Promoting your business online

A key step in going digital is creating a strong online presence for your business.

Your website should have:

• up-to-date, clear descriptions and images of your products and services
• a clear call to action (add to cart, contact us for a quote, download a trial version, etc.)
• examples of clients you’ve worked with or successful projects you’ve completed (consider adding testimonials or reviews)
• ways to connect with your customer service team
• clickable social media accounts to engage with new and existing customers

Many people use a mobile device for browsing the web, so your website must work well on all types of devices. You should also use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to help customers find you.

The more important a market is to your business, the more you need a version of your website tailored to that country. You could have one website with multiple language options, or have unique websites using different domains (.ca, .com, co.uk, etc.).  As a Canadian company, you can benefit from using the .ca domain because of the positive association of Canadian goods and international brand recognition.

Even if you are just beginning to sell internationally, your website should clearly state that you sell outside of Canada (e.g. “we ship worldwide”).

To effectively reach customers around the world, consider creating market-specific channels like social media accounts. These channels should:

• use local languages and adapt your messages to reflect cultural differences (see our guide on Intercultural Business)
• reflect any product adaptations you have made to your product or service to meet local preferences, standards or regulations
• show the packaging and labelling that you use for your product in that market
• provide pricing in the local currency
• use the social media platforms that are most common in your target markets

To promote your business online, consider creating an online advertising strategy. This could include:

• social media advertising
• Google ads 
• search engine advertising

Use analytics to see if your website and online channels are getting results. You can track things like: 

• views and clicks
• conversions (e.g. when someone makes a purchase) 
• who joins your mailing list
• any other desired action based on your strategy

Remember to set up analytics for your website and other digital channels from the beginning.  Your analytics can tell you if your strategy is effective, or if you should adjust your tactics.