An excerpt from my upcoming book about retail and online success...
Before you create your website, you'll want to ensure that your business name is available as a domain. You will also want to search and see what comes up when you type in your business name. Since the internet is global, be aware of what your business name might mean in another language.
If you're going to do any social channels, check those channels to see if your name is available. If another business already has it, you can always add "shop" or another appropriate verb, noun, or adjective before or after your company name to make it yours.
The idea is to have only one handle different from your domain, or it gets too confusing for people to find your business.
Once you have cleared that hurdle, then it's time to look into search engines so people can find your website.
SEARCH ENGINES
Speaking of people finding your business, now that you've gotten your URL and created relevant social channels, you are ready to go.
Once your website is up and running, check all the search engines, such as Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, AOL, Yahoo, and Ecosia, to ensure that when people search for your business, it shows up just the way you want it to. You can do this by using the following tools:
SEO - KEYWORDS – REVIEWS - VIDEOS – BLOG
Remember all five of these things. They will help you get found. This is its own beast, but I will touch on it here, so you know to look into it for maximum exposure.
1. SEO
SEO (search engine optimization) algorithms change so fast, but generally, the easiest way to find out how your business shows up is to look for it on every search engine and see where and if you appear. Pay attention to what websites come up near yours. Check to see if the words relevant to your business are in your content.
Content will always be king, so creating content that appeals to your audience is vital. Using keywords, SEO, backlinks, video, tags, and whatever else is on trend will help prospects find your website. To dive deeper, you can hire an SEO expert to help you navigate these waters.
2. KEYWORDS
Next, you want to research keywords and phrases. You can use digital advertising tools to help you discover how they rank. The idea is that you want to know what comes up when people search this way. Using niche keywords can help you reach your audience further. You need to stay on top of it. What's the point of a website if no one can find you?
For example, whatever kind of business you have, list words and phrases that most people might use to find your type of business. You can also use search engines to help you discover words you may not have considered. Once you have this list, try incorporating those words into your content.
3. REVIEWS
If you have favorable reviews, scatter them on different pages of your website for maximum visibility and visual interest. Most importantly, edit those reviews down to one or two lines. Unless you're in a highly technical business, people will not read a lengthy review - they want to know you have a solid business with quality goods and services.
4. VIDEOS
If you have a brick-and-mortar business of some sort, adding a 3D tour or video of your business inside carries that branded experience forward and will help people catch your vibe. You want them to love it so much that they want to come in physically or virtually to support your business because they had an impressive branded experience.
I hired a photographer who created a professional 360° of my gallery. It looked fabulous and elevated my business.
Other video ideas are: a message from the Owner, any events you have, new arrivals, short interviews with Designers or Vendors - the list is pretty endless for video content. People like watching videos, so take advantage of that and put them on your website.
5. BLOGS
People like information. You are the authority of your business. Share your knowledge! The key to a good blog is to give your audience something they will be interested in reading, something they can learn.
Providing expertise on a particular subject or interviewing someone who relates to your business is one way to do it. Depending on your blog goals, it's always fun to have a mix of conversational, informational, or just plain fun, but the key is to keep your brand voice consistent.
If you hire a freelancer to write your blogs, make sure they know your "Yes/No" words when describing your business. That list is part of your Brand Style Guide that, hopefully, you have created, but if not, you can hire someone to help.
YOU'RE GOOD TO GO!
Finally, and this may seem like a no-brainer, no matter how long your website has been up, confirm that your business hours, contact information, and address are accurate. Many people forget to check, and often it's inaccurate, so it's worth doing.
Until next time,
Keverne Keverne Denahan Luxury Brand Expert & Copywriter
Photo courtesy of Designecologist Copyright © Keverne Denahan 2023