Masterclass for tech start‐ups looking to optimise online presence

The importance of social media and online marketing to early stage technology businesses is the focus of the next StartUp Masterclass, taking place on Monday, 26 March.

The event, supported by the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (CfEL), will explore the role and application of online marketing, social media and search engine optimisation.

The ability to validate ideas, gather user feedback, reach potential customers – within very short timescales and with reduced budgets – means that the role of social media cannot be ignored. Startups have natural advantages compared to larger established companies, such as flexibility, scale and a lack of historical bureaucracy, which can be enhanced by using social media.

At the same time, search visibility and traffic matter in order to increase awareness and reach customers; search engine optimisation (SEO) is therefore increasingly important. SEO ties in with almost every aspect of the company web presence, including social channels. So, how do you manage and optimise this complex process? And how do you verify that your efforts in online and social media are paying off?

Two experts in the field will be sharing their knowledge and experiences.

“The social web has moved beyond interesting sideline activity to being, for many people, a well‐entrenched part of their lives,” said Eric Swain, a director at the consultancy Gather & Throw, where he helps launch startups and early stage ventures. “Organisations are now realising they need to do a better job of understanding what the reality of the social era can mean for their businesses.”

Rob Chant runs The Cambridge Web Marketing Co, a web marketing consultancy focused on delivering SEO and related services to small businesses. His past experience with both designing and building web sites gives him deeper insight into the SEO process. Rob commented, “Google is still one of the most important platforms globally for visibility, exposure and direct business results. Straightforward search, let alone the increasing integration of search and social media, is a massive traffic driver. Getting that traffic, however, is much easier said than done! That’s where search engine optimisation comes in.”

The event will be held at the Judge Business School and starts at 5:45pm.

This event is part of the ongoing Startup Masterclass programme, which has been running events across Cambridge, Norwich and Bedfordshire. The aim is to foster an inspiring culture and an enabling environment for the creation and growth of ventures with a specific focus on early-stage businesses and small SMEs of less than ten people. It is also for freelancers and individuals who are considering launching their own business venture. The programme is grant‐funded by ideaSpace Enterprise Accelerator.

Photo credit: Workshop: Globale Ernährungsketten und urbane Landwirtschaft by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung via Flickr