Let’s face it, business isn’t what it used to be. Obtaining customers through word of mouth and friendly recommendations is ideal, but you need to be upping your online presence to grab the attention of those who prefer to consult Google rather than a real live person. Here at Design Thinking, we will take your brand and digitize it in one fell swoop, so you can focus on what you do best.

Clearly Define Your Values and Goals

Before you jump two feet first into creating your online persona ensure that you’ve defined your company’s values. Decide on the brand image that you want to reflect in your online content. This image should flow throughout your website and social media. Take a look at  J.H. Young Fine Jewellers for instance. The brand is consistent with their themes and messaging across their online presence. A consistent brand flow will lead to brand recognition with consumers.

Next, define your end goal. Ensure you have a specific and measurable desired outcome. Write your goal down so it can be measured and compared against your content. This helps determine exactly what functions your website may need.

Get That Website Up and Running

Yes, you do have to have a website. It’s 2019 people. You don’t want a massive hit on your credibility by not being reachable online. So take another hard look at those desired outcomes. Do you want more community visibility? Public trust? Or are you looking for overall increased sales? If you’re looking for sales, create a website that makes it easy for customers to buy more. Your website can become a tool that will up-sell for you.

SEO Keywords

Consumers won’t scroll through endless amounts of websites like they will through Instagram— so SEO keywords are a must!

Search Engine Optimization at its core is using keywords within your text to ensure your company’s content organically moves its way up in Google rankings. You can begin tracking your SEO keywords to determine what aspects of your business are most popular, and thus where you should put that hard-earned cash. And remember, the more targeted keywords you have, the more potential for visibility.

Get Active on Social Media

We scroll through an endless array of social media and advertisements every day. So you need to find a way to make sure that the scrolling finger stops on your content.

Social media is where you really get to show your personality. Using platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are an easy way to tell a story about who you are as a brand without having to be a professional writer (although it wouldn’t hurt). As we all know, a picture is worth a thousand words, so post with your end goals in mind.

And let’s not forget. On social media, you should be socially engaged. Which means commenting and answering questions at the least. Higher content engagement will always bode well for your brand, and nothing engages consumers more than freebies. Run contests and be generous with your followers— it’s a cheap form of very effective advertising.

Consistency is key, so keep those posts coming on a daily basis. The easiest of all, allow people to share their opinions. People love to tell you what they think, so load up your social media with polls and voting content so your customers feel heard.

Don’t view building an online presence as a daunting task, see it as a tool that can get your sales booming. Our creative team at Design Thinking will take your brand and seamlessly create that online persona that you want the world to see.