The opinions expressed by the collaborators of Emprenderos are their own.
Small, independently owned stores, almost by definition, rely on leaner teams and target smaller markets while offering often niche products or services. And they may be small, but mom-and-pop operations can be powerful: they often bring a family legacy to their customers, along with close customer service, experiences not easily found in larger commercial sectors.
If you own such a store, it’s common to rely on local foot traffic and targeted social media for much of your marketing efforts. Fortunately, both channels benefit from good SEO practices.
1. Optimize your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile it’s a staple piece of virtual real estate and it’s free. Simply sign in with an existing Google Account and either claim an existing list or create a new one. Once you can access your profile, you can optimize it to attract local customers: people looking for products/services online and people interested in visiting a brick-and-mortar location. A well executed one will attract more organic traffic, phone calls, leads and ultimately more customers.
Related: How PR and SEO Can Converge to Increase Your Online Exposure
Some optimization essentials:
Be sure to fill out all parts of your profile, including your business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation (all information must be consistent with what’s on your site web and other online files). Choose the most accurate category to describe your company, and add relevant ones attributes on other important details. Consider including high-quality photos or videos of the physical space and products or services. Profiles with photos get more clicks and calls. Ask for more Google reviews: Encourage customers to leave comments on your profile. Not only does this improve engagement, but it also sends positive SEO signals to Google, meaning a potentially higher search results placement. List of services or products, including detailed descriptions and prices. Incorporate reservations and/or reservations: if your company takes appointments, integrate the reservation. options (such as Calendly).Keep information up-to-date: Be sure to update your profile to reflect any changes in hours, contact information, services, etc.
2. Create localized content
Most small businesses target a specific geographic area, whether they realize it or not. With this in mind, it is wise to have region-specific web content to attract relevant traffic, including keywords that indicate a particular service area. For example, think of geo-specific terms that describe your business, then validate that they receive real search volume (with a tool like Semrush) and apply them to site pages (including titles and descriptions) in accordance with on-page SEO best practices.
Related: 4 Ways to Win at Local Content Marketing
3. Placement in local directories
Of course, there are other lists and online resources that can earn you organic traffic. These include (but are not limited to) Bing Places for Business, Yelp, The real yellow pages (aka YP), Better Business Bureau, Foursquare i MerchantCircle. You can also find directories specific to your service area, such as your local chamber of commerce.
In the process, avoid spam directories, which can be vehicles for unauthorized or unwanted traffic, including malware. They are often characterized by outdated web design, overwhelming pop-up ads, promises of “links” in exchange for a fee, and a lack of moderation.
4. “Logs” on social networks
You might not think of Instagram as a “local” platform, but with its location tagging feature, it can be! By encouraging customers to “check in” on social media, you can attract local leads and/or gain more likes or follows, both valuable assets. Any business can benefit from these efforts, especially smaller ones that rely on limited traffic.
A creative way to encourage customers to get involved is by creating a place where they can be featured on Instagram or some other type of selfie station. Ask visitors to tag your location and include a photo with their posts.
Related: 5 Reasons Your Brand Needs a Strong Social Media Presence
5. YouTube Marketing
This video behemoth has over two billion users, and like most other online platforms, people use keywords to search for it. You can increase YouTube’s organic reach for your business by publishing engaging content that offers real value. With the right optimization, will generate hundreds to thousands of new views and new customers. Ideas can include your company’s founding story, testimonials from satisfied customers, product demos and tutorials, local events, or Q&A sessions with other entrepreneurs or thought leaders.
[ad_2]
Source link
