What do 95% of small businesses need online?
I decided to write this post as I have been talking with a lot of small businesses in the last few years and I realised that almost ALL of the businesses I speak to start the conversation something like this:
“I need a great website, with blog, news feeds, ability to update and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest & Instagram accounts. They all need to work all day every day for the business, oh and throw in a Youtube channel to make sure we can do video…"
Invariably, what will happen with 90% of these clients is the blog gets 3 updates in month 1, 1 update in month 2 and month 3… nothing.
The plethora of social media accounts means there is no one available to keep these things up to date, so invariably these go quiet too.
Eventually the online is a little like a cemetery, a memory to great ideas that were never and could never realistically be maintained.
So I wanted to write this post to give you guys a little insight as to what we have found works for small businesses.
Yes, in today’s world you need a website. You just do. People find it suspicious when a small business doesn’t have some form of web presence, and I think this is a necessity.
However, it does NOT need to be a crazy big, expensive or complicated system. For most small businesses it should be something simple, affordable and manageable in house once the initial design has been created.
As long as YOU (the business) can maintain, manage and make changes, then you are in charge, you are in control and that ultimately means you can keep your site up to date when needed.
The second part is the outbound, social marketing. Which network is good for you? Which one should you be on? Which one should you dedicate your time on?
CHOOSE ONE! Simples right? wink emoticon So many businesses we see try to do EVERYTHING and ultimately give up on all of it.
Choose a network that will work for you, if you are B2C choose Facebook, if you’re in the content business choose Youtube, B2B look at LinkedIn, updating fast look at Twitter.
If you choose just one and you start by managing and maintaining that, you are twice as likely to keep it up to date and to continue building on your online presence.
In the mean time, if you are a small business and need help to take the first step, I’m happy to have a chat and see if we can point you in the right direction. We believe in empowering our clients and giving them the control they need to continue to strive online.
Get in touch, chris@socialink.co and let me know what you are looking to achieve and let’s see how we can help you.
Enjoy the bank holiday.
Chris - CEO Social INK