So, Friends and Colleagues, you will discover that Getting your Business Online is a simple process. Most people already have online profiles in the form of Facebook pages and WhatsApp user names and on many other platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Indeed, you have seen how these digital platforms have transform our day to day communication and our lives in general. When we talk about your Business or Hustle going online, we also cover the growing number of opportunities for you and your Business.
We would like to get practical and unpack the core components of digital, how they relate to YOUR business and how to get started. Let’s say you’re a Mechanic, Hairdresser or Poultry Farmer whose business has grown strictly through referrals and word of mouth. So far, you’ve not had any digital presence, but now you want to take your business to the next level. How will being online help your business succeed? One of the biggest advantages to being online is reaping the benefits of Search. Having a digital presence means you’ll be visible when people go online and search for a business like yours. So let’s assume someone searches for “Hairdresser Kuwadzana” and your Home Saloon appears in the results. How can this benefit your business?
Well, the possibilities are virtually endless. When a customer clicks a link to your link or social media account there’s so much they can learn about you. They might watch a video you posted about the new hairstyle that your clients love so much. In addition, it does matter which industry you are into. Whether you are a Mechanic, Teacher, Informal Trader, there is always something that you can talk about.
Your online presence can also give you valuable insight into prospective customers: what they want, and how to give it to them. How? Well, digital allows you to show targeted advertising to people right when they’re looking for what you offer. For example, using search advertising, you can show ads to potential customers. Such as people searching for “auto repair in Kadoma.” You can also restrict the ads to show within a certain geographic radius of your shop, garage or house. You can learn to use analytics tools to find out if people clicked on your ad, visited your site, and took certain actions. Like filling out a form or watching a video.
Exciting, right? But how do you get started? Well, first, don’t be intimidated: the tools and technology available today are easy to learn, easy to use and easy to acquire. Many are even free. In fact, for many businesses, the biggest challenge to being online isn’t getting used to the tools, but putting together a plan. We’ve prepared a programme that will help you do just that.
In order understand better let’s run down a quick overview of the major areas that we will cover.
First I will touch on Going online. Getting online means adding or registering your business to the various internet platforms, such as Google My Business, Facebook, Instagram, What App Business, Bing and more.
Registering on Google My Business means that you enter your details on the Google Search Engine. This will enable people searching for your goods or services will be able to find you easily. Google My Business is connected to Google Maps and hence it will be Easy for people in your community to find you. We will learn more, and work on practical of adding our Businesses on Google in the Article.
The Scope or reach of going online may look quite confusing, indeed it is huge, there are so many options. There is Google, Facebook and so many other platforms such as Classified Adverts and listings. You may be wondering, the world now demands digital, so where do I start? Do not worry, we have prepared a simple but well organized, step by step Articles, to help you navigate this super highway.
However, in order to achieve all these things, you have to consider, the tools available for you such as a Laptop or Smart Phone, Internet Connectivity, Skills and a budget. This does not mean, that you cannot start for a minimum price, most of these platforms are free, therefore you will only need your smart phone, internet connectivity and your time and skills. Every day, thousands of small business owners are making the web work for them. The opportunity to reach customers from around the corner and around the globe is too big to ignore.
In the next Article we will learn about Google My Business. It’s time to take the plunge and go digital!
