Start or improve your digital presence

Website 

Decide on your website type

If you want to be able to sell your products or services online, then you’ll want to invest in a website with an e-commerce platform. If you want to tell your customers where you are and what products or services you offer, then a basic website or a blog might be suitable. The more sophisticated, the more costly. Find out more.

If doing it yourself is not for you - Join 'Click for Vic' website or get in contact with digital experts. Know what questions to ask with how to choose a website professional

Or is it time to refresh your website?

A website is a digital shopfront allowing you to always be open for business.

Most customers will undertake online research before making a decision to purchase products and services. If you don’t have a website or other online presence you may be missing out on customers.

Your website should:

• outline your products and services
• include content and images that are engaging and relevant to your target audience
• enable people to contact you

Are you Digital Ready?

It is important to plan before creating a website, ask yourself:

• What is the purpose of the website?
• Do I intend to sell products or services online?
• What do I want people to do after they have visited my website?
• How much can I afford to spend on the website?
• How will I keep the information on the website up to date?

Follow these eight steps to website success, write a content marketing plan and register for content workshop.

Steps to creating a business website

• Register your web address (domain name or URL)
• Find a website host
• Choose the right plan
• Pick a template or custom build one
• Create content and test it
• Create email marketing through blogging
• Utilise Social Media platforms
• Protect your site with cyber security

Marketing Tools

Marketing - Social Media Tools

Social media is about listening and engaging with your target customers, not constantly selling to them.

Tip: Encourage your customers to share their experience of your business on their social media channels or by putting a review on your business social media. Get started on social media.

Not sure where to start when it comes to promoting your business on social media? The golden rule of social media is to engage people using relevant and useful content. Your customers are more likely to read, share, like and comment on posts that interest them. Follow this link for some tips to help you get started.

Register for a free workshop from Business Victoria.

Marketing - Direct traffic to your website using SEO, SEM, Google Ads

People rarely look beyond the first page of results of an online search, so you want your website to rank in highly sought after space.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of getting your website listed on the first page of the major search engines. Using Keywords improves your website ranking by selecting keywords that relates to you.

How to improve your SEO ranking and plan your online marketing campaign.

Marketing - Email & Blogging

Email marketing has become an increasingly effective way to interact with customers. It includes sending targeted messages or promotions to your customers to keep them engaged with your business.

Tip: Use free services like Mailchimp or SendPulse.

Fun fact: Under the Spam Act 2003 it is illegal to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages. You should always obtain permission from your customers to contact them via email marketing.

Follow this link to learn how to boost your business by blogging and the benefits of doing so.  Want to learn more, check out free online workshops from Business Victoria

Buying and selling online

Buying products online can help you streamline the purchasing for your business and save you time and money. Understand the basics of buying and selling online.

Selling product or services online may require more than just a sales portal. Find out how to effectively engage with customers and deliver your products or services to them.

Tips to find your customers online

Knowing where your customers are spending time online is a key component in understanding how to market to them. Learn how to communicate with customers online.

• Send a survey - Create a short survey asking customers to say which platforms they use for business and personal purposes. Ask them in person or by phone, or email the survey to them. This could also be an opportunity ask them what content they’re interested in seeing your business share
• Check your competition - Study the websites and social media accounts other businesses with a similar target market. Identify where their customers spend their time online.
• Check free Google Tools - market finder, consumer barometer and Google trends.

Taking online payments

Consider what payment methods you'll offer your customers and best suit your business. This will improve business cash flow and customer satisfaction.

Click for Vic

An initiative by the Victorian Government aims to connect consumers with Victorian businesses while they are unable to visit them. Sell your products through the Click for Vic website to expand your client base. Click for Vic will also showcase the best of Melbourne and Victoria on the Visit Victoria website to build awareness and consideration for travel in the future. Download the industry toolkit to learn how to get your business involved or find out more.

Agricultural Workforce Plan

Online farmers markets or marketplaces primarily selling Victorian agricultural produce are invited to apply for grants to help new and existing producers with the cost of on boarding, online marketing and registration fees associated with online sales. 

Organisations can also apply for funding to help cover the costs of freight and logistics, reducing delivery fees for consumers buying Victorian fresh food and goods online.

How to apply:

Email completed application forms(DOCX, 39KB), together with supporting documentation to: agricultureworkforceplan@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Check the eligibility criteria here.(PDF, 187KB)

Important tools for setting your business up digitally

Tools and Software for digital operations

Using digital tools and software, you could help improve your business. They may help you increase efficiency, operate more securely or find new opportunities. Learn more about what options are available and how they may help your business

Tools for collaborating with employees

Learn how to collaborate and work with employees using digital tools and understand how these tools can help your business become more productive.

Tools for tracking financial progress

Follow this link to learn how to choose an accounting software that will suit your needs. Track cashflow and keep the money flowing.

Legal Essentials – all you need to know

Whether it’s creating a website domain,  Fair trading laws, understanding contracts, privacy laws or business registrations this link is packed full of helpful information that you may not know or want a refresher. 

Creating online business networks

Networking is an important way of building business skills and knowledge and is a great way of developing business to business links and relationships. Networking is often a skill we need to learn.

Visit our Connect with others page to connect with groups in our local region.

Become a member of BBP Connect Connecting local business and people through this crisis: Critical information, Local Supply needs and requests

Register your business on the “Be Kind to Business Directory”

Follow our “Be Kind to Business” page for helpful links and templates.

Take advantage of free upskilling online courses

Business Victoria is funding courses to benefit business. Follow this link and the links to the right, to see what is on offer.