What is an online presence?

An online presence for a business is the business’s website, social profiles, online memberships in directories, and any other places on the Internet where customers and potential customers can find you. Building an active online presence will not only give your customers access to your products and services but will also provide a way for them to learn more about your business. Building an active online presence leads to higher levels of brand building, increased accessibility to the customer, and the ability to sell and market your product more easily. Most of the population uses social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It makes perfect sense to join in and create a presence on these sites where your customers, and potential customers, can easily find you.

Why is it important?

Globally, two-thirds (65 percent) of small businesses with an online presence said they elected to create a company website because it makes their company look more credible, and 60 percent said that a website is critical for a small company’s success.

If you’ve just started your business or are fairly new to the entrepreneurial world, then building your online presence can be time-consuming because it doesn’t happen overnight. It can be frustrating because… well, it doesn’t happen overnight; and it’s important because your online presence is what allows potential customers to find and interact with you. But, more than that, you leverage your online presence to actively create a trusting relationship between your business and potential customers.But the building process can be less time consuming and less frustrating if you know where to start.

It’s essential to develop a business website to showcase your products and services and expand your visibility on social media hubs. Your business website is the base for your customer presence, where your new and existing customers will be directed when they click on a link in a blog post, social media post or online advertisement to learn more about your brand, products, and services. Even if you’re not sure your business is ready to spend significant time engaging in a specific social network, you should make the time to claim and build strong profiles, and post content.