Accelerate Your Organic Traffic

The success of your business hinges on its online presence. A well-crafted website is a cornerstone, but it’s just the beginning. To truly thrive in the online marketplace, you need to drive organic traffic to your website. One powerful tool at your disposal is Google My Business (GMB). This free platform can significantly boost your online visibility and draw potential customers to your website. Let’s explore how you can leverage Google My Business to maximize your organic website traffic.

What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a free online tool provided by Google, designed to help businesses manage their online presence across Google Search and Google Maps. When users search for products, services, or businesses, GMB listings often appear in the local “3-pack” results, providing essential information at a glance, such as your address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews.

Create a Detailed GMB Profile

To start driving organic traffic, you must create a comprehensive GMB profile. Ensure that all your business information is accurate, including your website URL. Your website is your digital storefront, and GMB helps direct potential customers to it. Verify your business location, add high-quality photos, and craft a compelling business description that showcases your uniqueness.

Encourage Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are a powerful trust signal for potential customers. Positive reviews not only improve your online reputation but also encourage more people to click through to your website. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and always respond to reviews, whether they’re positive or negative, to show your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Publish Posts and Updates

GMB allows you to publish posts and updates, similar to social media. Use this feature to share news, promotions, events, and valuable content from your website. Regularly publishing updates keeps your GMB listing fresh and engaging, encouraging users to explore your website for more information.

Utilize Google Insights

Google My Business provides valuable insights into how users interact with your listing. Pay attention to these insights to understand what works and what doesn’t. Adjust your strategy accordingly, focusing on the content and features that drive the most organic traffic to your website.

Optimize for Local SEO

Local search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for attracting organic traffic relevant to your business. Ensure that your website is optimized for local keywords, and use them strategically in your GMB listing. By aligning your website and GMB profile, you’ll increase your chances of ranking higher in local search results.

Monitor and Update Regularly

Maintaining your GMB profile is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your listing for accuracy, update your business information as needed, and continue engaging with customers through reviews and posts. Consistency is key to sustaining and growing your organic traffic over time.

Google My Business is a potent tool for driving organic traffic to your website. By creating a detailed profile, encouraging customer reviews, publishing engaging content, utilizing insights, optimizing for local SEO, and staying vigilant in your efforts, you can harness the full potential of GMB to boost your online visibility and attract more visitors to your website. In today’s digital landscape, a well-optimized GMB listing is an essential component of any successful online marketing strategy.

Screenshot of a Richmond, VA Google map image showing that Harbor Freight Tools has an offer available

Map Success

In today’s crowded market, businesses constantly seek innovative ways to stand out in the crowd and attract more customers. One powerful tool that has emerged to help businesses achieve this goal is Google Maps. With over 1 billion monthly active users, Google Maps has become a go-to resource for people seeking local businesses and services. To harness the full potential of this platform, savvy businesses are turning to featured ads and offers. In this blog post, we’ll explore how using offers and deals can help your business appear as a featured ad on Google Maps, driving more foot traffic and online engagement.

The Power of Google Maps for Businesses

Google Maps for businesses has become an essential tool for consumers looking for local products and services. Whether someone is searching for a nearby restaurant, a hardware store, or a beauty salon, Google Maps provides a wealth of information, including user reviews, photos, and contact details.

Being featured on Google Maps offers several advantages:

  • Increased Visibility: A featured ad prominently displays your business on the map, making it more likely for users to discover you.
  • Trust and Credibility: Positive reviews and ratings on Google Maps build trust with potential customers.
  • Driving Foot Traffic: For brick-and-mortar stores, being on Google Maps can lead to increased foot traffic and in-store sales.

Now, let’s explore how offers and deals can help you leverage these advantages to the fullest.

Leveraging Offers and Deals

Google Maps allows businesses to create and promote offers and deals to attract potential customers. Here’s how you can make the most of this feature:

  • Create Irresistible Offers: Start by crafting enticing offers that stand out. Consider discounts, BOGO (Buy One, Get One) deals, or special promotions. The goal is to give users a compelling reason to choose your business over competitors.
  • Use Eye-Catching Imagery: A picture is worth a thousand words. Upload high-quality images that showcase your products or services alongside your offer. Visuals grab attention and make your listing more appealing.
  • Highlight Limited Time Offers: Urgency can be a powerful motivator. Set an expiration date for your offers to create a sense of urgency, encouraging users to take action quickly.
  • Encourage Engagement: Engage with customers who have redeemed your offers by asking them to leave reviews on Google Maps. Positive reviews can boost your credibility and attract more customers.
  • Track and Optimize: Google provides analytics tools to track the performance of your offers. Use these insights to refine your strategies and understand what works best for your target audience.
  • Combine Offers with Google Ads: Consider running Google Ads campaigns that include your offers. This can further enhance your visibility on Google Maps and across the Google ecosystem.
  • Respond to Customer Queries and Reviews: Engage with customers by responding to their questions and reviews promptly. Good customer service can leave a lasting positive impression.
  • Consistency Is Key: Keep your business information up-to-date. This includes your address, phone number, business hours, and website. Consistency in your online presence is crucial for user trust.

Measuring Success

To determine the effectiveness of your featured ads and offers on Google Maps, pay attention to key metrics like:

  • Click-Through Rate (CTR): How many users clicked on your ad?
  • Conversion Rate: How many users redeemed your offers?
  • Customer Reviews: Are they positive and increasing?
  • Foot Traffic: Did you notice an uptick in visits to your physical location?

By regularly monitoring these metrics and adjusting your strategies accordingly, you can optimize your Google Maps presence and continue to attract new customers.

In conclusion, leveraging offers and deals on Google Maps can be a game-changer for your business. It not only enhances your visibility but also entices potential customers to choose your products or services over the competition. Remember that a well-crafted offer, combined with excellent customer service, can leave a lasting impression that keeps customers coming back for more. So, harness the power of Google Maps featured ads and offers to take your business to new heights of success.

image shows a full color Shopify Direct Mail piece touting the benefit of the Shopify platform.

Mail? In this Economy?

At a colleague’s today and this slick Shopify piece was still sitting on the side table post junk-sort. It’s a beautiful direct mail piece – my picture doesn’t do it justice. Most people would consider a $1-2 lead generation piece to an unqualified prospect as exorbitant, but hear me out – the product is $390 per year. They have room to experiment.

Most days there is little to no competition in your prospect’s physical mailbox, even if their inbox is screaming. Shopify has clearly moved to an omnichannel marketing program to continue to enlarge their pool of prospects. Of course you still need an outstanding mail package to stay out of the recycling bin, but now more than ever, direct mail is an outstanding way to qualify prospects and grow your business.

image shows a spool of red thread

Threading the Needle

On July 5th, Meta unveiled Thread, the latest entrant in the crowded social media space and positioned it as a text microblogging platform tied to Instagram. Thanks to the enormous launch pad, Thread was immediately flooded with millions of users.

If you have not already secured your brand or product name you should do so immediately, even if you do not plan to use the service routinely. Set your name up as a placeholder following your brand identity and perhaps a pointer to your most updated social media platform.

Similar to Twitter, a microblogging service allows for brief text and image interactions between followers. The launch of a new, federated network opens up new opportunities for how you position your business on the platform as well as the “voice” you adopt for the platform. With Thread still in its earliest phases it’s the perfect time to experiment and see what engagement you’re able to obtain.

If you’re looking for assistance in positioning your business on Thread please reach out!

a whiskey bottle exploding under the force of impact

Metamorphosis

There’s never a good way to explain a long absence from the internet, but suffice it to say, I’m back with a shiny updated site and a renewed focus on independent consulting.

It’s been far too long since the my last update. I’ve missed connecting with you, sharing valuable information, and keeping you up to date with the latest business news.

I have numerous projects in motion and I hope you’ll stick around to see where I’m headed!

Fall Garden

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A quick peek at the fall garden – lots of romaine lettuce, spinach and more broccoli in this bed. I also did another bed of leeks and onions but didn’t photograph them.

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The peppers are holding out nicely still dropping new fruit. The Brussels sprouts are going gangbusters and I can’t wait to cook them up for the kids! I still have to figure out how to harvest them…

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Not some bizarre Seuss thing, the kale has held out nicely and helped me add some zesty crunch to the salads at school!

Flying to…

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