In 2011, the average shopper used 10.7 sources of information before buying.
- Google, Zero Moment Of Truth.

A web site used to be all your business needed for an online ‘presence.’  Today, buyers need to be engaged. They need to see the reviews about your products, they need to see your blog posts, they are looking at your social media presence, and yes, they are visiting your web site.  A web site alone is simply not enough for the average consumer to make buying decisions.

Creating Engaging Platforms.

Your business needs to create online platforms that engage, educate, share and wow your prospects, and of course, those platforms need to be easily found through common channels online. Here a few places your business needs to be:

* LinkedIn.  You can add a business account in LinkedIn where you can list your products and / or services, post job openings and connect with peers via LinkedIn Groups.

* Twitter.  There is much debate about how effective Twitter actually is for a business.  While it’s not for everyone and everyone’s business, Twitter CAN be an effective tool to aid in customer support and brand awareness.

* Facebook.   This year, Facebook has over 500 million users.  A strong business presence here for customer support, special offers, etc., can be very powerful.

* Your Blog.  A business blog can be a strong platform to engage, educate and endear prospects and clients to your brand.  Blogging can also enhance your search engine rankings as Google scours the web for new worthy content.

* Online review sites.  Consumers are making buying decisions online before they even set foot physically in a showroom.  They are reading online reviews from places like Yelp, Google Places, etc.. Be sure to setup and claim local places within Google, Bing & Yahoo to allow folks to exchange reviews about your business.

Finally: Your Web Site.

Your web site needs to serve as headquarters to all of these platforms.  Be certain that you allow people to find your platforms on your web site, in other words, link to your Facebook page, show your recent tweets, link to or import your blog feed into your web site, allow folks to review your products / services on your web site.

All of these online platforms serve as the engine to your online presence.  Be certain to add the fuel to the engine, keep your platforms updated, relevant and fresh.

Need help building your web presence engine? Call me, In Orlando: 407-830-4550, Nationwide 866-998-6886.

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  5. Marketing To Digital Pilgrims : 6 Things Your Business Needs To Stay Alive.