Defining Online Presence:
When looking at your website and trying to understand what your customers are perceiving, is it solid content driven hub?
Websites should not only entice customers to come back (for new info, to make their life easier, ect…) but also convince prospects you are in fact the best-of-the-best for their needs. An added bonus is the internal customer- are your employees able to use the website?
So your website is online, but are people finding it? Driving people to your site is the next obstacle. The fanciest/high designed website is worthless if no one sees it. Organic search (google, yahoo) is the most utilized form of information gathering for the American consumer. So rising to position one in the searches relevant to your brand or industry is paramount. Chances are if you aren’t showing up, your competitor is. Optimizing (*SEO) your site is the answer to this marketing conundrum.
*SEO (search engine optimization) isn’t a one time thing either. It’s a technical process as much as it’s a monthly ongoing marketing exercise. If your site is optimized, but it isn’t performing well, double check the the monthly marketing maintenance is happening. Chances are, if you aren’t happy with the performance, this is the problem.
There are other ways to drive people to your site. Paid ads (PPC) on the search engines are highly effective and can be incredibly low cost. Not only for those who click through but also the brand awareness you receive with your impressions on each search. **This is a good option if your organic search performance is lagging.
Social media is another great place to engage customers and prospects. Whether it’s Facebook, a blog or Twitter keeping that open vein of communication with those who are/could be a fan of your brand is important. Brands aren’t unmovable objects anymore. We interact with the brands that are succeeding. Keep that in mind the next time someone recommends a company Facebook page.
If the internet is a party, the brand with an online presence is at the punch bowl handing out drinks and telling anecdotes while handing out business cards. The brand with simply a stationary website is the super tall guy sitting on the couch, alone.
Updates from brianna-deihl 
