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Want to Cut Back on Advertising Costs This Winter?

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Each year, we hear from a handful of clients who wish to decrease their spending during the winter. Most often, it’s due to the overwhelming costs of the holiday season. We want to make sure small business owners are able to enjoy the holidays with their families without stressing about their online advertising, so we’ve put together a guide for cutting back on advertising costs without doing long-term damage.
Here’s what you should, and shouldn’t, do when you want to temporarily minimize your Internet marketing expenses.

Definitely…

Create a budgeting plan in advance. If you anticipate difficulty paying for advertising during the winter months—whether it’s due to holidays or your company’s slow season—you can actually plan ahead. Prospect Genius offers flexible financing, so if you’re expecting heavier cash flow during the spring and summer than in the winter, you can pay extra ahead of time. Instead of paying the same amount every month, regardless of your company’s fluctuating profits, you can choose to pay more while you have a surplus and pay less while you’re tightening your belt.
For example, if you’re signed up for our $299/month Core program, you could pay $50 extra per month from March through November while you have increased profits, and then you would only have to pay $75 in December and $75 in January. This allows you to keep your online presence strong, prepare for the seasonal increase in demand, and beat out your competition that didn’t made such a wise decision.

Feel Free To…

Pause your pay-per-click campaign (if you have one). This type of advertising program is designed to turn on and off very easily without causing damage to your overall web presence. Because you pay for clicks as they come in, you can choose to stop the campaign, and all that will happen is that you will stop seeing PPC leads and site visits until you resume payment.
If you’re serious about decreasing your spending and you don’t mind your business’s leads taking a hit, this measure could really help. We recommend it especially if you provide seasonal services like landscaping or junk hauling, which are naturally slow during the winter. You can save the PPC costs and campaign management fees while only missing out on a small amount of traffic.

Do NOT…

Stop your SEO campaign, under any circumstances. SEO is a lifestyle. Since search engine optimization is an ongoing, strategically tiered and integrated process, it must be kept consistently intact. There is no “pause” button. As SEO providers, we must create, update, and maintain many listings for your business. If we have to take all of your listings down because you stopped your campaign, then your web presence will take an enormous hit.
In fact, if you do toy around with your online presence by stopping and starting your SEO, you run the risk of Google perceiving your actions as spam. If that happens, you could be looking at a very long delay before you recover. For example, some people affected by Google’s algorithm update nicknamed “Penguin” took action to rectify their infractions and were left waiting 12 months to find out whether those changes actually worked! All those people just had to sit and wait, hoping that they would recover, because it took Google 12 months to roll out an update to Penguin’s accompanying filter. You don’t want to be like those unfortunate people and put your entire web presence in limbo for a full year just to save money for two or three months.

We’re Here to Help

As our mission statement says, we exist to help small businesses thrive. Our bottom line is your success. We want you to enjoy the holidays without stressing about your company’s advertising budget or compromising your company’s well-being. Please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail us if you’d like to discuss your options for decreasing advertising costs this winter.

Google's New Policy Lets You Separate Business and Personal Accounts

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Do you remember having to pass along your Google log-in information when you first signed up with us? That’s because, due to one of Google’s flawed policies, we needed it in order to access your business’s listings and data.  It was a flawed policy because it forced you to consolidate all of your Google applications under one username, regardless of whether they were for personal or professional use. This policy created a lot of headaches and confusion, which is why we’re so relieved that it has been fixed.
Now, with the new dashboard launched as part of the new Google My Business, business owners can name a third party “manager” of their listings, which doesn’t require them to give out their log-in information. We believe it’s a huge improvement. Here’s why.

Better Privacy and Security

Google’s old policy meant that a third party (like us) could only access your Google+ Local, Google Places for Business, and Google Analytics data by using the same password that you used to log-in to personal applications like Gmail, Picasa, and Google Voice. An online marketer, no matter how trustworthy, should simply not have this kind of access to your personal accounts—but alas, that’s exactly what Google forced on us all.
Now, you can keep your private matters private while Prospect Genius works within the bounds of your business-related needs. We’ll be able to update your listings as needed, track your visibility and performance, and keep your campaign running smoothly without ever needing your personal password again.

Greater Control and Ownership

The previous policy also posed problems in regard to ownership. If you didn’t want to give out your personal log-in information, the only way around it was to eject your listings from your personal account, thus completely relinquishing control and ownership over them. Then, the third party would claim that listing as the “owner” in order to manage it as needed. Understandably, this made lots of folks feel uncomfortable. What if the marketer was unprofessional or ineffective? The business owner would have zero control over what happened to their listing.
Thankfully, the new policy allows business owners to maintain ownership of their listings while third parties simply become the managers of Google My Business. This way, if there’s a conflict, the business owner has the final say—as it should be.

Heightened Efficacy and Power

When Google created its old policy, it assumed that every individual performed his or her own Internet marketing, SEO, and PPC. That’s simply not the case. Frankly, small business owners who specialize in a specific trade should not be attempting their own online advertising in the first place (a topic we’ve covered extensively). The simple reality is that DIY management of Google Places listings, Google AdWords, and Google Analytics by inexperienced individuals is not effective. Unfortunately, this policy led a lot of small business owners to attempt it themselves, for fear of giving a stranger total access to their e-mail and other personal applications.
Now, small business owners can hire a professional like us to manage their Google My Business accounts without worrying about compromising their privacy. The experienced and AdWords-certified professionals at Prospect Genius can work their magic on your company’s listings while you have some peace of mind. The result? A powerful online advertising campaign that packs a lot more punch.

Set Up Your Manager Today

No business owner should have to choose between their personal privacy and their company’s web presence. Thankfully, Google’s new policy provides you with security while also enabling you to maximize your online advertising by turning over managerial control to the pros at Prospect Genius.
All you have to do is add our e-mail address to the account as your Google My Business manager. It’s that easy! Just contact your Account Manager now for specific details.
As always, call or e-mail us with any questions you may have.

Outdated Google Hacks You Need to Stop Using

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Google is constantly refining and updating its algorithms to generate the most helpful and relevant search results possible for its users. As a business owner in the year 2014, you’re well aware of this. You’ve probably seen firsthand the changes—some more subtle than others—in Google+ Local, Google Places for Business, and even standard Google search pages. But did you know that these algorithm changes have a significant impact on the advertising strategies that businesses are allowed to use?
In this post, we’ll detail some previously popular Google hacks that are now prohibited.

1. Creating Multiple Listings

To trick Google into thinking your business and/or physical location was more prominent than it was, you used to be able to create multiple listings with information that was half true and half false. Now, however, this practice would never fly. Google cross-references every piece of information you include to ensure that there’s only one listing for every distinct business location and that all of the information is 100% correct.
When we talk about multiple listings, this includes:

  • A new listing for every nearby zip code
  • Multiple listings with fake addresses for the same business
  • Listings with the same address but different, fake business names

For example, we once had a client from Boston who, against our advice, used the same street address in 26 different listings, one for each of the local zip codes. Twenty-six! The party ended quickly, though, when Google yanked all of his listings one day. His average of 40 calls per month plummeted to zero almost immediately. We’ll tell you what we told him: This is a spam tactic, and it is a terrible idea.

2. Leaving Fake Reviews

In the past, you could ask your friends and family all at once to go to your Google Maps listing and leave anonymous reviews of your company. You could even post your own fake reviews. But now, you need to be logged in to a Google account in order to leave a review. Google is also able to detect when multiple reviews are being posted in the same time frame, so having your friends and family blast your listing with reviews will only backfire. Moreover, posting more than one review from the same IP address is a huge red flag to Google, so you also can’t have a computer at your store or repair shop for customers to post reviews before they leave.
Now, if you want reviews, you just have to count on real customers to take initiative from the privacy of their own homes.

3. Using P.O. Boxes

In order for Google to consider you a legitimate business, you must have a physical street address. Google must be able to identify your storefront in order to weed out businesses that are lying about their actual location or business name. While Google used to just mail you a postcard with a verification PIN, which meant all you really needed was an accessible mailbox, it will now send its fleet of vehicles to confirm that your business actually exists at the address you listed. If you are being dishonest about your business’s location, the jig will be up before you know it.

4. Remaining Ignorant About Your Online Footprints

Finally, remaining unaware of the condition of your web presence is a huge no-no. While blissful ignorance may not have had a huge impact on your Google rankings a few years ago, the latest algorithms have put a much heavier emphasis on consistency. The result is that any trace of mismatching or inaccurate information could negatively affect your campaign’s performance.
Even if you haven’t outwardly deceived Google or falsified information on your listing, you may not realize that there’s inconsistent information out there about your business. Some of the most frequent problems we see are inconsistencies in business names, street addresses, and phone numbers. Sometimes these mistakes happen because you legitimately moved locations but forgot to update the info on one of your accounts. Other times, the info might be 99% matching except for punctuation (for example, “B & B Appliance Repair” on Google+ Local and “B + B Appliance Repair” on Yelp will not necessarily count as matches). While these may be completely honest mistakes, they can cause your performance to slide.

WebFax® and CleanSlate™ to the Rescue!

Whether you’re guilty of intentionally bending the rules or you just aren’t sure whether you’ve committed any of these faux pas in the past, Prospect Genius has the solution.
If you want to see what kind of condition your web presence is in, we’ll run a WebFax report. A WebFax report will show all the different phone numbers, company names, addresses, and websites that are out there for your business. This can be the first step in fixing existing problems or it can simply be a measure to help you maintain awareness of your Internet presence. Most people won’t buy a car without a CARFAX report: WebFax is the online advertising equivalent.
If your WebFax report shows problems that need to be fixed, our CleanSlate program is the next step toward recovery. CleanSlate will work to clean up past bad behavior, inconsistent info, and other issues that can prevent current and future web advertising from being successful. Because outdated phone numbers, addresses, websites, and company names on the Internet can make you look like a spammer to Google, it’s important to correct them as soon as possible.

Keep It Clean

Google is a multibillion-dollar corporation. It has the resources to catch you in a lie. For that reason, it’s best to avoid these shady Google hacks. While they may have been effective at one point, they are only going to get you into trouble today. To make sure that your web presence is impeccable, get a WebFax report from us and, if necessary, follow it up with our CleanSlate program. Don’t put it off for one more day—call now to get started and ensure your online advertising has the foundation for success.

How Having a Large Number of Customer Reviews Can Save Your Business

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

At Prospect Genius, we’re pushing to improve our own web presence through increased customer reviews and social media activity. As we embark on this long-term project, we thought it would be helpful to illustrate why it’s so important for your company to have a large pool of customer reviews online.
In fact, customer reviews might be what save your business one day. Here’s how.

A Lot of Good Outweighs the Bad

Negative reviews are like vinegar. If a salad dressing or cleaning solution had too much vinegar, what would you do? You would dilute it. Diluting the solution doesn’t change the amount of vinegar, but it does change the solution’s overall composition so that the bite isn’t as strong. The same logic applies to your company’s reviews: While you can’t extract a negative review from your listing, you can flood your listing with so many other customer reviews that a negative one has very little effect.
If you can acquire a large volume of customer reviews before a negative one hits, that’s even better.
Take Conner & Sons Repair, one of our esteemed clients, for example. Serving the Detroit area, Conner & Sons has an impressive Google+ Local listing with a rating of 4.8/5.0 stars from 29 reviews. Given that the overwhelming majority of its reviews are 5 stars, one or two negative reviews read like the flukes that they are. Without 27 or 28 other positive reviews surrounding them, those negative reviews would carry more weight in the eyes of prospective customers.
Note: The owner of Conner & Sons Repair actually responds to one of the negative reviews directly, which highlights the company’s attentiveness and commitment to customer service. Responding to negative reviews is actually a very smart strategy. Read more about it in our previous post, “Keep Calm and Carry On: How to Respond to a Negative Review.”

Boost Search Engine Rankings

Reviews are important as more than just a reputation defense strategy, however. They also pack a super SEO punch.
According to Jayson DeMers, a contributing writer at Forbes, “Regular reviews are important both in terms of your organic search rankings and new customer acquisition. Businesses who have frequent reviews are seen positively by Google and by potential customers. Thus, a herd of raving customers is good for both sales and SEO.”
In the same article, “Your Guide To Customer Reviews For Organic Search Rankings In 2014,” DeMers also adds that Google’s algorithms weigh recent reviews more heavily than older ones. He even suggests that the nature of customer reviews may soon matter, as well: “Google can measure whether a review is positive or negative. While they’re not currently penalizing businesses for poor reviews, they may in future algorithm changes.”
In fact, Matt Cutts, the head of Google’s web spam team, recently hinted at a future algorithm update that might reward merchants with positive reviews and penalize those with negative ones. In Danny Sullivan’s coverage of Cutts’s SXSW conference panel, Sullivan quotes Cutts: “We have a potential launch later this year, maybe a little bit sooner, looking at the quality of merchants and whether we can do a better job on that, because we don’t want low quality experience merchants to be ranking in the search results.”

Increase Your Reviews

We’ve written extensively on this topic before, but here are the basic ideas you’ll want to keep in mind:

  • Make it as easy as possible for customers to leave reviews.
  • Ask for reviews directly (particularly from loyal, repeat customers).
  • Act quickly, preferably as soon as your service is completed.

For more in-depth instructions, read our full post, “Make Your Presence Known: Get More Customer Reviews Online.”

The Takeaway

Having a solid reputation with your customers is great, but it isn’t going to help bring in new business unless prospects can also find you online. Collecting more customer reviews will make your listings more visible to those who are searching for your services. And for your future prosperity, you’ll want to make sure those reviews are as positive as possible. With an update to Google’s algorithms looming in the near future, you’ll want to take action sooner than later.

Online Advertising Can't Always Save You

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Time and time again, we see desperate business owners frantically sign up for online advertising services as a last resort to save their companies. Their logic is that a quick advertising push will generate the leads they need to get their business back on track.
Unfortunately, no form of advertising is going to turn your company around in one month. Here’s why.

Online Advertising Is Not a Life Raft

Online advertising can be the vessel that carries you to your destination, but it isn’t going to be what saves you once you’ve capsized.
“If running an SEO or PPC campaign is a do-or-die situation, then there are probably many more pressing business issues that should take precedence over online marketing,” says Nathan Pabich, director of paid search and expert blogger at Digital Third Coast.
We couldn’t agree more. Using online advertising as a last-ditch effort to generate more leads before your business downsizes is, frankly, a poor idea. If the state of your company is that critical, then the last thing you need to do is divert precious resources toward advertising that will take months to produce results.
Instead, SEO and PPC should be viewed from the start as necessary business expenses on the same level as new equipment for your technicians or certification courses to boost your trade skills. You should use online advertising as a way to generate a steady stream of customers on a consistent, long-term basis in order to gradually grow your company and reach your revenue goals. Plus, utilizing an Internet marketer while your business is still strong will put you in a much better position to field the eventual influx of customer calls and handle the increased demand on your staff.

Online Advertising: Slow and Steady

So why, exactly, are SEO and PPC suited for long-term solutions rather than short-term bandages?
As we’ve explained in previous posts, SEO can take up to three months to have a significant impact on your advertising campaign. While signs of progress may arise before those three months are up, those few, early results won’t be significant enough to bring your company back from the brink.
The same goes for PPC. While it may work more quickly than SEO, PPC still demands a great deal of monitoring, experimenting, and analyzing in order to reach its full potential for success. Plus, most Internet marketing professionals agree that PPC is most effective after SEO has already taken effect. (We talk about this extensively in our post, “Optimize Your Site Before You Bid on AdWords.”) That means you can’t go from having zero online presence to being flooded with leads just by using PPC for a couple of weeks.

Climb Aboard While There’s Still Time

Effective advertising takes time, expertise, and money, which are commodities you don’t necessarily have in abundance if your business is floundering. The solution is to sign up for an Internet marketing campaign before your company reaches its low point.
If you can sense that your company isn’t necessarily nose-diving but it is losing a little bit of steam at a time, jump on board with SS Prospect Genius before it’s too late!

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