Being an entrepreneur is always a learning experience. That’s because the rules are constantly changing. The change happens so subtly that you don’t even notice it, but when you compare one decade to another, that’s when you can see huge changes.
Just over a decade ago the best avenue for getting your startup noticed would have been to put it in the papers. Today, that might be one of the last places you’d consider. Here’s a look at where you’d want your startup to get noticed at this moment in this decade.
1. Search Results
Google has been around for a while, but year after year it’s also gotten better. Today when someone wants to find a certain type of business the first thing they do is reach for their phone to perform a Google search.
Of course, you can’t just make a website and expect Google to place you at the top of the results. You’ve got to employ an SEO strategy to complement your website and all its content. SEO stands for search engine optimization and it’s all about using the right words to fit search strings you know you’re audience will use.
2. Social Media
Find one person who doesn’t use social media in one form or another. While you might eventually find someone, you’d have to look long and hard. Whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or something else, social media is not only entertaining but it’s important to brand identity.
Social media also allows your followers to do some of the marketing work for you. When they like what you’re cooking they’ll tell their friends, and that type of word is like wildfire. Use all the social media platforms and update them regularly. Failure is not possible if you do those things.
3. Influencers
Influencer wasn’t a commonly used word a decade ago. Today when you say influencer, someone on YouTube, Instagram, a podcast, or another online medium will come to mind. It’s also possible you don’t know any influencers, but that doesn’t matter. All you care about is that the influencer has hundreds of thousands if not millions of followers.
An influencer can get your startup noticed quickly, but you need an influencer who relates to your industry and your audience. If your startup manufactures a tool for checking the oil in engines, you probably wouldn’t want to hire an influencer who talks about cosmetics.
Competition is fierce and it’s only going to get more so as more ways of promoting business are discovered. The internet isn’t that old. There’s still a lot to uncover so marketing for startups will continue to evolve. The best advice for getting any startup noticed is to make sure you’re always at the top of your game.