With the 2010 spectacular around the corner, marketing your small business online is definitely worth the effort. For those of you that don’t know where to start, I’ll outline some basic steps that will ensure you get the best out of this amazing opportunity.
Build a website
Find a good web development company to ensure that your business gets noticed online. I’d suggest choosing a well established company, one that includes Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) implementation.
Directory Listings
Getting your business noticeable is key. Add your business to as many online directories as you can find. Remember to keep it relevant to your site! For example, don’t add your business to an online farming directory if you’re selling accommodation. Ananzi and Aardvark are a good start, amongst many others.
Social Media
Twitter, facebook, etc. etc. are all really good ways of marketing online. This is ultimately the most popular method of online marketing. Get familiar with these online social communities and how they work, to effectively market yourself. Twitter reached 44.5million unique visitors for the month of June whilst facebook receives around 340million unique visitors each month. This is definitely worth your time.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
If you don’t have the time, or the ability to follow these steps, hire yourself a well known SEO company. They do this every day amongst hundeds of other tactics that will ensure your business succeeds.
Get started as soon as possible, as the longer you wait, the bigger head start your competitors are getting on you!
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It’s all true. One thing however to question: How interactive are South Africans on the web. Analyse this and you’ll find that South Africans are not really internet interactive; surely not in comparison with Europe and USA. South African culture is more verbally interactive orientated. But your article provides some good comprehensive info.
marketing online is really cool. and this social networking sites could really help you a lot in advertising your product because of its high popularity. im thinking if somehow i could try it. about that post above,hmmmmmm i agree. south africans are not really internet active but online marketing may be effective to some if they will be introduced to it.
Indeed online marketing degree will never die down as we lived in a fast paced industry. I suggest that you can also state the possibilities and advancement of this industry in the upcoming years as what your title says. Although we don’t know what lies ahead, but one thing is for sure online marketing will continue to grow.