Number One Question for Small Business

How Do I Promote My Business With Online Marketing?

Some cost-effective ideas to utilize the power of the Internet:

Potential customers will find your website using Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In the long term this could be one of your most dominant tactics. The perks of search engine optimization are obvious and measurable. How does SEO work? Very easily, if your website doesn't rank high in the search engines (hopefully the 1st or 2nd page) for your leading search terms (keywords), more likely your potential customers won’t see your listing. 90% of people who search online will not look further than the 1st page when searching for products or services. Web sites prominently displayed on the first page of Google or other search engines, get the most visitors, and this translates into more customers.

Social media marketing (Facebook,Twitter.etc) are just as competitive as Google, as social media platforms businesses are connecting with potential customers. Using Facebook and Twitter allows your business to create trust and exposure. Nearly everyone is familiar with Twitter and Facebook, and a huge amount of local and small businesses are taking advantage of this with increasing regularity. Why not you?. This is a free way to be seen by potential consumers who need your product or service. Creative use of Social Media will quickly and easily mark you as a knowledgeable business.

(PPC)Pay per click advertising – The PPC ads show on the top and right-hand side of Google's search results. This is a fast way to capture traffic to your site, but it can be costly. Also, this isn’t as effective as regular (organic) ranking. Over 80% of every click goes to regular listings with only the leftovers 15% going to Pay-Per-Click ads. One more downside to PPC ads is they stop showing when you stop paying, while the regular(organic) listing will stay for years without any more effort on your part.



Google Business (used to be called Places) – Most small businesses are geared toward their local community. If this is your business, your website must target your local area as city and state. When people use search engines to find products or service, Google knows their general location and will return results based on the search term. DO THIS FOR YOUR BUSINESS TODAY: Create a Google Business account with relevant information about your business and business categories. In some cases, your business will already be listed. You just need to claim it and enhance what Google already knows about your business. Local search results appear at the top of the 1st 1st-page results, before the organic listings. Test this out yourself by typing your product or service in Google and see what happens.


Your competitors are already using this great tool. Don't lose out! Potential new customers, especially, since this is a free service from Google.

If Local Business Consulting can help you with any of the above-listed items; please don't hesitate to contact us.
 Sign Up Today for our Free Website Analysis Report.

This report includes:
1. How your business appears to the search engines.
2. Which keywords are associated with your company.
3. Analysis of the structure of your website, i.e. description, meta tags, header tags, etc.
4. How you stack up with your competition.
5. Recommendations on how to better position your company on the Web.

Local Business Consulting Services Include:
Google+
Facebook Fanpages
Facebook Ad Campaigns
Search Engine Optimization
Website Maintenance
Keyword Research

Business Owner's Fantasy

If Only This Were True

Yes, it would be great if your product or service was the only one showing up. Now the reality: No matter what your business, you have competitors who are also vying to be seen by potential customers. 


Millions of searches are done everyday for a product or service (Tweet This)
, and the local business owner needs to be in the right position and page to take advantage of these searches.

So what is a small to medium sized business owner to do?

 Here are a few tips you can do today to increase your page and search rankings.

1.  Google+ Places

Google has a free service for local business owners - search Google for your company name and check to see if you  have a Places Listing.  If you don't have one, create one. If your company is listed; make sure it is verified. (I am always amazed how many companies have not done this). The Places listing will allow you to update your company information, choose business categories, upload images, and videos. Just by doing these things Google gives you street "cred".  Also spy a little on your competitors, you can see right away it they have not claimed their listing, which will give your a leg up on them in the Page Ranking War.

2. Website Analysis - Search Engine Optimization

Having a properly optimized website for the search engines(Google,Yahoo, Bing), is one key strategy business owners often neglect. This is how the search engines decide how to rank you based on what they find when those little "robots" of theirs starting running in the dark of night to find new content.

The "robots' are looking for content, keywords, descriptions,images,page titles,meta tags, and your location.

3.  Online Business Directories and Citations

There literally hundreds of online business directories and citation sites where you business can be listed. Doing this increases your changes of the search engines picking up your company as a true business entity. Here are a few to check out for yourself.

manta.com

merchantcircle

local.com

yellowpages.com

citysquares.com

yelp.com

I hope this information will help you get started on moving your business forward. The internet is here to stay and if you are not on the highway involved in the traffic, know that your competitors are.

Promotion Time:

Local Business Consulting will analyze your website and social media outlets and return to you the best strategy to engage with your current and potential customers.

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Facebook Says They Want To Help Small Business Owners

I saw a tweet today about Facebook allowing anyone with a Business Page to promote it without third party applications.  

As I am always looking for ways to reach more people with my Internet Presence Service, I immediately clinked the link to the article:

Not one to rely on one source I checked out the Facebook For Business page and true enough;
Facebook is now allowing you to post to your status promotions and contest.

The best part about this is there is no charge unless of course you want to select the $5-$50 promote your post option.

I jumped right on this and decided to pay $15 to reach around 2,000 Facebook Followers:

I am now waiting breathlessly to see if this works!

I will let you know if this a successful way for any small business owner to create engagement and potential new clients with this method.