Kennebunk, Maine (PRWEB) August 16, 2013
Companies developing an online presence are often at a loss for getting things off the ground and getting people interested in their website, social media profile, or other local search marketing initiatives. One of the key methods to build an online presence and use that to bring new customers through the door is to get people interested in what the organization posts. This is done through a variety of ways including making viral content, offering discounts and freebies, but most importantly encouraging social engagement online. When people are interested, they get involved. Conversely, when people are involved, they get interested. My Local Leads works with companies across the nation, building an online presence and getting the phone to ring through various marketing methods. These techniques regarding enhancing people’s interaction within an online community, blog, or profile for local businesses are some of the same provided to their clients on a regular basis.
Some people will read a blog post or comment on an online business profile and they may be interested. Sometimes, all it takes is just a little push to get them to interact with the company. This can be as simple as remembering to ask people what they think in regards to the blog post or profile topic. Just like in closing a sale where it is important to ask for the money, putting a post up and forgetting to ask people to share their thoughts can be detrimental to online growth strategies for local businesses.
One common mistake businesses will make through their blog or social media profile is linking to information off-site. Citing references and linking off-site in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. However, these links need to be applied judiciously. The point is to keep the person on site as long as possible to help them make the decision to choose the company. Also, being sure that the links off-site open in a new tab or window is useful. Check the links every once and awhile to be sure the content has been moved or removed, a slinking to bad or missing pages can hurt both search engine rankings and customer experience.
In an effort to avoid spam comments, many site owners will include a wide variety of techniques to limit how other may comment on their blogs. This might include forcing the user to have an account or enter a CAPTCHA code before posting. Be sure the process is not too difficult or drawn out. The harder or more complex the process to interact is, the less likely customers are to do so. Remember, with online lead generation, work if inevitable, but part of that work should be making it as easy to find and interact with the company as possible.
Make sure to leave unanswered questions in your post, or raise new ones. When people ask those questions, they become involved. Some questions can be answered right online and other readers will see that the company is actively using the channel as a means of customer communication. Some questions may need to be followed up with a call, email, or meeting directly with that potential customer, but even posting as such on the comments shows the investment by the organization and encourages interaction.