Every business owner can improve their marketing by thinking carefully about how they can improve their Internet marketing by using the tools Google provides for free. Here are some of the most important questions to ask yourself:
Do you have an optimized Google My Business listing? An optimized GMB listing includes: correct category listing, product or service images, business hours, good reviews, a link to your business website and a service area map.
Do you have an add a review feature to display Customer Reviews on your website? Local reviews have the most impact on potential clients, other than direct referrals.
- Do you have a list of Communities Served’ on your website homepage? Google uses this to route local traffic to you.
- Does your business serve your local area only? A Service Area map helps Google display service providers to viewers in their local area.
- Do you have a template-driven website like Wix, Weebly, Mendix or Appian? Google’s algorithm ranks database-driven websites like WordPress, Concrete5, Drupal, or Joomla, higher than template websites.
- Does your website have a blog? Google promotes sites that offer regular, original content on their websites. Create a blog post once or twice a month, a few paragraphs, an image with a maintenance tip, a good story about how you solved a problem for a client, a seasonal offer, and you become an authority to viewers. This increases your Google ranking, helps establish you as an expert in your field, and builds confidence with prospective new clients.
- Do you have an optimized and current Facebook business page? Google’s algorithm favors websites that frequently post fresh, timely content – and Facebook pages are no exception. Add a ‘Like Us On FB’ link on your site.
- Do you have Vendor websites that you can list your company in, and link to them in your website?
You should have a link to that listing on your Home Page. The more relevant links on your website the better.
- Are you a member of the BBB? Consider joining, since along with local reviews, this is a confidence-booster for potential clients to do business with your company.
- Are you listed in Angie’s List, Buildzoom, Manta, Buzzfile, and other service directories? Not only does this create backlinks to your website, potential clients may be there looking for local services you offer.
- Do you have vendor websites where your company is listed, and are their links on your website? You should have a link to those listings on your Home Page or in the footer. The more relevant links on your website the better.
- Do you have a signup form on the site for your newsletter? Regular contact with current clients will bring you referral business and give you a chance to send them seasonal specials or discounts. Capture client and prospect emails and use an email client like MailChimp to send out regular newsletters, especially in this time.
We have more useful Google tips on our website Blog. Prioritize your time every week to take full advantage of your Google Marketing tools. Good luck!