A Definitive Guide for Startups: Achieving Success, Online and Beyond

The rapidly-expanding web translates into a world of endless opportunities for every business, but making the most of the platform is always a challenge with more websites joining the battle in every conceivable domain of the virtual landscape. Consequently, the ride of an online startup is always paved with numerous challenges that demand a well-articulated approach. In this brief post, we will unravel some of the key avenues for online startups to establish their foothold.

1. Create an Engaging Website

Your website is unarguably the protagonist of your virtual presence and thus demands and deserves all the focus in the world. Make sure that your website not only looks great, but also packages everything required to take your visitors down to the end of the conversion funnel. In addition, make sure that the content present on your website is unique, informative, and refreshed at regular intervals.

When it comes to getting a website up on the web, here are some of the main considerations:

• Development technology
• Content Management System
• Domain name validity
• User interface and features
• Product sorting tools
• Internal site search
• Social integration
• On-page widgets
• Analytics integration
• Site blog integration
• Value proposition

2. Embrace Social Avenues

Social is the next big thing in the realm of marketing and business communication. Make sure that your business has active presence on all prominent social networks such as Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and the likes. Social networking websites promise a remarkably cost-effective and efficient solution to connect with your customers, understand their expectations, and improve your standing in your league. Here are some of the key prerequisites for a successful social campaign:

• Sharing usable information
• Respond to comments as soon as possible
• Promote your offerings on a regular basis
• Encourage conversations by using intricate subjects

In addition, do away from ‘buying’ likes and followers, as it never really adds to the output drawn by your initiatives. Remember, it is better to have 100 ‘active’ and ‘interested’ patrons, than a billion who just can’t care less! Therefore, focus on the quality, not quantity.

3. Share High Quality Content

Creating a credible reputation is indispensable for the success of startups, for which they need high quality content, for both on-page and off-page activities. Whether you need to create content for your website or a third-party submission, make sure that the information you share holds some real value for the readers, especially if you are leveraging search engine optimization to enhance the search receptiveness of your website.

Useful tips to create valuable content:

• Use stats and verifiable info
• Address a ‘real’ need of the reader
• Arrive at a conclusion
• Use simple present tense
• Use active voice
• Use keywords, but wisely
• Use heading/subheading/pointers/etc.

Using high quality content not only helps you to attract potential customers to your website, but also positions you as an authoritative and credible entity in your market.

4. Ensure Prompt Support

The quality of after-sales-support services plays an extremely important role in deciding the fate of any organization, especially startups. In order to ensure that your business isn’t swept away by the established players in your segment, you need to carve an edge for yourself by offering prompt support to your customers. Whether they share their views on your social page, or call your support team, it is extremely important to ensure that their concern is addressed without any delay.

Some useful tips to optimize your support services:

• Hire competent people
• Impact comprehensive training and skill updates
• Monitor all customer communications
• Use surveys (online/email/ IVR) to collect feedback
• Create multiple support tiers for escalations
• Setup a ticketing system, if required

5. Focus on Branding

At the end of the day, the future of your online startup relies majorly on the brand value you are able to create in your segment. When it comes to branding, you need to be really careful as there are various traditional and contemporary mediums to promote the brand value of a business. While you always have the option of engaging some of the traditional mediums such as print and broadcast adverts, digital avenues such as Pay-Per-Click advertising, Search Engine Optimization, etc. require much less investment, along with better value for money.

Here are a few guidelines to channel your branding initiatives:

• Create a persuasive value proposition
• Define your target audience
• Create and employ sustainable digital assets
• Keep it real!

Conclusion

Spearheading a successful startup requires uncompromised vision, failsafe strategies, and loads of hard work. However, if you are learn the way forward, the ride can surely be a whole lot easier. By effectively utilizing the information shared above, you can not only establish your business in today’s increasingly competitive markets, but also materialize your growth projections. It is, however, extremely important to ensure that the technology partners you choose have proven competence in their respective domains, along with reasonable pricing.

What’s your take on promoting a startup? Do share your views in the comments section.