Many entrepreneurs start their businesses online. More and more people are gaining the courage to do what they love and be their own boss.

Despite the growing number of online businesses, they are still relatively unknown, especially outside of their local community. A locally-owned and operated business that can demonstrate sustainable growth and profitability is highly prized as an investment. Even more importantly, an owner-operator can provide customers with exceptional service and develop strong ties with customers and communities.

To attract potential customers to your business, you need to stand out among the crowd. Here are some proven marketing techniques that can help you do just that.

Invest In A Brand

If you are going to put your energy into marketing your business, it might be a good idea to focus on creating a brand identity. A brand is a promise to offer a consistent experience to customers and build trust. For example, if you have a bakery and decide to brand your products as “delicious,” you are promising your customers that what they are buying is going to taste delicious. In today’s world, it is more difficult to please people than it is to satisfy a craving. With a bakery, you can build a brand and create a reliable business by offering customers what they want. In a nutshell, a brand promises quality and consistency.

Start A Blog

Blogs are very much alive and well in 2018, and for good reason. If you have something to say, you can post it as a content piece on your blog. The content piece could be original editorial, an article from another source, or an excerpt from a book you’ve written. Just remember that with a blog, you are writing for yourself and your target audience, which is typically anyone interested in your niche. However, the target audience will rely on the strength of the content and the number of quality links pointing back to the blog. Blogging is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your industry and build a community of people interested in what you have to say. If you do decide to start a blog, make sure that you keep your target audience in mind and try to appeal to as many people as possible. A well-designed and maintained blog can bring in tons of traffic, which in turn, can translate to new customers and possible revenues.

Use Social Media

If you are not on social media, it’s probably time that you should be. If you have a Facebook page, you should definitely be using it to connect with customers. The benefit of having a Facebook page is that you can target ads specifically to individuals based on their previous Facebook behavior. You can also use Facebook to connect with customers and establish yourself as an expert in your industry. If you have a Twitter handle, you can use it to share relevant content and promote your business. Again, if you have a website, you can use it to establish yourself as an expert in your industry. With these different platforms, you can connect with potential customers and engage with them to establish a stronger relationship and possibly, grow your business.

Pay Attention To Analytics

If you have an online business, you have access to a wealth of data. One of the things you can do is to closely monitor your analytics. Those who are serious about their careers in marketing will tell you that properly utilizing analytics is essential for any business or brand to thrive. Having access to data about your website visitors and their actions on your site can help you determine what’s working and what’s not. For instance, if you notice that certain products or services are performing well, you can infer that these products or services are resonating with your target audience. Analytics can also help you determine what platforms your target audience is using the most and which one you should focus on. In addition to that, you can use analytics to determine which marketing campaigns worked and which ones didn’t. The bottom line is that not all marketing efforts are created equal, and you cannot expect magic results from your marketing strategies. Properly utilizing analytics can help you get a clear picture of what’s going on and where you should direct your attention to next. Businesses that take the time to analyze their data in-house rather than outsourcing the analysis to third-parties will stand out among the competition.

Once you’ve laid the groundwork and developed a brand identity, it’s time to start marketing your business. Here are some proven techniques that can help you do just that.