serve as a platform where prospective clients can gather information about your company, establish a connection with you, and feel assured that they are making the right choice in selecting your services.

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Step 2 – Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile (GBP), previously known as Google My Business, is a free tool that enables businesses to effectively manage their presence, on Google Search and Maps. It’s crucial to have a regularly updated GBP listing to ensure that potential customers can easily discover information about your business and get in touch with you.

Think of GBP as your storefront on Google Search and Maps. It serves as the go-to place for potential customers to explore details about your business access your contact information and read reviews from customers.

In many ways, you can consider GBP as your landlord. It has control over how your business is presented on Google Search and Maps which significantly impacts whether or not potential customers can find you.

However, GBP goes beyond being a listing. It also offers features that allow you to promote your business effectively and connect with customers. With GBP you can enhance your listing by incorporating captivating photos, engaging videos, and exclusive offers. Additionally, it enables you to interact with customers by responding to reviews and engaging in conversations.

If achieving dominance in the market is one of your goals, it’s imperative that you ensure your GBP listing is comprehensive regularly updated, and compellingly engaging. Make sure that you provide all the information potential customers need to choose your business over the competition.

“It’s not just about having the right product or service. It’s about building trust, rapport, and connection.”

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Step 3 – Business Listings Management

Managing your business listings is crucial to maintaining consistent information across online platforms. A successful business online​ demands close attention. It’s a task that requires attention and diligence to keep up with any changes in your business details. You want potential customers to find you easily no matter where they search.

Thankfully there’s a service called Yext that focuses on this task. Yext serves as a platform for managing business listings across directories like Google, Yelp, and Bing. This ensures that your business information remains reliable and consistent throughout the web.

Think of Yext as your guardian angel tirelessly monitoring your listings to ensure they’re always up-to-date and precise.

However, Yext offers more than listing management; it’s also a tool for promoting your business and connecting with potential customers. With Yext you can track the performance of your listings, understand how customers discover you online, and identify opportunities to enhance your visibility.

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Step 4 – Content Management

Once you’ve optimized your website, your Google Business Profile, and your online business listings, you’ve laid the foundation for your marketing strategy and creating a successful business online. Now it’s time to expand your lead generation efforts.

Crafting and disseminating high-quality content is an approach to attract visitors to your website, establish yourself as an authority in your industry, and generate leads and sales. Your content should be relevant to your intended audience and provide useful information.

You can create various forms of content such as blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, ebooks, and podcasts. Think of content as your army that tirelessly works to promote your business and engage customers.

But if your content is dull, irrelevant, or poorly written, it won’t bring you benefits. That’s why it’s crucial to develop high-quality content that’s both relevant to your target audience and informative. You want people to find value in what you offer so they are inclined to read it share it with others and even link back to it.

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Step 5 – Social Media Marketing

Creating valuable content is just the beginning. If nobody gets a chance to consume it it won’t benefit you or your customers.

To establish dominance in your market it’s essential to have an active presence, on social media. You must share the content you’ve crafted in step 4 and engage with your followers. Today, this is fundamental to a successful business online.

Social media serves as a platform to connect with customers, foster relationships with them, and promote your products or services. It’s where people go to discover your offerings, engage with your brand, and seek your expert advice. So make sure that you create social media accounts on platforms where your target audience actively participates.

Think of media as a playground—a space where you can relax have fun and connect with potential customers on a more personal level. However, social media offers more than photo and video sharing; it also has the power to build relationships with prospective customers while generating leads and driving sales.

By leveraging the potential of social media, you can cultivate a devoted community of loyal customers who are enthusiastic about learning more about your business and buying from you.

Social media marketing helps businesses build brand awareness, engage with customers, generate leads, and drive sales. Learn more about our Proven Social Media Marketing Strategies here.

Step 6 – Review/Reputation Management

Online reviews directly affect your business’s online reputation. Think of reviews as the online version of word of mouth. They serve as a means to establish trust and credibility with customers. They are fundamental to creating a successful business online.

Reviews also have the potential to influence the purchasing decisions of customers. In fact, before making a purchase, 93% of consumers read reviews. Make sure your reviews are stellar.

It is crucial to gather feedback from your customers and promptly respond to their reviews. Additionally, employing a reputation management tool can help you monitor your reputation and effectively address any feedback.

However, it is essential to acknowledge that not all reviews are created equal. A positive review from a customer can be immensely valuable holding weight in building your reputation. Conversely, a negative review has the potential to cause harm.

That’s why proactively managing your reviews is crucial. Ensuring you consistently collect feedback from customers, responding promptly, and addressing any negativity will help you maintain a good reputation.

By managing your reviews you can cultivate a solid reputation that attracts new customers while keeping existing ones loyal and engaged.

Reputation Management is a critical component of any business strategy, helping to build trust, mitigate negative feedback, and drive growth and success. Learn more about our Proven Reputation Management Strategies here.

Step 7 – PPC Advertising

Using PPC advertising is a method to connect with customers who are actively searching for the products or services you provide. You have the option to create PPC campaigns on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and others.

Think of PPC advertising as a shortcut for your business. It allows you to showcase your offerings to people who are already interested in what you have. This enhances your ability to assist your successful business online.

Nevertheless, if not executed properly, PPC advertising can become costly. That’s why it’s crucial to collaborate with a PPC expert who can assist you in creating and managing campaigns.

When utilized effectively, PPC advertising can drive traffic to your website generate leads, and ultimately boost sales.

PPC advertising can help generate leads and sales by providing precise targeting and delivering immediate results. Learn more about our Proven PPC Advertising Strategies here.

But Wait, There’s More

In addition to these steps, here are some suggestions for businesses aiming to establish their dominance in the local market online with a successful business online ;

• Engage within your community by sponsoring local events contributing to local charities and collaborating with fellow local businesses. This approach fosters connections with customers. Enhances brand recognition.
• Provide customer service throughout the customer journey from initial contact to product or service delivery. Ensuring an experience for customers is of important.
• Go above and beyond what your competitors are doing to impress your customers. Consider offering shipping options, loyalty programs, or bonus services as an added value.
• Stay up-to-date with the constantly evolving trends and technologies in the landscape. By keeping up with these changes, you will remain ahead of the competition and be able to provide an optimal experience for your customers.

Conclusion

By following these 7 steps, small businesses can dominate their local market online. It is crucial to maintain consistency in your efforts, closely monitor the results, and make necessary adjustments in your strategies.

But most importantly, remember that the key to dominating your local market online is to connect with potential customers on an emotional level. You want them to feel like they know you, like they can trust you, and like you’re the best person to help them solve their problems.

If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to success.

Sources

Most Underrated Google Resources For Small Business Owners

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