Don’t invest in any other digital marketing until you’ve nailed these three marketing musts for your local service business:
- Google Business Profile
- Domain and website
- Claimed all social media handles
In fact, these three items should be considered as critical components when setting up a business. Regardless if you want to be a small business, or one day expand into something bigger, you need to set your future self up for success.
In digital marketing there are some tactics that compound the longer they have been in place. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) take into account how long you have ‘been around’ on the internet.
Trust me. We meet with many business owners who wish they had done these three things when they first started. Learn from their mistakes and get these three simple tips done asap.
Claim your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (GBP), which used to be called Google My Business (GMB) is probably the most important piece of a marketing strategy for local businesses … and it’s free!
Have you ever gone to Google Maps to search for a local business? Maybe a restaurant or mechanic?
When you search you’ll see a bunch of red pins show up with a list on the side of the screen showing you all of the restaurants in the area. When you click on one, a panel appears with all of the business information. This is a Google Business Profile.
Wondering how you can have your business show up in this list when someone searches for the types of services you offer? Well, the first step is to make sure create your Google Business Profile.
A Google Business Profile can show business information, photos, services offered, location and most importantly reviews. Anyone with a google email account can leave a review for your business.
Google reviews are incredibly important. Google considers the quantity and quality of reviews as a factor in determining who shows up in the list shown to people searching. A business with a higher number of positive reviews is likely to appear higher in local search results, increasing visibility to potential customers. Responding to your reviews is also very important. It shows others, and it shows Google that you are a business that cares about its customers.
Why is a Google Business Profile So Important?
This is how new customers will find your business.
The majority of people looking for local businesses first find the businesses Google Business Profile. Even when searching in regular Google, if Google thinks your search has a local intent they now show the “map pack” at the top of search results.
This is a mini Google Maps panel showing several businesses on the map and their Google Business Profile.
When it comes to service businesses, potential customers are looking for a reason not to contact you. Think about when you looked for a plumber, a landscaping company or an electrician. Your skimming is trying to filter out options.
Potential customers want to see pictures of your work, they want to read reviews, and they want to vet if you have E.E.A.T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Once they have established your E.E.A.T they may decide to call you right away, or they go to the next step … they check out your website. Hence the next section.
But before we get there…
Setting up your Google Business Profile?
So how do you get this incredibly important (and free) profile? It’s quite easy. Follow these steps given by Google.
Once you have created your Business Profile, we can talk about how to optimize it in order to be found by people searching in your area. This will be a separate blog. We’ll link it here once it’s written.
A website has compounding effects
A website has many different purposes for a business. Most businesses think that the aesthetics of a website are the most important thing. This is a common misconception.
In fact, many marketing experts agree that websites should follow a familiar style and design so that the site is intuitive to the user.
The most important reason to have a website is so that new customers can find you when they search for services in their area. This is why you want Google to know about your business and your website and determine you as credible. One of the main signals Google uses to determine if you are credible is the age of your domain and website (That’s why it is important to get it early!).
Your domain is the address of your website. For example, www.marketing4.ca is my domain.
Even if you just start with a single page website at the beginning these are 10 reasons why you should get a website for your local service business:
1. Online Visibility and Google Ranking
A website makes your business visible to potential customers searching for your services on Google. It improves the chances of your business appearing in search results, driving more organic traffic.
2. Credibility and Trust
A website lends credibility to your business. It’s a sign to customers that you’re invested in your online presence and serious about your services.
As your website ages, Google is more likely to recognize it as a credible source, positively impacting search rankings.
3. 24/7 Accessibility
Your website acts as a virtual storefront, accessible 24/7. Customers can learn about your services, even when your physical location is closed.
If you include contact forms, you can gather contact information at all hours of the day, and get back to your inquiries when you can.
4. Showcasing Services and Portfolio
Display your services, showcase your portfolio, and highlight what makes your business unique. It’s an effective way to visually engage potential customers.
5. Marketing and Advertising Hub
Your website serves as a centralized hub for all your marketing efforts. From social media campaigns to email newsletters, you can direct traffic back to your website for more information.
6. Customer Engagement and Information
Provide essential information about your business, such as contact details, business hours, and FAQs. This helps customers make informed decisions without searching extensively.
7. Competitive Edge
In a digital age, having a website sets you apart from competitors who may not have an online presence. It’s an essential tool to stay competitive in the market.
8. Analytics and Insights
Utilize website analytics to understand customer behavior, preferences, and the effectiveness of your online marketing strategies. This data guides future marketing decisions.
9. Local and Global Reach
While focusing on local services, a website opens the door to a global audience. It’s an opportunity to attract customers beyond your immediate vicinity.
10. Adaptability and Growth
A website is adaptable. As your business grows or introduces new services, your website can easily evolve to reflect these changes.
Social Media Accounts
Regardless of how you feel about personal social media accounts, you likely know deep down that social media is important and valuable for a local business.
I’m not talking about posting dances on TikTok or thirst traps on Instagram. That’s the dark side of social media.
There is a real case to be made for utilizing social media accounts to show off your work, share your expert voice, and display your credibility in your industry.
In a future article we will dive deep into using social media for local businesses. But for now, the important thing is to make sure you have the accounts … all of the accounts.
You might not plan on using YouTube or TikTok now, but one day you might. And when that day comes you will wish that you had the same username across all your platforms.
That is why it is important to ‘claim’ your username for all of your accounts today. It won’t take long but create an account for:
Apart from the fact that you might want to use these one day, it helps to have profiles like this scattered across the internet with the same business name and details. Google indexes the entire internet and when it sees a business on multiple platforms it’s a signal that you are a real business.
These three things will make a big difference in your marketing efforts both today and in the future. Future-you will be happy you’ve gotten on top of these early.
As always if you need any help with marketing for your local service business, feel free to reach out to us at Marketing4.