A new Sydney startup is on a mission to help Australian businesses grow their online presence.
Top4 founder Michael Doyle says the social media business-brand directory is out to solve a common problem.
“It doesn’t matter where we come from in the world we all have the same problem: finding and retaining customers,” Doyle tells StartupSmart.
Doyle, a specialist digital marketing manager with nearly two decades of experience and a knack for starting up award-wining web marketing solutions, says businesses should list on as many platforms as possible to develop a strong online presence.
“In Australia, there is a very small choice of options for your average business to list online,” he says.
In addition to sites like Yellow Pages and True Local and Google AdWords, he says Top4 creates another avenue to get noticed.
An interactive directory
What makes Top4 unique in this space is it’s an interactive directory incorporating smart digital marketing features for businesses to promote themselves more effectively, Doyle says.
Businesses can sign in to Top4 through multiple platforms, make listings for free and generate leads.
“You can sign in with LinkedIn, Facebook and Google and cross-promote across these,” he says.
Doyle says its pay-per-lead model ensures businesses are only charged when Top4 gets them a qualified lead.
“The problem with other social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook is their pricing is not really fair for small businesses that are cash-poor when it comes to marketing spend,” he says.
Top4 also features communications tools like press release forms and content curation so businesses can use more creative marketing strategies to promote themselves.
Within a week of launching, Doyle says Top4 has already helped listed businesses boost their online presence and make it into Google’s top four organic listings.
“Say you want to be one of the top four plumbers in your area, you can bump up your ad for $2,” he says.
Top4 will showcase at the upcoming ad:tech, one of Australia’s biggest digital marketing conferences.
Advice on digital branding
To build a strong online presence that escalates leads, Doyle says businesses should adhere to keeping their listings and profiles updated on a regular basis.
To create a great brand and image, Doyle encourages businesses to show they are real people.
“You should have a decent logo and use photos that are relevant,” he says.
“Use pictures of your business, your team and yourself.
“Don’t use stock-type images – people see right through that.”
