When you have launched your startup, one of the most important things you can do is to prove your business idea is a sound one. One way to do this is to get early user traction and see how it resonates with customers online.
With the internet being home to the largest markets and customers ever to be found in one place, getting your startup noticed has never been easier or cheaper, if you do it right.
To get the most out of your startup marketing and branding efforts, you may not need much spending to push it towards the right track. Sometimes, all you need is a way to market your business to a huge audience in a cheap way.
There are lots of areas to delve into, most are probably too costly to sustain for most startup entrepreneur, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get access to a huge audience with a limited budget.
That said, I will be showing you 6 ways to get your startup noticed online without spending much or spending next to nothing. The first is:
1. Build a Great Connection/Email List:
Time Magazine calculator estimates that American consumers spend $550,000 every minute online.
Some of that money could be coming to your business if you know how to get them to see your business in the first place.
Having some form of online presence like a business website helps your product/service get noticed.
With a simple and easy to navigate website and a detailed explanation touting the benefits of your products, make the sign up for your email list prominent and offer free digital downloads or products to get them to sign up.
Email is still one of the best ways to convert leads into customers. Build a list of people who love what you offer.
2. Connect With Other High Influencers in your Industry/Business:
As a startup founder and entrepreneur, you might be tempted to go it alone and use the conventional ways of getting noticed like advertising, blogging etc.
A thousand and one startups are already doing that and more.
How do you stand out from the crowd?
One way to do this that is often overlooked or not used properly is getting to know the people in your industry.
These people could be the bloggers that cover your industry. Get to know them and offer to share knowledge about your business for free. Write useful content that could boost their blog profile and in turn increase visibility of your startup.
This method if harnessed could raise the profile and online visibility of your business
3. Have a highly functioning website for your business:
Having a business website is like having your business address on the web.
Your business website is where customers get firsthand knowledge about your product/service offering and everything else they need to know about your business.
Having your own website helps you control the information you want your customers to know about your business and helps you manage your business brand.
Your website is your home base. It is the place you send leads, customers and potential partners to learn about your business. You have about 30 seconds to convince a new visitor to stay so keep your website simple and easy to navigate.
Since I’m talking about low cost ways, you can start with free WordPress themes for your website. Starting low scale isn’t always glamorous, but these free basic themes get you going anyway.
4. Share Fresh, Useful Content on Your Blog:
While a website is like your business address on the web, your business blog is like the home address of your business.
Your business blog is where you share personal stories about your business that might not be appropriate for a website.
Your blog helps to build awareness for your startup by sharing stories about your business successes and challenges thereby fostering a feeling of community with your customers and building a loyal customer base.
Having a business blog where you write original, useful content about your product/service offering and encouraging your readers to share boosts your startup brand awareness and makes your startup visible online.
5. Use Social Media to do More than Just Sell Your Product/Services:
These days, most companies are engaging with customers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media channels.
But that doesn’t mean they are doing it right. Just like a person who constantly talks about himself, a company that never stops selling on social media is a bore.
Don’t use every post and tweet to tout your product or service. Instead, mix in some links to interesting stories and news that are relevant to your industry and community, as well as personal posts, such as a fun anecdote about your office culture.
Don’t overdo it, though with the personal posts. Posting about your last bowel movement probably doesn’t have a place on your business social accounts unless you run a toilet servicing business.
Use social media as an avenue to truly connect with your customers and prospective customers and to answer in detail whatever questions they might have.
6. Keep at it Until You See Results:
These methods will not yield the desired results if they are used inconsistently. To build your startup awareness and visibility, you must be prepared to invest time consistently in all these strategies.
You have to keep learning and testing to find out which strategy yields the most results for your effort and fine tuning it to get the best.
Growing a business online isn’t easy but the rewards of a successful business are worth it.