Tag: Business

Is Your Business Secure Enough Online?

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. No matter what kind of business you’re operating, cyber-attacks can threaten business at any time if the appropriate measures are not taken. The following contributed post is entitled, Is Your Business Secure Enough Online.

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It might sound obvious, but it’s important to keep your business safe. Anyone who runs their own business knows how important security can be. But the truth is, the day-to-day running of a business can make it easy to forget that simple fact. Security is often something that takes place behind the scenes which can make it easy to neglect. Making sure that doesn’t happen is of particular importance these days because of one simple thing: the internet. It used to be that you only had to worry about the physical security of your business. But now there is so much business conducted online that it has opened up whole new areas of risk. Without the proper security online, your business can be in real danger. Luckily, just as new threats arise, new services appear to combat them. Here are some ways to keep your business safe online.

Set up a secure firewall

You wouldn’t leave the doors to your business unlocked at night, would you? Then why do the same with your online presence? Malware is software that is designed to infiltrate and attack computers and networks. This can do untold damage to your business, even going so far as to destroy it. That’s why it’s so important to get your security up to scratch. Set up firewalls beyond the one’s that come with your router. There are plenty of firewall services that will kelp you to keep up with malware’s increasing complexity.

Back it all up

Few business owners would imagine a situation worse than logging on to see that an enormous amount of vital information has disappeared. The idea of files and data simply vanishing is the stuff of nightmares to most businesses. That’s what makes it even more surprising just how often companies neglect to back up their valuable data. Making sure that you’re backing up your data means that if the worst should happen then, you can easily retrieve it. There are plenty of backup services available and which one you choose will come down to your business.

Filter out spam emails

If you’re running a business online then it’s likely that you’re going to sending and receiving a lot of emails. The last thing you want is for spam to be cluttering up your inbox making it that much harder to find what you’re looking for. Antispam software is an excellent way to clean up your emails and reduce risk and distractions for yourself and employees. Running emails through verification to ensure that senders are who they say they are is a crucial step in upping your email security. It’s also a good idea to reach out to companies that can help you stop spam emails. And it’s always important to encrypt your emails. Unencrypted emails is basically a buffet for hackers and cyber criminals

Whether you’re working on your own or as part of a team the first step to improving security is improving your own practices. Making sure that you’re staying safe online will make keeping your business secure that much easier. Avoid accessing potentially dangerous sites at work. Keep your passwords updated regularly. Don’t click any suspicious looking emails. These simple things really will go a long way to protecting you and your business. Plus, if you’re showing safe online behavior, your employees are that much more likely to follow suit.

5 Quick Things You Can Do To Make Your Business More Successful

The first principle of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. As a business owner you should always be looking to improve. Your continual evolution will set you well above your competitors. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Quick Things You Can Do To Make Your Business More Successful.

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If you want to make your business more successful, there are a few things you can do to make this happen. Below, you’ll find 5 quick things you can do to make your business more successful – take a look:

  1. Post More Content
    If you don’t currently post enough content, then it goes without saying that this is the first thing you should work on. Content marketing is extremely powerful, and you can create it in a number of ways. You could make videos, write blog posts, and even start a podcast. Add value and share your expertise.
  2. Start Conversations On Social Media
    Start and get involved in important conversations on social media. The more conversations you start, the more people will get involved. People will likely remember you, too!
  3. Run Competitions
    Run competitions and make sure the prizes are awesome. People love entering competitions online and you will likely increase your audience tenfold.
  4. Give Customers an Incentive To Come Back
    Make sure your customers have a good incentive to come back. You can do this by providing unbeatable customer service, but also by giving them a discount code or deal exclusively for them. Make them an offer that they can’t refuse.
  5. Give Away Branded Items
    Branded items are an ideal item to give your customers. Branded bags, for example, are something that will come in handy many times while also letting people know that your business exists. The infographic below can tell you more:


credit to BagzDepot

5 Questions to Ask When Building or Renovating Commercial Premises

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. One of the most important aspects of your business is its location and your commercial premises. There are a couple of key details you need to know about your commercial premises. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Questions to Ask When Building or Renovating Commercial Premises.

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Image suggestions: https://www.pexels.com/search/business%20building/

If business is going well and you’re turning a regular profit, the next logical step might be to move to a better premises. Whether you’re considering building from scratch or renovating an existing building, here are five questions to ask yourself.

How big will you build it?
A bigger office will be more expensive to buy, rent or build, so it doesn’t make sense to build an enormous structure if you don’t need to. However, one thing to bear in mind is that your business might grow over the years and so more space might be needed. To get around this, you could either build it more extensive than you need, or leave space to extend upwards or outwards in a few years if you need to.

What security measures will you add?
Offices are full of high-value equipment as well as cash and customer data which can be used in crime, making them targets for burglars. Since they’re usually empty after after office hours, it gives criminals plenty of chance to strike. So when you’re building or renovating your office, think about security. Have good quality windows and doors installed, as well as shutters or lockable window grilles if needed. Have CCTV and a burglar alarm fitted, as well as floodlights which can keep burglars at bay.

How will you keep it safe?
When you’re creating a building that people are going to be spending time and working in, it’s, of course, a legal requirement for it to be safe and usable. Make sure you’re following all guidelines on construction advice, use an experienced company and ensure everything is signed off at the end. You’ll need a fire protection consultant to ensure it meets fire safety standards; this includes things like the materials used, fire doors, windows, escape hatches and more.

How will you make it accessible?
Modern buildings need to be designed with accessibility in mind, during the planning stages consider how accessible it is for those in wheelchairs or limited mobility. You’ll need to think about things like disabled parking, ramps, lifts and more.

What location should you choose?
The area that a business is placed in can be the difference between success and failure for some companies. Shops or retail companies, for example, will rely heavily on foot traffic as a way to get customers. For this reason, you will need to be in a prime location for this. If you don’t rely on footfall to generate customers for your business, then you could build your office a little further out where you’ll get more for your money. However, location is still relevant as you will need to think about how easy it will be for your staff to get to. Look into things like transport links and road access.

Overcoming Business Hurdles as an Enthusiastic Entrepreneur

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Many businesses fail initially. In the excitement of wanting to succeed, many new entrepreneurs overlook several critical details. As such they run into numerous hurdles. The following contributed post is entitled, Overcoming Business Hurdles as an Enthusiastic Entrepreneur.

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If owning a business was a walk in the park, everybody would be doing it, right? Unfortunately, entrepreneurship isn’t that easy. When running a business it is likely that you will face many challenges along the way. Keeping your company up and running during difficult times is what will make you a successful business owner. When hurdles get in the way of your success, you can rectify the problem in an instant if you keep a positive mindset. Don’t allow small setbacks to stop you from achieving your full potential and consider some of the following ideas.

Seek Assistance Where Necessary

Being an entrepreneur doesn’t automatically denote that you have to do every business task on your own. Seeking assistance might just mean the difference between success and failure. Have you ever started your working day and struggled with your current technology? If you sought advice from a professional IT Consulting company, your hurdles would be instantly overcome. Whatever your unique business needs may be, the experts will be able to help you. Nowadays business technology is complicated, so why make it more difficult? Accept the help you deserve and have complete peace of mind.

Image from Pexels – CC0 Licence

Assess Your Finances Regularly

It is very easy to fall into financial troubles in the early stages of entrepreneurship. Hire an accountant and don’t turn a blind eye to any money worries you may have. Be wary of your spending in the first months and years; don’t make risky business decisions without weighing up the pros and cons. Money is everything in the initial stages of your business, so try to be as thrifty as possible.

Keep a Close Eye on Your Competitors

The competitors in your market can seem like hurdles, but you can actually use them to your advantage without a doubt. By tracking the movements of other companies in your market you can stay one step ahead and remain a strong contender at all times. Whether you’re tracking their keywords on Google searches or taking note of their marketing campaigns, you can learn a lot from opposing businesses.

Don’t Give Up

Your enthusiasm levels as an entrepreneur may dwindle from time to time, especially when new competitors emerge onto the scene. Staying motivated as a business owner is easier said than done, but you need to concentrate on why you started your company in the first place. Read your business plan again and you will soon regain the fire you once had in your belly.

Many business owners wallow in self pity and allow hurdles to get in the way of their success. If you let minor or major problems stop you from pursuing your career goals, you will never be able to reach your full potential. Whether you’re accepting IT help or carrying out competitor research, each one of these steps will help you to get the best out of your business. Don’t let the hurdles defeat you; accept the challenge and learn from everything it teaches you.

The Things That Every Small Business Owner Should Do To Get Ahead

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Small business owners have a different set of considerations than large business owners. Following a certain set of keys can ensure that your business will make that transition and grow. The following contributed post is entitled, The Things That Every Small Business Owner Should Do To Get Ahead.

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Your small business might seem insignificant at the moment, but every big corporation had to start in the same place as you. If you have the motivation and the willingness to persevere through mistakes and slow financial periods, your company could slowly start to grow into something more successful on a long-term basis. The key is to be willing to take risks and not shy away from pressing onwards when you occasionally face setbacks. That’s a part of the learning process, even if it feels as if you’re facing setbacks and no instances of success. These are the things that every small business owner should do to get ahead.

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Research the target market.
First of all, you need to research the target market, as explained at bizfluent.com. Your company can’t stand out from the crowd if it doesn’t know what the crowd is missing. Simply offering the same products and services in the same way as your competitors will not help you to get ahead. Why should consumers choose you over your bigger and more established rivals? That’s the question you need to answer. And if you can solve a problem that your competitors have yet to solve, then you’ll have given the target market a reason to choose you.

So, make sure you conduct extensive research on a regular basis. Talk to your current customers and any potential customers who want to share their opinions. Use your social media pages to connect with people by running polls and surveys. Make posts requesting direct feedback on your business and your industry as a whole. That’s how you’ll start to figure out what your intended audience needs from a company such as yours. Once you start solving their problems, your small business will start standing out. And, as a result, you’ll increase your customer base, as outlined at inc.com.

Outsource certain services.
You should also outsource certain services if you want your small business to get ahead. You might have a small and reliable team of professionals who help you to deliver high-quality products or services to the market, but you might still find that your company is falling behind in the market. However, before you start hiring new full-time employees, consider a more cost-effective investment: outsourcing. You might need full-time employees to handle the more technical aspects of your daily operations which relate to your specific field of work, but you don’t necessarily need full-time employees to deal with every aspect of your operations (whilst your business is still small and limited in funding, anyway). You might want to visit safebitsolutions.com for IT support services. If you don’t have a proper IT team or you simply need technological guidance, then those outsourced professionals could consult you effectively. Outsourcing can help you to grow your small business in a cost-effective manner.

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Use digital marketing properly.
As a modern-day entrepreneur, you probably know that digital marketing is crucial for businesses. Still, you might be struggling to make an impression on your target market. Online marketing is competitive; it takes more than a website and a few social media pages to advertise your company effectively on the internet. You need a strong social networking strategy. Create content regularly on multiple platforms to widen your reach, as has been suggested on this site before. You need a constant presence online to not only engage with consumers but maintain their interest.

Getting Your Best Business Support

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Most new businesses initially fail and if you’ve started one of the select few to make it passed the early stages, there are a couple of key considerations that you need to keep in mind. The following contributed post is entitled, Getting Your Best Business Support.

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When you’re up and running and your start-up is showing signs of growth, this isn’t the time to take your foot off the gas. No, now’s the time to push forward, to invest, to think big, to reimagine your yearly targets and overall goals and see just how far your business is going to take you.

This might mean it’s time to take on more staff. Increasing your sales or marketing team to push for higher selling figures. Perhaps you’ll also need a greater amount of the stock or product that you sell and that might mean more warehouse space too, or more boots on the ground if you sell services.

But none of this will pay off unless you have the infrastructure in place to support your ambitions.

In this blog we take a look at the structure that supports your whole business, your IT network, and whether recruiting an IT team to keep you on track is always the best option.

In House Options

Recruitment is a time consuming process, more so when you have several posts to recruit for. Nevertheless, when you’ve assembled the right amount of people and have a fully functioning IT team in place, their expertise is invaluable.

Image from Pexels: CC0 licence

You’ll never have to wait for outside support, you’ll always have someone on hand to come and help you fix whatever computer or software issue that arises.

When things are going well, your team will have time to develop new software and upgrade your network to keep it functioning at its best and when there’s a problem, they’ll work tirelessly to fix it.

But what if problems are few and far between? Do you need to have the physical presence of an IT on site seven days a week?

The Outsourcing Option

You might instead consider outsourcing your IT needs to a company like Infotech Management, Inc. Why? There are several good reasons to consider and here are some of the advantages: you’ll have access to a larger support network with more resources then you might be able to provide through your own business.

Like your team they’ll be on hand 24-hours a day to help you out. This work can most often be done remotely and down the phone, so there’s no need to provide desks and computers or have to look for larger office space.

Look for a company that has engineers based near you, so if there is a need to have someone on site, they can be with you in as short a time as possible.

Your business deserves to have the best when it comes to IT support and how you choose to provide that is going to depend entirely on the nature of your business and your personal preferences. Recruiting a team does have its advantages but if you’re looking to potentially save money and desk space looking at outside support might just be the right solution for you. Talk to your local managed support team today and find the right solution.

Get Social: Brilliant Benefits For Your Business

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. As today’s world has become more digital, your social media presence is critical to your business’s success. While social media is misused on a personal level by many people, it’s a very valuable weapon in your arsenal for your business. The following contributed post is entitled, Get Social: Brilliant Benefits For Your Business.

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More than 3 billion people use social media platforms. While social networks may have started out as a communications hub designed to help friends, colleagues and family members stay in touch, its role has undoubtedly evolved. Today, social media plays an integral role in promoting businesses and enabling companies to reach out to customers. If you’re not already reaping the rewards of utilizing these networks and apps for your business, now is the time to get social.

Image credit https://pixabay.com/illustrations/social-social-media-communication-3064515/

Brilliant benefits for your business
If you’ve never used social media as a business tool before, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. The truth is that social sites offer an incredible platform for all kinds of companies, and an effective social media marketing campaign can have an amazing impact. Here are some of the most significant advantages of using social media as a marketing tool:

Raising brand awareness
Branding is a means of giving your business personality and showing potential customers what you are all about. Social networks offer an opportunity to enable followers and friends to get to know your brand and to show the human side of your company. Whether you’re a fun, quirky business selling gifts, toys or novelty items, or a smart, professional firm offering services like accounting or legal advice, you can use social media to enhance your brand image. You can also get your name out there by encouraging all your existing friends and followers to share your pages and posts. A small group of virtual friends can soon become an expansive network.

Reaching more customers
Billions of people use social apps and sites, and many subscribers check their profiles and news feeds several times per day. Using social media advertising and sharing posts can help you build your client base and reach out to users you may never have been able to contact without social networks.

Defining an audience
Social platforms often have tools you can use to pinpoint users and define your audience. If you’re using adverts to promote your business, for example, you don’t want to pay for posts that have no chance of converting. You can use features like Facebook’s audience insights to maximize your chances of targeting people who are likely to have an interest in the products or services you’re selling. If you are looking to use social media to expand your customer base and increase conversion rates, and you’re not sure how to go about it, it’s wise to consider working with a social media agency. Marketing experts will be able to design and implement a campaign based on your objectives and your target market.

Engaging and communicating with users
Communication is key in modern business, and many customers like to have a relationship with the brands they buy from. Social sites enable you to share posts, comment and send messages within a matter of seconds.

Social media may be a platform for catching up with friends and sharing funny videos, but it can also be an incredibly effective marketing ploy. If you’re not already using these networks to showcase your business and attract customers, what are you waiting for?

Storage Options – Is There a Best Option?

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital world, most businesses and organizations have an information technology (IT) component. As such, large amounts of critical data must be properly stored. Not doing so can have several negative consequences. The following contributed post is entitled, Storage Options – Is There a Best Option?

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When it comes to looking after your business, there is a lot of information passing through. Some you will need to keep, others you won’t, and there will be plenty of projects and other files that you will need to hold on to until the end of your contract. When it comes to storage, you’ll need to spend some time thinking about what you need, and then you will know your best option.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Storage Needs

Before you settle on the best storage for your needs, you will have to assess your business. Here are a few questions to get you started:

● How old is the data you want to store?
● Is it all related to your business?
● How much of it is doubled up?
● Where do you need to access the data from?
● Who needs access?
● How fast do you need access?

Once you understand your data, and what will make a difference to you, you will begin to see what kind of storage is your best option. In most cases, it will be a combination of solutions.

Options

Once you have answered those questions, you can move on to researching or refreshing knowledge on different options.

External hard drives

This is one of the most cost-effective ways to store a large amount of data that you need to have on hand most of the time. They simply plug into your computer and are ideal for travel. But you have to remember that you can lose an HDD, and it can get damaged by being dropped, wet, and can be susceptible to corruption.

Thumb Drives

If you are on the go a lot, then a small thumb drive is going to be ideal. They are small enough to put in your pocket, or more preferably, on a keychain somewhere safe. They don’t hold much, so you will need to be very selective. You can only share the thumb with people you are physical with.

Cloud

Online storage is what people should be looking at. Cloud computing is one of the best solutions for most businesses. It allows you to share huge files with clients all over the world. And, multiple people can work on a project at the same time, and the information will be available immediately. This also means that you won’t need to travel with your own computer, you can access what you need from any system with internet access. It is typically well encrypted, and you can’t lose it, drop it, or otherwise damage it.

NAS

Network-attached storage is super-fast, reliable, and gives you access to data in an IP networking environment. They are suitable for small businesses that need a large amount of cheap storage for multiple users – but only within their own network. They are easy to manage and an excellent option for centrally managed storage.

Before you implement any data storage, you should talk to an IT advisor or do a lot of research so you can get the best for your business. Don’t wait until you need mass storage to have things in place, plan ahead.

Tips To Bring More Attention To Your Website

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital world, significant amounts of business are done online and thus having a website which will attract attention is key. The following contributed post is entitled, Tips To Bring More Attention To Your Website.

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To compete with other businesses in today’s world, it can often be very difficult. This is because there’s a lot more competition out there simply due to the internet. Anyone can create a business, and for some, you don’t even need to have any funding to start off with.

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Choose a User Friendly Platform

If you’re not entirely happy with the host you have chosen for your current website, then it’s never too late to transfer your domain to another platform. Ultimately, you need to feel completely comfortable and confident when making edits to your business website. Whether you choose Wix or Squarespace, you should always opt in for a trial run so you know how it would work for you. As soon as you make sure that the platform has a blogging platform, a shopping option and smooth automations you will have made the right choice for your business.

Create A Web Page Design That Fits Your Brand

When it comes to your website, it’s important that your website reflects your branding. As a business, having branding is important because it helps your customers recognize your business. If they see the same logo and colors from what you have in terms of social media to the website, you’ve got brand consistency that’s going to help you become more successful in more ways than one. Looking at your web page design now, is it a little too basic? Perhaps you got a web design template that other people online also have. You want to spend some money on getting a good web design, so seek out a good web designer and make it a collaborative process to come up with something that’s unique. It should be tailored to your business and really help show it off in a way that you’d like it to be.

Produce More Content On A Daily Basis

More content for your website is going to mean more traffic over time. You want to be consistent in when you’re posting on your website, and every website should have a blog. As a business, you will likely have topics that you could cover in relation to the business, and providing high-quality content can help your website become a great source of information and knowledge for those who are your customers or who are within the same industry as you. When it comes to the amount of content that you should be making, at least once every couple of days is a great start. Ideally, having someone in the role of a content writer can be beneficial so that you can post at least once a day.

Invest In Some Training

We’ve always got the ability to improve, and when it comes to training and building up skills, there’s a lot you can do when it comes to knowing how to improve a website. SEO is a big contributor to your website, and if you know how to do this, then you can really help develop the site into something more popular and traffic-driven. With sites like Loud Programmer, you can get great training that helps provide you with the tools in order to really build on what you have already. If you’re willing to invest in some training, it’ll definitely end up paying you back further down the line, and it’s one thing that is worth doing, especially if you have very little awareness of how to run a website.

Try Out Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is where you create content for other websites. When guest blogging, you want to ensure that the websites you are providing content for, have a similar audience to yours. You also want to get a link back to your own website so that people are clicking through and landing on your webpage. With blogging on other sites, it can be a little time-consuming, particularly if you are the only one doing it or you’ve got a limited amount of staff. Therefore, take care when it comes to picking the sites that you guest blog on. You want them to be effective for your own site, and that will only happen if you’ve done your research.

Promote Your Site Everywhere

Every opportunity is a chance for self-promotion, and when it comes to running a website and business, you can’t be shy or embarrassed about it. Use every networking session and event in general to promote your site. Don’t forget about advertising, and how beneficial it can be to do it online. Online advertising is a lot more affordable than traditional advertising and with traditional formats, you’re limited to how far it can reach. With online advertising, you have the ability to reach a global scale, and that can be pretty incredible to have as a business. So take advantage of every opportunity that’s out there in order to make your website known.

Building a strong website takes time, so be willing to put in the man-hours and financial investment needed to bring attention to your website. With these tips, you’ll definitely see some progress, and it’s essential that your business continues to be prominent online.

Impactful Improvements For Your Website

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. In today’s digital age, one of the keys to successfully running your business is your website. Your website is not static and can be gradually improved and tweaked. The following contributed post is entitled, Impactful Improvements For Your Website.

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Is your website getting the impact you need? Perhaps it’s time to reassess and make some changes. Your website is an important tool for your business – it’s your storefront after all.

So what can you do to make these improvements? Take a look at the following suggestions to breathe life into your website and help you build up those visitor numbers.

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

Change up the design

Web design trends are constantly evolving, and it’s important to stay up to date with them to keep your website relevant and attractive to visitors. It’s important that you don’t clutter your website too much, as this can be off-putting and risks giving too much information at once. Explore other websites relevant to your industry and beyond to see what you’re up against and to give you some inspiration for change.

Improve your copy

While a website can look great, the content on the page needs to do your business justice. Analyze the copy on your existing website? Is it clever, snappy and to the point? It needs to be. You need to be able to hold a reader’s attention, and an essay won’t achieve that. Focus on making your point as clear as possible and refresh your copy regularly to help it retain its impact.

If copy isn’t your strong suit, consider hiring a copywriter who can turn your website copy around and write something that appeals to your chosen audience.

Focus on improving your search rankings

Your search engine rankings are extremely important for your website – it should be your mission to make it to the top! Some of the ways you can do this include improving your SEO to help make your website easily searchable, and making sure you use relevant keywords to drive people to your website. You could also use Serp Empire to help improve your click-through rate (CTR). With improved search engine rankings, you’ll be able to attract more visitors to your website and hopefully boost your business too.

Put more effort into your promotion

How much are you promoting your website currently? Do you have a strategy in place? Whether you have one or not, it could be time to start afresh. Take advantage of all of the easy ways to promote your website, and see which ones have the biggest impact for your business. You could also consider some paid-for promotion if you want to target specific audience segments.

Having a blog can be another effective way of promoting your website, as it increases the amount of content you have to promote. Learn what it takes to write a good blog post to help you generate some worthwhile content for your website.

Improving your website should be an ongoing part of your business’ strategy, as should regular monitoring of your stats. By keeping up to date with current trends and making sure you’re ahead of the game and not behind it, you’ll have a fantastic web presence that will continue to deliver for your business.