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There are many businesses ignoring their Google Business Profile. Google is still the world’s most-visited website. The site currently holds more than 92 percent of the search engine market share. It’s the first place people go to find out information on your business. What type of message are you sending if all your info is outdated or just plain wrong?
If you have a shop, store, restaurant, or small business, you need a Google Business Profile. Set it up now. If you set it up more than six months ago, you need to go and manage it now. Things have changed. Your Google Business Profile shows up on Google searches as well as Google Maps. It’s your one-stop spot where customers can find info about your business, hours, specials, discounts, photos, reviews and more. According to Google, potential customers are 2.7 times more likely to trust your company if you have a complete profile. It will also make it easier for Google to match your business with the right searches. Google uses the information in your profile to determine your search ranking. This is based on relevance, distance, and reputation. The more information Google has, the better your score. Keep in mind the proper keywords when filling out your description. If you’re having trouble, visit Google Trends or Keyword Planner. Use discretion here - - you don’t want to use all the keywords. Too many will cause your ranking to drop and thus fewer search results. Find one or two keywords and gently weave them into your company’s description. Do not skip out on updating your profile. And don’t set it and forget it; that’s a mistake. If you own a retail store, update your page with discounts and promotions. If you own a restaurant, update your menu, and let customers know about upcoming events. The more you update your profile, the more Google will trust your company and elevate your Google ranking. Current photos and videos can also show customers that you have what they are looking for. Respond to Reviews (Good and Bad) Responding to reviews can elevate your business’ visibility and show that you openly engage with your clients, which will build trust in your brand. According to a survey by Google, customers are 1.7 times more likely to trust a business that responds to reviews. This can also be an opportunity to address customer concerns and invite them back to your business. If someone had a negative experience, be upfront and address their concerns. Maybe even invite them back with a special or discount. Get in the practice of asking customers to leave a review. Send them an email or text and then include a link inviting them to highlight their experience. The more reviews you receive and respond to, the better your Google score will be. A word of warning: Don’t use spam tactics or fake reviews. Google is very good at identifying them and may completely erase your profile. It’s okay to get negative reviews. Customers are more likely to trust a business with an average rating of 4.2 - 4.5 than a 5. No business is perfect. A perfect score will raise suspicions. Take Advantage of the Features Google has built in some pretty effective tools. Make sure to alert customers of events, promotions, new products, and social posts. This is also a great way to share blogs. The key is updating regularly. Remember, Google runs the search world. Make sure you are being found.
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 The success of your business is highly dependent on the success of the product or service you’re offering.
And even more important is being able to clearly articulate your product vision to others. When it comes to your product or service, clarity is essential. It’s necessary to define your products or services in clear descriptions that are easy for you to communicate to others. After developing product or service descriptions, you must identify to whom you want to sell. Determining your ideal customers can provide a more focused approach to your launch. With products and customers defined, you’re ready to start building your online store. This should be super exciting for you, and it’s totally normal if you’re a little nervous or scared. Try to give yourself some slack and don’t be afraid to fail, just try the steps below, learn, and improve. Step 1: Define critical business components There are two fundamental business components you need to consider before you start building your online store. Outline your sales tactics: As an online business, customer acquisition is dependent on driving people to your site. You’ll want to focus on implementing digital marketing best practices. Conduct break-even analysis: Since building a profitable business is the goal, you’ll want to monitor your financial information such as inventory and break-even numbers. This will help you forecast profitability. Step 2: Adopt business software and platforms You should do plenty of planning before starting your online business. But at some point, you’re going to have to actually launch it. After getting your fundamentals squared away, the next biggest hurdle is adopting and integrating your e-commerce platform and other business software. There are software options for all types of businesses, and they can solve nearly every problem you could ever face. Your challenge here is to select systems that are affordable and provide capabilities for now as well as down the road. Ensure ease of use: These software systems are the vehicle through which you drive your online business. There is a myriad of features you can demand, but at the end of the day, you need to be able to easily use these systems to complete your work. Plan for future integrations: Inventory and CRM are critical capabilities, but there are other systems you may need to add once your business takes off. You can save a ton of hassle down the road by initially selecting a system that will handle your future plans. As with many business duties, you may want to think about bringing in someone to analyze your marketing and help with some of these software decisions. Step 3: Build your online store With systems in place, you’re ready to design and publish your business’ site. Your branding really gets to shine during this step as the aesthetics of your digital storefront are what welcomes visitors to your business. Your branding doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it should be intentional. And unless you know how to code, you’ll want to ensure your e-commerce platform includes or supports site templates easy for you to navigate. As with any business need, this is something you can definitely outsource if you feel uncomfortable designing your own. Designing your online storefront should be fun. It’s your first chance to highlight your branding, and it means you’re close to a full business launch. If you have been working with someone who designed your brand, you may want to bring them in on this process too. Simplify the purchase process: However you decide to lay out your site, the most important component is how easy it is for your shoppers to make a purchase. You want to do everything you can to eliminate steps between product selection and online sales. Let your products/services shine: Don’t be tempted by stock images or long corporate manifestos that describe your brand. Let your products speak for themselves across your website. At the end of the day, that’s why it exists and that’s why shoppers visit. Consider your entire site: While products should shine, it’s also important to consider if you’ll have any kind of content strategy. If so, where will that be on the site? Be sure to think through what pages you’d like your site to feature. And always be sure that you are writing your content to be SEO-friendly and not repetitive. Step 4: Launch sales and marketing strategies You’ve worked through the business fundamentals. You’ve chosen your platforms and built your online store. Now it’s time to launch your online business. This means kicking off your sales and marketing strategies to introduce your business and drive shoppers to your site. Since you have taken the time to understand your customers, you already know the most effective channels for reaching them. Add to that your product expertise, and you’re all the way to a sales and marketing strategy for your new online business. Don’t make your sales and marketing strategy complicated at the onset. Trust in your targeted customer base, work up a few messaging variations to test, and set it all loose. As you’re starting out with your marketing plan, don’t be afraid to double down on what’s working. Find the messaging, channels, etc. that are driving visitors to your online store and spend resources there. You’re better off concentrating on what resonates initially and then looking to expand your base down the road. Step 5: Optimize and refine constantly Your online business is launched, and your work has truly just begun. Get ready because everything is about to accelerate. It is totally normal to feel like you’re just working to keep your head above water at this point. You just have to keep moving forward. The great thing about launching your business is that you get streams of performance data coming in. You can set up and monitor metrics to spot positive and negative trends on your marketing, site, products, margins, etc. The possibilities are endless, but what’s important is that you’re constantly looking for ways to improve.  Do I need to know a Kardashian? I recently read a book about Harry and Meghan and found it interesting that Meghan Markle made moves early in her career to align herself with influencers, and then became one herself, launching The Tig. So, the answer to the question above is NO, you do not need to know a Kardashian or a Megan Markle to align yourself with influencers. Over the years, influencer marketing has become an immense part of the marketing landscape. Honestly, I had to do my due diligence to learn more. Influencer marketing often sounds too good to be true, but the numbers don’t lie — on average, for every $1 businesses spend on influencer marketing, they make $18.
New to influencer marketing? Confused as to exactly what it entails? You’re not alone. It is something new to my range of services too. The term “influencer” is tossed around a lot, and it’s not always clear what it means, so let me share what I have learned. First, what’s an influencer? The term “influencer” is shorthand for social media influencer. A social media influencer is a person who has gained credibility in a certain niche. Today, influencer marketing is a method of choice for top-tier brands around the world, but it wasn’t always this way. For a while, it was considered nothing more than a passing trend. One thing you need to know: you do not need to be a national company to benefit from this type of marketing. It can be done on a local level, using local influencers. Simply stated, local influencers are bloggers, reviewers, and social media personalities who are based in the same area as your business. Going to in-person events can help you put a face to a name. Of course, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. And now is not the time for me to talk about networking to meet influencers. Of course, there are plenty of other ways to meet influencers. One option is to use an influencer marketplace or platform. These let you search for creators and influencers within a certain distance of your region. You can further narrow your search by looking for influencers who are in a certain age range, and who are interested in certain topics.  These are tough times and most, if not all, industries are being impacted in some way. The world is frightened and wary. There are many things that businesses must consider when it comes to the Coronavirus COVID-19 and somewhere near the top should be your marketing and sales efforts. While it’s understandable that this is not your top priority, if you choose this time to lose sight of marketing when the virus is over, it will be that much more difficult to recover. It is important to remember in your marketing and sales process that everyone's first thought right now is about their health and their family. After that comes business. Always be sensitive and empathize with your prospects.
Let’s look at how your business can move forward and possibly grow during the virus. Move everything online The most obvious issue with COVID-19 is that we’re not out shaking hands and meeting people, and this may go on for a substantial amount of time. Because of that, local events are all canceled and conferences all around the world are being canceled. People are beginning to worry about business events all the way into the Fall. Companies that rely on in-person interactions to grow need to focus much more heavily on digital marketing and inbound marketing tactics. That means developing a strategy and executing immediately. There is no time to delay here. Inbound marketing can take some time to start showing big results so the sooner you can start, the better. Consider quick-win opportunities As I mentioned, inbound marketing takes time, but there are some quick wins. Start looking into utilizing pay-per-click advertising through Google as well as social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Paid advertising can produce some quick results while the other inbound marketing tactics are ramping up. You may also want to consider targeted outreach on LinkedIn, especially if you're in the B2B sector. Do some research on your prospect businesses and then connect with the decision-makers or target persons at those companies. TIP: Don't approach your outreach strictly from a sales standpoint. Be helpful and share content that is important to them. If you educate, you can win. Stay consistent online Consistency is one of the hardest things to keep in times like this, but it's extremely important. Google has made it clear that consistency is a big factor in how they rank. That means that if you've been blogging every Tuesday, it's important to keep blogging every Tuesday. When tough times hit, usually marketing is one of the first things to be evaluated and sales often immediately cut. By cutting your marketing budget, you may save some dollars today, but you'll be sacrificing more dollars later. Consistency is key for ranking and if you give up consistency with inbound marketing, you're going to start losing all you’ve worked for. That can mean your website traffic, your authority, your search engine rankings, even your engagement within social media. This may be your chance to find new and creative ways to reach your target audience. Think outside the box. Take advantage of new opportunities While most people are looking at the Coronavirus as a hardship, for some businesses it can be an opportunity. And regardless of how the opportunity arises, it's your responsibility as a business to capitalize. If your business benefits from everyone being home, or keeps people healthy, or keeps kids entertained while they're out of school, or delivers products to people at home — USE THIS TIME! There is a huge opportunity here and people genuinely need your business. Now is the time to double your marketing and sales initiatives and reach more people. I know this may sound thoughtless or maybe even irrelevant to your business, but I beg you to not make any drastic decisions that will still be affecting you after this virus is over. Keep moving forward and set yourself up now for a great finish to 2020. Video is an integral part of the online experience, and no site hosts more videos than YouTube. The site boasts more than 3 billion video views per day, making it an excellent place for businesses to find consumers.
Viral YouTube is the home of the viral video, the term for a video that spreads quickly to a large audience on the Internet. Businesses can use other social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, to direct consumers to YouTube videos. You should also post your YouTube videos on your website for further recognition. Channels On YouTube you can host your own channel. This allows you to centralize an online location for all manner of videos related to the product or service that you are marketing. You can update, revise or create completely new videos about your product or service, while maintaining an outlet for related videos. Businesses have the option to establish a free user channel, such as the one many individuals create, or pay a fee to host a branded channel, which gives you more options and features to improve the pages. Measurement One of YouTube's greatest strengths is the way it allows you to track the number of views each video is receiving. There are no complicated searches or evaluations necessary. Instead, the number of viewers for each video is posted right beneath the video image. This allows you to gauge instantly how widely the videos are being received, and how successfully they are finding an audience. You can also see how many people are recommending your video or commenting on it. Advertising In addition to brand channels, YouTube offers other options for marketers attempting to reach the site's many users. These opportunities include buying advertising on the home page or buying advertising that runs beside certain videos. Also, make sure that you are using your keywords to ensure more recognition in searches.
It is certainly true that Google plays a role in SEO. However, your efforts on the social media site should be about more than gaining followers who don’t interact with your content. Instead, you should be striving to create an environment where fans communicate with each other and your company. You must stay active on the site by sharing content and relevant links, responding to feedback and making connections. Everything should be done with your target audience in mind, so make sure each piece of information is useful.
Myth #2: Social media is becoming the most important aspect of SEO Whether social media sites take over good old fashioned content marketing as the most important aspect of true SEO remains to be seen, but for the time being it should just be another cog in the machine. Search Engine Watch noted that you can’t rely too heavily on social, as it should only be used to back up interesting content. Although certain websites and businesses have found ways to go viral through social sharing, it is not sustainable and often doesn’t lead to long-term success – you need balance to achieve that. Myth #3: The linking conundrum No one denies that links are a valuable way to boost website ranking. However, the days of mindlessly loading up content with links are long gone, and in their place is a strategy that emphasizes quality over quantity. But you shouldn’t go too far with this initiative, which can leave you throwing in citations instead of good links. According to Search Engine Land, it is important to identify the best possible sources and connections, and then using those links and citations to build great content marketing. Myth #4: You need to invest in paid ads to get a better ranking Paid search is another aspect of content marketing that can improve your SEO efforts, as well as the bottom line, but it’s not enough to boost rankings. It was commonly thought that services such as Google AdWords went a long way toward jumping in the ranks, but Google executive Matt Cutts spoke about the truth behind this myth. He claimed that while the search engine would certainly like you to purchase ads, it doesn’t punish those who don’t. Myth #5: Your content can never be improved OK, this might not be a myth as much as it is a common mistake where you become content with everything you have done. Instead of thinking your content marketing strategy is consistently outstanding, take time to evaluate each piece and note areas of possible improvement. Analytics tools can be a huge help as you try to find small details you can improve. Dig through stats such as bounce rate or click-through rate to see what needs improvement and try to pinpoint exactly where you went wrong … or right.  Imagine this: one day you’re on page 1 of Google. The next day you do not appear until page 14. You don’t even know what hit you but it hit you hard. This scenario happens in real life, and in most cases, business owners are left confused and wondering what happened. That’s why a Website Audit Report is a must.
What is a website audit? A website audit allows you to get a professional review and analysis of your website, including its content and inbound links. This covers Web Design and Web Structure Analysis, Page and Link Errors, Page Title and Meta Description Issues, Backlinks Analysis, URL Architecting, Duplicate Content Analysis, Comprehensive Target Keyword Analysis, and much more! I recommend this service before you start any optimization campaign for your website. When you want to invest in an online marketing campaign, particularly SEO, it is important to have a deep analysis of your website. Why Do You Need a Website Audit Report? Your website is the core of your online marketing strategy. SEO, PPC, social media optimization — all these direct traffic back to your site. A faulty website can flush all your efforts down the drain. An audit followed by an appropriate action, on the other hand, prevents that from happening. An audit is needed to find faults in your site so they can be corrected. An audit is also the first step in recovering from Google updates. With the search engine rolling out between 500 and 600 algorithm changes every year, it’s crucial to get a “checkup” for your website annually. Google Algorithm Updates In addition to being better prepared to run an SEO campaign, getting a website audit will also protect your website from Google’s algorithm changes. Google is continuously tweaking their algorithms to provide users with search engine results of ever improving quality and relevance. Online Reputation Management Almost everyone is Googling themselves these days because they know that they are also being Googled. So do you Google yourself and don’t like what you see? Well, what you see is what your prospects and customers see. You may have the patience not to act on negative comments about you or your business but your prospects and customers may not be as forgiving. Fact: 80 percent of people surveyed had changed a purchase decision due to a bad review they saw online. And with competition tighter than ever, businesses are seeing that Online Reputation Management is now a necessity. What is Online Reputation Management? Your online reputation is important. With the huge and ever-growing population searching online to evaluate businesses, bad comments and reviews about your business can gravely affect your target market’s purchasing decision. This is why it is critical to monitor your online reputation and take a plan of action to counter any negative material and proactively act to produce positive material about you, your brand, your business, and your products/services. Why Monitor Your Online Reputation According to studies, 78 percent of Internet users conduct product research online and 80 percent of potential buyers changed their purchase decision after seeing a negative review online. Your business can be at the mercy of online commentaries – or you can use these to your advantage! Online reputation management allows you to respond to negative comments the moment they appear on the Internet. Proactive ORM also allows you to optimize positive reviews about your business so that favorable reviews dominate search results, pushing down negative ones in the process. Also, 44 percent of online adults have searched for information about someone whose services or advice they seek in a professional capacity, like a doctor, lawyer, or plumber. You can use ORM to give these searchers a great “first impression” online. Get an online Reputation Management consultation now to protect your business and to NOT allow detractors to slow you down! Companies invest thousands of dollars when they want to redesign their website, hoping that a more attractive design will lead to more revenue. But is it really about the design? Or is it more about the content? Or, at the end of the day, is it more important that your website accomplishes the goals which you need to achieve?
Without taking into consideration an E-Commerce Website, the two basic types of business websites are: Credibility Sites and Lead Sites Credibility Website A credibility website serves to credential a business as legitimate and trustworthy. Credibility business websites are used by business owners who are sure most of their business is generated by word-of-mouth, by referral, or by a salesperson. They believe a visit to their website occurs during the trust phase of the sales process. People are not discovering the business online; they are checking the legitimacy of the business or just wanting to learn more. Viewers of these sites have already heard about a business’ product or service. These visitors are looking for an online reinforcement of the good things they have already heard about this business. A solid credibility site: 1.) Has a professional appearance. Your small business website is your virtual storefront. No one wants to do business with a store whose physical facility is dirty or unkempt. The same is true of your webpage. 2.) Is current. re you still running a promotion on your site that ended on Mother’s Day and it is now the middle of June? This lack of attention to detail can kill you, as customers think, “They aren’t on top of things on their website, perhaps they won’t be on point with me either.” 3.) Has Accreditation Logos. Are you a member of a professional association, a network, a quality assurance program, the BBB or earned specific licenses and certifications? These logos should be on your website. Even if people don’t know exactly what each organization does, these logos offer a sense of psychological security to your viewer that you are legitimate. Of course, be honest and make sure you are truly a member of each organization you place on your site. 4.) Is Rich in Testimonials. Nothing builds credibility more than real testimonials and endorsements from real customers. Remember: A credibility page is for those potential customers who are already familiar with your company and looking for an additional means of information. It appeals to people who are already thinking of doing business with you. Lead Generation Website The second type of business website is a lead generation site. This type of website contains most of the same attributes as a credibility site, however, it must take things farther. A lead site is designed to be an initial point of contact with your business’ service or product. It is designed to help people discover you online when they have little or no previous knowledge of your existence. Here is what you additionally need: 1.) Strong SEO Nothing is more important to a lead generation site than where it ranks on Google, Bing, Yahoo and the other search engines. When people search looking for a product or service you offer, you must show up on page one! You must have your website and each page on your site optimized to be found on search engines. This is called on-page SEO. You must also work on external SEO. External search engine optimization efforts are an ongoing process where an expert garners quality links created on other high authority sites that point back to your website. Unless you have tons of time and enjoy a steep learning curve, don’t try this on your own because if you get it wrong, Google will bury you. 2.) Possible Paid Online Advertising While organic ranking is ideal, you must get in front of your potential customer. People need to find your business organically (that is, they search a product or service you offer and you rank high on Google; this naturally takes time). In the interim, a paid advertisement on a search engine can get you in front of your audience quickly. 3.) Landing Pages These paid ads should point to specific pages on your site that relate directly to the ad content. A landing page helps convert visitors because it is tailored as the solution to an exact problem or need that the person just searched. 4.) Strong Call To Actions and Capture Mechanisms Bright contact buttons and phone numbers are important to gain contact. They should stand out sharply from other elements on your page. An email capture field should be present. Consider providing visitors the option to sign up for educational newsletters and specials if they provide their email. 5.) Ongoing Content In order to target existing keywords that people search, you’ll need fresh posts. And connecting your site to your Social Media will increase this content. Which type of site do you need? A credibility site can be beautifully designed and placed on the web. Since most people will visit you after they have heard of you, the site doesn’t need as much ongoing content. Visitors are primarily looking to see you are legitimate. In contrast, a lead site needs ongoing work and effort. Before you decide, ask yourself: “What would happen if my credibility site could become a lead generation site to gain even more business?” If you realize that you need more people to find you online to increase your business, maybe you should consider expanding your credibility site to a lead site. Either way, your business website needs to work for you! |
Boost Your BusinessMaria NovakI have over 35 years' experience in Marketing Small Businesses. Categories
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