Ask James Caan... Business tips for London entrepreneurs

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Dear James,
We recently started an online letting agent, allowing landlords to find tenants quickly and cost-effectively. How do we get noticed quickly online? Pay-per-click advertising hasn't delivered the results we'd hoped for.
David Irvine, nested.co.uk

James says: People often think that becoming an online business just means you set up a website and people will come. But they won't know you're there unless you build a profile and drive traffic to your site.

Review your online approach, and utilise search engine optimisation, social media, blogs, online articles and videos. Use social media to drive traffic. Share valuable content by blogging, tweeting and updating news relevant to your industry.

On Twitter, follow trends, conversations and hashtags to target clients or tenants. On Facebook, comment on the latest market conditions and link to online articles. Or post photos of new or unusual properties on your books. Upload your top tips for finding a property or use videos to bring your service to life.

Encourage customers to post reviews of your products or services. Online recommendations are the most powerful way to attract more customers.

Research your competition. Take notes about what you like and what you could do better. Be patient, get your budget right, get your advert and keywords right, then play around with the features available to improve and refine your campaigns.

*If you have any burning issues that you would like advice on please write to askjames@standard.co.uk

*James Caan's new book Start Your Business in 7 Days is published March 1 and his free app, James Caan Business Secrets, is available on iphone and Android.