New Features on Google My Business
The Google My Business dashboard just added some new features to it. Some were very much awaited while others are a pleasant surprise. No doubt though that all of the new features will make it easier for the business owners to manage their accounts and will also provide them the ability to include more analytical data.
Popular Times & Return Customers
This is one of the most awaited features to Google My Business. Now you will be able to see in graphical format the exact numbers of return visitors and unique visitors on your site. AND you will now be able to see the busiest time so you can make changes accordingly.
Restaurant Menu Link
For all restaurant’s, you can now add a link to your food and drink menu directly to the knowledge panel. This new feature is going to dramatically increase the number of visitors to your website. The one draw back is that you can only add one link. Because of this you will need to make sure that your menu is listed on a single page.
Link to Your Services
You can now add a link to your service page directly on the knowledge panel, just like the restaurant menu.
18 Months of Insight Data for Google My Business
Starting now you can now download up to 18 months of Google My Business insights data into a spreadsheet. If you have a single or bulk account, you will have access to it and will be able to modify your strategies based on this data.
The Google knowledge panel has become a business’s home page, and more and more customers prefer it, over going to the business’ website.
Responsive Web Design: What Is It?
There’s so much to keep track of when it comes to building your company’s online presence. Not only do you have to craft an attractive, informative website, but you also have to keep up with social media and set up an email campaign strong enough to not immediately be filed as spam or trash. With so much to handle, it’s no wonder business owners become overwhelmed or simply don’t invest as much effort as they should. On top of this, you must also keep another concept in mind: “responsive web design“. Just what is responsive web design, and why is it worth keeping up with for your business? This blog will give you the details.
Defining Responsive Web Design
Consider how most people today browse the Internet. Laptops and PCs used to be the default tool of choice, but times are rapidly changing. Now people rely more on mobile devices: phones and tablets. Due to size constraints, however, mobile devices can’t display web pages in quite the same way as a normal-sized computer does. As a result, today’s web designers have to consider how to craft web pages that look just as good on your average smartphone as it does when you load it up on your laptop. This is what responsive web design is for. It allows the website to immediately adapt in an easily consumable way depending on the device a viewer uses.
How You Can Make Your Company’s Website More Responsive
While this concept may sound complicated to enact, it’s easy as pie when left in the hands of a professional in responsive web design in Denver, CO. You can rely on a team of professionals to know exactly how to tailor your website so it displays well on every possible device—saving you time and allowing you to focus your attention elsewhere. Get in touch with your nearest company for responsive web design in Denver, CO today to take advantage of this valuable tool.
To learn more about online marketing services and how they can benefit your business, visit the official website of Online Marketing Media.
Tool to help prepare for Google’s new mobile first index
Within the next couple of months, Google is going to roll out its mobile first index. This new roll out will only be a problem for sites that have not opted for a mobile responsive website. If this is the first time that you are hearing about “Mobile first index” then what it means is that the search listings that Google will create and rank are based on the mobile version of your content.
Normally Google does not openly discuss upcoming algorithm changes. This time though they are doing everything they can to inform people about the major shift. John Muller recently said that those who are going to get impacted by the shift will receive warning and guidelines within their Google Search Console accounts so that they can resolve the issues before the changes take place.
“We will inform people when we get closer when we actually have a date, so there is sufficient time for people to kind of resolve issues that they may need to resolve.”
He also said that they will also try and inform sites when we recognize issues. If they recognize that your mobile version has a problem then they try and let you about it. You will get this notification through the Search Console, so that you are aware of the issues and have time to resolve them.
To help with all of this, Google has also introduced so that you can check the mobile friendliness of your website.
Check it out here:
https://testmysite.withgoogle.com
Make sure you maximize the use of this tool by entering the URL from your website. From there it will show the mobile friendliness of your site. You can also have them send you reports stating what you can work on. And not only that, but it also provides you with ideas on how to improve it.
Steps for Effective Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is different from other types of marketing. When developing your social media marketing plan in Denver, don’t forget the basics.
1. Encourage interaction. Social media marketing is all about interaction. Think of it as being at a party with someone you like—you want to keep the conversation flowing. The last thing you want is to talk only about yourself, because the other person will get bored and leave. Social media marketing is a bilateral marketing method, whereby you and you audience—your customers—are engaged in an ongoing conversation. Encourage interaction by asking questions and responding to customer feedback immediately on all platforms.
2. Decide first which platforms are right for your company. You don’t need to be on every social media platform. In fact, spreading yourself too thin could be disastrous because you might end up with a Tumblr account that is not being regularly updated—which looks bad. Choose a few core platforms and update them as regularly as possible.
3. Schedule posts. Effective social media marketing is all about timing and regularity. It’s better to have posts scheduled with the help of software because then the content will stream at different times of the day and on different days of the week to reach a wider audience irrespective of time zone and lifestyle.
4. Use multimedia! No matter what your business, there are always ways you can include more videos, images, and links. Variety is the spice of social media marketing.
5. Maintain a cohesive voice. One of the problems some companies encounter is a lack of consistency among their social media marketing platforms, and a lack of cohesion with other elements of the marketing mix. Make sure your social media marketing has a voice that is consistent across platforms so your brand identity remains tight.
Proximity Is Emerging As the New King of Local Search Results
A recent study by Moz has revealed that proximity is the new king of the local search, meaning that it is the now #1 factor in ranking local search results.
Say you search for a local business, i.e., a restaurant, using a mobile device in a very small city; your results are probably going shows all of the restaurants in the city listed out on the map. However, in a bigger city, the shops that you see will be a whole different scenario. For example, when you search for “Restaurants,” you will only get to see 6-7 restaurants listed out on the map.
So the question is, how is Google determining which business to show? Is it about the number of links? Mobile friendliness? Positive reviews or a measurable presence in the local directories?
Research has revealed that the businesses you see now are all based on one thing… “Proximity.” Only those businesses that are closest to the searcher’s physical location appear on the map. This does not mean very much changes, as far as building up your online reputation. Yes, you might not be shown to people all over now, but when you do pop up you still want to stand out. How can you do this? Having several reviews is the first thing that will catch someone’s eye, second make sure you have a mobile responsive website– if someone is looking at your site on a mobile device you still want them to have the best user experience so that they convert into a lead.
People are looking for the best businesses, not the closest businesses, so if you need to find the best business you can check out other sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc. when searching.
How to Generate Leads by Using Pay Per Click Marketing
There is no question that content is king when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). However, ranking in the search engines organically takes time and effort. If you want your business in Denver, CO to be found right away, then it may be time to consider using pay per click advertising.
What is Pay Per Click Advertising?
Pay per click advertising, which is often shortened to just PPC is a form of paid advertising that helps your website get attention and traffic right away. These are ads that you write yourself and then determine how much you want to spend to be found. Google then places your ad in the top or side section of search engine results page, allowing visitors to see your business right away when they search for a particular keyword.
Why are PPC Ads Effective?
Pay per click advertising is effective because you are essentially paying Google to make sure you are found when certain keywords are searched for. You can determine what keywords you target and you can put a cap on how much you want to spend. This makes it easy to control costs. If you find that a particular ad isn’t working for you, you can simply end it or tweak it until better results are achieved.
Hiring Help for PPC
If you are unsure how to handle your own pay per click campaign for your Denver, CO business, then it is best to let the professionals handle it for you. They can create ads that will help you achieve the desired outcome. In the long run, this will help to make the most of your PPC budget.
There is no question that PPC is a great way to get more traffic now. However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect SEO and organic traffic altogether. It is also an important part of online marketing.
Create a PPC campaign for your Denver business by calling Online Marketing Media at 720-432-1736.
Time to Make Sure Your Business Is on Google My Business
One of the most important keys to making sure your business is successful these days is making sure your business is easy to find. This is not as easy as it sounds, though. The process of making sure your company stands out from your competitors can be both time consuming and difficult. The answer though is Google My Business!
Google My Business has helped local businesses gain more exposure and convert more local prospects into paying customers by helping to attract more consumers in the area who may be searching for your company’s specific type of product or service.
All it takes to turn Google My Business into a profit machine is to complete your profile, add as much information as possible, and optimizing it for higher rankings. Most Companies have a hard time with that very first step, completing your profile. To get the best results your profile need to be 100%.
Here are some great tips to help get you started:
First step: Claim your business listing
Before focusing on getting a 100% score, of course, you need to check and see if you are listed on Google My Business yet. To do that, go to google and type in your company’s info, like name, address, or phone number, into Google search and see if anything comes up. If so, then you know you are listed and are able to move forward to claiming your business. If you are not finding your business listed, though, you need to create a listing asap.
Step two: Completing Your Profile on Google My Business
In order to get a 100% score on your profile, you will need to ensure that everything on your profile is completely and accurately filled out. First, fill in all the required fields- this is a great bulk of your score. It includes fields such as:
- The businesses name as it is used in everyday real world business
- Business physical address
- Your businesses phone number
Once you have all of that info filled out, try and do as many of the below bullet points to additional score points for listing:
- Hours you are open
- Company website address
- Detailed description of your business
- Appropriate categories
- Company email address
- Strategic keyword placement
- Payment methods
- Pictures and Videos
After you are logged in, look around your Google My Business dashboard. From there it is really simple to see what you still need to do to improve your score. This is indicated by the profile completion bar shown on the dashboard. The good news is that, if you should need help with any of this, you can easily get the help of a local marketing expert.
What Does It Mean To Have A Responsive Site?
In this digital age, it is important that every business has a website. This allows potential and current clients and customers to view your products and services. It also allows people to evaluate what you offer as a business and easily access answers to questions they may have regarding your company near Denver, CO. Often, customers will choose a company to work with based on the website and how easy it is to navigate. For this reason, having a responsive web design is critical to the success of your business.
Responsive Site
A responsive site is a website that has been strategically designed for easy navigation. With phones, tablets and computers used to access the web, it is vital that your website is designed in such a way that an optimal viewing experience is available regardless of the medium used to visit the site. Potential customers are more likely to stay on your website longer if they can easily find what they are looking for. Responsive web design makes information easy to locate with little panning or resizing required. People like to find what they are looking for quickly, so making sure important information is accessible is critical.
Various Platforms
With so many different types of platforms to view websites on, it is better to have a flexible web design rather than having to design multiple websites. A responsive web design will change depending on the screen size and orientation of the platform that is being used. A website that responds to the user is important as it is common for the website to be accessed on a tablet or phone and change orientation while in use. Flexibility is much more user friendly and will encourage customers to stay on your website longer.
Extended Website Visit
The longer a client or potential customer is on your website, the more they are learning about what you can offer and provide. This makes them more likely to come back to your website or to contact you directly for your services. Responsive web design is one of the most effective ways to extend the length of a person’s visit to your site. Easy navigation and access to information regarding your business is important to keep people interested in what you offer.
Growing your business can be difficult, but one way to do so is with a well designed website. A responsive website will make it easier for visitors to navigate and encourage them to stay on the site longer.
4 Tips to Get Your Denver Business to Show Up in Google
Google recently made a change to the number of business shown during a search from a 7-pack, to a 3-pack, and this has had a major impact on local SEO. Many businesses had a hard time getting featured when there were seven spots available. Now getting your Denver business into one of the top three spots can seem like rocket science. The good news is that you don’t need a rocket scientist to figure it out.
However, it does take knowledge, time, and skill to get it done. Today, the most targeted type of marketing known is being able to be seen by local consumers in the same moment as they are searching for your type of service or product. But getting there can be tricky unless you know what you are doing.
To help, here are four tips to get you going down the right path:
1. Citations- Get more of them! 
When it comes to ranking your Denver business, Google pays close attention to how often other sources mention your businesses name. What this means is that it looks for “citations” to validate your business. A citation is a mention of your business name along with another piece of business information anywhere on the web – with OR without a link back to your website.
The other pieces of information could be your physical address, phone number, or website URL – combined or individual. For it to count as a citation, the information has to be an EXACT match to the same information that you have listed on your Google My Business listing.
Having citations help prove to the different search engines, like Google, that your company is real; therefore, the more of them you have from quality sources, the better your business will rank.
2. Fill out your Google My Business page for your Denver business- completely AND properly
The first thing to do it to claim your business if you have not done so already.
After your business has been claimed, the next step is to fill out all of the important information about your company, so that your profile is 100% complete.
- Add the exact same address that you have listed on your website, in the exact same way.
- Make sure your phone number is listed
- Create a unique description that is formatted correctly and includes links. Try and make it longer than just a sentence or two.
- Choose all of the categories that apply to your business
- Upload a photo that is high resolution, for your profile image and cover photo
3. Add lots of photos
It’s no secret that any consumer loves to look at photos. The more, high-quality images you have on your profile on your different listings, the more you will stand out to potential customers. This goes farther than just Google; recently Yelp published advice on how to optimize your business listings, claiming that photos make a HUGE difference. It even goes as far as stating that consumers, in general, spent 2.5 times more of their time on a listing that has featured photos, according to research from Review Trackers.
4. Get as many positive reviews as possible
Reviews are very important! They play a huge part in getting people to notice your business online these days. Consumers love to read reviews as well as write reviews about businesses. Google has taken note of this and wants to promote the top local Denver businesses. What better way to determine who those businesses are than through positive user reviews? To improve your rankings, encourage your customers to leave positive reviews whenever possible.
Being able to get your business to show up in Google’s 3-pack is a lot harder than it was with the 7-pack; obviously, because there are fewer spots. The tips above will help, but going forward, you will need to continually keep yourself updated with local search changes and make sure that all of your company’s information is listed correctly. Not only that but also strategically use categories and place keywords within your profile to give it strength.
Let’s Show Off Your Positive Customer Reviews & Testimonials!
You probably already know how much of an impact positive customer reviews have regarding marketing your services and products. Reviews break down those barriers your potential customers may have when deciding to do business with you or not.
Having positive customer reviews and testimonials brings a lot of credibility to you and your business. With this credibility your business will ultimately have more revenue and higher conversions.
So let’s make sure we show off those awesome reviews and testimonials!
Here are four key areas that will get maximum exposure:
1. Your business’s website
Prospects are obviously already interested in your business if they are on your website, so to display positive reviews on your actual website will help close the deal. Make sure to place your customer reviews and testimonials in places where they will see them right away. Ideally, you should have a testimonials page, but don’t be shy about posting a few of your best ones on your home page, as well as other pages.
2. Your Social Media
It is surprising that posting your reviews on social media will help give you, even more, exposure? With social media getting millions and millions of visitors every day, you have the opportunity to show off your ratings to a massive number of potential customers.
3. Printed marketing materials
Just like everything mentioned here, customer reviews and testimonials can help any printed advertising material stand out more. Most of the time, you are limited on space, but it only really takes one or two great reviews to show prospects that you are reputable.
4. At your place of business
It is very powerful to display your reviews and testimonials inside of your place of business. It’s a great way to show your existing customers that they have made the right choice and they can go a long way in customer retention and referrals.
Having positive customer reviews and testimonials are important. But it is where you display them that brings value. Displaying them in the areas mentioned above will shine a positive light on your business, while improving conversions, and helping you generate more sales.
