What an online presence can help you achieve

Success is different for every organization. But whether your goal is to be accessible 24 hours a day or to achieve greater commercial reach, establishing a digital presence is an intuitive starting point.

It gives you the opportunity to enhance your company's image and better meet the needs of your ideal customers. It also allows you to build trust by giving your audience a way to interact personally with your brand.

Your five-part digital presence checklist

Even if you plan to conduct activities in person, 76 % of customers will look for you online first.

The following fundamentals will help you position yourself against your competitors and stand out online:

1. Streamline your digital strategy.

There are so many technologies and tools on offer that it's easy to get lost in the technology pile. To adopt a more harmonious approach, start by determining what benefits you want to achieve online. Whether it's increasing brand awareness and conversions or building customer trust, all answers are valid. You just need to make sure that your objectives guide your digital transformation activities. From there, you can try to anticipate and resolve any pitfalls that may arise.

2. Show your human side.

Cultivating a strong digital presence doesn't mean you can't make your business processes more human. In fact, qualities like empathy and sincerity are superpowers for many SMEs, especially when compared to their competitors. As more consumers make purchases that reflect their values, it makes sense to think (and market) in socially responsible ways. Whether you're donating a portion of your profits to local causes or championing other community projects, strive to showcase causes that might be ethically aligned with your brand.

3. Consider an omnichannel approach.

The greater your digital coverage, the more points of contact you'll have with customers. However, omnichannel strategies can take several tries, so you'll want to prioritize and optimize those that give you the best results. Scour the data to see which web channels, SEO campaigns or marketing platforms resonate with your community.

4. Meet customers where they are.

We all find ways to fill our time online. Smartphones in hand, we store, read reviews and exchange with our networks, and it's important for your brand to take advantage of these opportunities for interaction. "SMEs need to meet their customers where they are by establishing a strong presence on all these fronts." warns Forbes. "You should also chat online with customers and respond to negative and positive reviews."

5. Focus on quality content.

Your digital identity is largely based on the type of content you create. Each piece should represent your company's values and brand standards, while appealing to your audience. Consider creating brand and messaging guidelines to help ensure consistency. You could also try running A/B tests to help you determine which types of marketing materials resonate best with your customers.

Creating a strong, consistent digital brand

The more actively you participate in creating and building your online presence, the more exposure and awareness you'll gain for your brand. Although it takes time, small businesses that systematically strive to combine digital tools with a human touch can hold their own against competitors of any size.