Cultivate Your Web Presence To Grow Your Business

Taking your organisation online is an organic experience, much like tending a valued specimen tree. It requires both an understanding and respect of the symbiotic relationship between the web elements and a keen eye in determining where to “turn the sod” and plant your tree in the first place.

That said, like any natural thing, your organisation’s web presence would flourish when optimal conditions are met. Starting from the ground up, your web presence begins with where you decide to base yourself on the Internet. It’s generally agreed that for most New Zealand organisations a .nz domain name is sensible, because consumers know that relevant local content will be on offer.

Moving up to the trunk is the face of your organisation’s presence – your website. It’s important that your website is professional and reflective of the core values of your business. Make sure that the content on your site is fresh, relevant and targeted to meet the needs of your audience.  A good website instils trust from visitors with verified links, clear contact information, and is viewable on a mobile Internet enabled device.

Extending forth from the website trunk are structural branches, representative of email and social media.  Email remains a fundamental method of communicating with clients and target audiences. Note that, recent research has shown that emails connected to business related domain names, such as john@johnsplumbing.co.nz, enjoy more trust and perceptions of professionalism than use of free email services such as Gmail or ISP provided email.

Social media is a rapidly evolving space with over half of New Zealand businesses seeing value in it. However, the effective use of social media requires clarity around why you are using it and what is to be achieved. Avoid rushing out onto a limb without a dedicated resource to maintain your social presence and choose your platform (be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) with purpose. 

And, swaying in the breeze in a homogenous array of colour are the leaves, or your customers. They provide your online ecosystem with the nutrients it needs to grow. Customers are individuals, but share common needs such as easily accessible information, which is clear, concise and compelling.

Your customers are always there in the canopy; it’s your job to work out how to best reach them via your online ecosystem.