3-minute read

The first two things every local business should set up online when they start marketing are a Google Business Profile (formally GMB) and a Yext Powerlisting.

Small businesses with American-made products and local services are highly regarded right now due to people’s disgust with corporate greed and a jittery economy. I know what you are thinking, what is this “American-made” thing you are talking about?

Well, products used to be made in the good ole U.S. of A. but everything got outsourced across seas to boost profits, and look at where that got us… A lack of trust in foreign markets and issues getting imported goods across borderlines have given these American companies a distinct advantage over their counterparts.

What are the best ways to demonstrate that your business is local and capitalize on this advantage when marketing online? Create or update your online local listings, social profiles, and business website.

 

Maximize Your Local Online Listings, Especially The Big Dog

It is easy to overlook your online listings if you do not understand how important they are to your local business marketing. Local listings include directories, apps, and social profiles. They are publicly available databases that display facts about your business like an online business card, but better.

They include your physical address or local service area, phone number, website URL, hours, the category or industry that best describes your business, and more. A good online listing clearly shows customers that you are a local business they can trust. Make sure to completely fill out all fields that apply to your business.

Google My Business (now known as GBP) is THE MOST EFFECTIVE online listing available today no matter what your business does or other marketing you do. One reason a Google Business Profile is better than the rest is that it’s dynamic. It gives you resources to connect with customers in several ways, share relevant updates about you, read and write reviews, analyze data insights, and so much more.

But the real power of this tool is its ability to increase the online visibility of your business on Google search to your local target audience 10-fold. Google allows you to optimize your business listing for search and market the information people are looking for upfront without the user even clicking through to your website.

Imagine that, the Google search engine loves to promote its own Google products! Interesting.

 

Manage & Update Multiple Local Listings, Profiles, & Apps Under One Hood

While Google Business Profiles are a phenomenal localized marketing tool, not all of your prospective customers will find your business online this way. After all, it is just one avenue in the ocean of digital listings. So how can you ensure your target audience will find you? By keeping all of your online business profiles updated, especially during an unstable time in the USA that makes you even more in demand.

At this point, you may think, I do not have time to do all that! Don’t worry, no one does. The good news is that is exactly why YEXT was created!

Yext is a data management tool that tracks and manages your business’ local information across 70+ online directories, profiles, and apps under one hood. Using Yext, you can sync key information about your business to ensure customers are able to contact you, visit your physical location or view your service area, find out about your hours, check on and write reviews, post photos of your work or food, and so many more special marketing features.

Yext Powerlistings takes a process that would otherwise be time-consuming and labor-intensive and completes it in minutes. This local marketing tool updates all of your online business listings whenever you make a change including Google Profile, Facebook, Yelp, Bing, Uber, Postmates, Apple, Chamber of Commerce, YellowPages, Instagram, Snapchat, and others.

In terms of search engine optimization (SEO), Google views Yext as a valid means of building 70+ high-quality links to your website.

 

Give The Squirrel His/Her Nut! They Want To Find You, So Help Them

The pandemic and harsh economic times may have harmed many businesses, but your business can survive this if you focus your marketing more locally online. The key is making sure customers can easily find you digitally and in the real world, wherever they are looking, and giving them exactly what they are looking for no matter what is going on in the world.

Don’t be a nut, this is definitely not the time to neglect your local listings or local marketing. Just do it!

If consumers cannot find your business online, it may as well not exist nowadays. If they can’t quickly find out if you are open or not, or how to contact you or drive to you, or other important info then you are forcing them to pick a competitor.

 

Quick Takeaways:

  • Utilize your Google Business Profile to its fullest potential, after all, it is FREE and the most used local listing in the online world.
  • Leverage Yext to update your business information across more than 70 directories, profiles, and apps. Consistency is key and quick updates make all the difference compared to the 30-120 day alternative.

Tag Marketing is here for you when you need us most. Download our FREE ebook online that details local marketing strategies that can help save your business today and long term.

 

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