Do business online with a website that stands out

Create your own website

With a boat, a boarding point, and a website where people can book their sailing trip, Dos Santos had all the ingredients to start his venture. "I am curious by nature. From the age of 16, I was into website building, photography, and social media." Dos Santos also created his own website for iKapitein. He recommends that other entrepreneurs experiment on their own too. "I see that entrepreneurs often outsource building a website or creating online content. This is because they think they do not have those skills. But outsourcing is expensive, while you can get started yourself quite easily. Instastories are easy to create. You quickly get better at it, and you get a good feel for what resonates with the target audience."

Make your website findable

Having a website is one thing. Being found by your target audience is another. How do you go about this? "First, you need to have a clear idea of who your target audience is. I aimed at families, couples, and groups of friends. I showed them in a promotional video I had made. It also featured the whole rental process, so people know what to expect. I then distributed the video via Instagram and Facebook, targeting people in the region very specifically. It got 33,000 views and a lot of media attention."

Social media visibility is not the only way to attract visitors to your website. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is indispensable, according to Dos Santos. "Using the right keywords generates the most online traffic to your platform."

Optimise your website

Your website is the basis for online success. "The expectation you create with the ad on social media must be fulfilled on your website," says Dos Santos. "So, ensure an optimal user experience. The look and feel must be right, the information must be complete, and the right links must be present."

Collect data

"In Google Analytics, you will find valuable data about your visitors, such as demographic characteristics and information about their interests. With this, you can then tailor your content even better to the target audience."

Advertise even with a small budget

Anyone who thinks Dos Santos invested large sums in a media budget is wrong. "In the first year, I spent a total of €50 on social media advertising. That had a huge effect. Now, in my case, demand exceeds supply, so I am in a luxury position. But through social advertising, you can already achieve great results with minimal budgets."

Online success: 5 tips

How do you achieve online success? Dos Santos gives 5 tips to get started right away:

1. First, define why you do what you do, and who your target audience is. Based on this, figure out the tone of voice of your content, and which channels are suitable.
2. Adapt your content to the channel where you are communicating. For example, video content works better on Facebook and Instagram than on LinkedIn. And on LinkedIn, a business approach is more suitable than a young, hip tone of voice.
3. Make sure your website is as good as possible and keep optimising with the data from Google Analytics.
4. Be consistent in your content on social media. This creates recognisability and gives your target group something to hold on to. On Monday, for instance, you let a customer speak, on Wednesday you show a video about what you are doing, and on Friday you attract attention with a great offer.
5. The real key to success is omnichannel marketing. Make sure you are visible online, put yourself in front of (local) media, and go into relevant collaborations with parties in the same sector. For example, iKapitein collaborates with the Rotterdampas, which lets locals book discounted outings and activities in Rotterdam and its surroundings.

Interested in more entrepreneurial tips from Wesley? Then watch this video from the KVK Better Business series.

Wesley dos Santos, iKapitein: 'Increase perspective for yourself and others' | Better Business