Based on data collected by Virtualtech Frontier Sdn Bhd (VTF) at the DATA Asia Virtual Tech Conference and Expo, the biggest hurdle preventing local SMEs from succeeding during the enforcement of Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) is a lack of skill in online marketing and eCommerce.
According to digital enablement specialist and founder, Jason Low, digital marketing is essential when business operations and consumer movements are limited, especially during FMCO. Businesses that lack resources in digital marketing cannot reach out to their customer base.
In this post, we will share the skills needed for SMEs to excel in online marketing and eCommerce. We hope it can guide SME owners in planning their next steps in online business.
Paid Advertising
SMEs that choose to enter the online world must deal not only with the usual cost of doing business but also with new costs such as online advertising. To succeed, SMEs will need to figure out how to execute these new methods while cutting their operation costs.
Paid traffic is also extremely beneficial because most ad platforms offer a variety of targeting and filtering tools to help you better reach your target audience. You may also use them to see how effective your landing pages and product or service offerings are. However, remember that a lot of trial and error is necessary to fine-tune advertising until you get an effective ad that can convert customers who visited your websites/landing page.
You can learn a lot about advertising by trial and error, but you must be prepared to spend a lot of money in the process. If you don’t feel confident in your paid advertising knowledge, or if you don’t have a large budget, you should definitely consider hiring an expert.
Content Creation
Content generates new leads and customers for your business by driving traffic and building trust.
With this in mind, don’t overlook the importance of content, as it is likely to be your site’s principal source of traffic. Create and manage an editorial calendar, keep to a publishing schedule, and produce meaningful content that answers your target audience’s questions.
Visitors to your website are more likely to trust businesses that give valuable material, and customers are more likely to trust businesses that provide valuable content. Don’t forget to include strategies in your plan.
SEO
Organic search is the most important source of traffic for most websites. Your company will not be able to compete in the online world if you aren’t conducting keyword research, developing optimised content, and regularly updating your website to improve its SEO.
Keyword research is merely a stepping stone. You’ll want to learn about Page Authority and Domain Authority, as well as responsive design, backlink development, clean coding, and load speeds.
However, keeping up with the many technical parts of the ever-changing world of SEO is a full-time job in itself. Your major focus should be on ranking your content in search. When you’re running a business, it’s impossible to remain on top of everything.
If you need expert help in SEO to make your website discoverable in Google and generate strong ROI, Exabytes is at your service! Now you can claim an RM5000 grant for SEO service.
Design
According to surveys, 75% of individuals admit to making decisions about a company’s credibility based on the appearance of its website. This indicates that the appearance of your online store is important.
Determine the image you want to project with your website. Are you offering high-end items or low-cost items? Potential clients might be confused and turned off if the appearance of your online store does not match your brand’s fundamental message.
The appearance of your website, the design of your advertisements, and the look of your email campaigns are all critical. Each one should exude your personality and brand. To get started, you’ll need to choose a logo, a colour scheme, and typefaces.
Customers get a better experience when the design is attractive to the eye. As a result, more conversions and sales may be possible. Your website should also be easy to navigate, with calls to action pointing customers in the right direction. It’s also critical to be mobile-friendly.
Takeaways
Once again, it’s important to ensure your website is well-designed and user-friendly to stand out from the competition. Paid advertising, content creation, SEO, and design are some of the important skills needed by SMEs to succeed in online business. SMEs must reduce the gap in acquiring these skills and improve online business performance. If you need to revamp your website or build a new website, Exabytes offers professional website design services at an affordable price. For further enquiries, feel free to get in touch with our friendly and professional specialists for a free consultation.
