Fort collins Google Places with The Local Marketing Guy Rob Smith

transcript

- T h e L o c a l M a r k e t i n g G u y

facebook.com/SocialMediaVIDEOmarketing

p: 970-430-6020 m: 970-710-1298 e: robjsmithjr@gmail.com ©Rob Printing, LLC

Put Your Business On The Map

P R E S E N T E D b y

- T h e L o c a l M a r k e t i n g G u y

INTRODUCTIONWho Am I and Why Should YouListen To Me?

3p: 970-430-6020 m: 970-710-1298 e: robjsmithjr@gmail.com ©Rob Printing, LLC

The Local Marketing Guy

INTRODUCTIONWho Am I and Why Should You Listen To Me?

I focus on getting local businesses more customers by getting themfound on the Internet first.

INTRODUCTIONWho Am I and Why Should You Listen To Me?

• Advertising & Marketing since 1995 as a creative & art director.• Worked on both client and agency side to get full exposure.• Started to experiment advertising strategies online in 1994.• Integrated offline and online marketing strategies.• Experience in building marketing strategies and creative with the biggest brands in the USA all the way to the ma & pop businesses.

Plus More

INTRODUCTION

Just a Few Brands That I Have Helped Market in the past and currently.

Plus More

GUESS WHAT! Everyone on these brands need to market at the local level.

INTRODUCTION

• Why Local Internet Marketing is one of the best ways to generate new customers

• How Google Places fits into your online presence

• How the online habits of local consumers can affect your findability

• This is a NO TECHIE ZONE

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN TODAYYOUR BUSINESS or PERSONAL BRAND HAS TO BE FINDABLE ONLINE

WHAT IS LOCAL INTERNET MARKETING?

• Geographical targeting of consumers for local products and services

• Consumers search differently when they are ready to buy locally

• Although it is becoming less necessary, most consumers put a Geographic Modifier (city name, zip code, neighborhood) when searching for local products and services

Fort Collins Remodeling

LOCAL CONSUMER SHOPPING HABITS?THINK ABOUT HOW YOU SHOP

• If you’ve purchased a TV within the last year you probably, did your research online

• You read reviews and specs online

• The one thing you probably didn’t do…

Hit The Add To Cart ButtonWe Want It Now!

LOCAL CONSUMER SHOPPING HABITS

• Most consumers research products and services online but prefer to buy locally

• And when they are ready, they generally perform a “Local Search” (city, zip, neighborhood) – for a LOCAL BUSINESS to purchase their product service

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?Local Searchers Are

READY TO BUY!

Potential Customers Are LookingFor You Online...

Potential Customers Are LookingFor You Online... RIGHT NOW!

ARE YOU THERE?

YOUR BUSINESS & THE INTERNET

• Just a few short years ago, there was no internet as we know it today

• Marketing to consumers was done primarily through:– Newspaper ads– Print Yellow Page ads– Mailers– TV advertising– Radio ads

THE INTERNET CHANGED THINGS... FAST!

• Initially, used to share information and communicate

• Big Businesses found they could reach customers globally

• Every major business developed an internet presence

• Internet became a Trillion Dollar Industry!

*Webvisible & Nielson

THE PLAYING FIELD IS LEVELEDLOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES CAN COMPETE!

• Search engines are now the number one resource for finding local business information

• 86% of consumers surveyed use the Internet to find local products and services. These numbers are growing everyday too!

• 80% say they research a product or service online and then make their purchase offline from a local business

• Many small business owners feel large advertising budgets are needed to compete in their own backyard (Their Local Market Place)

• NOW – you can market your business on the internet and compete with big companies – using a much smaller marketing budget … WHILE FOCUSING ON LOCAL CONSUMERS

Being Findable Online is More Affordable Than You Might Think!

Potential Customers Are LookingFor You Online...

ARE YOU FINDABLE?HAVING A WEBSITE IS JUST PART OF THE EQUATION

• You already know having an internet presence is very important with or without a website

• You may already have a website

• But now what do you do?

• Is your business findable by local consumers using the internet?

• Or do you have a...

"Billboard In The Desert"?

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT A WEBSITEIT’S ABOUT MARKETING ONLINE!

Business Directories

Online ClassifiedsBusiness Directories

Online Video

Social Media

Online Video

Social Media

Online Video

Mobile Media

WHAT ARE CONSUMERS LOOKING FOR?SURVEY QUESTION:What information do you expect to find when searching for local businesses online?

Phone Address Hours Website

WHAT ARE CONSUMERS LOOKING FOR?SURVEY QUESTION:What information do you expect to find when searching for local businesses online?

Phone Address Hours Website

REMEMBER… IT’S NOT

ALL ABOUTA WEBSITE!

Google Bing Yahoo Others

WHERE ARE CONSUMERS LOOKING?GO WHERE THE BUYERS ARE

7.46 3.3

This chart summarizes the market share percentage for the top search engines in 2010 according to Stat Owl

7.46 3.3

This usage analysis shows that Google is the most utilized search engine81.14

7.46 3.3

PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAPGOOGLE PLACES FOR LOCAL BUSINESS

• Recognizing the Local Search upward trend

• Google created Google Places

• Google Places are FREE INTERNET business listings that can be found when people search for a LOCAL BUSINESSES

When consumers look for local products and services Googlewill show relevant business resultsand information aboutLocal Businesses

You could be here with an Optimized Places Listing

These are paid listing that can cost several dollars per “CLICK”

You could be here with an Optimized Places Listing

BENEFITS OF AN OPTIMIZED PLACES LISTINGMAKE IT EASIER FOR CUSTOMERS TO FIND YOU

• Local Internet Marketing Address, phone # and website displayed FREE Add more info, photos, videos to Stand Out – FREE

Be FoundGet More Customers

BENEFITS OF AN OPTIMIZED PLACES LISTINGMOBILE FRIENDLY

Geo-Tagging & Smart Phone Use Mobile web traffic is expected to increase by

700% next 5 yrs Google tracks location of phones doing

searches Smart Phones are estimated to have 51% of

the market share by 2011 Q3 Your business can be found by both Computer

AND Smart Phone users

Geo-Tagging & Smart Phone Use Mobile web traffic is expected to increase by

700% next 5 yrs Google tracks location of phones doing

searches Smart Phones are estimated to have 51% of

the market share by 2011 Q3 Your business can be found by both Computer

AND Smart Phone users•

• Customized QR Codes• Matrix Barcode readable by Smart Phones• Download QR Code from Places Dashboard• Use on marketing materials, business window• When scanned, customer is taken to mobile version of

Google Places listing – chock full of your business’ info

• Customized QR Codes• Matrix Barcode readable by Smart Phones• Download QR Code from Places Dashboard• Use on marketing materials, business window• When scanned, customer is taken to mobile version of

Google Places listing – chock full of your business’ info

BENEFITS OF AN OPTIMIZED PLACES LISTINGGOOGLE PLACES FOR LOCAL BUSINESS

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?GOOGLE PLACES SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR LOCAL INTERNET MARKETING STRATEGY

• Even with a small marketing budget – you can be found by local consumers

• Findable on the Internet = More Customers & More Profits for your business

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACES

• Create a Google account if you don’t have one

• Create a Google account if you don’t have one• Go to: www.google.com/places

• Create a Google account if you don’t have one• Go to: www.google.com/places • Or login using your Gmail username & password

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACESINFORMATION YOU NEED FOR YOUR LISTING

• Company/Organization Name • It's important to list your business just as it is anywhere else that

you advertise. Your real business name as you would list it in the phonebook

• If Google detects a discrepancy between your business name,

your Website, other online advertising and Google Places listings, you could potentially be penalized

• Business Address• If you are a business where the client always comes to you

to do business, then you are going to want to list your storefront address

• If you are in a business where you go to your customers’ houses or workplaces or if you work from home, Google allows you to hide your address

• Phone Number• You’ll want to use a local phone number instead

of toll free number. You want your customers (and Google) to recognize the number as a local number they can trust

After you login click on “List your business”

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACESAfter you login click on “List your business”

Select your country & enter your Business phone

Select “Find business information.”

If your business appears you can “Claim” your listing

Enter Basic information: • Business Name • Address • Phone Number • Email Address • Website • Description of your business

– Your description should describe “What Your Business Does”

– Not “Who You Are”

YOUR COMPANY - Phone - Email

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACESTHE IMPORTANCE OF A DESCRIPTION

• Create a keyword-rich, well targeted description

• Use as much of the 200 characters as you can

• Provide a human readable description that targets words that potential customers would use to search for your business type

YOUR COMPANY - Phone - Email

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACESTHE IMPORTANCE OF A DESCRIPTION

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACESTHE IMPORTANCE OF A CATEGORY CHOICES

• Categories: – Picking the right categories is critical for optimizing

the listing– You must select at least one of Google’s categories– Up to 4 more categories can be custom– Place your categories in order of importance

ADDING YOUR BUSINESS TO GOOGLE PLACESTHE IMPORTANCE OF A CATEGORY CHOICES

• Categories should say what your business is (e.g. Real Estate Agent), not what it does (e.g. List and Sell Homes)

• Put most important category names in order top to bottom

• Put most important category names in order top to bottom• If Google has pre populated categories that fit your needs, use those

• Choose whether all customers

come to the business or the business serves customers at there locations

• Here you can hide your address if you have a home based business or no storefront

• You may also specify how far you travel to serve customers

Add your hours of operation and payment options

You may also add any photos, ad images and promotional videos you may have for your business

• Tell prospects about your

products and services

• Brands you carry

• Compelling information about your business

• Validate your listing with a PIN– Choose to validate by phone call to

your business number (immediate)– Or a postcard to your business

address (2-3 weeks) – Enter PIN to activate your account

ADDITIONAL FEATURES OF GOOGLE PLACES

• Offers Section: Create a coupon

• Offers Section: Create a coupon• Customer can print coupon or show it on

mobile phone to get discount

GOOGLE PLACES REVIEWSLET YOUR CUSTOMERS SPREAD THE WORD

• Reviews by customers can enhance your Google Places ranking

• Some ideas for soliciting reviews are:– Call your best customers and ask– Append the request to e-mail newsletters– Ask for a review during follow-up calls– E-mail a review request to happy customers

CHOOSING YOUR KEYWORDSHOW TO CONSUMERS LOOK FOR YOU?

• Keyword selection is the most important part of optimizing your Google Places listing – and also the most difficult

• Proper keyword selection is critical for ensuring the right customers find your products and/or services

TOO POWERFUL TO IGNOREMIND OF THE LOCAL CONSUMER

• 43% of all searches on Google are related to searches for local services or businesses – (comScore Networks).

• 97% of consumers use the Internet to find and research products or services in their local area - (The Kelsey Group).

• 82% of people performing an online local search follow-up via an online inquiry, phone call or visit to an offline local business. Searchers decide which local business to spend their money at by the businesses they find on the Internet - (Local Marketing Source).

TAKE THE FIRST STEPBECOME FINDABLE WHEN LOCAL CONSUMERS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU

• An Optimized Google Places Listing is just one local marketing strategy that needs to be implemented to ensure local customers find your business

• People search online in many ways

• A presence in multiple places online will make it easier for people to find your business

MAKE THE DECISION TODAYYOU CAN’T AFFORD TO NOT BE FINDABLE

• You now have the knowledge to– Get started– Do something– Start leveraging the incredible tools and

opportunities available to you

MAKE THE DECISION TODAYYOU CAN’T AFFORD TO NOT BE FINDABLE

THANKS! TILL NEXT TIME!

I focus on getting local businesses more customers by getting them

found on the Internet first.

Social Media VIDEO Marketing will be happy to discuss your local internet marketing needs with you and implement the appropriate strategies for an optimized internet presence.

Rob Smith orRepresentative at Social Media VIDEO Marketing

www.SocialMediaVIDEOmarketing.comrobjsmithjr@gmail.com

p: (970) 430-6020 m: (970) 710-1298

Fort collins Google Places with The Local Marketing Guy Rob Smith

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