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Author - Rob Gemmell
Category - Online marketing, Small business, SEO
Posted - 02/10/2011
0 Comments | Add Comment Four critical questions to ask about your business's online presence

Anymore, your pulse is measured online -- especially by locals.

Local customers search online first

Recent research has revealed that, “70% of consumers go online first for local business information.” Wow, what happened to word-of-mouth or the Yellow Pages? Well, they’ve been eclipsed by more convenient and faster methods for finding the right local services and goods for you. If you run a small or mid-size business, take note that if you want to grow or improve your profitability, the fastest way to do so is through online visibility, likeability and trustability.

Four critical questions to ask yourself

1. How visible is my business online?

Go to Google right now and search for your business by its name and location. Did you find it at or near the top of the first page? Now enter the keywords or phrases that your average customer would use to find you in your area. Were you on the first page of results? Now see if you show up in Facebook.

Do you like where these search results place you, if you were found? Do you like what you see written? For most of us the answer is no. Read on…

2. Why aren’t I more visible online?

Have you registered your business on Google Maps, Yahoo, Bing, the Internet Yellow Pages, Yelp and others? Has your website been optimized for search engines? Does your website link to other important websites in your field and do they link back to yours? If not, you now have clues to your lacking visibility.

3. Should I consider using social media such as Facebook?

Consider these social site user statistics:

81% of social networkers believe it’s important for local businesses to respond to questions and complaints on social sites.
78% want special offers, promotions and information about events.
74% value regular posts about products.
72% value regular posts about companies.
Social networkers are 67% more likely to make a purchase than general searchers.

Need I say more on this question?

4. Is my online information current?

To quote Heltai and Steward in the Local Search Study, “One in six searchers are dissatisfied with their ability to find reliable information about small businesses on the Web, noting that either the information isn’t there at all, it’s there but incorrect, or it isn’t in an orderly format. If you’re a small business owner, this is simply unacceptable”.

Quick fixes

Want to improve your online visibility soon? Here are a few remedies that you can apply yourself, or delegate a staff member to do.

To become more visible online: Contact a service such as Universal Business Listing to update your online information at over 300 websites and directories.

To get found by social networkers: Create a Facebook Fan page for your business. It’s free and simple, and it can be set up in 30 minutes. If you’re in professional services, or your customers are, set up a business page on LinkedIn. For frequently visited brick-and-mortar businesses like coffee shops, claim your listing on Foursquare and Gowalla to reward loyal customers. And for businesses that benefit from buzz or frequently changing products, services or specials, consider a Twitter page and frequent postings.

To become more likeable online: Start liking and following your friends, your best customers and related businesses through Facebook and Twitter. Post messages that your friends and customers would find genuinely valuable or interesting. Note: only 10-20% of your postings should be explicitly self-promotional.

To become more trusted online: Be helpful, honest, and above all -- be there for your customers, no pun intended. Always make sure the information you’ve provided about your business is accurate (such as your business hours and services provided). You don’t want to lead your customers on!

And for really quick and higher quality fixes, have someone else do it for you who knows what he or she is doing.

To find local consultants or freelancers: Go to your local Chamber of Commerce or search for them on Google Maps, MapQuest etc.
To find excellent and affordable, but likely distant consultants or freelancers: Go to eLance.com.
To get marketing knowledge and affordable execution: Go to online vendors such as Yodel.com, MainStreetHub or HubSpot for help.
Feel free to reach me too -- I’ll make the best recommendation I can for your particular needs —maybe even Addwater Marketing Agency!

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