Halloween is one of the more fun holidays we can think of, there just isn’t another appropriate time to dress Hailey, the office pooch, up as a marshmallow and guiltlessly put back six or ten fun-sized Snickers bars. Not that anyone is counting. While we’re gorging on candy and harassing all of our puppies with food-themed costumes, others are watching scary movies and carrying on about goblins and ghouls. Being scared about imaginary ghosts is fun for the season, but it is not fun to be afraid of doing business in the digital space.
Every business owner, at this point, understands that an online presence is necessary. But, they all have some very real fears when it comes to integrating the web into their everyday operations. We don’t like it when our clients are scared, so we’re going to hop into the Mystery Machine and pull the mask off the monster, to assure you that working in the digital space is nothing to be scared of.
The Monster: If I’m not on the first page of search results nobody will ever see my site, and this is just not going to work.
The Mask: Being searchable is obviously very important. It’s how people who may not know you exist can find your business and utilize your services. But, it’s not the only thing your website is good for. Websites are essentially virtual receptionists. They can answer questions at all hours of the day and and provide valuable information for customers you already have. If your website is set up to be user-friendly and clearly articulates what you do, your site may be more searchable than you thought. Helpful, quality content goes a long way. Don’t be afraid of SEO. We know it seems like a dark room of unknowns, but that’s why we’re here. To help shine a light and get the best rank you can.
The Monster: I don’t know anything about how the Internet works and I’m going to break something.
The Mask: If logging into your email is like walking into a haunted house, creating a web presence for your business can feel like checking into a haunted hotel and not knowing if you’ll be able to check out again. It doesn’t have to be that way though. While the web is constantly changing and it’s OK to feel like a Jedi on the USS Enterprise. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to take control. If you break something, rest assured, it can be fixed. And, there are people out there who can help you and hold your hand if necessary along the way. Remember that you didn’t know how a bike worked until you rode one. In the same way you may know know how the web works, but what better way to learn than to dive right in?
The Monster: People On the Internet Aren’t Going to Like Me
The Mask: This can be terrifying for some business owners. Social media and comment sections on websites are open forums for anyone to discuss whatever they want. Bad reviews and negative comments can be crippling to a business owner. But, nobody ever said being a business owner was going to be easy. Instead of dealing with unhappy customers face to face, you have to do it for the world to see. Your grace under this fire can prove to work to your advantage and show potential new customers that you are in tune with their concerns and will do what you can to make them happy. Not everyone is going to like you or your business, Internet or not, don’t let that spook you from creating a web presence.
The web, like ghosts, vampires, and jack-o-lanterns are only as scary as you let them be. And, you’re not alone in the trepidation. Just like Scooby and his Gang there are things we, as digital marketers, can be scared of as well.
The truth is we don’t have all the answers. The internet is a place of constant change, there are no concrete rules for anything. As a digital marketing company we are constantly needing to innovate, create new best practices, and think ahead of what’s happening. The second we start to think there is a wrong and a right way to do something, that style becomes outdated. If we hung onto the past, like the candy growing stale in our children’s jack-o-lantern pails, we’ll become discarded like the peppermints and black licorice. We need to stay innovative and use our intuition to predict what is going to happen because nobody knows what’s coming next.
So this Halloween, don’t be afraid of the unknown dive in head first. If you’re not comfortable trick-or-treating by yourself, we can accompany you from house to house. The best part about our partnership is we won’t steal any of your candy, and we’ll take you to the fancy neighborhoods that pass out the good stuff.