Today Chris Brogan put out a post called “5 Things Small Businesses Owners Should Do Today Online” which is an excellent overview on creating a basic social media strategy for a company. The jist – start a blog, listen to twitter, get involved in social networks. This post should have been titled “5 Things Small Businesses Should Do To Get Started In Social Media”. Why the suggested change in title? Chris left out extremely important facets of developing a well rounded web strategy.
Here’s our list. If you are just getting started in optimizing your website to be more than a brochure placeholder, here are our “5 Things Small Businesses NEED To Do Online“.
1. Create Goals
If you don’t have goals for your website than your website has no purpose. Goals give you something to strive for and metrics to measure. Goals give your website purpose. And most importantly – goals drive business. That’s what your website is there for right?
2. Get Local
A vast number of small businesses operate in geographic based markets. If your small business has not created a local web strategy than you are missing out on the fastest growing search market. Get listed on Google Local and Google Maps. Take advantage of the free tools out there. Use local SEO strategies.
3. Create Value
Create engaging content that helps people. Answer questions people have about you, your products, and your industry on social networks. Show off your recipes and become a resource.
4. Measure Everything
In the age of the web – all your marketing decisions should be made based on data rather than instinct. Go ahead – read that sentence again.
5. Don’t Give Up
In the latest episode of our internet business podcast (will be posted this week) we talk about paralysis by analysis with internet marketer extraordinaire Brian Kaldenberg. He says most businesses give up on their web strategy prematurely – whether it be their content strategy, keyword research, or PPC campaigns. The world of internet marketing and web strategy can look unconquerable to the DIY small business marketer just getting started.
Don’t give up and let data lead the way.
What advice can you give small businesses who are getting started online? Let us know in the comments or forum!
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Great post chris – thanks for sharing
Great list. I was thinking of a follow up to Chris’s list and for the most part your list closely identifies with what I was going to write. I’ll just share your post instead!
Awesome Thanks!
Is there anything you would add?
Awesome job! I really like number 4.. It is so true that we have to look at the stats and the numbers… So often we do just make a descision by how we are feeling. That’s not the smartest way to grow a business.
Keep up the great work!
Paul – Thanks for stopping by!
Making data driven decisions is something most business overlook even though they all have plenty of data in front of them. They overlook data in favor of instinct
Excellent advice. It is amazing how many people I speak to who don’t have goals and are basically aimless with no strategy. When you have your goals, I would recommend posting them somewhere you see them frequently or consciously review them, so you keep focused on the goals. As your business evolves, do audits of your goals to see if they need to be modified.
One I would add is along the lines of what Chris posted, ‘Get Involved’. Making people familiar with you and/or company and being readily available can go a long with building your reputation and your customer base.
Reputation is hugely important – especially in an ever transparent world….
Thanks for stopping by Michael!
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