The development of internet technology and connectivity, coupled with the increased ease of accessibility via mobile devices and portable tablets, has seen an exponential rise in. As a result, for many industry sectors, e-commerce is rapidly exceeding, and in some instances, replacing the traditional ‘brick and mortar’ place of business.
Competition in the online environment can be fierce and sometimes confounding. So here are some relevant gems of information to crystalize thinking and assist the astute business manager in staying ahead of the crowd.
Search Engine Optimization – getting yourself seen
- Google has handled over 360 billion searches globally this year. It accounts for 70% of all online search engine traffic.
- The first 5 listings on the first page of search engine results account for almost 70% of customer visits.
One of the keys to online business success very clearly lies in the business being highly visible to search engine traffic and being ranked by that search engine in the top 5 listings on a relevant search.
The secret to achieving this is known as search engine optimization or SEO strategy. For the novice, this involves optimizing content and layout to ensure the site can be readily indexed by a search engine bot.
The potential benefits of a good SEO strategy cannot be underestimated, and a specialist organization like Click Intelligence LTD can advise and implement a winning strategy.
The importance of a strong online presence
- Less than 64% of small businesses in the USA have a website.
- Almost 80% of consumers research a business online before contacting it or making a purchase.
It may come as something of a surprise to learn that less than two-thirds of all listed small businesses have a website. Put another way, a business enterprise with a strong internet presence is already potentially well ahead of a fair slice of its market competition.
It is of particular relevance to note the significant number of consumers who rely on the internet to research a business before deciding to deal with them. When considered in this light, a well-optimized, functional business website becomes paramount to online commercial success.
Business social media pages and profiles should be similarly well presented and populated with engaging, quality content as part of the overall online strategy.
Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices
- In 2020, 55% of online global traffic was via a mobile device, with 45% attributed to access by a desktop computer.
- By 2025, access to the internet by mobile devices is expected to increase to over 70% of total global traffic
Ease of access to the online world is one of the key drivers of the move to transacting online, and the growing proportion of users accessing the internet via mobile devices is a testament to that.
The message here is clear – ensure that the business website is optimized for mobile devices. Remember that online consumers move from site to site rapidly. If a website is difficult to load or navigate, all but the most dedicated of visitors will very quickly move on to another site.
Refresh older content and blog posts
- Updating site content and posts with new content and images can increase organic traffic by as much as 100%
By following a logical, clear-cut strategy, the online business presence can be refined and optimized to envy close competitors and build brand loyalty with customers. So, follow these handy pointers, and don’t get lost in cyberspace!
