Having an online presence is a must in 2018. As more consumers use the internet to search, shop and socialize, it’s crucial that your business is positioned to get in front of your audience and drive engagement.

The good news is, there are organic tactics you can implement to build brand awareness and attract visitors to your content. Even in an increasingly competitive space, you can give your brand the advantage to target your ideal customers and boost visibility.

Here are four ways to grow your online presence for your business:

#1 Go Live on Social

Did you know people spend 3 times longer watching a live video opposed to a prerecorded one (Source: Social Media Today)? Apps like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories capture massive attention on newsfeeds. Brands have successfully leveraged this tool to drive engagement, grow their following, and move viewers to action.

In fact, users enjoy the authenticity and transparency that comes with creating live content. The real-time interaction helps foster relationships and build trust.

Commit to using live video in your social media marketing. Host a Q&A session that gives your audience a chance to ask questions and receive prompt responses. Keep people “in the know” by reporting trending news. Or, simply take viewers backstage to get a true experience of your brand’s culture.

#2 Maintain a Consistent Blogging Schedule

Blogging is still one of the best ways to position your business as an authority in the industry. It gives you a platform to educate and extend your expertise in a given subject area. By sharing content that relates to the challenges and needs of your audience, they’ll look to you as a reliable source they can refer to.

According to Hubspot, brands who consistently blog receive more traffic and leads than those who don’t. Blogging gives you the slight edge, setting you up for search engine rankings and opportunities to drive new visitors from social media. It’s a key tactic for your inbound marketing strategy.

Create a schedule where your team blogs regularly for your audience. Using an editorial tool like Google Calendar or CoSchedule will help you plan, organize and publish your posts so it aligns with your business goals and creates consistency in your marketing.

#3 Choose the Best Social Network for Your Audience

Although it’s important to have a presence on each major social network, it’s especially important to spend the most time where your audience hangs out. Honing on key social media sites will serve you well in tracking and generating true results from your marketing efforts.

Also, be sure to tailor your message to the social network you’re posting on. How you share your message on one platform can be completely different than how you post on another. For example, Facebook is a family-friends environment that welcomes humor and a casual tone. However, because LinkedIn appeals to corporate professionals who are seeking industry-related topics, it’s best to maintain this tone.

Adjusting your content accordingly helps you to engage followers across various networks, making your content strategy more effective.

#4 Optimize Your Website

Optimizing your pages is a big ingredient to attracting visitors from search, keeping people on your content, and driving engagement. In an ever-evolving technology era, keeping your website fresh with attractive web design is vital to boosting your online visibility.

Here are a few ways to optimizing your website for success:

  • Make sure your website is mobile-ready for smartphone and tablet users. Studies show that more people are accessing the Internet from their mobile device than desktop computers. Don’t risk losing this traffic.
  • Focus on 1-2 longtail keywords that your audience is actively searching for to improve SEO ranking. Naturally use it throughout your pages
  • Use appealing web design with simple navigation where visitors can find your content easily
  • Test your website’s performance to ensure your pages are loading fast to keep visitors from exiting your site
  • Include interactive content such as videos, infographics, audios, and quizzes to enrich website-experience

Boosting your online presence doesn’t have to be a challenging feat. Simply implement these steps to start growing awareness and your following. With consistency, you’ll discover an increase in traffic, better social engagement, and greater visibility of your brand.