In today’s world, you have more than one front door – your opportunity to show who you are to potential customers. One is the actual front door to your store or business (if you have a physical location), the other is your website and presence on social media. Every day, when you walk into your store (if you have one), you look to make sure that the door is clean, the window displays are up-to-date seasonally and attractive to your visitors. Here are more reasons why you need a website.
Did you know that your website and your social media accounts are just as important? They will attract new potential customers, as well as keep you top-of-mind with current and previous customers. And, if you don’t have a physical store front, your website is how people will find you.
When is the last time you looked at the homepage of your website? Take a really good look? Remember, customers start their search at Google to find just about anything — whether it is a physical business, to learn something, or find something. So ask yourself these questions:
- Does your website communicate who you are? The services or goods you offer?
- If you have a physical location, it is easy for people to find your address? (I have been to websites for stores and literally can’t find their address!)
- Is the content on the homepage up-to-date? Or is it highlighting classes from last month (or even last year)?
- If you sell online, do you suggest some of your popular items to the visitor right on the homepage? Do you have a link to your shopping area on your site, or 3rd party platform like Etsy in your site navigation?
- Take a good long look at the format, layout, colors and imagery – does it represent your brand?
Now, take a look at your social media presence. And, no, you don’t need to be everywhere, and you don’t need to post daily because each social media platform communicates a little differently to your customers.
- Facebook is about events and community.
- Make sure that you have a main image that best represents you and your business. Maybe it is a photo of one of your favorite pieces of work, or your studio. Highlight what you feel is your niche or differentiator.
- Your posts should share what makes you different as well as show your personality.
- If you have a physical location that you want someone to visit, why would they want to come? Is it variety of classes? It is specific inventory? Is it open studio time?
- If you teach classes, what will someone learn from you that they wouldn’t somewhere else? What do you uniquely bring to your students?
- Make sure to post events on your timeline so that it is easy for your followers to show they are interested, which means your event will show up on their timeline for all of their friends to see (and hopefully show some interest, too).
- Instagram is about brand awareness.
- Posts should be pretty images that reflect your niche.
- Key to Instagram are hashtags, to be able to reach more than just your loyal followers. Use hashtags that are relevant to your post, so you’ll show up in potential customers Instagram feeds, growing awareness about your business.
- Take a look at your Instagram feed. Are the images cohesive and share your brand? Or is there a random post about the traffic outside your shop one day or an amazing dinner you made? Those don’t belong. So think about your Instagram feed as your front window of your business — this is where people see what you offer.
- Pinterest is about saving inspiration.
- Pinterest is not about today’s event, it is about posting images and content that will be reposted and shared. Sometimes, Pinterest can be a great source of ongoing traffic to your website, but it changes it’s algorithm often.
- Example: You have ongoing classes in a basic technique, so you post pictures of that technique, samples and works in progress. Then link these to your ongoing scheduled class, and make sure the copy for the post reads something like “Always wanted to learn xyz? We’ve got the basic (and advanced) classes on our calendar. Sign up now.” That pretty image that shows the technique will be reposted and shared, so it will attract new potential customers. If it is an interesting and attractive image, people will repin, and repin.
There are so many other social media platforms. If you like to Tweet, go ahead and set up a Twitter account. If you are into making videos, go ahead and post snipits to SnapChat. Follow the social media platforms that you like and use – you don’t need to be on all of them.
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Just as you make sure your window displays are refreshed, take the time to make sure the homepage on your website is up-to-date, and that your primary social channels visually communicate your brand. You have more than one front door to your business.
Browse through more of our blog posts on digital marketing.
