The importance of an online presence in 2020!
The importance of an online presence
The virtual world has become the backbone of modern consumerism. Having an active online presence is a great way to boost your business’ status without having to spend a cent. Virtual platforms not only allow for free advertising but are a great way to inform your customers about operating hours, new offers etc… It is also a great way to gather feedback from customers and identify browsing/purchasing trends to increase sales and reach a wider audience. Establishing an online presence can be as simple as setting up a Facebook page for your business.
Social media
As a business owner, it is essential to ensure your business stays relevant and can hold customer engagement through passing trends. Social media has become one of the most efficient advertising platforms. Setting up a Facebook or Instagram page for your business is simple and free! It is important to ensure you stay active on your social media pages to keep viewer attention. It is easy to be left behind with the countless other businesses out there. To grab the attention of your target market, be sure that your content is going to interest and entice them to keep up to date with your newest posts.
A key trick to help increase your following and reach a larger audience is to use hashtags in posts. Make sure they are relevant to the post and are going to reach your desired audience. Another great method to increase your online following is to do collaborations with other brands or influencers. This can be as simple as sending out free samples for reviews.
Once you have your new post and hashtags ready to go, don’t be hasty! Posting at the right time is crucial. Do some research to find out when is the best time to post based on your specific target market – ie. if you are trying to reach teenagers, posting first thing on a Sunday morning is not going to help your view ratings…
Using clear and attractive images is particularly important. But don’t feel the need to go out and spend thousands on a new top of the line camera, a smart phone with a good quality camera will do the trick!
Here are some hacks for taking appealing photos:
- Focussing your camera
You want to make sure your camera is properly focussed. With smart phones this can be as easy as pressing the area you want to focus on.
- Simplicity is key
Less is more! Don’t try to include too much content in one image, this will overwhelm the viewer and take away from the focal point. Having roughly two-thirds negative space will draw the eye to the focal point and give a clean aesthetic.
- Finding new perspectives
It is easy to fall into the habit of taking a variation of the same photo with different content. Don’t get too comfortable with any style of photography, try to find unique perspectives to mix it up and most importantly, stand out!
- Artistic flare
Don’t be afraid to experiment with colours, styles, editing software etc.. Be creative and have some fun with your photos. Viewers are always excited to see something new.
- Leading lines
Leading lines are any straight or curved lines that draw the viewers eye to the focal point of the image. Train tracks and roads are a great example of this and can produce some very appealing imagery.
- Symmetry & Patterns
Although symmetry isn’t everything, a perfectly symmetrical picture can be very pleasing to the eye. Images like these look great in a photo feed to break up clusters of loud images. Patterns have a similar affect; they are very commonly used by cafes (ie. displaying their freshly delivered doughnuts placed in rows).
- Action photos
Taking photos amid an action-packed event such as the dinner rush in the kitchen of a restaurant can make for some exciting imagery.
- Comedy is key
Don’t be too serious with your content, try to include some light-hearted or comedic moments. Make sure you are giving the right impression of your business and not intimidating or offending viewers.
- Keep the editing to a minimum
Don’t be afraid to experiment with editing software, but don’t go over-the-top! No one enjoys looking at an overexposed or oversaturated image, try to keep it as natural as possible.