The first step to build a strong, lasting online presence for your business is to develop an accurate understanding about your audience. The second step is to create a message that will resonate best with them. The third step is to be consistent with your brand message. Lastly, use the right mix of promotional activities to connect with customers, share information with them, and woo them.

More people are now searching for products, reading users’ reviews, and shopping on the go using their tablets and smartphones. So as a business, having an online presence is paramount. A well-planned marketing strategy allows small companies to reach out to a wider audience and meaningfully compete with organizations many times their size.

In today’s market scenario, a company shouldn’t bank only on offline branding. That can be suicidal, as folding up of Jessops and Comet shows. Having a strong online web presence is important—sometimes that’s the only thing you need if you are only an online player. Offline businesses with a predominantly offline customer base might continue to do well using only offline branding strategy.

Online or offline branding or both, the most important thing is INTERACTION with customers. If your business can do that, success is just round the corner, if it has not already showed up.