The business realm has come a long way in terms of gender opportunity. Gone are the days when women used to get underrepresented in entrepreneurship. Today, many women have taken the plunge into business.
In fact, the number of female business owners has significantly increased by more than 30 percent since the year 2007. We expect that women-owned businesses will grow just as much as men-owned enterprises. It’s safe to say that we’ve seen the rise of women entrepreneurs across the globe.
It doesn’t mean, however, that women can now be complacent. As far as doing business is concerned, hard work is still the name of the game. Do what it takes to promote your products or services while reaching out to your regular and potential customers. As such, online marketing is the key.
As a woman entrepreneur, here’s how to promote your small business online:
1. Website Marketing
In this digital era, having a business website is imperative. It is where you’ll display and promote your products or services. It also serves as your online store, where your customers can visit, and you can engage with them. It isn’t only e-commerce enterprises that are taking space online. Even physical stores have transitioned to click-and-mortar businesses.
However, update your website with the user experience (UX) in mind. The goal is to ensure its aesthetic value and overall functionality. On top of these is to make sure that it’s as mobile-friendly as possible. That way, you can attract visitors, keep them on your website, and even turn them into actual customers.
2. Search Engine Marketing
It’s one thing to have a business website. It’s another to have online visibility. It can be challenging for your website to achieve web prominence in a highly saturated web. It can also be difficult for your site to stand out in a sea of digital competition. That’s where search engine marketing (SEM) comes into the picture. Under SEM are the following:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): This online strategy can boost your web visibility. The process involves optimizing your website, producing relevant content, and building backlinks. It can put your website on top of the search engine results pages or SERP’s ranking.
- Pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising: This campaign can increase your website traffic. The process entails creating ad copies and bidding for their placements in SERP. For the uninitiated, it’s a form of paid search. It means that you’ll pay for every successful click. However, these clicks can bring customers to your website.
3. Social Media Marketing
As a woman entrepreneur, you should harness the power of social media. Make sure to create social media accounts and have business pages. These online channels can provide your business with plenty of business opportunities, from customer engagement to lead generation to sales conversion. That’s where social media marketing comes into play. Here’s what you can do:
- Facebook: Consider Facebook advertising for promoting your products or services. Create ads, bid for placements, and target them to your prospects based on demographics. You can also post and share valuable content on your page to encourage encouragement. Lastly, you can use its Messenger app to accept orders and answer customers’ queries.
- Instagram: If you’re selling particular goods or items, you can use Instagram to display your products. However, consider resorting to product photography. These compelling images can entice customers to purchase what you have to offer.
- YouTube/TikTok: Videos have been proven effective in business and marketing. They resonate well with your target market. They are highly appealing, easily digestible, and very memorable. Hence, you can publish promotional video clips on YouTube or TikTok.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn can be one of the most effective platforms for women networking. Through this online channel, you can partner with other businesses and organizations. You can also build good relationships with your key stakeholders involved in your business, from your customers to your employees to your suppliers.
4. Email Marketing
The last on the list is email marketing, a potent tool for business. Not only do people utilize emails for personal communication, but employees also use them for business transactions. And as far as marketing is concerned, you can send promotional emails to both your old and new customers.
For regular customers, you can send them regular updates about your business. You can even offer special discounts and exclusive deals. On the other hand, conduct research to have a list of prospects called qualified leads. From there, you can send them personalized emails highlighting your business value. Who knows? Some might end up buying your products or hiring your services.
At this point, you now know how to promote your small business online. As a woman entrepreneur, consider the online marketing strategies recommended above. Harness the power of the internet in reaching out to prospects and promoting your products or services online. Doing so helps you get more customers and boost your business profits. In time, you’ll see your small business grow, flourish, and succeed.
