Building an online presence for your business should be a no-brainer, because it brings so many pros and so little cons that there is no reason why you should still hesitate. However, if you are reading this post, you probably are, because going online actually requires a certain level of organisation and an adequate budget, and we know for many business owners, this is enough to think about it way more than twice. So, when it comes to start your business online, all the cons seem to weigh more than they actually do, and you start seeing them like an insurmountable obstacle. However, many of them are just false myths spread by word of mouth by those who tried to build a homemade online presence without succeeding, because they obviously lack in experience.
Let’s see what are the most common and debunk them.
1. It is an extra cost for my business
Totally wrong: it is not a cost, but an investment. Visitors can be converted into leads, and leads into sales. There are many ways that guarantee a return on your investment: for instance, you can open an e-commerce and sell your products, or you can make videos and sell online courses, and so on. It is really up to you. Simply taking care of your social media channels means creating some awareness around your brand, which soon turns into more people interested in what you do and how you can help them. All you have to do, is making this clear online: intercept your target’s problems, and propose a solution using your social media channels and your blog. In other words, make yourself what you are: a reference for your business.
Talking about target, on the internet there is enough technology to deliver your message only to people who could really be interested in what you offer, excluding all those who don’t, which allows you to save a lot of money. If you take a deep look at the costs, you may find out that advertising on the internet is cheaper than traditional media.
2. I can get bad reviews
Only if you deserve them! However, whether you like it or not, people will talk about your brand on the internet even if you are not present. Think about all those restaurants and hotels who don’t even have a website, but still get reviews on TripAdvisor. The only difference is that if you are not present online, you don’t know, but if you are there, you can reply to a bad review, acknowledge that something went wrong and propose a compensation, turning an angry customer into a happy (and returning) one.
Bad reviews are part of the game, but they happen, anyway. However, a good presence online can also trigger good ones.
3. Web marketing is ineffective
Really? If it was ineffective, how come marketing directors make £80,000 a year on average? As I said a couple of paragraph above, a digital strategy for your online presence can serve various purposes, from brand awareness to actual sales. Most of those who say web marketing is ineffective, often have only tried to advertise their business on Facebook with 20 quids or less. In other cases, they just use the wrong tools, like those who turn their personal Facebook profile in an online shop window. Social networks are meant to socialise with people, not to sell goods!
If you contact a digital strategy specialist, they will help you choose the right platforms and tools for your business and you will finally see some results in terms of revenues.
4. It is time-consuming
This is partly true: managing your online presence involves monitoring and adjusting many things on a lot of different platforms, from social media to SEO. There are many irons in the fire, and you have to keep an eye on everything.
Unless you have a team of professionals who follows you.
I am pretty sure there is plenty of local digital agencies in your area who can help you with everything that involves your online presence. If they manage your social media channels, your blog, your website, your funnels, and your advertising, what are you worrying about? All you have to do is taking care of your company.
5. I don’t need it
This feels so wrong! Almost every business has got a website, including some of your competitors, who are probably already generating revenues and getting more customers. It is not about keeping up with the Joneses, but it is a real fact: while you are still deciding, your competitors might be gathering new customers and taking a big advantage on you. If you think your business is successful just because you can still take a good income home, it is just because you did not realise it could be even better, if you launched your business online.
Before buying anything, customers look for information, and the place where they do so is the internet, so you need to have a website where you can supply all the necessary information. Also, offering support and answering questions on social networks, gives more value to your products, and people will feel more confident when making a purchase.
Conclusions
So, you didn’t want to build an online presence for your business because it costs a lot, but it is actually cheaper than traditional media. Have a look at our Popup program. Also, you were scared of bad reviews, but then you realised they could come anytime, even though you are not online, and then you said it is ineffective and time-consuming, but all you need to make it work is a team of professionals, and now you know you need it, because your competitors are already online.
Don’t think about the cost of having a digital strategy, think about the cost of not having one.
