We’ve talked about different ways you can use social media and other online tools to promote your business, but there’s more to it than just having a Facebook page, your website, and maybe a Pinterest account or blog. You’ve got to bring all of these different items together to create an integrated online identity if you want to get the most out of these sites.
If you don’t integrate them, you can still make social media and other online tools work for you. A Facebook account, for example, will still generate interest in your business if you keep it updated and engage your fans. To really get the most out of it, though, you need to post links to your online store fairly often (once a week or so). This will constantly drive traffic to your site, especially if you offer a discount or special for your Facebook fans. The same is true with Twitter. Include a link to your site every now and then and give your followers an incentive to visit. Tweet about new products or services, tell people when you add a new employee or have a company event…just keep your social media directing people to your website.
You need to reciprocate, too—make certain your website mentions that you have a Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Pinterest, whatever. Include links to your profile so your customers can easily find and follow you. If your website’s home page isn’t crowded, you may even consider adding a widget that displays the last two or three Facebook posts or links to your most recent blog. Remember, customers may not visit your website often, but they are probably on social media sites every day. If they’re reminded of your business via a status update or tweet, they’re much more likely to visit your website when they are in need of a product or service you offer.
Besides linking all of your social media to your website, you also need to link them to each other. Facebook profiles give you plenty of space to list multiple websites and contact information, so be sure to link in your blog and list your Twitter account name. Most blogs can be customized to feature your website, Facebook, Twitter, and other sites on the left or right-hand side.
Don’t forget to integrate your email marketing campaigns, if you do them. Be sure all your emails to your customers include links to everything. If you’re running specials or introducing new products/services, link the appropriate text and images—don’t just put a link at the bottom of the email.
While you don’t have to integrate your online resources like this, it certainly helps keep your customers informed of everything you’re doing on the internet. Plus, most of it takes very little time or work, so why not do it? It only takes a minute to add a link to social media on your website, but it can be a huge traffic boost.
Articles and posts written on the ImpliWeb official company blog represent those of the author and not those of ImpliWeb Limited.
