Google Analytics Changes to Come in 2023

For over a decade, Google Analytics has been the industry standard for tracking and reporting website traffic data, but things are going to change drastically. Universal Analytics (UA), which is the latest version of Google web analytics, will soon be replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4). If you’re wondering what that means for you and your business, this is where you need to be! We’re going to walk you through the upcoming changes in Google Analytics so you’ll be ready. 

Google Analytics 4 vs. Universal Analytics

After July 1, 2023, the existing Universal Analytics (UA - which you probably know as Google Analytics) will be replaced by the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4). 

How Does this Affect You?

Understanding how this change affects you and your small business is important. We’ve broken it down into 3 simple answers.

1) Your old data won't be there forever, you have to go in and manually download all of it. Any campaigns you have set to track will also need to be reset. If you need help with this process - we’re here to help.

2) You need to convert to G4 before the deadline to keep tracking your site. If you are on a care plan with The Social Brand, we've done this for you already. To see it simply, log in and see if you have a G4 dashboard to choose from. If not, reach out and we can make sure you get access to it. 

3) You'll have to learn how to find everything in the new format. Everything is changing and some features are going away so you will need to get familiarized with the new layout and format.

What are the Differences between UA and GA4?

Although Google has occasionally upgraded Universal Analytics, Google Analytics 4 is a much more in-depth reconfiguring of the program. We’ll break down the differences and how they benefit you below. 

  1. UA is session-based, while GA4 is event-based: Event-based analytics offer deep insights into your user’s actions. It tracks button clicks, video plays, page views, and purchase values more organically than session-based analytics. Although you can still keep track of this through Universal Analytics, it requires an advanced setup. 
  2. GA4 offers cross-device tracking: Google Analytics 4 can help mitigate some of the marketing setbacks that have arisen due to changes in privacy regulations. GA4 gives businesses more insight into how their users behave across different websites and apps. Alternatively, UA is narrower in scope and mainly displays desktop web traffic behavior. With the improved cross-device tracking, you’ll have a much more well-rounded view of your target audiences, interests, values, behaviors, and more. 
  3. GA4 offers machine learning: GA4 uses advanced machine learning technology to help make the most of your data. It shares in-depth insights and makes increasingly accurate predictions on the future behavior of your users. 
  4. GA4 is more privacy-friendly: Google Analytics 4 is a much more attractive alternative for anyone with privacy concerns. Universal Analytics relies heavily on potentially privacy-invading cookies. GA4 doesn’t, making it much more privacy friendly than UA. 

What to Do When Universal Analytics Changes To Google Analytics 4

When Universal Analytics changes to GA4, we advise making the switch as soon as possible. The quicker you make the transition, the less data there will be to import once you lose access to Universal Analytics. It’ll also give you a head start in taking advantage of all the new changes and exploring everything that GA4 has to offer. 

As we mentioned earlier, if you’re a care plan client of The Social Brand, we’ve already taken care of this for you. But - if you need further assistance navigating this - don’t hesitate to reach out. 

What Do You Need to Build a Strong Online Presence & Attract Your Ideal Customer

If you’re like many small business owners, you get the importance of developing a strong online presence. You may even know that a digital presence is necessary if you want to attract your ideal customers en masse. Sadly, none of this knowledge amounts to an actionable strategy for establishing an effective online presence.

So how do you go about it?

Successful business owners will tell you that putting all your eggs in one basket is not the way to go. You need to implement a multi-pronged online strategy to realize your full online potential and get customers rolling in. 

If you remember, in the past, we’ve talked about the Promotion Path, where we spell out how to tackle your marketing (and in what order) to guarantee better success. Below, we reiterate these same items. 

A Website

First things first, you need a website. It will act as the hub of your business, as the face of your brand and give potential customers as much information about your business as possible. 

Remember, owning a business is about iterations. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect to start.  If you’re up for DIYing, you have the time and a touch of internet savviness, you may be able to  create a basic website that’ll serve as a touchpoint for people who may be interested in your product or service. 

If you’re not up for creating your own website, we’re here to help. 

A Local Presence

If you want to grow your online presence, you should never underestimate the importance of being known in your local area. Location-specific searches make up a substantial proportion of Google searches. One way to get your business on Maps and take advantage of those location-based searches in your area is to create a Google Business account for FREE! After creating your free listing, it’ll begin funneling potential customers straight to you! 

A Favorable Reputation & Good Reviews

Yet another thing you need to foster a prominent online presence is a positive online reputation. And one of the best ways to get it is to earn tons of good reviews on every relevant review outlet. 

Here are some of the top review outlets to be aware of: 

More than 90% of people factor reviews into their purchasing decisions, so if your business is lacking in the review department, you could be missing out. So, take our advice and get your online reputation up to snuff!

Let’s be real; customer reviews can be equally helpful and detrimental to a given business. Because as great as a 5-star review can be, a 1-star “Beware” review can seriously damage your reputation. While there’s no way to avoid all bad reviews on public review outlets, you can keep the good reviews coming with impeccable customer service. Always make your customers feel valued and do your best to satisfy them at every turn. 

One study also found that many consumers care more about how businesses responded to negatives reviews, then the fact that they got a negative review to begin with! So, don’t panic if (and when) the day comes for your first negative review.

Social Media Content & Ads

Social media is an excellent tool for boosting your online presence and reaching your target audience.  You can post optimized content on top social media sites to draw users to your site. You can also pay for targeted ads to be shown to platform users based on a set of criteria that you define. 

Here are some tips to help you choose which social media sites to look into: 

Findability Through Paid Google Ads & SEO

Getting found online is no easy feat - chances are there are thousands of businesses in your industry vying for the same customers you’re going for. So, how do you get an edge over your competitors? You need to enhance your business’s online findability, and there are two main ways to do it! 

Paid Google Ads

Paid Google Ads are exactly what they sound like; they are paid ads that pop up on Google’s search engine and partner sites. These ads are extremely valuable, given the extensive reach that Google has. The site has over 4 billion users worldwide, so you can be almost 100% sure that your ideal customers use the site from time to time. 

After creating and posting a Google Ad, businesses can expect a near-instant increase in online visibility, resulting in more website traffic, an increase in calls, or more in-person visits. According to Google, businesses enjoy an average return on investment (ROI) of $2 for every $1 they spend. 

So how does Google Ads work? Here’s a quick rundown: 

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) 

In contrast to paid Google Ads is SEO, or search engine optimization. It’s the act of driving more traffic to your website by optimizing your content and website copy. It also encompasses attracting visitors through off-site linking via guest posting and link building. 

If you have never considered SEO before, we strongly encourage you to start. With consistent and targeted content optimization, you can create a funnel that greatly increases your online presence. 

The main factors in SEO are:

So how does SEO work? Here’s a quick rundown: 

There you have it - actionable, fact-based advice you can use to take your online presence from non-existent to thriving. On the fence as to whether you need to look into overhauling your online presence? We can help! You can learn just how strong your online presence is with a free online presence audit! We wish you the best of luck as you take on the challenge of establishing a digital presence for your business. 

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile

We’ve talked to many of our clients and even other business owners lately about the changes in Google My Business, as it transitions to Google Business Profile. Many people have questions around this transition and we’re here to help!

What is Google Business Profile?

To begin, what is Google Business Profile? Google Business (formerly known as Google My Business) is a free online business listing that’s searchable by anyone with a computer and an internet connection. It showcases various information about your business, including its location, services, online customer reviews, and more. The great thing about the tool is that it increases your firm’s visibility and allows you to customize how your business appears on the interwebs.  

What’s changing in the transition from Google My Business to Google Business Profile?

The biggest question is what will be changing?

Google’s answer is very simple. Your customers won’t see a difference at all. Your customers will still be able to search for you and your services and find your listing on Google Maps mobile app and Google Search.

It will be changing for the business owners, however. We’ll begin accessing these profiles through the Google Maps app to keep our profiles up to date now, instead of the Google My Business app.  Overall, not a big deal.

One of the coolest things about the change is that when signed in with the correct email address (that manages the Google Business Profile), you can edit your profile right on the search results page. 

When you login, it’ll give you the opportunity to “Try it on Search” and the experience is fairly painless. Overall, these changes are pretty minor and we hope they won’t hold you back from still utilizing the tool. 

Why You Need A Google My Business Account

Every business absolutely needs a Google My Business account for the many benefits it brings to businesses - mom-and-pop shops and international enterprises alike!

Get Found Online

Too many business owners struggle for years to get their firm found online, but with Google Business, it's a cinch. With a Google Business account, your business will appear not only in Google Search results but also on Google Maps when people search for services like yours. It’s a total win! What's more, as your internet visibility increases, you'll get more leads and - you guessed it - more customers!

Get Reviews

Businesses with bookoos of reviews are thought to be more reliable and legitimate than those with just a handful. And your review rating (on a scale of 1 to 5) will be used by customers to determine the quality of your company and its products or services. 

Since 93% of customers look at internet reviews before deciding to do business with a company, it’s a no-brainer to strive for a stellar online reputation and use it as a lead magnet! 

Online customer reviews are often biased, but they are the opinions of people who have personally used your services or products. Accordingly, customers often adjust their preferences based on other customers' feedback. So, if your business strives for a 5-star review at every turn, you’re sure to see positive consequences, like more customers and a boost in online visibility. 

Update Information About Your Business

A Google Business profile enables you to maintain accurate and up-to-date information about your business on a mega platform (ehem…Google). You can update your profile whenever things change within your business. Here are a few things that you can update in just a few clicks: 

Why You Need To Update Your Google Business Profile

If you already have a Google Business profile, you’re ahead of the pack. But there’s still more to do; right now is prime time to update it. Sometime this year (2022), Google will be retiring the Google My Business app. In addition, the Google My Business web platform will be transitioned to primarily support larger businesses with multiple locations. As part of this shift, the web platform will be renamed the “Business Profile Manager.” Updating your profile sooner rather than later allows you to move your business’s information around and ensure everything is correct and ready to go before the update.

You’ll also want to keep your Google Business profile updated to maximize your visibility. Google's search results tend to favor companies with complete and up-to-date profiles. 

Want tips on how to optimize your Google Business profile? Check out our blog we wrote a few months ago about this very topic!

Top 5 Ways Google Analytics Can Help Your Business

Google Analytics is a free, powerful tool that helps you see all of the analytics related to your website. In other words, it shows you how many visits your website gets, where those visits come from, and what those visitors do on your website. 

At first glance, it can look incredibly intimidating with all of it’s numbers, charts, graphs, and fancy words, but we promise it’s easier than it sounds! It definitely has a learning curve but using Google Analytics can have a huge effect on the growth of your company, and that is well worth taking a little time to learn the platform! 

In this blog, I will give you the top 5 highlights of what Google Analytics can do for your business. Let’s get started! 

One thing that almost every business has in common are goals. Goals are what help drive growth and keep you focused. One very handy tool that Google Analytics offers is the ability to see and even track custom goals for your business. Email sign ups, checking out, submitting a contact form, even clicking on a social media button, all of these and more are things you can track in Google Analytics.

But wait, there’s more! You can break down these metrics into a detailed outline of how that goal was completed. Side note! When a goal is completed, it is called a conversion. This detailed outline feature can show you the start to finish journey of the user, so that you can find out where your conversions are happening, and where they are getting abandoned along the way. 

Finding out what your customers actually like is half the battle, if only there was a way to know this without asking them… THERE IS! Google Analytics can help you find out what content your customers are actually drawn to on your website and what they ignore. This way you can strategically create new content and stop wasting time on content that your customers aren’t going to react to. 

For example, let’s say your business posts about blogs that help promote new products in your store. You can go to Google Analytics and see what category of blogs are getting the most traffic, and which blogs are struggling. This will give you a clear understanding as to which products you should focus on as well as which products you may want to avoid. 

As a business owner you have probably run some sort of advertisement in the past. Sometimes these do great, but oftentimes they are complete shots in the dark and can have a negative return. Google Analytics can help you make well educated advertising decisions based off of the content that is performing well on your site. 

Getting a ton of traffic for a certain service? Chances are, that service is needed in your area so ads being run for that service are more likely to succeed rather than an ad published on a guess. Along with knowing what kinds of ads to post, you can use Google Analytics Conversion Tracking to see if your ads are bringing in revenue. 

Most small businesses struggle majorly in one area: Social Media converting to sales. 

This is usually because, like advertising, social media can be a total shot in the dark. Not only on what sort of content to produce, but what platforms you should use. Sure, you could try to do them all at once, but why waste time and money where there’s no real return on investment? 

Google Analytics can help you figure out what social platforms lead to sales on your website, so that you can cut off what doesn’t work and invest in what does. By narrowing your focus to platforms that perform well, you will be able to spend more effort into thoughtful content that helps you grow, rather than throwing a bunch of generic content at every single platform. 

Aside from being able to help you connect more easily to your customers, Google Analytics can help you find out if your website needs a little TLC. As a business owner you are already running around with your “head cut off,” trying to do all-the-things, correct? You rarely have time to hang out on your own website page by page, checking that everything is working well. But never fear, Google Analytics is here to help with two major categories: Site Speed and Site Behavior. 

Site Speed is crucial for gaining traction with your website. Studies show that if a site takes longer than 1 second to load, most users will just leave. Another study found that 75% of smartphone users expect to get immediate results while using their smartphone. Site Speed in Google Analytics can show you your site’s load times for both mobile and desktop, and help you troubleshoot ways to improve. 

Site behavior is also very important because this tells you how users use your site and where users decide to leave it. This can be helpful to find out what information users aren’t connecting with and what parts of the website might be hard to navigate, causing users to leave. Part of this is the behavior flow, which shows a funnel drilldown of the navigation of your website, showing where users enter and exit your site and everywhere they go in between. 

So, if you see that users are entering your homepage and leaving before they get to any real solid information, chances are your homepage isn’t user friendly and could use some love. 

Google Analytics is an incredibly powerful tool with an almost endless supply of uses. When used well, Google Analytics can help your website and your business as a whole as well as run more smoothly and efficiently. 

While we have barely scratched the surface in this blog of all the wonders of Google Analytics, we know it still might be overwhelming to someone completely new. That’s why we are always here to help! 

Reach out for a free consultation or training session to see how Google Analytics could be useful for your business. 

The Deal with Online Reviews

Studies tell us over and over again, that online reviews help move the needle when it comes to bringing in new customers.  According to reviewtrackers.com, "approximately 53% of consumers visit a business within 48 hours of performing a local search on Google."  If you are brand new to online reviews and the profiles you can receive reviews on, consider starting with our blog on Local SEO or Being Found Online where we talk about the more foundational aspects of online directories. If you already have profiles set up, then keep reading!

Typically, these directories help customers who are either looking for your business directly or are looking to discover someone who does what you do. In either instance, having solid customer reviews will help you convert those searchers into paying customers. There are a few different factors that we should consider when it comes to reviews:

We'll talk through each factor below.

Number of Reviews

The number of reviews your business has on your various platforms is important in a couple of different ways:  the algorithm of the platform and customer perception.

Algorithm of the Platform

From a purely algorithmic perspective, having more positive reviews helps your profile show up more frequently and be more prominent (closer to the top of the list).  The various goal posts that I've noticed from working with many businesses on Google My Business over the years are:

Some of these numbers have studies to back them up and some are just purely my observations over the years. The first goalpost of 17 is based purely on observations. I have noticed in my experience doing this that when a Google My Business profile goes over 17, they tend to start getting more free traffic and they tend to start getting more inquiries from their Google My Business account.  I like to focus on this first goalpost because it's a very reachable goal. Almost every business has seventeen people they can ask to leave them a review on Google! It will take some effort but it's very reachable - even for a new business. 

Now depending on your industry and your location, these numbers will change. For example, a restaurant in a major city can easily reach over 250 Google reviews and still not have the most in their area! But, I am providing general numbers for the local businesses I see in east Tennessee.

Customer Perception

Beyond getting your profile seen by more folks and being displayed more prominently, having more online reviews will compel the people who do see your profile to trust you more, engage with you faster and be more likely to do business with you. Why? Because online reviews act as social proof. Social proof is other people saying that you do a good job, that you're trustworthy and you won't give them a negative experience if they choose to do business with you.

In service-based industries, studies tell us that the magic number of reviews from the customer's point of view is 34. If you have 34 or more reviews, customers feel that you are more trustworthy and the likelihood of them clicking through to your website or calling you directly goes up significantly.

 

The Sentiment of Reviews

When we say sentiment as it relates to reviews, we mean the overall attitude or overarching theme of the reviews your business receives. So, for example, if you're a small business with a 5-star rating (out of 5), then your business reviews has extremely positive sentiment. On the flip side, if you're a business with let's say an overall rating of 1.7 stars, then the sentiment is going to be negative and will need some attention on your part! So, the sentiment is the overall sum of the reviews your business has. There are two types of reviews - positive and negative. Both are valuable.

Let's start with negative reviews and we'll work our way back to good reviews.

Negative Reviews

The first reason why negative reviews are valuable is just from a customer service point of view. An unhappy customer will typically 7 people and a happy customer will typically only tell one person. If an unhappy customer takes the time to express to you on Google what their experience was and why it was negative - this is a gift! Because you will actually get a chance to fix the problem and prevent it from happening again. Perhaps one of your team members isn't treating customers how they should when you're not around or perhaps a certain aspect of your process doesn't make for a positive experience - having this feedback allows you to fix it. Now, trust me, as a business owner who has had to take negative feedback from time to time - getting that negative review doesn't feel like a gift at first. At first, it's easy to puff out our chest and become enraged... write up a response that tells that person off. But, wait. Keep reading... and for the love of God, please don't reply like that.

Studies tell us that most consumers understand that not every single customer's experience is going to be stellar and they are used to that. One negative review will not be the reason why someone doesn't work with your company. With that in mind, studies do tell us that 87% of consumers care more about your response to the review.  Meaning, they care about your responsiveness (did you actually respond), your professionalism, and your attitude (were you nasty and defensive or were you genuine and apologetic).

So, if you can't respond in this way at first - just pause. Or, perhaps have another team member write the response until you are less emotional. This is value for many folks in outsourcing this part of their business. We like to see the responses to a negative review do a few things:

A great example of a response to a negative review would be something along the lines of: "(Person's name), we are so sorry to hear about your experience. We genuinely want to help make this right and would love to have the opportunity to talk to you about this directly. Would you please reach out to me directly so we can talk? (Insert phone number or email address by which they can reach you). Looking forward to hearing from you. -Victory, Co-Owner." There are lots of teachings on how to best handle negative reviews. But, ultimately, handling a bad review is just about humanizing the experience as much as possible. Sometimes it will require a bit of humility on your part to try to fix the situation... and sometimes, you just aren't going to be able to fix the situation!

In addition to that, studies tell us having a perfect 5-star rating can make customers a bit suspicious of your company. It makes them feel that perhaps you bought your reviews or that they aren't all real. So, having a few negative reviews that you respond to professionally and apologetically is actually a positive for your business!

 

Positive Reviews

When you are asking people to leave reviews, it is always a good thing to have them mention particular services or products that you want to rank for - as these will help make your profile more findable. It's important to remember that being responsive, even to positive reviews, is important! It's a chance to show your friendly and interactive side not only to the person who left the review but to the other searchers who will see your response later! The rating that most consumers look for is around 4.5 stars because it's not "too perfect" but it still shows an overall positive sentiment from the majority of people who have interacted with your company.

So, take the pressure off of yourself! You don't want a perfect or untarnished record. You just need a pretty good one. You can do this.

 

Age of Reviews

The third factor to consider is the age of your reviews. If all the reviews on your company's Google My Business profile are two years old, it will definitely spur some hesitancy in consumers. They may wonder if you are still in business or if you are still doing a good job for your customers. But, having reviews that have some age to them is also a benefit - shows a consistently positive track record with people who are viewing your profile.  In the same vein, if all of your reviews are from the last two weeks - it may cause some hesitancy from consumers reading them.

We mention this to say that building up your online reviews will take some time and that's ok. Just like most other things in business, to do it right - it's going to take some time. Just embrace the process! Online reviews aren't something that are one and done. But rather something that you'll need to consistently put effort into both now and for the foreseeable future. Once you reach your goals, you can't kick your feet up and rest on your laurels. But rather, you'll need to continue requesting new reviews from customers so that your profile doesn't become irrelevant.

 

Asking for Reviews

The beautiful thing about online reviews is that getting reviews is free. All it takes is to provide a great experience to your customers and then ask for the reviews. Often just simply reminding your customers about the value of these reviews for your business will be enough to have them write one for you. In fact, 71% of consumers will leave a review if you ask! So, you start by just asking.

I wanted to make sure I gave you a couple of quick ideas on how to start asking folks for reviews. Remember, that you cannot offer discounts or anything in exchange for a review on Google. In fact, if you do this and they find out - your entire profile could be taken down. Don't do it!  Offering discounts or free stuff in exchange for a positive review is considered black-hat marketing and we both know you don't want to go there. However, you can ask and you can remind folks. Some of my favorite strategies for getting more reviews:

Do you have other strategies that you've implemented for your business to get more customer reviews? We'd love to hear them. Email us and let us know at info@thesocialbrandtn.com!

What is SEO?

 

If you want to be found online, SEO is your ticket.

 

You’ve probably heard this term before. Anyone who works in the marketing field is obsessed with SEO - and anyone else thinks it's mumbo jumbo.  This three-letter acronym is tiny and yet is incredibly important to the success of any website. So what is it about SEO that makes it so important?

 

What is SEO?

 

As it turns out, SEO is actually a real thing and isn't mumbo-jumbo.  SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is the process of utilizing specific keywords to improve both the quantity and quality of organic traffic to your website.

 

Summary: You want to be found when people search businesses like yours on Google.

 

How Does SEO Work?

 

When you use a search engine (like Google, Bing, or Yahoo) to find something online, the results that you’re presented with are the very best that can be offered based off of that search engine’s algorithms. Those algorithms are designed to show results that match up with particular requirements, but the most important factor is whether the result is relevant to the search query.

 

Search engine algorithms are flooded by the information brought back to them by web crawlers that collect such data. Crawlers are especially attracted to keyword data, which helps tremendously in showing whether or not a web page is relevant.

 

Summary: Search engines choose websites to present to its user based on the language used on the websites.

 

How Can I Get Better SEO?

 

Half the battle of SEO is knowing the right language, or keywords, to use and where to use them. The answer is, as many keywords that make sense and everywhere you can.

 

Determine good keyword phrases that are commonly searched for and utilize them in your descriptions and blurbs on your website. This will help give web crawlers something to latch onto when the next person gets online to search for something similar to your business.

 

While figuring out good keywords for web crawlers, keep in mind that web crawlers cannot latch onto photographs. This is why a lot of photo-dependent websites have thorough titles and descriptions on their pages.

 

In fact, a lot of custom website-builders have a function where you can add alt text to your photos in lieu of captions. Whereas captions are visible to the reader, alt text is only visible if you hover over the image for a moment. While this may seem redundant to you, to a web crawler it’s a reiteration of your keywords, or perhaps reinforces other keywords on the page. Since web crawlers can only read the text, it’s extremely important to remember to add alt text to your photographs.

 

alt-text

 

Summary: Don't rely on pictures to help your website content get found, label everything through captions and alt-text.

 

Where Do I Start?

 

The best way to start getting better SEO is to look over your own website. Do some homework on yourself, and search terms that customers would use when looking for businesses like yours.

 

Then, figure out different ways to phrase the search query. Doing this will enhance the possibility of being found, as some search terms may be full sentences while others may be simple phrases or keywords. Don’t forget to add information like colors, sizes, or materials - customers are more particular than ever, and this information narrows their search results but increases your chances of appearing on the first page.

 

Keep your eyes on your website’s visitors and gauge what’s working and what’s not. Never stop trying though - what works today may not work tomorrow.

 

As long as you’re working your SEO up, you’re sure to see an increase in traffic, and make your website more likely than ever to get to the top of the results list!

What is Local SEO?

Owning a local business brings a whole new spin to the work you put into your SEO (search engine optimization). You may have some great keywords on your website, but if you are marketing mostly to your local community, you might find that you’re not getting the results you really want. A click originating from four states away is exciting, but it won’t help you if you only sell within a specific area around your business’s physical location.
That’s where local SEO comes in. Local SEO puts you on the map for people in your area who may be searching for your products or services. So how do you use local SEO, and more importantly, where can you start?

What is Local SEO?

map image

This can include ensuring that certain information is available on your website and placing your business information on more localized online searching tools such as YellowPages, Google, etc.

 

Some parts of local SEO work better with brick-and-mortar business locations that have an actual street address. However, this doesn’t mean that your business has to have a street address for local SEO to work. Simply using location information in your normal SEO work should be enough to improve your local SEO.

How Does Local SEO Work?

 

If you’ve ever searched for a particular product or service in your area, you yourself have probably performed a local search. For instance, “used tires for sale near me” or “grocery stores in Knoxville” are great examples of commonly phrased local searches.

 

Even in the absence of an obvious local search, most search engines are built to place precedence with local organic search results over national ones. For example, if you do a Google search for “web design services”, you’ll see local businesses offering that service in the Google Maps box above the organic search results.

 

This can also work for areas around your physical location as well. Businesses in Knoxville can attract business from Oak Ridge by writing content about Oak Ridge and naming the city enough times to draw attention from search engine crawlers.

How Can I Improve My Local SEO?

The best way to start is to put the physical location of your business on your website. You’ll also want to place your business’s information on its own Google Business page. This will ensure that, at the very least, you’re more likely to be found with a search within your local area.
In addition to those measures, you can place your business’s physical address and information on other websites such as YellowPages, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The more areas that your business is listed, the more that crawlers will associate you with the local area.
On your website and in any posts you make, noting location information such as the city name can also help build up your credibility in the local area. This is the same tactic you’ll want to do in order to drive business from surrounding locations as well.
Regardless of your type of business, local SEO is an important part to having your products or services discovered by local audiences. Not only will it build you up locally, but it can also have an impact on your regular SEO by driving traffic responding to new keywords that you may not have already utilized.

Being Found Online

 We talk to people every day who aren't being found online. They often express that they feel so overwhelmed and don't know where to start. So, here are our beginner's steps for the business trying to be found online!
These profiles are the beginning steps to developing your brand's Local SEO strategy.
[full_width]

1. Google My Business Profile

This should your first step in getting found online.
What is it? The Google My Business profile puts you into Google's free directory of businesses online. This is the square you often see a pop-up on the right-hand side of the page when you're searching on a desktop or the first results that pop-up on a mobile phone.
Why? Google search engine results are highly used and trusted. Many Android phones, tablets, and internet browsers use Google as the primary search engine. Every time you search in Chrome, Google gives you any and all results. By taking hold of your business’s results to allow you to control your public image and the first impression to potential customers. This tool is crucial!
[/full_width]
[full_width]

2. Bing Places for Business

This should your second step in getting found online. Although Bing is not the #1 search site, it is the 2nd - so it's still important!
What is it? Similar to Google My Business, Bing Places for Business is a free directory for businesses. Just like on Google, this is a separate box that comes up on the right-hand side of the screen. It looks pretty similar, too!
Why? Bing powers all Microsoft phones, tablets, and PCs. Anyone who searches your business on Microsoft Edge or Internet Explorer will get their results through Bing. Have you ever used a Microsoft Pixel and Microsoft Surface? Yep, their main search engine is Bing! Bing is incredibly useful for your business.
[/full_width]
[full_width]

3. Yelp

As you can see in the photo above, Bing pulls in reviews from Yelp. So this is the next natural step. Siri and the Maps app on iPhones, iPads and other Apple products also use Yelp which makes it very important.
What is it? Yelp is a large-scale search engine with results based on business reviews. It also supplies Apple Maps with all reviews, business hours, and information regarding your business. Additionally, Yelp gives you the opportunity to take hold of your business’s public information and reviews.
Why? Yelp provides information for many more important platforms - making it vital to your business' findability!
NOTE: Please do not confuse our recommendation to create a free profile on Yelp as a recommendation to accept free advertising on Yelp or to pay for advertising on Yelp. Our recommendation is to create a free, verified listing only.
[/full_width]
[full_width}

4. Yellow Pages

Yellow Pages helps keep your business profile accurate and controlled. Although this profile is less critical than the first three, along with the other directories - it does certainly helps you be found by new customers!
What is it? Yellow pages is the online version of what used to be the phone book. It is a free directory online.
Why? Many times search engines use information from Yellow Pages to populate information.
[/full_width]

Feeling Overwhelmed?

We can help, learn more here! This is what we do here at The Social Brand - help people get found online! Feel free to reach out to us to see how we can help.  Local SEO helps local customers find your business, learn more about these tactics here.