Sure, your website is up and running; you have accounts set up on the major social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, among others. But in the age of increased mobile searching, greater emphasis on Google ranking and social media, merely being present is not enough. “If people can’t find you, you don’t exist,†says Mario Armstrong, a Baltimore-based tech advocate and founder of SmallBizGoMobile.com.
Optimizing your digital strategy to drive functionality, underscore business objectives, and ultimately produce sales or brand awareness is crucial in an online space filled with noise.
Google is the No. 1 place U.S. consumers look online for information about local businesses, according to a study by Harris Interactive Inc., a New York City-based custom market research firm. With more consumers turning toward the online space to find local companies, your strategy is imperative. But it can also become costly. On the next few pages, Black Enterprise compiles a list of low- fee and no-fee tools to help small business owners strengthen online visibility.
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