Starting a business can be both exciting and terrifying. You’re no doubt eager for the freedom of being your own boss and the power that comes with running the show. On the other hand, startups tend to be plagued by problems; especially financial ones that will make you keep a tight reign on your budget. One thing to keep in mind is that marketing is an essential part of raising awareness of your company.
Whether you think you have the funds available to launch marketing campaigns or not, the truth is that you can’t afford to neglect marketing efforts. And the good news is that the Internet has opened up a whole world of marketing possibilities for businesses at all levels and at nearly any price point. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, you can even get some for free.
Here are just a few essential Internet marketing techniques that are sure to pay off for your startup:
1. Launch a website
This may sound obvious, but there is still a large percentage of businesses that don’t have a website. According to a recent survey conducted by online marketing firm Hibu, 45% of small businesses don’t have one (and only 6% are optimized for mobile).
However, this important marketing tool provides an online portal for consumers to interact with your business, learn about your brand, and possibly make purchases. It will be the first point of contact for many prospective customers, so it needs to be impressive, engaging, and true to your brand. It sounds like tall order, but your website is going to be the hub for all of your online activities – the base from which you launch all of your internet marketing efforts, from ad campaigns to social media and more. In short, you need to put some serious thought into how your business website is designed because it is an integral element of all your online efforts.
2. You’ll want to optimize
While you can do this on your own, there is a pretty steep learning curve associated with SEO. There’s a lot more to it than stuffing your pages with trending keywords. While you’re focusing on creating unique and engaging content, you may want to funnel some money into professional help on the SEO front. You can find services that will set up an on-site blog for optimization purposes. These will help spread your name to get you the quality links you need to get top placement on search engines. The trick is to find an SEO service provider that is committed to excellence and practices only white hat SEO.
3. Use social media appropriately
Once you’ve set up accounts on your platforms of choice, you will need to post regularly. Take the time to interact with followers, personalize your brand, and encourage sharing. And don’t forget the importance of using metrics. Make sure to track and analyze how consumers are interacting with your brand, so you can make the most of your marketing efforts and improve every campaign you launch.