Digital Presence

There is sufficient research which emphasises the need for creating quality content because 70% or more of B2B buyers do 50% of their research before they reach out to a vendor. And, often they buy from companies they think are the best in the industry. A thought-through strategy to establish your subject matter expertise with your digital assets will showcase you and your company as thought leaders in your industry. Building trust takes consistency and relevancy. Being earnest and providing value with your content will take you a few steps closer to building the trust, most needed in B2B sales.

Attractive and eye-catching web design is as important as being focused on the user’s need. Use design elements to guide the prospect through your site. Increasingly, people search for services or products using their mobile phones. Ensure that your website automatically adjusts itself to function best on all devices, referred to as a “responsive” or “mobile-friendly” design. Also, install Google Analytics to monitor traffic to every page.

While the company website is the first place a prospect will gather information about your company, social media is the next where they validate their perception. Social media is where a company can share knowledge, updates, and tips and possibly have a conversation. Understanding your target audience plays a crucial role in identifying the social media platforms to interact with them. Based on your understanding, select the platforms where your prospects and customers spend time. However, keep aside a fraction of your marketing budget towards paid ads and don’t just depend on organic social media activity.

Create a page where you post blogs, case studies and other resources that are useful to your customers and prospects. A great way to answer their queries is to invite comments and respond to them. Another effective way is to provide a list of frequently asked questions and answer them.

Have you searched for a service or a product on Google or any other search engine? What was your experience? Did you find the search helpful? Which page (SERP) did you find the product you were looking for? Did you have to refine your search based on the response you received? Well, the experience could be the same with your customers. Try to create content that can be an answer to someone who is looking for your specific product or service. Use keywords and phrases that your customers might use to find you online. Doing this right will surely be beneficial to you as you will start seeing enquiries coming your way over time. These are some fundamentals that need to be implemented to help the online presence of your business, but it is not exhaustive. Look at your digital presence and marketing efforts as a long-term investment. Note: This was first published in ‘Kanara Saraswat’ magazine.