Local Search Results a Surprise to Digital Marketing Agency
Here at KO Websites, we enjoy our food! In fact, one day we decided to place a lunch order from a local restaurant. We wanted to look at their menu – online, of course! No one on our digital marketing team could remember the name of the local business, but we knew the type of food it served. Imagine our surprise when we did a Google search and didn’t see the restaurant in the search engine’s results! This local eatery is within walking distance from our office and wasn’t listed online. We wondered, “How many other small businesses in our community have this issue?”
This was around the same time that we began a discussion with the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce (of which we are proud members!) about doing collaborative presentations for the business community. From the chamber, we learned that many small business owners, entrepreneurs, and home-based businesses wanted to learn more about social media. Recalling our recent Google search experience, we decided to put together a presentation where they could walk away with simple but powerful actionable items.
That’s how “Have You Googled Yourself Lately?” was born. In this presentation, our Social Media Manager Nikki Mendez discussed how small business owners can take charge of opportunities to be found on Google – specifically (but not only) in a local search.
Takeaways from the presentation included:
- Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) Consistency – Make sure it’s consistent across listings. Want to know how your business is listed across search engines and listings? Learn more here.
- Take Advantage of Google My Business – This free tool is offered by Google and can help you manage your online presence across Google, the largest search engine in the world.
- Ask for Reviews – Just like asking for referrals, there’s a polite and ethical way to ask for online reviews. Customer reviews are considered trusted earned media, and Google Reviews specifically have more impact in the search engines giant’s rankings. Don’t give up Yelp, but do encourage Google reviews as well!
The Next Move is Yours
As the old saying goes, “A moment of hesitation may cause you a lifetime of regrets.” No regrets! Take the time to help your business get found online – whether people search on a desktop or a mobile device. With a little effort, you may find a lot of reward. If you want to kick your digital marketing strategy up a few notches, give us a call at (510) 276-9902 for further discussion and details. Now go get found!