Google Tips for Your Business, Part 1

How to Increase Your Online Presence

by Darrelyn Dunmore

There are so many details involved in managing your online presence. Between how to increase your social media presence, how to build websites, and how to optimize your online presence, it is enough to drive you crazy. Toss in the holidays and COVID . . . all you want to say is Google this.  Instead, take a breath and sign up for Google My Business.

So why spend your valuable time on Google My Business. If you recall in my last blog; https://www.foleymainstreet.com/2020/10/22/1695/christmas-with-attitude-for-retail-service-and-professionals/ ,  people searching in Google with the phrase “near me” have increased 100%.  You want your customers to find you in the Google search for “near me” If you have a physical location or not, you need to get your Google Business Listing. Google metrics are changing again, how your business shows up, and where depends on search engine optimization and now a big part of that is how you are listed within Google itself. 

Your free business profile fleshes out that local listing in the infamous “near me” search.  The business profile lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps.  It is very powerful when someone is searching for you and a picture pops up along with your address and phone number.  Pictures are worth a thousand words, and you will look so professional. I set one up for Foley Main Street – including adding a few pictures and a description of who we are, and it took me all of twenty minutes.  Try it – open your browser and type in Foley Main Street – you will see the regular stuff on the left- website, Facebook, etc.  but look to the right at the map. Not only the regular information – the phone number, address, click through to your website, etc.  It now looks like an ad or a mini-website! You can place your logo, color photos, description of your business.  Every bit of information helps you move up in Google searches.  In the Google My Business seminar I attended, they said that 90% of customers are more likely to visit a business that has photos, or you can even upload a thirty-second video.

Google has expanded what you can put in this listing such as you can now list special hours. If you are having a sale, you can upload a post. They will also notify you when you get a review. Remember in the first blog I wrote – always comment back - even if the review is negative – it builds brand loyalty by responding. https://www.foleymainstreet.com/2020/10/04/1633/christmas-shopping-has-already-begun-what-will-christmas-look-like-in-2020/

Follow this link to create your Google My Business listing and just follow the easy instructions.  https://www.google.com/business/

A few quotes to leave you with:

“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is—it’s what consumers tell each other it is.”

– Scott Cook 

“The future of SEO is here: understanding and marketing to specific and defined audiences through search engines.”   – Adam Audette

https://www.bluecorona.com/blog/50-inspirational-marketing-quotes/

Stay tuned for next week’s blog:  Google Tips Part II. How to Increase Your Search Engine Optimization Easily.