What Does Having a Digital Presence Mean?
Whatever you or someone else has said or shared about your business online, and there is the potential for someone to see it, that’s your digital presence. This includes things such as your Facebook or Instagram posts, your website and online store, customer reviews, photos and apps.
You can actively create and manage your business’ presence online, which is best practice, or you can leave it to chance and hope things go well. That just isn’t something we recommend though, as you are likely to miss out on enjoying the benefits it can bring.
Why You Should Have a Strong Digital Presence
With the expectation of most customers being that they can find and engage with a business online, having a strong and positive presence becomes even more important.
If people can’t find your business, they’ll find your competitors’ instead. But if you actively work to build your own online presence, there are many benefits.
Digital Presence Benefits
The benefits of having a strong online presence are huge. You can achieve things such as:
- Increasing your market reach
You may be based in Auckland, but when you are online, you can reach customers anywhere in New Zealand as well as overseas. Being online lets you expand the number of people whom you can sell to, engage and interact with. - Making your business more accessible
Having a bricks and mortar store allows people to come and visit you, but you miss the opportunity to reach those outside of your local community. Your online presence though, makes it easier for people to find and contact you. Customers for instance could fill in an enquiry form on your website or send a message via social media. They’ll be able to access other contact details such as your phone number and email address easily too. - Growing customer relationships and brand loyalty
Relationships are two way, and social media plays a large role in their development in helping remind them that you have the solutions to their problems.
You can:- ask questions and reply to their comments on social media
- ask for and display product reviews for your website and social media platforms
- get your brand imagery and colours out in front of your audience,
- Making online marketing easier
Marketing can be done by using both organic (unpaid) and paid opportunities. With the likelihood your business has already been seen online, when deliberately undertaking marketing campaigns, you are not talking to a cold audience. This can increase the success of your campaign.
Being successful in growing and maintaining a strong digital presence takes a lot of time and effort. That’s where we can help! We’ll work with you to identify where you are now and where you want to be, plus how you can get there. If you choose, we can even do the work for you! Get in touch today and let’s arrange a time for a chat.