COVID-19 Opportunity. How to take advantage of the surge in internet usage.

While foot traffic has declined, online traffic has increased exponentially.  More people are embracing digital as life outside the home is put on hold. Worldwide people have shifted to doing more online including online purchasing, chat and video streaming. Usage in some countries has doubled and visits to news sites has increased by as much as 60% ^1.

For many businesses, this is a real opportunity. The key for online presence is to ensure your brand is as visible as possible.

BELOW are 5 quick & low-cost tips to increase your brand’s online presence to: 

• Be seen
• Be found
• Get new enquiries or sales via online

1. Be Found: Make sure your website can be found. Run a SEO check on your site.

To make sure that your site can be found easily, use BEAM’s free SEO checker tool HERE or there are other free ones also, such as:

1. 1. https://www.seobility.net/en/seocheck/
   2. https://www.seoptimer.com/
   3. https://www.semrush.com/

2. Be Found: Make sure your site is set up for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).

This is about ‘optimising your site and key pages’ to be FOUND in a Google search engine. For example, if you are a plumber in a certain area(s), you’ll want your site to be optimised for the search term “Plumber in .. ” or “Find a plumber in ...”. 

Google will know what area you are searching from - so if your prospect is in a nearby suburb, it will pick up that your business is close by and include your listing. 
Ensure your site is optimised for services and for location.
BEAM can assist with this and local area marketing as well. 

This will certainly help with point 2. Especially when people are searching locally. You can do this here. https://www.google.com.au/business/sign-up/index.html
By creating your listing, you can add services, operating hours, and client reviews. 

Facebook especially, is low-cost and you can target by geographic and/or demographic profiles. Google ads are a little trickier - but they have phone support to help setup.
When developing an advertisement include;

1. 1. Your Offer 
   2. A compelling headline
   3. Professionally designed graphics 
   4. A link to register interest or a website to purchase

Need any help?  Contact BEAM.

To help with your online presence, get your website listed in sites such as: (Most are free)

1. 1. yellowpages.com.au
   2. truelocal.com.au
   3. yelp.com.au
   4. aussieweb.com.au
   5. Startlocal.com.au

Some other simple quick tips for Search Engine Optimisation are:

1. Make sure your site has a sitemap which has been submitted to google (done via the Google webmaster tools)
2. Make sure your PAGE TITLES have correct search times in them. Not just HOME, ABOUT, SERVICES etc - these are all generic terms.
3. Alt tag your images so they will register in search also - not just be plumber.jpg - but plumbermelbourne.jpg. 

Visibility and find-ability is key to online performance.  Having an optimised website with a means to drive traffic will put your business where it needs to be - in front of potential customers and ahead of the rest. 

If you need further help, talk with us today.
BEAM can help to:

• Optimise your website
• Get your website into google
• Create a Google listing to promote your business
• Create Facebook and/or Google ads
• Get your business listed in online directories.

Reference 1: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/17/817154787/internet-traffic-surges-as-companies-and-schools-send-people-home