The internet has grown and grown in recent years, and it is now more important than ever for businesses to have a presence online. More and more people are using the internet for both recreational and business purposes, and they can now access it from their tablets and smart-phones too. In fact, if you talk to most people, they will say that they access the internet at least once a day. However, despite the rise in importance of the internet we, as an SEO Company in Manchester, have seen that not all small businesses haven?t set up an online presence for their business, or do have an online presence but they are not utilising it to it?s fullest advantage. Maybe this is because they are unaware of the benefits of that being online can offer to their business, or maybe they are just scared to plunge into the online world. This is where Reform can help.
It has been shown that many customers these days will go online to find out more about your local business ? they want to know what you do and where you are. So therefore, maintaining an online presence and utilising the full breadth of online marketing activities is essential if you want to succeed in business today.? Online marketing activities include such things as: website design, SEO, PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising, and Email marketing. All of these activates are ones that Reform can help you with. However, there are some simple ways you can get your business online yourself, which should enable you to get your business in front of more potential customers, and help keep you informed of what is going on in your market segment.
Here are Reform?s tips for promoting your business online in your local area:
Google My Business
Previously known as Google+ Local, Google has now launched Google my Business which is a really easy way to get your business connected to local customers. Inputting your business details into Google My Business means it will show up on Google+, Maps and Search, so that customers can easily find you whatever device they are using. For example, if they are using a mobile phone to find out more information about you, they will be able to access directions to where you are from wherever they are through maps, your opening hours through search, and they can just click on your phone number to call you.
There is a lot of buzz around Google+ as many believe it hasn?t lived up to Google?s aim for it to be a rival social network for Facebook etc. but Google don?t seem to have any plans to drop it at the moment, so it is worth doing for the time being.
YouTube
YouTube is currently the second largest search engine after Google. So it is a perfect way to get more visibility for your business if you use it correctly. First of all, you have to have videos to upload obviously, and customer testimonial videos are great for this. Not only will they put your business in front of people, but they will start to build trust amongst your customers too. To really maximise the potential of YouTube as a magnet for attracting local customers you should use the following tips:
- Use local terms for keyword search in your video & in the video description
- In your video description, link back to your website
- Upload each video to any local directories you are listed in
Local Online Business Directories
One of the first things we do with any businesses we work with for SEO, is to advise them to get their online business listed in all the local directory listings, such as Yelp, Thomson Local and Central Index. These sites allow you to advertise your business, but in order to be successful you need a strategy and some insight. Firstly, you will need to identify your target market and where they might be located, and from this information you can start to generate a good number of targeted ads and build the best base for your business.
Social Media
Of course, the quickest way to get your business online is to utilise the power of social media. Using Twitter, for example, is an easy way to communicate with your customers about what is going on in your business, and any announcements. You can also get direct feedback from customers too, and engage them in conversations. There are many social networks out there, but you don?t want to spread yourself too thinly. Perhaps concentrate on one or two first and do those well, and then see what other networks you might use.
For more help with how to get your business a good online presence please call Reform Creative on 0161 236 0054 or email us at hello@reformcreative.co.uk
Recent Comments