How To Attract More Customers Online

There has never been a more important time for businesses to try and boost their online audience. With the covid 19 pandemic resulting in more people using the internet for basic needs, such as shopping, now is the moment to give your business a digital overhaul.

As the online world offers the potential for a wider customer base and therefore more revenue for a business, it’s vital that you don’t neglect your company website and social media platforms. This is particularly relevant if you’re running a small local business because it opens up the possibility of receiving custom at all hours of the day, rather than merely during business opening times, as well as customs from around the world.

But how exactly do you attract more customers online? Read on to find out.

Social media

Social media has not only transformed the way we interact socially, but it has also become a prominent tool in most successful organizations’ marketing strategies. More and more businesses are using social networking platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others, and it’s clear to see why. Social media marketing is an extremely effective and low-cost method to advertise your company and its services.

It’s all very well having a social media profile or page for your business, but it can be rendered almost useless if you never go on it. You need to keep interacting within the social network realm in order to get the most out of it and attract new customers. Put in the time and effort – make sure you post unique, non-repetitive content on a regular basis and interact with your followers by responding to comments.

An effective way to use social media to attract customers is to run competitions on your page. Encouraging users to like, share, or tag their friends in one of your posts will engage new users and help to get your brand noticed.

If you have the time and the resources, it’s a good idea to consider using multiple social media channels in order to widen your customer reach as much as possible. Which platforms are best suited to your organisation and the services it offers? Which networks are your target audience most likely to use? Ask yourself these questions and don’t be afraid to put in the research. Social media is a serious marketing strategy that can be utilised to benefit your business in incredible ways.

User-friendly website

The overall experience of using your website can have a huge effect on the volume of customers your business attracts and retains. Regardless of whether you have the most visually appealing site and you sell the most attractive, must-have products of the moment, if your website is difficult or confusing to use, you won’t make any revenue. It’s therefore crucial that you ensure your company site is user-friendly – that means easy to navigate, fast-loading, and offering a smooth payment and transaction process.

A streamlined payment option is particularly important – you don’t want your online customers to give up in the middle of making a transaction because the procedure’s taking too long.

But not only should your online payment options be straightforward and hassle-free, but they should also be secure and safe. Offer customers the option of trusted payment platforms and automated clearing house (ACH) bank-to-bank transfers. Visit this page for ACH transfers explained.

Another way to ensure your business site is as user-friendly as possible is to optimize it for mobile use. More and more people are using their hand-held devices to browse and shop on e-commerce sites, so having your website compatible with mobiles is definitely something to consider.

Networking

We’re so used to living and trading in a digital world that it can be easy to overlook the physical landscape. Why not consider using physical interaction to boost your online interaction? This can be achieved in a number of ways.

Your business could have a pop-up stand at an event or a corporate showcase, for instance. This way, you can meet face-to-face with potential customers and encourage them to visit your website. Not only will you be reaching customers who might not have otherwise found your business online, but by interacting with them in a physical setting, they will now have a face to attach to your company.

Adding a human element to a business is a good way to relate to your customers and gain their trust.

Customer support

A business having a website not only allows for 24/7 sales, it potentially makes it reachable at all hours. See this as a positive opportunity and use it to your advantage. Consider offering customer service via your website and, if you have the money and resources, look to offer this support out with the regular business hours.

Acknowledging and responding to customer queries as fast as possible will help you to build your organization’s reputation and boost its credibility.

Another way to provide customer support is to incorporate an FAQ section on your website or use videos to convey your message or answer common queries.

Conclusion

As a business owner, there are lots of ways you can attract more customers online. Setting out a good social media marketing plan, networking in the physical world, and offering customer support services are just some of the methods you can use to attract an online audience. Also ensuring your business website has features that make it user-friendly and secure will make it more likely that these online customers will return in future.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.