As a business owner, your website is your first step to online visibility. While you might have already created a website mockup and are now searching for a techie to design the site, is this enough to effectively market your brand? Launching a website doesn’t automatically mean readers and clients will come in droves.

True, the internet is a very powerful resource and it can be the gamechanger for your business. However, even if you had the best product in the world, you won’t get the results you want if you don’t use effective marketing strategies.

If you need more tried and tested ideas about how you can get the word out there, no worries. This article summarizes five (5) of the most effective ways of using your website to market your brand.

1. Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of getting your website ranked highly on search engines such as Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, and Baidu, to mention a few. Using the best SEO practices can increase your website’s visibility by optimizing your pages with the keyword phrases that your target audience is likely to use when they search online.

When searching for something on Google, you barely go beyond the first page. Your target audience doesn’t either. However, as a new business, you still have very little content authority. This means that in the first two years of your business, you might experience some difficulties ranking high enough to appear on the first page of the search results that your target audience sees.

This should not discourage you. Marketing your brand online might be a time-consuming process but it will eventually benefit you and your business. There are many off-page and on-page SEO strategies that you could use for your business.

Out of these, you can primarily focus on meta descriptions, quality content, mobile usability, site’s speed, reading level, and link-building, citing of sources, and insightful content. In other words, do not get disappointed if you don’t get immediate results. Look at this stage as a marathon rather than a sprint.

2. Social Media Marketing

Social media continues to revolutionize traditional marketing methods and business visibility strategies. With social media, you can reach potential clients and show them why they should buy from you and not from others.

However, this is not only about getting them to like your Facebook page or follow you on Twitter and Instagram. While you can use these platforms to interact with your customers and create a loyal following, you can also occasionally create intriguing or useful posts that will have them visiting your website regularly.

At the same time, social media platforms are excellent avenues for word-of-mouth marketing. If you join the correct groups and connect with the right people, you will see what they want and the recommendations they are giving. You can leverage and use these as your tools for customer service inquiries as well as for real-time communication in times of crisis.

3. Press Releases

Whenever your business makes moves that you feel might interest your current and prospective clients, always create and publish a press release. The press release is a powerful media tool that can help generate publicity for your business. Distributing them free is an added bonus.

If you are not quite sure how to go about creating or disseminating press releases, no worries. There are many press release distribution services that can help you spread the word. You can read more about them on BusinessMole.com here.

4. Blogging and Guest Blogging

A blog is another way to establish a name for your website and to connect with different target audiences. Providing free, quality, and original content can bring new readers to your website to give your website an edge over your competitors. Just like SEO, this is a long-term strategy with benefits that you might not see immediately.

Every noteworthy blog can create authority for your business by attracting the interest of search engines. You should occasionally post interesting articles as regularly as possible. Remember that a dormant blog won’t benefit you much in terms of search engine ranking.

You might also write for other influential and prominent blogs in your niche to create more traffic. Guest blogging on a website with many readers can help bring in new visitors as you include a link to your website in the post.

5. Use Local Listing Services

If you want to attract attention to your physical office or warehouse, you could also consider listing your business on services such as Google Local and Yahoo Local.

Google Local can be an excellent way for clients to see and verify your business online. It provides information such as a physical address and location on Google maps for those who want to find your business. Also, clients will see your contact information as well as your operating hours. Always ensure this information is up to date and accurate.

Key Takeaways

Aside from launching a business website, you should market your website and increase your online visibility. SEO can improve your website’s ranking on search engines. Use social media for client interactions and as a customer service platform. Update your blog regularly and ensure that you only post quality content. Issue press releases. List your physical office in local listings. Ask a professional web expert for advice. Whatever strategy you take, be patient. Good results can take time.