Every company nowadays has a website. But not every company has a recognizable, strong online presence. The difference between being online and having a strong online brand can mean the difference between moderate success and major success! In today’s world, standing out online is pretty tough. The online world is simply full of companies trying to convince you that they are the best in the business. Despite the seeming white noise of companies and their online branding, there are some ways to stand out from the crowd and progress further and faster!

Whether you run a nonprofit or a for-profit, there are ways to keep your business looking beautiful to your customers online. Especially during the time of COVID-19, working from home has given business owners time to really give it their all with their online profile. In fact, both nonprofits and for-profits each have different help online as well to both keep the business beautiful and also to help them run smoothly too, for example, nonprofits have access to software such as impact measurement which can help detect whether the business is succeeding with the public. 

1. Learn the ins and outs of SEO

SEO, which stands for Search Engine Optimisation, is absolutely key to keeping your website available and clickable for those who search for you. The way SEO works is that search engines are programmed to scan your website’s content and learn what it is about. Using data labeling, search engine software understands certain keywords, terms, and images. By doing this, the search engine can boost your searchability by connecting your site to the searches that match your services. Essentially, it’s a way to boost your site up to the top of the search list. 

Learning how to work with SEO to achieve your company’s online goals is the number one key to online promotion. Making changes to your website to make them scannable and easier to understand by the software of a search engine, can reap incredible awards for your brand. 

For nonprofits who perhaps do not have the level of funding that corporates might have, non profit website marketing is even more crucial. Learning how to utilize SEO as a non profit organization can achieve fantastic results, without having to expensively run corporate marketing campaigns. 

2. Using social media to your advantage

Most companies are on social media – it seems like a necessity for a company to be ‘relevant’. However, just existing on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook – or all three – is not enough to promote your business. Standing out from the crowd takes a little more than simply having a presence; you have to reach out in meaningful ways. Social media has gone beyond being a simple promotion tool; it is a platform to actually sell products, too. Learning the tools that social media has at its disposal to help you turn a profit is extremely rewarding for your business. 

Depending on what your company or organization promotes, being in the right social media ‘space’ is vital. If you are a non profit promoting women’s safety services, for example, following and reaching out to other similar organizations, as well as to those women you are trying to help, is important. Instagram has more than one billion users; researching ways to boost your followers crucial to boost your profile. 

3. Keep it interactive

One way to make your online presence more than just a flat, faceless website is to create an interactive experience for your visitors. This does not have to be expensive or unbelievably complicated; you can create simple interactions for your users to keep them engaged. Allowing those who visit your website to interact with your services and products online, encouraging them to remain on the page a little longer. This boosts your statistics and helps you understand what users are finding interesting about your site. 

Some easy, cost-effective ways of creating interactions for your users are:

• Helpline/email contact. Whether your company is a small, perhaps even family-run business, or a large corporate with many employees, it’s important that you remain approachable. Showing your potential customers that you care for their needs and concerns requires minimal effort, and makes a big difference to the way your brand is perceived from the outside.
• Questionnaires. These don’t have to be boring, long, and painful to complete. Always make them optional, and keep it funky – ask short, meaningful questions about how your website user found their experience. 
• Encourage promotion. Many companies and non profit organizations encourage their users to share the site on their personal social media accounts. Sometimes these are even in exchange for a small offer or discount!

Conclusion

These simple tips for promoting your company online are easy to implement and extremely cost-effective! Try out these tools and you’ll go from being just one of many websites to a stand-out in no time.