Going by the words of David Karp, the founder of Tumblr,
“Entrepreneur is someone who has a vision for something and a want to create.”
Everyone wants to become a ‘founder’ these days! And why not? Entrepreneurs are breaking the stereotype on which the market is based – they are their own bosses & they also create opportunities for others.
As a start-up, your first hindrance is getting online visibility. Here, we will discuss 9 websites startups should register in to enhance visibility.
*Before we begin, here’s a quick tip. A month before you plan on launching your startup or publicize it, make sure, your blog is ready. This is a huge advantage in the long race.*
AngelList:
AngelList is a platform where startups can meet potential investors. With an office in India as well, AngelList allows smaller investors to invest $1,000 or more in a startup on the same terms as other large investors. As an entrepreneur, this website will help you raise money for equity & debt investments. AngelList has helped companies get over $12 million over the last one month, isn’t that something?
How will this help your business?
1. When you set up your profile on this site, it becomes a means for you to get noticed, by the public/potential leads and investors alike.
2. When investors get to know each other through this site and talk of their business investments, your business/name gets promoted.
CrunchBase:
CrunhBase is a free and editable database website where you can find all about technology companies, people and investors. CrunchBase is being managed by an online publication called TechCrunch.
How will this help your business?
1. By submitting your business profile on CrunchBase, you allow important people/companies in the industry view you, your business & your products. It’s a great way to promote your business.
2. Here, you can add your company name, URL, blog, logo, overview, tags, competitors, products and various other details.
3. Once your entry has been approved, you can also add videos and milestones to enhance your profile.
Google Places:
This local listing from Google will help you go places, literally! When someone makes a search using Google, Google Places ranks much higher in the search, than the rest. This is beneficial for local businesses. A small map locates the search according to the keywords users have punched in.
How will this help your business?
1. Once you have registered yourself on Google Places using your Google id, you will have to confirm your business for authenticity over phone. This might take a few weeks, but it’s worth the wait. As soon as your profile/business is activated, people will be able to search for you.
2. You can add comprehensive details about your company – website links, opening hours, product photos etc. When a person searches, these details, placed right next to the search add highlight to it.
You can also use Yahoo Local search engine to increase your online presence. It functions on the same lines as Google Places. You will need a Yahoo account to register here and you are all set. Also do try 123Khoj & Justdial’s local search engines to submit your site. Here are 5 lead generation websites in India for local businesses.
YourStory.in:
YourStory is an online platform which provides comprehensive details about various startups in India. It enhances your business’ visibility on the web, social networking and investor connections.
How will this help your business?
1. Users/customers know of your new launches, products/services.
2. If the editorial team at YourStory likes your stuff, they may even highlight your story. This is a great way to enhance your popularity.
3. When you create/send your profile on YourStory.in and share your details, interested customers can get in touch with you directly.
Squidoo & StumbleUpon:
Websites like Squidoo and Stumbleupon are very valuable for entrepreneurs.
These are community based web platforms that let users/businesses create pages in their respective disciplines – marketing, finance, business & management etc. These websites highlight a business’s point of view and areas of expertise.
How will this help your business?
1. When you share your business/story on the web, others can see what you are doing.
2. These websites allow you to create personal/business portfolios. In return, using Squidoo, when the page does well, you earn a royalty out of it. So, not only is your business name out in the market, it also helps you monetize it.
3. On StumbleUpon, you can post photos, videos and webpages to enhance your web prominence.
4. These websites are a great platform to get relevant backlinks back to your webpage.
5. They also allow your website to rank higher on Google search thereby increasing traffic.
Here are a few more social bookmarking websites where you can set up your business profiles.
Scoop.it:
Scoop.it’s mantra is simple – help marketers, pros & entrepreneurs surge their visibility online. Scoop helps you reach an audience who has similar interests as yours by letting you curate content on a given topic. This website is relevant for companies all across the globe and not necessarily for startups alone. What is content curation? The curation process lets you collect and pass information, out of the World Wide Web, which is most useful to you and your network.
How will this help your business?
1. When you post your content on Scoop.it, users who are searching for a particular topic don’t have to plough through the internet to find the content. You have already made their work really easy!
2. Curating content also establishes your name/business as a brand. People will trust you for the information you put online.
3. How do you become a good content curator?
Pick up a unique topic: When you want people to see you as ‘THE’ source, you have to be diverse. Pick a topic you are really passionate about. When people see you as a trustworthy source of information, they will automatically be driven to your business/profile.
Keep it close to your business: Keep the topic related to your business. Remember you are the master of your business and no one has more information than you do.
NextBigWhat:
Earlier recognized as Pluggd.in, this website interacts with entrepreneurs in India and around the world. You can get in touch with other entrepreneurs and share your business/opinions.
How will this help your business?
1. As a startup, send them details about your company and they will get back to you with a review of your startup.
2. You can also create an account for your business and engage with other entrepreneurs and share your stories on their forum.
As a startup, you can also register your website with IndiBlogger’s blog directory. You can join their networks, converse with like minded people or even have face-to-face interactions with other bloggers when you meet them in the Bloggers Meet organized every once in a while. As we dig further deep, we will surely write more.
Do you know of any other website where a startup should register to enhance its visibility? Please do leave your comments and share.
