Local businesses have a host of new options for raising their profile online. Many new services are becoming available specifically aimed at the small, local business. BusinessWeek.com reports that U.S. small businesses will spend $17 billion on Net (online) ads this year.That figure is expected to increase by $36 billion by 2014, making up 1/4 of all local advertising.
BusinessWeek also reports that there's "an increasing sense of urgency around having an effective online marketing strategy." Heck I've been talking about it with my small business clients for YEARS now! But maybe more awareness and easier, more affordable tools will emerge - moving more small businesses to take action.
You really have 3 choices - do it yourself, hire a professional (me or another qualified marketing consultant), or do nothing. OK, so you really only have 2 choices because if you're reading this you already know that "nothing" isn't really a choice. :)
Microsoft's Bing is enhancing their local business listings. Google has rebranded their Local Business Center as Google Places and created pages with more information on small businesses and enhanced your account profile so you can see your listing on Google Maps, see how many times they shown it, and you can even see how many actions (clicks) people made when your listing was presented. Log in or add your business listing here: Google.com/Places If you want step-by-step instructions for adding your listing to each of the top 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo! and Bing), send an email to me at locallistings@aweber.com and I will send you a free email series that will show you how to do it.
In 11 cities, Google will also let you pay $25/month to have your listing pop up with an icon and other information when searchers check neighborhood maps from their smartphones and on the Web. If that's successful, maybe the Twin Cities will be next. If you have a listing, you'll show up. And if not, your competition will get the business!
There are lots of opportunities out there for you to market your local business online. These online sites have been successful in providing platforms for local, small business listings - MerchantCircle, Yelp, Valpak, Groupon, and CityDeal.
Companies like ReachLocal, WebVisible, HubSpot, Infusionsoft (and many more like them) have small business software that can help you bring order to the chaos of monitoring your online presence. Most have a recurring, monthly fee to use, but are browser based, so you can access your account from where you are - home, mobile or office.
The bottom line is that local businesses face an ever-growing range of options for promoting themselves online. If you need help sorting them out and finding which is best for you, give me a call or send me an email so we can begin the conversation. :)
Ciao for now, Paula
BusinessWeek also reports that there's "an increasing sense of urgency around having an effective online marketing strategy." Heck I've been talking about it with my small business clients for YEARS now! But maybe more awareness and easier, more affordable tools will emerge - moving more small businesses to take action.
You really have 3 choices - do it yourself, hire a professional (me or another qualified marketing consultant), or do nothing. OK, so you really only have 2 choices because if you're reading this you already know that "nothing" isn't really a choice. :)
Microsoft's Bing is enhancing their local business listings. Google has rebranded their Local Business Center as Google Places and created pages with more information on small businesses and enhanced your account profile so you can see your listing on Google Maps, see how many times they shown it, and you can even see how many actions (clicks) people made when your listing was presented. Log in or add your business listing here: Google.com/Places If you want step-by-step instructions for adding your listing to each of the top 3 search engines (Google, Yahoo! and Bing), send an email to me at locallistings@aweber.com and I will send you a free email series that will show you how to do it.
In 11 cities, Google will also let you pay $25/month to have your listing pop up with an icon and other information when searchers check neighborhood maps from their smartphones and on the Web. If that's successful, maybe the Twin Cities will be next. If you have a listing, you'll show up. And if not, your competition will get the business!
There are lots of opportunities out there for you to market your local business online. These online sites have been successful in providing platforms for local, small business listings - MerchantCircle, Yelp, Valpak, Groupon, and CityDeal.
Companies like ReachLocal, WebVisible, HubSpot, Infusionsoft (and many more like them) have small business software that can help you bring order to the chaos of monitoring your online presence. Most have a recurring, monthly fee to use, but are browser based, so you can access your account from where you are - home, mobile or office.
The bottom line is that local businesses face an ever-growing range of options for promoting themselves online. If you need help sorting them out and finding which is best for you, give me a call or send me an email so we can begin the conversation. :)
Ciao for now, Paula
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