When we started OwnerListens we knew online reputation was a frustrating issue for business owners, but it turned out to be only the tip of the iceberg. The plethora of social media networks, review sites and blogs can make your head spin. Add to that the mobile phone revolution and the complexity becomes even greater. Not only can customers look up a business at home, they can now do it on the go minutes or seconds before making a purchase decision.
Business owners are extremely busy with the day-to-day of running their business. Having to learn a new skill on the go is not feasible for many of them, certainly not at the pace the market requires. Many owners are telling us about delegating the responsibility for social media to managers, back office staff or even to their teenage children. That solution only holds up for so long before owners realize that maintaining an online presence and keeping up with new social developments requires specific skills and a substantial time commitment. Some owners have even hired external providers to handle their social media and online presence.
While professional agencies will have their place for certain segments of the market, there is a whole world of opportunity for those who can build their own business serving small businesses as online presence consultants. For most small businesses, a basic online presence program is enough to start with.
Long story short, we decided to put together a free program, hosted on our blog and intended for self learners willing to dive in and learn by doing. In the coming weeks, we will release a series of blog posts that comprise our program.
The first leg of our program will focus on social media and online reputation. We’ve found that’s where the biggest gap is. If there’s additional demand we will do a second leg on other aspects of digital marketing (online advertising, SEO/SEM). For more on marketing, checkout the risepro blog.
The intended audience for this content includes:
- Individuals or groups who would like to embark on a career in online presence management whether as contractors or as employees in online presence agencies (commonly known as digital marketing agencies).
- Existing consultants to small businesses who would like to expand their portfolio of services to include social media and reputation monitoring. A good example would be a firm that provides website building services or online marketing services.
- Business owners or their staff who have the interest and time to learn this field on their own. Most of the content will apply to you and you’re by all means invited to join us.
If you’re interested in this program and would like to receive notifications about future posts, check back on this blog or sign up here or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
We’d like to make this a collaborative process so please reach out at [email protected] or comment directly on our blog.
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