Did you know that online ads, digital knowledge management and reviews can be the most important local marketing your business can have? Certainly, social media marketing is important, as is the quality of your website and other aspects of your company's web presence. But tending your lists and comments online should be the first priority of your business. Do you want to know why? Keep reading.
Here are 10 key points to remember when marketing your business online:
- Living online is not enough anymore. Websites are important for promoting your business, but what really matters is to be active online and understand the buying pathways – how customers find your local business online -.
- Most potential customers will never see your website. In fact, people are on average three times more likely to see your business on Yelp, Facebook, Google My Business, Bing, Yahoo, FourSquare or similar sites. And they will often make their decision to patronize your business based on what they find there.
- This is even more true if you run a local restaurant. It turns out that people looking for a place to eat are on average 10 times more likely to find your restaurant on a third party site. And they will decide right away if there is a chance to give your menu a chance without ever visiting your finely crafted homepage.
- The "way to purchase" is via third party sites. This means that the majority of your potential customers make the decision whether or not to visit your business based on these evaluation or SEO sites. And even if you manage one or two pages for your business on the most important of them – say Google My Business or Yelp – there are literally hundreds.
- Services like Yext facilitate the management of these sites. By using Yext or other similar services, you enter the phone, address, opening hours, products or services, wheelchair options, selections of any kind. gluten-free foods and other in-depth knowledge about your business, in one place. Then press a button and the information is published on a list of more than 80 evaluation and evaluation sites – all at once!
- Your website IS always important. So, do not assume all of this that's not it. A visitor who finds you through an evaluation or registration site may still want to know more. There may be "deeper facts" about your offers or a better idea of the overall experience you are providing. Yet, even though a website may take weeks, months or more to get started as you wish, your ads can be managed and do business within 72 hours.
- Social media is also important – up to a point. You are probably aware of all the social media platforms available to you. These sites include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and the list goes on. But here is something you can not know.
- The half-life of a Tweet can be as short as seven minutes. After that, most people forget it. A Facebook post lasts a little longer – about five hours. But ads for your business live forever on the web. Concentrate your efforts there.
- Magazines are also gamechangers. In fact, exams can make all the difference between bringing this new client or losing it to a competitor. For example, if a customer searches Google for something like "best pizza shop near me", the restaurant with the most recent positive review will probably be the best.
- But the BIG secret of local marketing is this one. When it comes to online marketing, start worrying about managing ads and customer reviews, and social networks last – and you'll always find this feature in local search
To learn more about how to improve your local online marketing and put your local business on the map, visit Yext.com.
These tips and many others were presented at a live video event held on October 18, 2017 with Rev. Ciancio de Yext, host of The Hot Seat Ramon Ray, and Anita Campbell, CEO. from Small Business Trends. You can watch the full session here: