Your company might already have an online presence – after all, it’s practically necessary for a modern business – but what can you do to ensure your online presence comes across as legitimate? Customers are much more likely to do business with a company they come across online if they perceive it to be a legitimate outfit, and there are some simple steps you can take to increase your digital credibility.
Register A Custom Domain Name
Getting a custom domain name is a good first step towards legitimizing your company’s online presence. For example, you might have a free WordPress site that has .wordpress.com as part of its domain name. This is problematic because it doesn’t come across as very professional to customers and your site will not be prioritized in search results.
Registering a custom domain name is rather simple – your current web host probably provides them and monthly costs to maintain one can be quite low. Another element you should consider is the domain extension – .com is not your only option. For example, if you are an automotive company, you can register a special .auto domain through a company like Dominion Domains to instantly communicate to customers what your business does.
Have A Presence On Google Maps
Even if your business does not have a physical presence that is open to the public, having a presence on Google Maps is still important. This is because when customers search for your company on Google, Google’s listing of your company will be prominently displayed on the side of the search results. This will include information like your business’s address, hours, phone number and e-mail, and you need to make sure it is always up-to-date. This listing can be created or edited via Google My Business.
When you create your website, be sure to include a link to Google Maps that shows people how get there. You may also benefit from posting pictures of the outside of your building if it can be missed when a customer is looking for it. An obvious display of a physical presence lends your company credibility with customers because a physical location implies that you aren’t out of business or an internet scam.
Get Verified On Social Media
Have you ever noticed the official blue checkmarks that some pages have on major social media sites like Facebook and Twitter? This is another way of establishing your legitimacy as a company – it’s called verification. If your social media accounts have been verified as authentic, customers are going to feel your business itself is very legitimate too. Different sites have different criteria before verification will be approved, so follow all instructions, but often it’s as simple as submitting a request.
In rare cases, you may also need to keep an eye out for imitation accounts or spam accounts that use your company’s name. For small businesses, this usually isn’t a problem. For large businesses, it is much more likely. Your company can’t afford to be represented by a 3rd party that might intend to harm your customers or community.
Even simple changes to your online presence stand to gain you a lot of credibility in the eyes of your customers. And credibility makes customers feel much more secure in choosing to do business with you. The items covered above are all very simple, leaving little reason not to implement them.
