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This page is dedicated to help you navigate the digital landscape. Here you’ll find a good start in your marketing journey as a small business. We’ll regularly post information, terms, or general resources to get you on the right track.
If it’s too much, time consuming or would simply like for us to do the online marketing efforts for your business, check out our services.
Top Hat Central Blog
How often should you update your website?
Having a successful website requires time, work, and dedication. Just like you put effort into maintaining your business, your website should also have the same level of detail. After all, a website is an extension of your organization. Oftentimes it’s the first impression potential customers see. As such, maintaining an active website lets users know you are a trustworthy place of business. Staying up to date with information is key in letting your customers know what you’re all about. Whether it’s uploading new images, writing new updates, or doing regular maintenance, having a steady flow of content shows that your business is active and healthy. In this article we write the basics on how often you need to update your website to meet your needs.
Topic Website Tips
Tips on hosting your next Facebook Live broadcast for businesses
Impressions are everything. With more and more businesses turning to work-from-home solutions, finding ways to stand out is a challenge. Many small business are turning to live stream video on their Facebook business page to position their business solutions to users directly. Some opt to stream a Zoom conference, others use their own streaming software to insert branding and banners. Either way, this article is meant to give you basic advice so you can prepare for your next live event.
Topic Social Media Info
The must-have web pages every small business needs
A good vision can yield good results. Having a website has never been easier, with ever growing options to get online, making a decision on how to start your own website is a tough decision for many small businesses. However, starting a page is only the beginning. What do you add and where? In this post, we will try our best to give you a basic outline of the pages needed for any business website. First, realize that a website is an extension of your business. It’s a virtual presence of your work and in some cases, the first thing customers see when searching for you. For more on the benefits of a website, check out this (blog post)
Topic Website Tips
Should your business be on Instagram?
Everyone is doing it. Take a look at your competitors website or advertisements. Odds are you’ll find a row of icons or text that reads: ‘Follow us on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, etc.’
If you actually follow said links you may notice that there are some accounts that receive more attention than others. Should you do the same? Should you be on all platforms posting the same content on all, or should you focus on a few?
Topic Social Media Info
Tips on hosting a Facebook live stream for your business or non profit
Show your customers why you’re worth investing. COVID-19 has been a rude awakening for a lot of small business on what needs to be done to keep the lights on. Unfortunately, things are not what they used to be, and less and less customers are coming through the door. That does not mean you have to give up. There is plenty you can do to make a living safely, responsibly, and remotely. Your customers believe in your brand, let them show their support to you via social media. Oftentimes small business may not want to venture into selling or asking for money on social media because they’ve never done it before. We recommend hosting a livestream to raise funds during these troubling times. For some, the idea may seem intimidating, but done right, it could help you raise much needed funds. Here we’ll give you a brief insight ...
Topic Social Media Info
New Google My Business feature: gift card or donation button available on business listing
Let your customers show their support. With changing times due to COVID-19, small businesses have turned to online services for every day transactions. Whether it’s to send out a notice about updated hours or a new safety policy, the way customers interact has changed. Luckily, tools and services available for small business are also changing. One of the most prominent was Google My Business (GMB). GMB added “takeout,” “delivery,” and other buttons to quickly notify users of services available during the pandemic. Now Google is adding more features that can allow you to offer gift cards and donation options within your Google listing...
Topic Google My Business
What to realistically expect from your brand’s social media business page?
Let’s face it, people don’t go to their social media accounts to see an ad from your company. Odds are, people go to social media sites as a distraction. Viewers care about entertainment more than they care about you and your company, so why should you bother with an Instagram account or with any social media?
Topic Social Media Info
3 tips for creating engaging content for your business
Keeping up with social media is easier said than done. Social media is one of the toughest platforms to be in for a small business. Return on investment may not be as easy to track as an advertisement, and generating frequent content is quite time consuming. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you have few or many post. The important thing is that you have engaging content. For some of the less artistically inclined, “engaging content” can be a vague statement. What’s engaging for some is not engaging for others. You may find guides that ask you to create an engaging posts. However, the term “engaging content” could mean almost anything. Should you have an open ended headline? What should the content of my photo be? ...
Topic Social Media Info
What's the purpose of a website as a physical business?
First impressions are everything in business. Like in any major endeavor, investing time and resources can lead to profits or a complete bust. A website is no different. It takes time, experience, and direction to make a successful page. After all, you’re in business to make money. Make your website work for you.
It’s easy to dismiss the idea that your brick and mortar business does not need a website. Perhaps you provide an in-person service or have no intention of selling products online. Congratulations, you’ve got a good pool of customers that know and trust you, but are you finding it hard to get new people in the door? Are you using fliers, posters, banners, and getting few new responses? Why not have ...
Topic Website Tips
The benefits a free website with Google My Business can provide.
You have many options as a business owner to be online. You can hire a professional or do it yourself. Each option varies on the amount of resources and time available to your company. If you're unsure about the power of owning your own site, or simply want to get started without committing to an expensive process, give Google My Business a try ...
Topic Website Tips
Four website terms a business owners should know in plain English
Choosing a web service can be overwhelming. Lots of sellers can make all sorts of promises for the sake of taking your money. As always, we advise that knowing what you're paying for is a good choice. You are great at your business. You probably know more about your products or services better than everyone else. But you may not be an expert on everything web related. This page is meant to give you a basic insight at what you need to get your website going along with a brief explanation. Note, if you are unsure if these terms or services are included when purchasing and establishing a website, know what to ask ...
Topic Website Tips
Basic explanation on finding the right website for your business
Having a website has never been more essential. With an ever increasing digital presence from consumers and the reliance of smartphones on everyday life, if you're not online you're not in business. Sure you may have a presence on social media, but there's a big difference on being on someone else's platform (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and hosting your own. For one, you don't have to worry about rule changes that may affect the way you advertise and certainly don't have to share space with your competition on your own site ...
Topic Website Tips
Not Online? Why you need a web page for your business
Presentation is everything for consumers. You make sure your establishment is presentable for customers that walk in the door, why not do the same for prospective customers online? Selling any products and services is hard work. Odds are you are not the only one in your industry nor the only one open for business. In an age where technology and information is at your fingertips, don’t let your competitors outperform you because ...
Topic Website Tips
Make the most out of your Google My Business Account
Take control of your accounts. Just like you understand every aspect of your business, learning how to use the tools at your disposal can help you improve your productivity. It’s easy to see that Google My Business is an online listing serving a similar function to the yellow pages decades ago. However, unlike the yearly publishing of the yellow pages, online listings are dynamic, ever changing and subject to new features every day. As such, Google recommends that you ....
Topic Google My Business
A basic guide to a healthy Google My Business account
Your business is worth the investment. After all, you went through the trouble of devoting resources to the take on the world on your own. You put in the hard work and handle as many roles as possible to make it to the end of the week. Everything you do has a purpose and so does maintaining an online listing.
If you have a Google My Business account, you may be familiar as to why it's a worthwhile option. However, it's more than just an option. It's a commitment. Yes, you can do the basics and set up your account so customers can find you, but there's more you can do to ensure your listing is the top listing.
Topic Google My Business
HOW people find your local business online
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 ....
Topic Google My Business
Not getting enough phone calls? Google My Business and WHY you need it
Perhaps it’s time to look at how your business info is displayed on google. Each day millions of users are looking for products and services on the search engine, but Google also provides a tool to help its users find local results.
Next time you search for a bike shop or a restaurant you may notice that Google will likely put forth a nearby shop as opposed to a shop across the country.
Why is that? Because Google wants to ensure people trust Google for relevant results, thus ensuring the use of their service more and more.
And that’s where Google My Business comes in for small business.
Google My Business a free tool provided by the company that gives local business ....
Topic Google My Business