Every entrepreneur knows that business lives and breathes on exposure. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows it exists, you’re going to have a heck of a time selling it successfully. While this is true for brick-and-mortar businesses, it’s especially true for online businesses. It’s crucial that online businesses build up a web presence and do everything they can to get exposure. When you do, the internet is your oyster.
So much of our lives are taking place online now, through video conferencing, online shopping, and live streaming events, just to name a few. With so many people hanging out on the web these days, it’s more important than ever that you make it easy for them to find you.
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Here are six things you can do to boost your exposure online and start building a web presence—fast.
- Grab your vanity URL
Your vanity URL is a web address that uses your personal brand name, such as susanjohnson.com. A vanity URL is a great way to start building name recognition for yourself. Don’t worry if your vanity URL is already taken—tweaking your name slightly will still have the same effect. You might include your middle initial or middle name, add “the” in front of your name (such as “thesusanjohnson.com”) or include your title or industry.
- If you don’t already have a website, set up a one-page site
It’s hard to build a brand and a web presence without having a place to send people to on the internet. Think of it as your online home base! Even a simple one-page site can be a great start to establishing your brand online. You can use a user-friendly and free tool like the Coming Soon Express plugin for WordPress to create a professional-looking landing page, then use it to highlight all the skills, talents and passions that set you apart.
Related: 5 Essential Practices for Developing a Personal Brand
- Update your LinkedIn bio and social media profiles
Take a look at any web-facing channels you have and make sure the information you’ve included about yourself is current, accurate and reflects the key messages for the customers, clients and connections you’re hoping to reach. Next, connect with key influencers in your industry and begin engaging with their content. It’s a great way to build relationships and start conversations with industry leaders.
- Gain more visibility by being vocal
A great way to amplify your presence and grow a personal brand is to start sharing your expertise. You can do this by commenting on other people’s blog posts on channels such as LinkedIn or Medium, or offering your insights or solutions in industry-related Facebook groups. Write articles and publish them on your LinkedIn page. The point isn’t to sell anything (at least not right now), it’s to be a part of the conversation that’s going on in your space, and to position yourself as a thought leader and authority in your field.
- Guest post on other blogs
You’ve got a wealth of knowledge and expertise bouncing around your brain, so share it in thoughtful pieces of content. The best way to do this, while getting your name and business circulating with new audiences at the same time, is to guest post on other blogs. Spend some time making a list of the biggest influencers, thought leaders, and well-known websites in your industry, then check to see if they accept submissions for guest posts. Write a post that features your best nuggets of wisdom that will have the most value for that particular audience, and you could increase your exposure and web presence exponentially just by a few posts alone!
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- Present at a virtual summit or host your own online event
There’s no better way to build a brand presence than to speak or lead in front of others. There are a plethora of online events these days on every topic, specialty and industry you can imagine. Join in, either by pitching yourself as a speaker or host an event of your own. Not only does it offer your audience tons of great information and value, but it shines a light on your unique insights and points of view, too.
Your exposure can be even better if you identify the influencers in your industry and find a way to host an event with them or appear on the same stage. Sharing networks with other leaders is a great way to expand your own, as well as offer your audience even more value.
The best way to build a successful online business is to get as much exposure as you can. By using any or all of these six simple tips, you’ll be making big strides toward building a web presence that people will notice and remember — as well as taking advantage of an audience that’s only growing more captive as time goes by. Here’s to your success!
