Top Tools that Make Managing an Online Business Easier

If you run a small business, now is an exciting time to build your brand. The internet has leveled the playing field for SMEs through social media: allowing boutique brands to compete, click for click, with larger, more established enterprises.

But with so much competition out there, it’s easy to get lost in the noise.

To rise above the online static, you need a few key ingredients – compelling content, a reasonable online presence, and positive audience engagement.

Let’s break this down into discrete steps—and sample the tools you can use to win at each.

Step 1 – Create good content

From graphics to captions, how you craft your content matters.

Create social media artwork with Canva. This web-based (and mobile-based) app takes good graphic design and makes it accessible for non-graphic-minded people. Use its ready-made templates, optimized for Instagram, Facebook, and other social media sites; just choose from the available pre-made designs, edit the text and insert your own images, and voila! Drool-worthy Instagram post done.

Retouch your photos with Photoshop Fix. This invaluable app provides photo editing tools like heal, paint, and smoothen. You can even edit large files on your mobile phone using Adobe Creative Cloud. Best of all, your files are accessible on multiple devices – from your phone to your tablet all the way to your laptop!

PRO TIP – If you’re struggling to get that perfect shot, Globe myBusiness provides product photography and editing services. Inquire here!

Proofread your work with Grammarly. In an online-only world, having typos in your captions can lead to social media death. Grammarly will check your spelling and even your verb conjugation (for those nerds out there), giving your online copy a polished, professional feel – always a bonus if you’re looking to impress clients and customers!

Step 2 – Promote your online presence

You’ve got your content ready. Now it’s time to get it out there.

Post on Social Media with Hootsuite. Let Hootsuite automate your posts on fixed schedules. This saves you the hassle of having to post manually several times a day! Hootsuite supports all major social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube – and the free version lets you to connect up to three.

Manage your FB social media with Facebook Pages. If you’re already familiar with the Facebook mobile user interface, you know how to use this app. Post updates, respond to messages, and enter your business information directly on Facebook Pages—even manage your Facebook ads or boost posts—all on the go.

Access the Facebook Pages App with your Globe Mobile Postpaid Plan anytime, anywhere.

PRO TIP – Increase visibility through social media advertising. Facebook ads are easy to make and are relatively cheap for the number of people it can reach. You can create and deploy your ad through the Globe myBusiness Facebook Ads platform.

Specify your budget, target market, duration of advertising and you’re good to go! Charges go straight to your Globe myBusiness Postpaid Bill – no need for a credit card!

Step 3 – Connect with your audience

Once you have your customer’s attention, you need to keep it. Here are some tools to move people from engagement to conversion.

Manage online orders with Google Forms. This is essential if you’re selling products online. On Google Forms, create a form by selecting the fields customers will need to fill in. You can have multiple-choice options based on your inventory. Publish the form and share the link through your online channels and see the orders come in.

Respond to Queries with FB Messenger or Viber. Great customer service starts with making yourself available to take inquiries. Online chat apps like FB Messenger and Viber help make you and your brand accessible to your followers.

PRO TIP – Respond to Facebook queries faster with a Chatfuel chatbot. Automate responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with a chatbot, saving you time and effort for common queries—and earning the “Very Responsive” badge on your Facebook page.

Need to communicate with your customers? Use Globe’s Unli Chat 199 to contact them or respond to queries via Viber or FB Messenger.

If you’re not quite sure what’s required, you can get in touch with a Globe MyBusiness representative and have them walk you through the process. We’re here to help you succeed, online and offline.

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