Studies show that consistent advertising can increase profitability by 30% or more over time. This is because advertising helps build brand awareness, which ultimately influences purchase decisions. In our online world, a strong online presence acts as a powerful advertising campaign and may be all you need to earn more money and increase your profitability.
This is the reality,
The internet has changed the way consumers shop and interact. Almost everyone has access to the internet. In fact, almost all consumers now use the Internet in some way to shop locally. It is, therefore, more important than ever to use your online presence to promote and advertise yourself and the products and services you offer.
Here’s why:
The consumer buying decision process hasn’t changed in thousands of years. When a consumer needs or wants something, they look for a solution, then compare options, make a purchase decision, and perform a post-purchase evaluation.
What has changed over time is the availability of tools to assist consumers in this process. In today’s world, the whole process can be done without having to talk to a salesperson or go into a store. Everything can be done online.
The truth is this,
Consumers are in control. There are search engines, social networks, business directories, websites and mobile apps that allow consumers to search for products and services, compare options and get recommendations without taking their eyes off their computer or smartphone screen.
This means:
If you sell products or services, you should list your company on as many search engines, social networks, business directories and mobile platforms as possible. Creating a website and a Facebook page won’t help your online presence much in today’s online world.
If you don’t have a strong online presence, many of your potential customers may never consider buying from you because they don’t know you exist.
A strong online presence contributes to brand recognition and trust
Your online presence can define your brand. People identify with brands. Developing an online presence helps you convey consistent quality, credibility and experience. It helps define who you are, what you do and can set you apart from the competition. Your brand is your identity; it helps you inspire trust and develop relationships that lead to customer loyalty and increased sales.
This fact is not surprising:
Studies show that consumers prefer to buy products and services from people and companies they trust. You wouldn’t buy products or services from people or companies you don’t trust, and neither would anyone else.
This is very important,
The same studies show that consumers will pay more for the same product or service if they buy it from a person or brand they trust. Consumers want to be satisfied with their purchases.
Many studies have been conducted to try to measure how consumers use and respond to different types of advertising and distribution platforms. Several studies confirm that a strong online presence is important for consumers today. Nielson’s research concludes that consumers now believe that branded websites are more trustworthy than any other form of advertising, except for personal recommendations from friends and family. Seventy per cent (70%) of global consumers now say they trust branded websites completely.
Branded sites identify themselves and are identified by a strong online presence, which not only increases the credibility of the site itself but also improves its ranking in search engines.
This in turn influences purchasing decisions. In other words, a user’s trust in the type of advertising and platform directly increases the likelihood of being positively influenced by that advertising.
Building a strong online presence is affordable
Traditional advertising is expensive. More important, it is not as efficient as it used to be. In fact, studies show that many people do not trust the ads they see or hear on most traditional advertising platforms. As a result, any advertising campaign on these traditional platforms is generally ineffective.
Consider this:
Consumers are being bombarded with advertising messages – from the back of bills and coffee cups to motorway billboards and online banners. The human brain can only effectively absorb so much information at a time. As a result, consumers have become very good at effectively ignoring advertising messages that they are bombarded with and do not want or need. This further reduces the return on investment of a traditional advertising campaign.
Currently, the most expensive form of advertising is a television and the cheapest is improving your online presence. The cost of reaching 1,000 people on prime time television is about $34, compared to $8 for a total online presence enhancement.
If you sell products and services locally, your ability to develop a strong brand identity can have a direct impact on your long-term ability to make more money and improve your profitability. Clearly, resources invested in advertising, packaging, public relations, sales promotion, word-of-mouth marketing programmes, etc. contribute to the development of a strong brand, but in today’s environment, nothing is more important than developing your online brand by strengthening your online presence.
Improving your online presence will not only strengthen your brand identity and improve your overall search engine rankings, but it will also help you to be found online, attract new customers, grow your business and make more money.
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