Are You Ready to Boost Your Online Curb Appeal?

Online curb appeal is just as important as actual real estate curb appeal. Both are about first impressions.

In business, first impressions are everything. Consumers form an impression of your brand’s logo in 10 seconds. That’s it. It then takes another 6-7 times to see your brand to remember you.

How can you make the most of someone’s first impression of your brand?

If you’re ready to boost your online curb appeal, keep reading. These are the top ways you can boost your brand’s curb appeal.

What Exactly Is Online Curb Appeal?

Curb appeal is a term that’s been used primarily in real estate. It refers to the exterior of the house that potential buyers will see first, usually from the curb. The landscaping, the siding, the roof; all of those elements make up a home’s curb appeal.

In real estate, you want the curb appeal to invite potential buyers into the home for a closer look. A home’s curb appeal can add 20% of the value of the home. That’s how important first impressions are.

How important is your brand’s online curb appeal? A lot.

Customers expect a consistent, seamless experience. They expect a clean look with color and images.

If you can provide that on a consistent basis, your curb appeal and your value will go up dramatically.

Your Brand Is More Than Your Logo

Most people think of their brand as their logo and stop there. That’s the worst thing you can do. Even a five-year-old can have first impressions of a logo. Sometimes, it’s not always positive.

Think of a brand as a promise or an emotional connection someone has with your company. If you look at Fortune 500 companies, their brands extend beyond their products.

For example, Volvo doesn’t sell cars. They sell safety. Pepsi doesn’t sell sugar water, it sells cool. That’s the connection people have with those brands.

When you create your brand, think about your customers. Ask yourself what you want people to think and feel about your company when they experience your company – from the website to the logo, to customer service.

Your curb appeal can increase the chance of someone becoming more involved with your brand. That will give you the opportunity to build a relationship with them.

Google My Business Listing

A good place to start looking at your brand’s online curb appeal is to check your Google listing. For people who are unfamiliar with your brand, that’s likely to be the first place they’ll find you.

With Google My Business, you can control how your business looks in search results. Be sure to update the hours of business, add photos of your business, upload your logo.

In the description, make sure your services and overall messaging are the same as your website and other marketing materials.

Check Your Online Reviews

When was the last time you searched for your service on Google? Did you look at Yelp or TripAdvisor lately? Were there positive or negative reviews?

It’s important to improve your online reviews because more people trust online reviews almost as much as a personal referral. One way to encourage more online reviews is to simply ask for them.

Once someone checks out your business listing and website, they will dive deeper and see what others have said about your company.

If you’ve had negative reviews, don’t ignore them. It’s best to address them right away. It looks like you’re engaged and you care about your business. If you ignore them, it can come across as a slight to customers or that you just don’t care if someone had a bad experience.

When you have positive reviews, thank the person who left the review. People love to be recognized and it will encourage others to do the same.

Make Your Website an Incredible Experience

Your company’s website is another key factor in online curb appeal. It’s like a potential buyer is looking in the windows to see if they want to go inside and get more information.

The website needs to be mobile-friendly, too. In fact, 52% of people won’t engage with a brand if the website isn’t.

Look at this example from Edgewater Design Company here!

What they do incredibly well is they have what they do and where they serve right at the top. You can look at their recent projects and schedule a consultation right away.

If you scroll down further, you’ll see their customer reviews. That gives potential customers confidence that the folks at Edgewater know what they’re doing.

Have a Consistent Brand Experience

These days, customers expect that your brand experience will be consistent across all devices and platforms. According to SoftwareAdvice, 41% of customers look for consistency above authenticity, and transparency.

There are several reasons for this. Consumers see consistency as personal. They buy into your brand because

You can deliver a consistent brand experience by focusing on the three core areas of your brand:

The Look: The colors, the logo, the fonts all create the look of your brand. Make sure it’s consistent throughout every customer touchpoint.

The Feel: A brand is an emotional connection. How do people feel when they interact? Does it make them feel good? Making people feel good on a consistent basis will ensure that they come back to your brand again and again.

Behavior: Yes, your brand has certain behaviors. Customer service is a key example of that. Does your brand and representatives of your brand reflect the company’s mission vision and values? Do they act in a way that aligns with those values?

By being consistent in these three areas, your online curb appeal will be impressive.

Need Help With Your Brand’s Online Curb Appeal?

Defining your brand and making sure the curb appeal is high can be a challenge. That’s especially true if you’re a small business owner with many tasks on the to-do list.

That’s why there’s a community like Small Business Brief Forum. We help small business owners solve problems they face every day.

What are some ways you can use online curb appeal to attract customers? Leave a comment below.