We’ve helped hundreds of thousands of small businesses get online through Intuit Website Services. In doing so, we often hear from small-business owners that they could use some help understanding how to approach online marketing. Getting a website is step one. Then what? How do you best use the web to attract customers? What’s worth spending time and money on, and what’s not?
In response, we’re rolling out this Online Marketing Toolkit to share best practices and real-life success stories from small enterprises like yours. We think these posts will be especially useful for business owners who are new to online marketing. If you’re looking for more in-depth information or specific solutions, we offer those, too. Our goal is to help you get the most out of your online marketing efforts while minimizing the amount of time, energy, and money you invest.
Why bother with online marketing?
To compete successfully for people’s business, you need to be where they are, and, increasingly, customers are searching for businesses online. Because online marketing is digital, it offers you more ways to customize, manage, track, and adjust your marketing efforts. This is not a “one size fits all” situation, so each topic in this toolkit includes important issues to consider before you get started, as well as some practical suggestions on first steps.
The Online Marketing Toolkit covers five aspects of online marketing:
- Building a Website to get your business online
- Search Engine Optimization to help customers find your business website
- Search Engine Marketing to advertise your business website
- Email Marketing to help keep your customers coming back
- Social Media Marketing to deepen your relationship with customers and get new ones
We would love to hear from you. In the Comments section below, please share how you’re achieving success in marketing your business online; which other sources of advice you recommend (such as this video series from Google and the Small Business Administration); and what, if any, questions you have about online marketing.
Sounds like a solid toolkit with all the right ingredients for success. Nice one!
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Excellent toolkit! A good introduction to online marketing.
Eric,
Great post. There is also some very effective and affordable technology Small businesses can use in the marketing space specifically relating to using video. Until now a company that wanted to use video as part of their online marketing strategy would post to Youtube or Vimeo and embed one of their players on the businesses site. Problem is any click on the video sends you back to the video hosting company and away from the businesses website.
Recently a company called viewbix changed that experience. Viewbix’s innovative technology enhances video by inserting interactive apps in the viewing area. Companies are looking for ways to maximize their reach and provide the most relevant information within one screen and location. Viewbix empowers companies to leverage their videos by inserting interactive apps and sharing that experience across the web, mobile and social networks.
Check it out! Your readers will love it!
Here is an example:
http://www.viewbix.com/v/Helen-Ga-Cabin-Rentals/077c2b2fcc3e46cda995af8e6b20124d
Hillel
You have highlighted 5 key components to any online marketing strategy.
Build a presence that can be found, help people find it, build a relationship with them through email and social media.
Step one, “Building a Website”, is of little or no use unless website owners recognize the value and importance of step two: “Search Engine Optimization”. It’s also vital for online entrepreneurs to realize that website content must be original in order for it to rank high (or at all ) on Google. In addition to good on-site SEO and getting incoming links from other quality sites, original content is one of the cornerstones of successful, high-ranking sites.
Small Business Marketing Tools
What?s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely useful and it has helped me out loads. I’m hoping to contribute & help different users like its aided me. Good job.