Most people understand the importance of marking your business online. However, it’s easy to get caught up in social media, forums, and other sites. Causing you to overlook the fact that your website should be at the center of your online marketing. These other sites are important, and deserve your attention. However, they should all lead Internet users back to your website. Here’s why…
1.Social Networks Come and Go
Who remembers MySpace? It was the top social network for a couple of years; everyone was there. Then, along came Facebook, and in a pretty short period of time MySpace went from being number one to being almost nothing.
New social networks are emerging all of the time. Are you familiar with Instagram, Vine, or Snapchat? Yes, Snapchat. Even though the local news would like you to think that it is just teenagers “sexting,” it isn’t. You should be familiar with all of these platforms, if you are targeting a younger audience.
If you put all of your energy into someone else’s platform and they become irrelevant your customers and fans won’t know where to find you anymore. However, if you use the top social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Vine to build up an audience and promote your website people will know how to find you when all of today’s social networks are out paced by new ones.
2. You Control The Entire Message
On your website YOU have full control over all the content on your website, and can promote your products and services in a way that works best for you, and your clients. You don’t have to try and fit your information into a limited amount of space, or a certain format.
On other sites there is the potential for anyone to post about your company. With everyone and their brother having the ability to talk about your brand online people will turn to your website for the most up-to-date and accurate information. There is a lot of incorrect information on the Internet. When Internet users detect something might be wrong they will turn to your website for the final word. Even if your website is out-of-date, or incorrect that is what people will, ultimately, believe.
3. One-Stop Shop
Your website is the jumping off point for all information about your company. It will direct Internet users to areas of your website as well as your presence on other websites. If users are looking for information on your products or services you can direct them to the right pages on your website. If they want to interact with you online they can follow the links on your website to your social media accounts, such as your Facebook page, or Instagram account. No matter what they are looking for, related to your business, your website should help them find it.
4. Analytics
Analytics is the information about the people who visit your website. Using Google Analytics, or another analytics platform, gives you a ton of valuable information about who visits your website, what pages they look at, and where they might be getting stuck, or leaving. Other websites give limited information, if any, about the people who view your information. Facebook offers some statistics about your Facebook page, but it isn’t anywhere near as helpful as website analytics.
For example, you can find out what content on your site is popular and what content isn’t as popular. You can also find out how people are getting to your website. Is it google? Is it an industry website that people find you on? With so much information available you can make informed decisions about future marketing efforts.
I hope this article helped you understand why your website should be at the center of your online marketing. Keeping your website as a central focus will put you in a position for long term success online.
Do you try to funnel Internet traffic to your website? Does your website play a different role for your business? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts.
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