Key elements to consider to build an online presence for your business

The world of business has evolved tremendously over the last couple of decades, alongside the rise in power and availability of the internet. But, for those who didn’t grow up with the internet, adapting their business to the online world may not have only seemed cumbersome, but also not necessary.

While it may not be entirely necessary for companies not directly dealing in online sales who have seen their business continue perfectly fine without a website, that doesn’t mean that they can’t make the most of the added expose that comes when you build an online presence, regardless of the industry in which the business operates.

Creating an online presence doesn’t necessarily need to involve selling your product or service online; it’s all about making your business available to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with details as to what is offered and methods of contacting you as a bare minimum. This opens up a much wider customer base because even if you only cater locally, the first thing that people do when they need a service or product is perform a Google search, even when they’re travelling. So, here are some key elements that you’ll want to consider before you build an online presence.

The web hosting that’s right for you

Selecting your website hosting will be one of your first tasks en route to creating a viable online presence for your business. Web hosting is the service which enables people or businesses to have a website on the internet, acting as the storage place for websites – in other words, you’re paying for server space on which websites are hosted. There are many different forms of web hosting which entail varying amounts of speed, user control, capacity, and reliability. One of the most popular among newcomers to website hosting is shared hosting. With this method, your website is kept on the same server as many others, which in turn helps to reduce the cost. Often easy to run and offering website building tools, shared hosting is a strong option for beginners and small business owners.

But there are also other forms of web hosting which will also appeal to those looking to set up their first website. Virtual private server hosting, often called VPS hosting, offers high levels of control for the user in a shared hosting environment without the steeper cost of a dedicated server. For those more advanced or are looking to add a more advanced website, dedicated servers offer the most freedom and control of all options. Many hosts offer each form of web hosting service, but an InterServer review shows that they offer all of these with varying plans, making it easier for you to review your options and find the service that’s best for your needs.

Consider social media

Social media has taken the world by storm, with literally billions of active users. As found by SmartInsights, Facebook is the most popular social media in the UK, with Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat also boasting strong reach. With a social media presence, you give people methods of connecting to your business outside of the usual methods of custom, potentially leading to more business in the future.

It can also help your new business website to have a social media feed as it adds a level of legitimacy by showing that real people run the business. Having the chance to follow a business’ social media helps here too: the instantly recognisable logos of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram connect to a visitor immediately. However, if you are to use social media as a tool for your business, you’ll want to update it regularly to show that the business is still active, and you can integrate to your website via a plugin or widget.

Once you’ve found the web hosting method that’s right for you and your business, consider creating a social media account for the business to enhance your online presence.