Every savvy business owner knows that the way we communicate with stakeholders is constantly changing and evolving. In recent years, many of these changes have revolved around the ever-growing digital landscape. For example, in 2019, a staggering 90% of U.S. businesses were projected to be incorporating social media profiles as a part of their marketing strategy.
While many social media managers start with Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, a new trend is emerging in digital marketing: online business directories. Online directories like Crunchbase have numerous benefits for building your business that you simply won’t get elsewhere.
Intrigued? Check out these three reasons your business should be using Crunchbase in 2020.
- Increase Your Credibility
In an oversaturated market, consumers have more and more choices about who they give their business to. This makes credibility more important than ever. One easy way to increase your business’s reliability is to create a Crunchbase profile.
Major search engines, like Google, will generate your Crunchbase listing when someone searches for your company. Having a complete and professional page up, like wealth manager Daniella Rand’s profile, will instantly lend your business a sense of legitimacy. It may also keep any unfavorable pages, such as a negative customer review, from the top of the search listing.
Nielson reports support this, with a survey finding that 70% of people surveyed considered online business directories a reliable way to measure a businesses’ overall credibility.
For maximum effect, ensure you keep all pertinent details up to date, including founder names and outbound links. Typos, broken links and a lack of updates can actually take away from your business’s appeal.
- Build Industry Connections
When you’re a thriving business or still trying to establish yourself in the marketplace, industry connections can be invaluable.
Particularly for tech-based start-ups, ecommerce and media-related businesses, Crunchbase is a fantastic way to monitor your industry. Using geographical filters, you can compile a list of similar businesses in the area, then use the information to inform your own business decisions. For example, you may wish to reach out to like-minded companies for possible collaborations. Crunchbase will also identify competitor funding information, which may help you identify new investors.
Alternatively, keeping an eye on competitors can help you retain an edge by recognizing gaps in their services or pain points of customers and eliminating them from your business model.
We also recommend keeping an eye on Crunchbase News, so you’re always abreast of new developments in your industry.
- Finds Sales Leads
A surprisingly under-utilized feature of Crunchbase is the possibility to use it to generate leads, particularly if you’re a B2B company. As a corporate playground for all reputable tech and ecommerce start-ups, Crunchbase will give you a list of potential clients at your fingertips.
Additionally, Crunchbase Pro members have access to a host of powerful tools that can help your sales team link up with a suitable lead generator. Instead of wasting time filtering through pages of lead prospecting companies, Crunchbase allows you to review lead businesses by funding, acquisitions, investments and overall ranking, taking the guesswork out of finding reputable leads.
With stacks of innovative features, free membership options and the ability to easily enhance your company’s professional presence on the digital stage, make 2020 the year your business jumps on board with Crunchbase.