HOW people find your local business online

May 13, 2020

Let your hard work pay off. You dedicate time and effort into managing your business, oftentimes working extensive hours, only to wonder what that extra something could be in order to get more clients through the door tomorrow. The truth is, there is no secret. It’s hard for you, just as it’s hard for everyone else. However, just because it’s difficult, that does not mean you give up. There’s advertising, marketing, and plenty of things you can do to increase awareness. Some options will cost more than others, some may require new staff on your team. Understand that as a small business you may not be in a position to make such a leap today, but there are some options you can take for free.

Consider a Google My Business Account. If you already have one, learn how to maintain it. If not, activate yours today. It’s a free tool from Google, designed to help people find local results, and most importantly, help customers know you’re open for business.

Oftentimes we see that business owners focus too much on their business and lose touch on how customers find their venues. By no means do we say this is a bad thing, but realize that everyday people don’t have the same level of expertise or trust in your products/services that you do. Sometimes the cheaper option is just as good an option as yours in the mind of the consumer. So we ask simple questions to help you thinking like a consumer. Where can you develop 8mm film strips in your area? Where can you get exercise equipment fixed nearby? Who do I call to repair a broken phone screen in a few hours? Unless you provide all these services, odds are you had to do a basic web search.

Know that the results that popped up are not self-populated by Google. In other words, Google didn’t put them there, perhaps it was the business owner or a loyal customer. Either way, you too have the power to let people know how to find you. The service is free by Google. You can input address, hours, phone number, menu, bookings, and anything that will help others where you are. Why? Google wants customers (more web users) to rely on their service for accurate information. It’s your role to provide that accurate information.

Managing your online listing is simple. Simply visit the Google My Business site and sign up. They ask you a few basic questions about your business and show you steps on how to verify your account. The company touts billions of searches per day on different industry sectors. Although great numbers, don’t expect a billion calls for signing up. Sort of how the yellow pages used to work. People only look for things when they need them. Similarly, when someone looks for film developing, or repairs, they search and find what they need instantly. This is even better. It integrates to basic search and Google Maps. When a person in need is searching in your area, why not be their first result when looking for your products or services. You can be their first result. That’s a customer you didn’t have before, and you didn’t have to pay for an ad. Granted there’s a little more than just setting up the account, but it’s a pretty good start.

It’s similar to an advertisement, but somewhat counter intuitive. In an advertisement, you are looking for customers. With a Google My Business Listing, customers are looking for someone like you. How you stand out is by telling them that you exist and what you have to offer. You can add pictures, moderate comments, let potential customers know that you are a worthwhile place.

Full disclosure, Top Hat Central offers a Google My Business Management Service. Know that setting up a Google My Account is a free service provided by Google. The advice on this page is for your consideration. What we do is the maintenance and upkeep. Similar to a car, you need to keep it running smoothly. In this case, keeping up with the latest trends and best practices. We have professional photo shoots of our client’s business, respond to basic user questions, help interpret the data and handle everyday things that let Google know that you are an active business. Granted, you don’t need all the bells and whistles to get started. You can do it too. We simply provide this service because we understand that not everyone has the time to step away from their business to manage their accounts. Others give up right away after not seeing immediate results. We specialize in this, and try to find out what works for you. As a small business owner you wear many hats, we are one less you have to worry about.