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Are you “connecting” with your customers (or potential new customers) online? Do you have a web presence?

I was reading this great article by Steve Strauss here: Maximizing Your Presence and it hit me that you might want to know “What Is A Web Presence”?

“I think that any small business that is not maximizing its Web presence is missing a golden opportunity.

First, let’s make sure we are on the same page. When discussing Web 2.0, what we are talking about is an era where websites are more interactive, engaging, and interesting than before. They are not static, as they were, say, 10 years ago, where all you could do was read. Instead, a Web 2.0 site is one where visitors can engage with you, your business, and your site by:

• Posting comments on your blog, or articles, or chatting in a forum.

• Re-tweeting your content, sharing it on Facebook, or Digging it.

• Watching a video, listening to a podcast, or participating in a webinar.

• Taking a quiz or responding to a poll.”

You really want to have a website that is engaging and interactive. We call these “sticky sites” because they make people want to stick around – giving someone a chance to connect with you and your business.

There are many reasons to have a great Web 2.0 website, but here are three main ones:

1. Credibility

2. Marketing and branding

3. Additional profit center

The obvious are the Three Big Kahunas -

Video – every site should have video – this keeps the reader engaged and shows of “something” about your business.

Users Can Comment/Rate/Engage - this is powerful. You can see – right in your own playground, just what others are saying about you and your business.

Content – Give the reader something to Read! - Interesting tips and helpful articles will shed a good light and encourage the reader to share. If the reader signs up to your free newsletter they have now given you “permission” to connect with them often. Right in their email box… where your competition “IS NOT”.

“When you get real good at this Web 2.0 stuff (have a web presence), what will happen? People will share it – via email links, tweets, whatever, and that’s the ticket.

It is what I call word of mouth advertising 2.0.”

And do you know what “Word Of Mouth Advertising” costs? Zip – Nadda- Zero- No Moola!