Digital presence checklist for small businesses
In today’s ever increasingly digital age, a lot of small business owners are unable to keep up with all the digital platforms where their business should have a presence in. Due to this, we decided to put together a digital presence checklist for small businesses to help you make sure your business has a digital presence in all the right platforms. Although the type of business you are in influences what digital platforms you should participate in, the list below should apply to most small businesses.
1. Website
This might be surprising, but according to a 2020 survey by digital.com, 23% of small retail businesses in the United States still do not have a website. A website is the foundation of your company’s digital presence and as such it is an absolute necessity if you want to maximize the digital presence of your business. When building a website, or if you already have one, make sure your website is mobile friendly as about 50% of all web traffic in the US comes form mobile devices. Another thing to keep in mind, is that your website is only useful if it has relevant and up to date information that will provide value to your website visitors, so please make sure to update your website content as needed.
2. Google My Business (GMB)
Google My Business is a free tool provided by Google, allowing business owners to create and manage a listing of their company on Google. It is particularly important for businesses serving a specific geographic area, with a physical location in that area. Google My Business will allow you to manage your business listing, establishing your company address, hours of operation, showing your phone number, a link to your website, relevant photos and reviews submitted by your past customers. As a local business, this is one of the most important platforms to have a presence in, as if you don’t, you could be missing out on free organic traffic from your area.
3. Facebook
What started as a social media platform for college students has evolved into a very expansive platform that has become as ubiquitous as Google. Having a Facebook page is a must for any business that needs to reach people in the digital world. Think of your business Facebook page as an extension of your company website and Google listing. Make sure that you have all your business contact information and a link to your website listed on your Facebook page. Facebook can be a source of both B2C and B2B prospects.
4. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social media platform designed for professionals and the business world. It is a great platform to get B2B leads, but even if your business is B2C focused, you should still have a company page on LinkedIn as it is a great platform for hiring qualified professionals as well as getting help and advice from other business owners, vendors, consultants, etc.
5. Instagram
If your business sells goods and services directly to consumers (B2C), having a presence on Instagram is a must. You don’t have to post pictures (unless it makes sense for your business), and you don’t even need to have an Instagram account! Instagram is owned by Facebook and Facebook for Business allows companies to display ads on Instagram directly from the Facebook dashboard. Instagram ads are a great way to drive consumers to your business website and convert them into buyers.
6. TikTok
Just like Instagram, TikTok ads are a great source for consumer traffic to your business website. Unlike other platforms, TikTok focuses on short videos, no more than 1 minute long, filmed on smartphones. Video testimonials or video reviews from past customers would be great content for this platform. From our experience, TikTok ads have one of the lowest costs per click seen in digital advertising today, so it is definitely worth a try.
7. Nextdoor
A social platform for neighbors, Nextdoor provides similar functionality to Facebook but with an exclusive focus on your local neighborhood. If you are trying to attract local customers, Nextdoor is a great way of increasing your neighbors’ awareness about your business and your offerings. Nextdoor ads are easy to set up and have a low entry level, starting at just $25.
With so many of the digital channels being some sort of social media, in order to keep your marketing efforts structured and to ensure maximum efficiency form your social media budget, we highly recommend to have a social media strategy in place before starting to spend money on ads.
If you need help creating or optimizing your company’s digital presence, please contact us to set up a free consultation.
