As an online business owner, you face a unique challenge when you’re ready to expand your business. You don’t have the option of slapping a big “SALE!” banner on your storefront, or putting one of those inflatable, wavy-arm guys in your parking lot. You have to find creative ways to draw customers into your virtual store. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to expand your business and increase your customer base without ever leaving your desk!

1. Make Your Website Awesome

Since you’re not running a traditional brick-and-mortar operation, your website serves as your storefront. You have to make it as eye-catching and welcoming as possible. With some easy updates you can create a user-friendly website that draws in customers.

• Make sure you have a cohesive, streamlined design that draws the eye
• Your website should be easy to navigate and mobile-friendly
• Provide quality content that’s useful to your viewers
• Update your website speed and performance

2. Let Your Personality Shine On Social Media

Social media is the best way to form a loyal and lasting bond with your customers. The more they get to know and feel a connection with your company, the more likely they are to be a repeat customer. Build and nurture your online community and it will continue to grow.

• Incorporate videos into your social media strategy
• Post often and engage your followers
• Showcase your personality with fun, behind-the-scenes posts

3. Keep Your Ad Game Strong

Social media isn’t just for building relationships, it’s also the source of your most effective advertising. Creating Facebook ads that catch your customer’s eye as they scroll through their newsfeed, or a shoppable Instagram link that leads them directly to your product, can increase revenue exponentially.

While you’re at it, don’t overlook the everlasting appeal of a giveaway. People love to get things for free, and when you offer a great freebie, limited-time special offer, or exclusive discount, your customers will come running!

• Facebook ads not only get your audience’s attention, they’re very cost-effective
• Shoppable links on Facebook and Instagram allow your customers to make purchases the instant their interest is piqued
• Promotions and discounts never fail to increase customer interest

4. Join Your Online Community

No matter what business you’re in, there’s probably an online forum for it! Becoming an active, contributing member of an online community introduces you to a whole new crop of people interested in topics that relate to your business.

Joining forums like Reddit and Quora gives you an opportunity to answer Q&As, give advice, and participate in conversations about your area of expertise. This builds your authority, establishes you as an expert in your field, and makes you more visible to potential customers, so step into that virtual community and start talking to people!

• Search keywords that relate to your business to find online forums of like-minded people
• Mention your business when applicable, but don’t spam your fellow forum members with links

   5. Keep An Eye On Your Numbers

The best thing about an online business is that it’s really easy to track your metrics. You’ll know exactly where your web traffic comes from. You can see which blog posts get the most attention, which ads get the most clicks, and which videos people are watching. In other words, you can determine exactly which strategy works best for your business just by tracking your numbers!

• Metrics can help you determine what kind of content your customers want to see
• If you find that you get a lot of web traffic from a particular source, consider advertising there, or increasing your existing ad budget

When it’s time to think bigger, SophieZo has all the tools and expertise to help you expand your brand! Book a call today to discover how we can help you grow.