As a translation agency, we’re always working with languages, which means we’re always thinking about communication – the very pin point of what marketing is. If you haven’t considered your ‘web strategy’ or online marketing strategy yet, maybe you haven’t even set up a Facebook page or begun investigating how to get a website, don’t worry. There are lots of things you can do to prepare and it may even be more beneficial to have the right advice and things in mind before you start. We’ve put together some steps to take to make the perfect transition into web.
Before You Begin Marketing Your Business Online
1. Know your message and your USP
Online marketing is all about communication. There’s no point is communicating lots, it’s important to communicate the right message. Before you start tweeting, sharing things on Facebook or blogging, take a bit of time to write down what your business is about.
What is you business? What are the principles of your business? What elements of your business are you and other members of staff most passionate about? What made you start the business in the first place? And most importantly, what is your USP – or Unique Selling point? You probably had to consider the unique selling point of your business already, when you were starting out, or when you began marketing efforts. Online, it’s equally important. If you provide the best customer service, doing that online too can help reinforce that. It might make sense to start offering customer service through your social channels and on your blog. Maybe what’s unique about your business is how you started out; your story. Maybe you have a product or a skill that’s rare. Or maybe your business is incredibly environmentally aware and friendly. Whatever the important points are, take a moment to jot them down, these give you the key directions of where to go with your online marketing.
2. Know your audience
Next, know who you’re talking to. If your a ‘business to business’ organisation, Facebook might not be the best social channel to focus on and you might fare better putting more effort into a more corporate channel such as LinkedIn. If you have gorgeous products that photograph well; such a food, clothes, accessories etc. Instagram might be what you need to put the most energy into. If you’re doing your online marketing yourself, it’s unrealistic to think you’ll have all the time in the world for blogging and tweeting, but if you choose the right channel and use it really well, you could get a lot of value from it. Is your customer group in their older years? Maybe they’re more likely to read emails than blog so a monthly or weekly newsletter may be the most considered way to get the information and message to them.
3. Less is more
The danger of DIY in online marketing is that there is no word count. While this may feel like a beautiful freedom and free reign to say every single thing you know about your business and your industry, proceed with caution. Blogs provide a great way to share information but your general web pages and Facebook posts such really give your potential customers and clients just enough information to entice them. People are bombarded with information today and they’re getting good at filtering out anything they don’t need. Appeal to feelings they may have that will lead them to clicking through links to your website or picking up the phone to call you. Many people are ‘time poor’ with heavy work loads, make it as easy and as simple as possible for them.
If you’ve already done lots of work on your online marketing and strategy, perhaps it’s time to go global! Find out more information on translation services for website localisation and international SEO. And if you’re hoping to localise your website, make sure to choose the right professional translation agency.