Why an Online Presence Is Necessary for Small Businesses

Now more than ever, online presence is like consciousness.

These days, much of our lives also take place online which, for your business, means you should always be on top of customer concerns.

If it feels like it’s too much, you can always consider customer service outsourcing.

Imagine living in 2019 without an active website or a static Facebook account.

When your customers reach out to you, they’ll expect a response but won’t actually get one, and that doesn’t look good for business.

Alternatively, your business could gain backlash on social media and you won’t even know about it.

Customer support

Even in small businesses, an online presence should be established.

Here’s why having and maintaining an online presence is, not only necessary but crucial for your small business.

1.           Reach Customers Online

Potential customers yearn to know more about your business, and nowadays, they usually consult the internet first.

The more active your online presence, the likelier it is for people to find your business and take interest.

This goes for lead generation, SEO, content marketing, and customer support.

When people can reach you online, you can form more stable relationships with potential customers.

For example, a twenty-something-year-old woman is interested in taking a class in your Pilates studio.

She finds your page on Facebook and sends you a message regarding rates.

After two days of no response, your customer resorts to finding another Pilates studio instead.

Without an online presence, you could lose potential customers.

2.           Top Austin SEO Companies suggest Build Your Brand

Having an online presence not only exposes your brand to the world but also builds your brand.

This includes your interactions with customers, the quality of your content, and customer reviews.

An active online presence shows your customers you not only live in the present but also think about the future.

The way you respond to customers builds your brand’s image, even when your business fails to respond to a customers’ concern.

The lack of communication still creates a brand’s identity—that it is inactive and not adaptable to the changing times.

3.           Build Relationships With Your Customers

It’s 2019. It shouldn’t be too hard to believe that the best way to keep customers wanting more from you is through the internet.

This is your chance to show customers that your brand can be relate-able.

People are more likely to engage with businesses that feel human.

Once you’ve established an online presence, one tip you can consider is addressing your customers by their first name.

When you call your customers by their first name, you give your company a human voice and produce a good rating in customer support.

Studies show 72 percent of customers are “very or extremely” likely to do business with a company because of their reputed strong customer service.

See? Stronger relationships and more clients can be achieved by having an online presence.

4.           Build Trust With Your Customers

Do you feel like you could hug a stranger on the street?

Unless you’re crazy, courageous, or participating in a free hugs campaign, you’d probably say no.

You don’t know how to trust strangers simply because they are strangers and their identities are a mystery to you.

Similarly, if your business is without an online presence, your brand’s identity is mysterious to most people who can potentially be your customers.

Trust is the foundation of any good relationship.

With a strong online presence, your customers are more likely to stay happy with your brand when they feel they can trust you.

This includes the rate at which they can receive replies to their inquiries, the use of the customers’ first name, and even how their questions are answered.

Thumbs up

Building an online presence is essential for every small business.

When you have a strong online presence, you expose your business to wider audiences, build more trust and relationships with customers, and build your brand.

If you feel like you have so much on your hands, feel free to opt for customer service outsourcing.

Thanks

Nishant Chandravanshi Founder of Chandravanshi.