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Your 30 Day Online Marketing Plan – Week 2

Creating an internet marketing plan for your small business can seem overwhelming when you wear the many hats of a small business owner. This 30 Day Online Makreting Plan breaks down the necessary steps to optimize your internet presence so that you can attract more customers online. Each day you have one task that will take about an hour to complete and each day builds upon the last.

Small Business Marketing Overview

Week 1 – How to Make Google Like Your Business

Week 2 – Beyond the Website – Optimizing Your Local Profiles

Week 3 – Using Social Media to Your Advantage

Week 4 – Creating Great Content & Using it as a Unifier

The second week builds on the tasks completed in the Week 1 presentation -“How to Make Google Like your Website,” so be sure to visit last week’s blog for that information.

Week 2 – Beyond the Website – Your Local Profiles

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Slide Overview

1. Week – 2 Optimizing Your Local Profiles #30DayPlan

2. @IlluminousGwen Thank You!

3. Series Overview Week 1 – How to Make Google Like Your Website Week 2 – Beyond the Website – Your Local Profiles Week 3 – Using Social Media to Your Advantage Week 4 – Creating Great Content & Using it as a Unifier

4. Week 2 – Optimizing Your Local Profiles Why Local SEO is Important How People & Search Engines Select Businesses How to Set Your Business Up for Local Success How to Generate Reviews & Respond to Negative Reviews

5. Recap of 3 Things Your Need to Know About SEO 1. SEO is like a credit score. You need to build “good credit” with search engines. Consistency in local profiles helps to build “good credit.” 2. Authority + Relevance = Visibility (Formerly Known As Rankings) 3. It’s a Build Versus Buy Decision

6. Why is Local Optimization so Important?

7. Mobile Device Proliferation – 1 in 2 Searches on Mobile Has Local Intent. 1 in 5 Desktop Searches have local intent.

8. Mobile Device Searches will surpass desktop searches in 2015

9. Number of Searches by Device Type 65% 29% 7%  Worldwide Statistics

10. Local Intent Search with Local Intent “Electrician” Informational Search “How Much do Electricians Charge?”

11. Mobile: Voice vs Typed Search Voice “Electrician” @IlluminousGwen (Siri) Typed “Electrician” (Safari/Google) Yelp Reviews Proximity

12. Mobile: Voice vs Typed Search Typed “Electrician” (Chrome/Google) Typed “Electrician” (Safari/Google) Google Reviews

13. Number of Searches by Mobile Browser 65% 29% 7% United States Statistics

14. How Does Your Business get Selected Over Another?

15. Let’s Look at the Metrics People Ratings/Reviews Pictures/Video Pricing Description Proximity Search Engines NAP Consistency Review Signals Business Page Completeness & Signals # of Citations On Page Signals Social & Mobile Signals (http://moz.com/learn/local/local-search-data-us)

16. Optimizing Your Own Profiles

17. Day 8 – Claim/Optimize Your Google Business Profile 1. Go To http://www.google.com/business/ & Get on Google 2. Type your business name or address 3. Either click your business information or select Add Your Business 4. Fill in the appropriate information until your profile is 100% complete. Use keywords in your description & categories. TIP: When selecting categories, choose the best match from the drop down options Google gives you when you start typing. @IlluminousGwen

18. Day 9 – Cover & Profile Photos @IlluminousGwen Profile Picture Cover Photo 250 px x 250 px 1240 px x 700 px

19. Day 9 – Cover Photo & Profile Image 1. Look at competitors social profiles to see what type of message they are conveying with their brand. 2. Gather your own images & logo file 3. Go to https://www.canva.com/ & select Google + Cover • Dimensions 1240 px x 700 px 4. Create your design & download 5. Upload new cover to Google + Page 6. Upload logo as profile picture – 250 px x 250 px @IlluminousGwen

20. Day 10 – Claim Yelp Profile 1. If you don’t know if you’re on Yelp, go to Yelp.com & search for your business. (You may be on the site and not even know about it) 2. Claim your business or Log In to your business account 3. Complete your profile 100% and verify that your NAP are identical to your website & Google profile. 4. Use keywords in your descriptions & categories @IlluminousGwen

21. Day 11 – Register on Foursquare What is Foursquare? A mobile app that allows people to “Check In” to your business. Suggests places close by or in line with your interest that you might want to check out. (Read: Personalization!) Is this absolutely necessary for my business? Yes, Foursquare feeds Pinterest Place Pins & What’s App (for now) Bonus: You can add specials for your customers specifically for Foursquare. @IlluminousGwen

22. Day 11 – Register on Foursquare 1. Go to http://business.foursquare.com/claim & search for your business 2. Either click on your business or select “Add a New Place to Foursquare” at the bottom of the suggested listings. • Recommendation: Use Sign In with Facebook if you’re the business owner. It can help with your reach on Facebook. 3. Complete your business profile to 100% 4. Leave a comment as yourself to let people know an insider tip about the business. @IlluminousGwen

23. Day 12 – Link to Profiles from Your Website General Rules of Thumb • Choose icons that match your brand • Place the icons at or near the top of the website, on every page • Have links to profiles open in a new window • Include a Call to Action (CTA) • Follow Us! or Connect with Us! @IlluminousGwen

24. Day 13 – Ask for Reviews! 1. Send An Email 2. Post on Your Social Channels 3. Make a phone call or ask in person. Bonus Tip: Shoot a video testimonial with your smart phone at the end of a successful client interaction. Don’t forget to shoot horizontal!

25. A Few Things to Keep in Mind About Reviews 1. Proximity of the reviewer to your business is important. 2. Don’t ask people to leave reviews from the office iPad. 3. Search Engines look at your business’s proximity to the “Centroid  distance” of the city. 4. You can’t offer anything in exchange for a review*

26. What to Do with Bad Reviews  1. Acknowledge the Review! 1. Compose a non-confrontational response & offer to make things right if you can. 1. Steer the conversation to on offline forum by providing a phone number or email address. 1. Continue to ask for reviews from customers who are happy. 1. PROVIDE GOOD SERVICE!

27. Day 14 – Submit to Moz Local 1. Go to https://moz.com/local/ 2. Download their template. 3. Fill in your business information as completely & accurately as possible. Ensure that it is EXACTLY the same as your Google profile. 4. Save the file & upload to Moz Local*. *There is a $49 annual fee. This is the best $49 you might spend on your business this week. 5. Check back in 1 week to ensure that all of your listings are validated.

28. Other Resources & Tips • Yext.com – Paid service that helps to manage your local business listings. Use in addition to Moz Local. • ReviewTrackers.com – Get an alert when you get a new review. • Pro Tip: Put your competitors in to get alerted when THEY get a review! • Host an Event to generate more links to your site • Sponsor a Chamber event • Become a drop off location for toys, school supplies, etc. • Host a Yelp Elite Party @IlluminousGwen

29. Questions? Contact Info: Gwen Robinson LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gwenrobinson/ Twitter: @IlluminousGwen  Access this presentation: bit.ly/IM-30Days-Week2 Facebook Basics Presentation: http://bit.ly/fb-basics

Gwen Beren

Author Gwen Beren

Gwen Beren is founder and CEO of Illuminous Marketing, Inc. in Southern California. She is passionate about SEO, social media, and voice search, as well as how consumers adapt to emerging technologies. Follow her on Twitter @IlluminousGwen.

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