Raise your hand if you wish Google would stop making secret updates already! Just when you think you’ve mastered local search, Google launches a change that turns everything on its head. This time, it’s the Hawk update. This latest update has serious, wide-reaching consequences for small, local businesses like yours. It’s crucial you understand the […]
It’s no secret you need photos and images to fill out your website. After all, who wants to look at a website that’s 100% text? This is one of the reasons we’re always asking our clients to send us pictures of their business. Whether they’re group shots of the whole staff, pictures of your storefront […]
We’ve lightly joked before that Facebook is the new Google. This is mainly because Facebook users are asking their social network for recommendations of local businesses rather than conducting their own searches on Google. However, as Wesley Young wrote in a recent article on Search Engine Land, Facebook has made several updates over the past […]
Have you gotten this phone call? Caller: “Hi, this is Alan from Vandelay Web Services. We scanned Google for your business and, according to our report, your business is not currently on Google.” You: “Uh… That’s weird because I work with an online marketing company that manages my Google listing for me.” Caller: “Well, your […]
Be on the lookout for any changes to your Google star rating! Seeking to provide a valuable user experience, Google has long highlighted customer reviews and star ratings on its business listings. However, Google has altogether changed the way it determines and displays a business’s star rating. Of course, it’s still based on customer reviews, but it […]
You want to be one of the first local businesses people see when they search for products or services you offer. Obviously, you know that to be prominent and visible in local search results, you need placement on Google Maps. So, it makes sense that you would start your online marketing efforts with a Google […]
How can a small business like yours compete with big brands? Four words: Focus on local search. The fact that you operate on a local level can be your biggest strength in the battle against large corporations. Many big names rank nationally in organic search results; however, they don’t necessarily have the upper hand when it […]
Now that you’ve hired an online marketing team to help your small business, your work is done, right? Not quite. It’s really tempting to want to hand your marketer the keys and never think about your website or Google again. However, that’s not how it works. During the initial weeks and months of working with your […]
If you’ve been frustrated with how difficult it is to monitor activity on your Google My Business account, you’ll be relieved to hear about some updates that just rolled out. Most notably, business owners are excited about an update that now pushes notifications to your dashboard. You can see in real time things like new […]
We’re always harping on business owners to up their photo game. Websites with photos simply perform much better than those without. Plain and simple. But did you know it’s just as important to have photos on your business’s Google profile, too? This hasn’t always been the case. In fact, it’s only been in the last […]
You’ve heard the saying, “Two heads are better than one.” You’ve probably heard it too many times to count. It’s so ingrained in our minds, in fact, that we apply it to virtually every situation we find ourselves in. However, there are many scenarios in which two heads are NOT better than one. Online advertising […]
You hire an online advertising company because you don’t want to do all the work yourself. We get it. But here’s the thing: Any worthwhile campaign is going to require a mild amount of effort on your part. Unless you want drop-you-in-a-directory, cookie-cutter advertising, you can’t be completely hands off when it comes to your campaign. You […]
Surprise, surprise: Google is making life more difficult for local business owners and online advertisers. This time, the problems have to do with Google’s new security measures, which have become markedly stricter in the last year. While tightening security is a good idea in theory, it’s been extremely problematic in execution, as it has created quite […]
When you hear us talk about SEO and lead generation, do you feel like Charlie Brown listening to his teacher go, “Wah wah-wah wah wah”? If you’re not someone who specializes in online advertising, it’s perfectly understandable to feel confused—and, frankly, a little bored—about what it is we do. However, it’s important to know a little […]
Does it feel like we’re always trumpeting some game-changing update to the online advertising world? You’re not wrong. But that’s because the online advertising world is always changing. As consumer behavior evolves, so must advertising. In the last couple of years, the most dramatic change in consumer behavior has been the rapidly growing usage of mobile devices. […]
If you have a Google+ Local listing, chances are Google is going to call your business—or they already have. That’s because when Google isn’t able to verify information about your business with their own resources, they pick up the phone to confirm that info with the owner. In particular, specific things, such as alterations or […]