A good marketing plan is absolutely essential to the success of any startup business.

If you are looking for an affordable and effective marketing solution, a great start is to build a strong and powerful online presence. In fact, in an era where computers have become ingrained into the lives of even the smallest child, having a strong online presence is absolutely essential to the success of your marketing plan from the very beginning. Here are five ways that you can help promote your startup business online.

1.) A Professional Website

A solid and well thought out website has become the cornerstone most 21st century successful startups. A strong website is perhaps the most important marketing vehicle that a business can have nowadays, and blossoming into a successful company without one is about as likely as successfully climbing Mount Everest in a pair of flip flops. Naturally, not having a website is one of the biggest mistakes that a new startup can make and is a missed opportunity considering how easy it has become to create one. Even if your website has a basic design, it can serve as a great starting point for your future web footprint.

2.) LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the number one social network for business networking. It is especially great for new and growing companies, who can use the tool to attract the attention of larger, well-established businesses as well as prospective clients. It is a great way to participate is group discussions, create brand awareness, and even establish leads for your business. Used as kind of a mini search engine, LinkedIn has a smaller but more professional network of industry professionals that will result in more targeted connections.

3.) Facebook

Facebook is the largest social networking site in use today, so it is important to have a presence there. It is easy to set up and manage a simple Facebook page for your startup company. Although the site is not nearly as specialized for business connections as LinkedIn, Facebook has a much wider and larger audience. The sheer breadth of the site makes it a must have for building your startup's online presence. At the very least, you can use it to give basic information about your company along with maybe directions to your office space headquarters..

4.) Twitter

Twitter is unique in that users communicate updates with short tweets of 140 characters or less. You might not think that 140 characters would be enough to communicate anything important about your startup, but you’d be surprised. Twitter is a great business networking and marketing tool that allows you to customize your page in a way that attracts the audience that you desire. It is definitely important to take advantage of this leverage. Start tweeting and people will start following. It’s free marketing!

5.) Mobile Applications

An Internet presence is no longer limited to websites. Many people now rely on their smartphones and tablets for a majority of the Internet usage. A mobile application is therefore a great way to establish a significant online presence for your business; it is a convenient way to reach out to potential clients and customers who are always on the go. If you already have a website, there are certain steps you can take to make it more mobile friendly.

Although many uncertainties and challenges arise when building a startup business, one thing that is certain is that establishing a web presence is most likely crucial to your success. In fact, your online presence may very well be the most effective way to market your business your years to come. Follow these strategies to build a presence for your startup.