A 3-Step Guide For Perfecting Your Business' Online Image
Tuesday, May 3, 2016Lauren Macdonald
How to Craft an Appropriate Online Image For Your Business
Did you know that May is International Business Image Improvement Month? To celebrate, we’ve created a 3-step guide that you can use to strengthen your online business image and make a lasting impression on potential clients/customers.
Step 1: Build a professional looking website
The first step is the most important one; create a compelling website. In this day and age your website will often be the first place a potential customer will go to learn about your business, and it’s important to remember that a first impression is often a lasting one!
A website that is user-friendly and appealing to look at will go a long way when it comes to improving your business image. Here’s a few things to consider when building your website:
-
Use straight-forward navigation
-
Choose fonts that are easy to read
-
Use color strategically
-
Use high quality photos
-
Ensure that your website is compatible with mobile devices
-
Keep it simple, organized, and free of clutter.
-
Keep the content up-to-date and relevant
-
Have a contact form where customers can easily share their questions/comments.
Step 2: Use social media effectively
Social media can be a great tool when it comes to improving your business image, but only when used effectively. Spamming your followers with content overload is the perfect example of what NOT to do. If you want your followers to take you seriously on social media it is important to share updates that are relevant, interesting, and meaningful. For example, rather than always promoting your products and services, try posting engaging content that is industry-related and useful to your followers. This will boost your reputation as an industry expert and thought leader.
Another great way to improve your business image using social media is to use it as a method of responding to customers’ questions and complaints. When people can see that you are engaging with your followers on social media and responding promptly and effectively to various issues and complaints, they will recognize that you take customer service seriously. Being responsive and helpful on social media will do wonders for your business image!
Step 3: Consistency is key!
The final step is to ensure that all of your marketing and promotional material is consistent and branded. The easiest way to do this is to create a logo for your business and develop your other marketing materials with the logo in mind. By maintaining consistency when it comes to the colours, fonts, and styles of your advertisements and marketing materials, potential customers will begin to recognize and remember your brand. Consistency will also give your material a more polished and professional feel.