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

Internet Marketing Without the Hassle

Finding a good  internet marketing company for your business can be tough. 

One internet marketing enthusiast is on a quest to change that.

 Marketing on the internet can sometimes feel as if you are learning something in "GreeK".  There are so many choices it is natural to feel out of your league.

  And to my surprise, there are companies here in America that still don't have a business website.  There are so many different voices out there with so many different viewpoints that most small business owners are ready throw in the towel from the frustration.

Most businesses are frustrated because instead of  wasting their time speaking with a salesman, they just want answers.  You want a company who is there to listen and help; to give you proper feedback, and to walk you through the process from A-Z. 

I recently spoke to a potential client about marketing their business on the internet. They have a website but have done little to nothing in ensuring their website will generate new sales.

So you have a business and you put up a website because someone told you needed one.  NOW WHAT? 

There are literally billions of websites out there. If they don't see you when they do a search for a product or service; then you might as well write a check to your competitor!

I understand small and mid sized business.  I know that what they really want is for someone to listen to their ideas and create solutions based on their individual needs.  At Local Business Consulting, we educate, we enlighten, and work hand-in-hand to develop a strategy for success, then we execute.” 

  

Local Business Consulting  does not see our clients or potential clients as money trees.

  We see a business that is trying to stimulate their own economy.  We see an opportunity to serve our local community.

For your Internet Marketing Maryland needs, get it touch with us today to see for yourself how it feels to be educated and helped, not sold.

Local Business Consulting,  a Maryland based  Internet Marketing Firm with national clients  desires to help small and medium sized businesses achieve their business goals.
Receive expert and knowledgeable skills that can help your website rank high in search engines. Please visit http://www.localbusinessconsulting.co or call 301-943-3492 for a free no-obligation consultation today.

Online Advertising for Business Owners

When Was The Last Time You Saw This:

This Yellowbook, delivered to my driveway is still in the bag. I don't remember when it showed up. I don't even know how it made it through the door. All I know is, I never open it to search for a product or service.

You and I both know we go the internet just as naturally as putting on our shoes.

Fact 1: Statistics show that only 7% of people use the Yellow Pages Regularly and 53% never even use it at all.

Fact 2:  78% of all Americans use the internet on a regular basis.

Fact 3:  Customers see your business upon searching for you directly with industry terms such as “Baltimore Dentists”.

There Are So Many Options Available

As a business owner the internet offers many ways to advertise, but how do you choose?

1.  If you have a website GOOD!

2.  If you are using social media you are doing well.

3.  If your business is listed on the big three( Google, Yahoo, and Bing) you are doing better.

Take a look at this video and then make a decision to move your business to the next level.

Local Business Consulting will help you take advantage of the internet with website analysis, keyword research and search engine optimization.

Google Analytics - Are You Using This Free Tool?

THOSE ELUSIVE SITE VISITS

If you have a website, hopefully you are getting daily visitors.
If not this is a later discussion. Ok, back to the issue. Visitors are getting to your website. Do you know where they are coming from and what they are doing after they get there?
Take a look at this funny video on Google Analytics




Here some important questions you need answers to:
1. How many visitors
2. What pages do they see
3. How long do they hang around
4. How are they getting to your site
5. Are they organic or paid

I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU

Google has a free tool available to anyone who has a Google Account and it's called Google Analytics. 

Although at first glance it can give your hives; if you really want to discover pertinent information about your visitors, I recommend you study and delve into this tool.

The Google Analytics tool will return to you valuable information;   from how many visitors to referring sites.


We need all the help we can get on website SEO, keywords, page depth, and a large number of factors in increasing our internet presence.

Discover the favorite keywords searchers are using to get to your site; Find out if they are looking at your other pages,  and how long they are staying around(Bounce Rate).

Go ahead sign into your Google account and install the Google Analytics tool today. You will be surprised and how this tool can help you in your internet marketing efforts.

I hope you find this information helpful.

You can always contact me via:

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIN

Why Aren't You Using Google?

Can Your Potential Customers Find You On Google?


Google is the number one search engine in the world!


What about YOUR world? Do you have Google Places Listing?


Check out this video from Local Business Consulting on Google Places with some real examples of places listings, and how essential this free tool can help your business to be found when potential customers do a Google Search.




Check out our website for this month's special  Google Places Account Setup/Website Analysis Combo

Odds and Ends

What Are The Little Things Needing Your Attention?

Growing up in a household of 12+(their was always an extra relative or two); each week the girls in the family were assigned a  task: Laundry, Kitchen, Bathroom, etc., and the all encompassing "ODDS and ENDS".

Since my mother never remembered who the Odds and Ends was assigned to; She would just yell out:

"ODDS and ENDS" which meant the person with this job for the week would try to hide. (LOL)

Let me be truthful: I hated when "Odds and Ends" was my assignment for the week. You see: all the other tasks could be completed and you had the  balance of the time for your yourself, but "Odds and Ends" meant you were on-call. It didn't matter if you were trying to read, watch TV, or play outside; When she called out "ODDS and ENDS", your life became hers!

This is the way most businesses operate. There are so many pieces and little oddities which must be taken care of in order to be successful.

Have You Taken Care of Your ODDS and ENDS?

1. Are You Using Internet Marketing For Your Business?

2. Have You Checked Out Your Google Places Listing?

3. Have You Submitted Your Business To The Online Directories?

4. What About Optimization for Your Website?

5. Do You Know How Your Competitors Are Using Internet Marketing?


Order Your Free Website Analysis Report Today

For the business owner; these little tasks have not yet appeared on your radar. But they definitely should be.

The internet is not going away and more and more local business owners are using the internet to market their business.

 Start off 2012 with a clear plan to take care of your "ODDS and ENDS"

Amazon Tripadvisor and Fake Reviews

ARE REVIEWS IMPORTANT TO YOUR WEBSITE RANKINGS?

I just finished reading the reports on how Amazon and TripAdvisor have paid other companies to post fake reviews to their websites.  If these ONLINE GIANTS ARE WILLING TO FORK OVER BIG BUCKS FOR REVIEWS, IT MUST BE IMPORTANT!!

What about your business on the web? Do you have a place where your satisfied customers can go and rave about your great product or service?  If not maybe you should look into a couple of online search engines and directories which allow for this enchancement to your business listing.

Since GOOGLE is the largest search engine in the world; let's start with them.

Google has a service called Google Places, which allow any small business to create or claim their business listing.

Once you are all set up Google looks at your business and ranks it based on locations and business category. Google uses a ranking called the Local Pack 7 - which means when  a search is done for a product or service; Google returns it's top 7 results on the first page listed as local search results.

Take a Look At this Graphic:



A QUICK SEARCH ON YARD SERVICES IN BELTSVILLE, MD RETURNED ONLY TWO GOOGLE PLACES LISTING.

If you own a lawn service business this is a great opportunity for you to be listed on Google's First Page

Once you get your business listed on Google the real fun begins with asking your satisfied customers to go online and post great reviews about your product or service.  Google loves this and will push your business listing to the top based on how many reviews you have.

Go ahead type in a search term for you business and take a look at the results.  Is your business listed?  If not, get started today!

If you need help in setting up a Google Places Account - Local Business Consulting  offers this service.

Contact Us Today and let us help you STIMULATE YOUR ECONOMY







What Is Organic Traffic?

Organic Does Not Mean Fertilizer

How is everyone on this wonderful Memorial Day?

First let me give a shout out to our veterans who serve all over the world to protect and defend the United States from enemies far and near.  I have two sons in the military and am proud of their service to our country.

When most of us think of organic we think of all the health food proclaiming to be organic this or organic that.

My discussion today will about search engine traffic and what it means when you read or hear about traffic which is organic.

Organic Traffic is when people click on your website without you have to pay for it. This is good news for us small business owners with a very limited advertising budget.

So, then, the question I know you are asking is how do I get organic search traffic.  I am glad you asked.  One of my favorite ways is to make sure I am taking advantage of all the free online business listings that are available.

If you haven't added your business to online directories, here are a few: Just click their links and check them out

Manta

Merchant Circle

Yelp

Localeze

There are literally thousands of them out there - most of them are free with a premium service to those of us who have a little monthly cash to throw their way.

Here is a graph from my Google Analytics Page

Definitions:

 Direct Traffic: Traffic which comes when http://www.localbusinessconsulting.co is typed in the browser or clicked from a link

Referring Sites: This can come from many places and these can be both paid and free ex. I run Facebook Ad and if someone clicks on the ad this is considered a referral. Also is some clicks my link from my Facebook Fanpage this is also considered a referral.

Search Engine: This is the one I really love. Say someone is looking for internet marketing help; They might use this search term in Google and either my website link will show up or my Google Places listing will appear.

Run your own test and put  in a search term which describes your business? Is your company listed?  If so, you are making the right steps to ensure potential customers can find you.

IF NOT? Don't wait! Get started today implementing some of my strategies to get your company listed and found on the internet.

My best and most recommended way to get organic traffic for the local and small business owner is Google Places. Or course, Yahoo and Bing also have local listings for business, but since Google has most of the search traffic; this is the place to start.

If you need a little help and have questions, drop me an email.

For a free internet marketing report and a free consultation on your online marketing needs.

Local Business Online Advertising Nightmare

I KNOW YOU HAVE SEEN THESE TERMS

As a local business owner you have heard the advertising, seen the TV commercials about how you need to be on the internet!

Yes, I agree a business owner needs to take advantage of the internet for their online marketing and advertising.

If you take a look at the graphic I created then you know these maze of terms should be able to help you, but your focus is on your business and making it successful.

So, I would like to help you understand what these terms mean, and how they can help you in your advertising needs.

1. Google Places- free business listing for local business owners(absolutely free)

2. Free Websites - there are hundreds of companies offering free websites and free hosting of your website. Some of these are very good. I recommend you take a look at this one if you don't have a website. 

3.  Social Media Networks-there are literally thousands of social media networks out there - the top three are Facebook,Twitter,and LinkedIn. These sites offer you the opportunity to reach millions of potential customers, add new connections, and create your business profiles. As this can be time-consuming to manually post to all these networks, there are Social Bookmarking sites available.
Check this one out -  

4. Search Engine Optimization- This is the process where search engines(Google,Bing,Yahoo to name a few), review your site by something called "crawling". The search engines look for keywords, content, and backlinks to your site.  From this information they determine how to rank you in their search engines(will you show up on page 1 or page 101). You can see how important having your website optimized helps in getting new clients.

Side note: if you have a website with flash images and no text content you will never be picked by the search engines.

5. Directory Submissions - a business owner can signup and submit their business listing to these sites.  Most of them are free for a basic listing. Some have a premium service for more expansive listings.


6. Youtube and Adwords - I decided to combine these two because they are so closely related. I know you have heard of youtube and probably have visited to watch a video. The great thing about Youtube is they now allow you to promote a video and even promote your ads which show up on "partner videos". This is where I also speak about Adwords. Since Google owns Youtube they have combined advertising on both. You can create a Google Adwords account and run ads on both Google and Youtube. This is great way to get your business seen. This can be costly if not implemented correctly.

  A good internet marketer can work to keep your costs to a minimum.

6. Blogging - Now here is a great way to keep your business and any updates to your products and services on the forefront. Just like websites, blogs are picked up by the search engines and ranked based on content. There are also blog directories which search for new blogs and new content.


I hope this information was helpful. I encourage you to take advantage of the online advertising opportunities available, as you can be sure your competitors are!


Why not sign-up for my free internet marketing report today?
I will give you:
- insight on your business segment
- information on how your local competitors are using the internet to gain market share.
- website, keyword, and content analysis


Contact Us Today
Click Here to Request your Report!

Don't Let the Sun Set on Your Dreams

Do you have great photos for your business. Local Business Consulting will take those photos and create you a video for your business.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Online Advertising Made Easy

For small and local business owners, online advertising is a mystery you just don't want to discover.

Let Local Business Consulting make your transition from print media and the yellow pages to the internet easy and cost-effective.

How much do you spend a year on the yellow pages and drop-mailings a year to get your business new customers?

Want if I told you, you could cut that cost by 40%!
Think of what you can do in new hires, new equipment, etc. with that extra 40%

Contact Local Business Consulting Today and receive a Free Internet Marketing Report on your Business Segment.

http://www.localbusinessconsulting.co
pcook@localbusinessconsulting.co

From: http://www.pitchengine.com/localbusinessconsulting/online-advertising-made-easy/126419/