When running a small business, navigating your online presence can sometimes be difficult. The sheer size of the digital world can often prove overwhelming making it difficult to start. To help you out we have compiled a list of common mistakes that we don’t want you to make.
Not using local SEO
Considering a large proportion of people use search engines in order to find goods and services, ignoring local SEO is a major, yet common mistake that many small businesses make. By not utilising this incredibly useful tool, your business is essentially non-existent to a search engine user, hidden in the many back pages of the Internet. For the best, most specialised results, invest in a SEO agency that abides by industry guidelines. SEO Premier not only provides superior search engine optimisation services but abide strictly by Google’s industry guidelines and standards, ensuring your business is void of penalties. SEO services assist in your digital presence and online traffic as it elevates your search result ranking, therefore heightening your relevance amongst your potential customers. This service is undoubtedly an indispensable service and essential tool for success.
Being mobile-UNfriendly
As smart phones become smarter and more widely used by the general public, digital commerce and browsing become far more commonplace. A common mistake that small businesses make is not being accessible for these mobile users. A recent Google survey has revealed that 74% of mobile users consider mobile-friendly pages to be of high importance. Developing a mobile-friendly site refers to the layout and user-friendliness of the site whilst on a mobile device. This encourages users to stay longer and ultimately can result in higher conversions. Another factor to consider is loading time – in an age where everything is instantaneous, your mobile site should be no different. Recognising the importance of this phenomenon, Google has developed AMP (Accelerated Mobile Page) to allow mobile sites to load faster and increase user experience.
Ignoring customer reviews
Prior to businesses becoming digital, the only method of receiving customer feedback was tedious surveys and word-of-mouth, both of which are difficult to accurately measure. However, the increase of small businesses online allows their reviews to also appear online, whether posted in direct association with the business or on an online forum, or blog. This information was previously unavailable to businesses and acts as an indispensible tool for development and growth. This is because users heavily rely on fellow customer feedback before purchasing a good or service. Positive reviews are not the only useful aspect of this trend but negative reviews can also prove to be valuable. It provides an opportunity to better your business based on customer opinion. The most important thing to remember with negative reviews is to never delete them! Use a negative review as a chance to connect with your customers and demonstrate your receptiveness to their opinion. A positive and open mindset will translate to loyal, repeat customers and improve your brand image.
Being antisocial on social media
Often small businesses believe that simply creating a social media account and allowing it to be dormant is sufficient for business social media presence. However, this is far from the truth. A common mistake that small businesses make is being antisocial on social media. In order for this platform to be successful, engagement with users is critical. Whether it is reposting their content or responding to question and comments, engagement develops the customer-brand relationship. Sometimes a business may not have time to dedicate the necessary amount of time to remain active, or maybe you are unsure of how to engage with your target market. This is where a professional digital marketing agency comes in such as SEO Premier, who can provide social media services that your brand requires to engage with your audience and boost your online presence. Written by Katreena Pevec
