Establish an Official Google Listing
Not surprisingly, 90% of people conduct an online search to discover local businesses and 33% do so daily, according to BrightLocal’s 2019 Local Consumer Review Survey. The same survey reported 82% of people read online reviews of local businesses, and 97% of those people read the businesses’ responses to the reviews as well. These statistics emphasize the importance of having an official Google listing for your small business. The absence of a Google listing will jeopardize your business’s visibility, equating to missed opportunities. With that said, a proper Google listing should be comprised of a direct link to your website, a phone number and email address, your physical address and directions, daily hours of operation, and photos of your business and its offerings.
Validate Your Business Profile on Yelp
Similar to a Google listing, it’s equally important to verify your Yelp profile as 92% of consumers make a purchase after viewing a local business on the platform, according to the social site. Yelp allows visitors to submit reviews of a business’s product or service using a one-to-five-star rating scale. So, it’s important that if your small business is on Yelp, all the information on your company profile is correct. This includes your website URL, phone number, email address, hours of operation, etc. Going one step further, it’s advised to claim your business on the platform, which gives you more power over your profile and makes it easier for visitors to find you.
Utilize Google Alerts
You need a Gmail account to set up Google Alerts, which allows you to monitor who is talking about your business and what is being said. Let Google know the specific keywords you wish to be notified about, like the name of your business. After that, Google will alert you, via email, whenever your business’s name or the keywords you specified are published online. Whether they appear in a news article, a blog post, a review, etc., you’ll know about it. The primary benefit of using Google Alerts is timeliness. For instance, you’ll be notified if your company is favorably featured in a local news article, which you can then promptly share with your audience on your social media channels. Similarly, if an unfavorable review is left on your company’s Google listing, you’ll be able to respond to the review and address the customer’s concerns in a timely fashion.
Collaborate with a Local Influencer
Whether you have an established online presence or you’re just starting out, it may be beneficial for your small business to seek out a relevant local social media influencer with a sizeable following. The partnership will help introduce your small business to a larger, more diverse audience base and could help increase your social media following. Plus, local influencers are generally trusted within their community, and if an influencer has agreed to partner with your small business, it means their audience will be more inclined to trust and respond favorably to your business too. So, consider sponsoring a reputable local influencer that is within your wheelhouse.