Ever since the Internet was invented, we’ve managed to adjust more and more jobs around it. Faxes changed into emails and face to face meetings turned into Skype calls. Therefore, it is no wonder that a lot of today’s businesses are run almost exclusively online. And the person who manages that business is called an online business manager.
But what precisely does an online manager do and is there a way to ensure that you’ll be a good one?
Well, luckily, that is what this guide is here to help you with.
What is an online business manager?
In essence, an online business manager is a person that helps run a business that has a substantial part of it online.
Some businesses are a mix of online services and personal services and they need a competent professional to help run things.
Others can be entirely web-based, therefore requiring much better management and dedication.
So, overall, the job of the online business manager is to keep the company afloat online.
This can sometimes be as simple as running a Facebook page for a company, or as complicated as navigating multiple interconnected projects and finding new customers and clients.
What does an online manager have to deal with?
So, with all this in mind, what can you expect to deal with as an online business manager?
Well, as you’ve might have guessed, there is no straightforward answer to this question.
Every managerial job requires you to deal with new circumstances.
There will always be either something new to tackle or an old issue to settle.
So, as an online manager, you need to have the necessary mindset and skills in order to do your job right.
1. Researching your field of business
The one thing every online manager starts off with is doing research.
In order to have any valuable contribution to the business you are managing, you need to know its ins and outs.
If you have been involved with the business from the get-go, great!
But, if you are hired as a business manager to help run it, you need to do your fair share of research and investigating.
A great mindset to have is that you can never know everything and that there is always some piece of information out there that can make your work either easier or more efficient.
2. Designing business strategies
Once you know what you are dealing with, you will probably have to participate in designing business strategies.
Now, this can also range from small, short term business plans to all-encompassing projects.
Again, the key thing to do here is research.
Besides researching your business, you’d be smart to also research your competition.
By doing so you will save yourself from a lot of mistakes and costly mishaps.
Use the fact that online businesses are much easier to research and figure our their business strategies.
3. Working with people
There are a lot of managers out there that are going to tell you that the hardest part of working as one is the people.
If you only have to deal with numbers or clients, great. But, if you have to manage a team, you are in for a whole plethora of completely different issues.
One of the biggest hurdles that online managers run into is organizing people without having any physical contact with them.
Most of the businesses outsource at least a part of their online services, and they usually rely on their online business manager to keep things running smoothly.
4. Running a website
Another aspect you will have to deal with is running a website.
Now, it will be up to web designers and programmers to set up your website.
So you need not worry about that. But, what you do need to figure out is how to implement new content on your website.
And how to change it so that it is more serviceable to your customers.
Also, remember to work out an update & backup schedule with your programmers. That way you will ensure that your website is safe and running properly.
5. Dealing with online marketing
There is hardly a business out there that doesn’t deal with online marketing.
As an online manager, your job will also be to organize and keep track of online marketing.
This can range from simple tasks like posting on Facebook and Instagram, to more advanced marketing strategies like employer branding, Pay-Per-Click research, and SEO development.
It is not uncommon for companies to spend half their budget on marketing. So, expect this to be an integral part of your job.
What to keep in mind?
Once you start working as an online business manager, you will soon learn that there are both upsides and downsides to this kind of work.
One of the upsides is that you will do most of your work online which allows you to travel and even move all over the world.
The downside is that you probably won’t have specific work hours. Keeping things running will require you to be ready to help at all times.
So, do yourself a favour and consider whether you are the type of person that will enjoy doing this.
Defining your role
One of the mistakes managers often make is not defining their role properly.
And being an online business manager is no exception. As we mentioned, there will be a plethora of things you will need to do.
So make sure that you are using your time and energy wisely. Remember, you are not a project manager or a virtual assistant.
Those are different positions that will require you to hire skilled employees. Make sure that you outline your job description and requirements with your employer before you get to it.
