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Apple Maps: How To Add It To Your Local Business

apple maps

How To Add Your Local Business To Apple Maps

Apple Maps (AM) is the third most popular map service on the market today and if you have a business, you WANT to be on it. With 23 million monthly unique visitors, they are right behind Google’s 154 million and Nokia HERE’s 27.7 million

So you may be wondering: Is it worth the time for a local business? 

As you’ll soon discover, you bet it’s a worthwhile investment and a key part of your local search and review management strategy. 

Apple Maps

In this remainder of this article, I will be covering the following:

  • What is Apple Maps?
  • Apple Maps vs. Google Maps
  • Siri with Apple Maps
  • Apple Maps and CarPlay
  • Who uses Apple Maps
  • How does Apple Maps handle Ratings and Reviews
  • How to get your business listed in Apple Maps
  • The future for Apple Maps
  • Why Apple Maps should be a Priority for your business

To begin with, this map service is a web mapping service exclusive to iOS, iPadOS, WatchOs and macOS. As the name suggests it’s built by Apple Inc., but before launch in 2012 they announced that their app would include turn-by-turn navigation, 3D maps with Flyovers from your phone or tablet (or computer), as well as Siri – all of which are designed exclusively for you!

In Case you didn’t already know, Maps in  Apple offers a variety of features that most people find extremely useful. Features like:

  • Turn-by-turn navigation with spoken instructions for vehicles, pedestrians, and public transportation.
  • Apple customers can use the app while driving via CarPlay, and via Siri, Apple’s voice assistant app.
  • It can also be used to see real-time traffic information. Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, is integrated into navigation.
  • Maps display points of interest provided by approximately twenty companies, including Booking.com, Foursquare, TripAdvisor, and Yelp.
  • Users can drop pins on the map to save places for later retrieval.
  • The satellite view features Flyovers, three-dimensional satellite views in designated locations.
  • The Nearby feature displays points of interest for each category. Points are shown with their names, distances, and reviews on Yelp.

This particular system also integrates with many third-party providers, such as Yelp and Booking which means you can use it to find a restaurant or hotel without having to switch back and forth from one service’s app to another. How cool is that?!

Apple Maps (AM) vs. Google Maps

So what’s the difference between these two maps? AM is an exclusive application to Apple devices, while Google Maps is available for both Android and iOS. There are some important differences that you should be aware of before installing either app on your device:

  • Apple shares data contextually taking a subtle approach. Google gives the user everything.
  • Apple has flyover mode, a 3D landscape of buildings and structures. Google has Street View.
  • Apple integrates Siri tightly with Apple Maps, and other apps in your phone (e.g., location data for your photos) tell Siri where you’d like to go, and navigation is seamless.
  • Google Voice Assistant works in a similar fashion but isn’t as tightly integrated with the rest of the software and hardware in your device.
  • Both Apple and Google integrate Maps with mobile devices, vehicles, watches, and smart speakers.
  • Apple Maps doesn’t hold onto your data!  Apple goes out of their way to protect your privacy. According to Apple, “When you use Apple Maps, your route from A to B is scrambled into sections on Apple servers because nobody else should know your entire route.“

If you want a navigation experience that’s seamless, one where the app is natively integrated with all of apple products, then it may be the best fit for you.

On the other hand, Google Maps is the best mapping tool on the market, providing you with detailed data and giving you access to a wide variety of information.

Both of these platforms are the best of both worlds and in my opinion, it’s a really good idea to add your business to both Google and Apple Maps. 

Siri with Apple Maps

Using Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, you can perform several different types of searches starting off with the activation  of the app by saying “Hey Siri.”

For example, you might say things like: 

  • Hey Siri, take me home.
  • Hey Siri, where is the nearest Pizza shop?
  • Hey Siri, what’s the traffic like in Philadelphia?
  • Hey Siri, what time is the Phillies game tonight?
  • Hey Siri, show me Independence Hall in Philadelphia?

Siri is remarkably intuitive, handling searches with several variables.

AM With CarPlay

With CarPlay, iPhone users can now start their car with a simple touch of the screen. And even better than that, you’ll never have to look down at your phone again – just take advantage of Siri’s voice control! And yes, It’s all hands-free of course. 

CarPlay with Siri voice control gives you the hands-free experience and navigation of AM without ever taking your eyes off the road. You can use both car controls as well or report issues using Apple Maps.

Who uses this maps system? Is this for you?

If you’re an Apple user then your maps are on apple’s map service. It was the default mapping app for all of their devices until Google Maps replaced it in 2012.

After all this said, this is why Apple Maps is important.

Apple says 1.65 billion Apple devices are in active use overall and 900 million to 1 billion+ users in 2019 with a total of 4.66 billion internet users worldwide as of 2021

and, Here’s why that should matter to you.

Apple Maps is more popular than Google Map on iPhones and Apple devices, as evidenced by its 3x greater usage. Yea, read that again!

But wait, There’s more.

Did you know that DuckDuckGo uses Apple Maps to display maps and navigation data in their search results?  I just learned this too!

Although DuckDuckGo doesn’t collect user information, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact number of users. However, earlier this year they hit an important milestone: 100 million searches per day! 

More people are using DuckDuckGo and although this may not seem like much, it’s significant because Duck Duck Go’s new users come from Google and Bing. It’s indirect competition!

This should be another huge reason to consider getting your business on Apple Maps!

==================================================

How does AM handle ratings and reviews?

Initially, Apple Maps relied on third-party providers like TripAdvisor and Yelp but has since decided to start rating businesses in their Maps app. For now, these ratings are being provided by third-party sources but it is only a matter of time before Apple decides to offer them themselves.

Apple’s rating system for products, services and businesses went live in 2019 with the MacOS 14 beta 6 update. This thumbs up/down ratings system allows users to rate their favorite things – it is a work in progress! 

Apple’s new rating system will allow users to leave reviews about local, regional and national businesses so now is a good time to get in with your business info.

The company has not shared the specific timeframe for adding content to their ratings and reviews yet. They have, however, mentioned that they hope “to add more services and features in future.”

Apple Maps

Now that you know all of this helpful information, Here’s how to get your business listed 

You can add your Apple Maps listing via Apple Maps Connect. A free Apple ID is required. Here’s how you do it.

  1. Head over to mapsconnect.apple.com
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID (you’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one)
  3. Search for your business using the search fields above. If you don’t see your business, you can also add it
  4. Once you’ve found your business, you’ll be prompted to verify your account
  5. Once verified, you’ll be able to edit the content on your page

At this point in time, you can add the following information to your listing:

  • Business Name and Phone Number
  • Business Address
  • Hours of Operation 
  • Place Status (Open / Closed)
  • Links to your apps, website, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter Profiles
  • Apple Pay Accepted (or Not)
  • Categories

Apple makes this a simple and straightforward process. Just follow the prompts, provide the necessary info, and your business should be ready to go!

You might be wondering what’s the future AM

Apple Maps is an essential part of the Apple product ecosystem, and it’s a service that offers marketers something different than Google does. Where other platforms want to lure in advertisers with slick marketing campaigns or free services like Waze, Apple prefers focusing on developing groundbreaking new products instead. As their line-up matures, they have moved into creating subscription plans for many features within its map app – such as traffic updates and satellite images.

Apple seems to be taking on Yelp and TripAdvisor with its own ratings service. The features of the reviews will most likely look very different than what we’ve been accustomed too in order for Apple to make a name for itself as an innovator.

This means the time to prepare is now and get in on the ground floor of this today!

Apple Maps should be a priority for your business

If you’ve got a business in this century and you want it to grow and expand, One of the biggest mistakes you could do is putting all your eggs in one basket. Not only does this risk your business, but it can also be an inconvenience for customers who want to leave a review with another site and need you to sign up first before they do so. 

This means that while Google receives the lion’s share of reviews, enough negative or mediocre ones could cost them potential new clients down the line if people associate these past stories as current occurrences instead of just bad luck or timing-related incidents.

In order to put a new innovative spin on your digital marketing strategy, take the time for review management. If you notice iOS users in analytics surveys and follow-ups, make sure that Apple Maps is part of your plan moving forward. Particularly because Apple makes it super easy!

We hope you’ve found this information helpful to your business. If you have questions, or need some help, just Contact Us. 

Regina Floyd

Regina L Floyd
Simple Online Business Development LLC
Regina@simpleobd.com
808 400 1460

Check Out Our Free Google My Business Video Course

Google My Business

6 Local Lead Generation Tips for Local Small Business Owners

6 Tips for Local Lead Generation

6 Local Lead Generation Tips For Small Businesses

When it comes to owning a small business, lead generation can be the difference between success and failure. As a business owner, you need repeat customers to stay afloat, but you also have to look for new leads online if you want your business to scale.

 

In today’s age of technology, it seems that everyone has a computer in their pocket in the way of a smartphone. 97% of people learn about local companies through the internet, on their phones, so if you’re not online to meet your customers’ needs and wants, they’ll go elsewhere for what they need!

 

The local lead generation strategies mentioned here provide a way for you to capture business from these searchers. 

 

It doesn’t require much cash up-front to generate leads and local customers who want your services when you know how to go about it. So, if your marketing budget is slim to none, this is the most efficient strategy when there is a lack of resources and your business can’t afford expensive advertisements, but you still need more people walking in through the door!

 

If your audience is localized in a small area, your competition can be high. The good news is you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on ads or marketing strategies with the methods we share here. Your business can receive the attention it needs without spending money you just don’t have. Lead Generation doesn’t have to be expensive.

lead generation for business

The following are 6 Lead Generation Tips for Local Businesses:

 

  1. Build an Email List Through Localized Lead Magnets

Lead magnets are a creative way to obtain and collect contact information of prospective leads. But since you’re a local business, there’s no point in sharing a generic lead magnet that will attract people across the globe. 

 

 

Instead, create one specific for your target audience and localized so it only attracts prospects who live around this area!

 

 

  1. Use Targeted Social Media Ads

Ads are an excellent way to get your business in front of the right people. These targeted search results will allow you reach potential customers no matter where they go online, making sure that more eyes on what you have to offer and improving revenue as a result!

 

 

If you find Google ads expensive, start with a small budget, and gradually increase it once you understand what works and what doesn’t for your business. 

 

 

Facebook ads are the next best local lead generation platform for small businesses with its 2.5 billion users and unmatchable targeting capabilities. 

 

 

When you run a Facebook leads ad, it shows in the newsfeed, and you can even ad forms making lead generation almost automatic. 

 

This convenience can help you get 20% more leads compared to Facebook ads leading to landing pages. 

 

 

  1. Create and maintain a Blog

A blog is a great way to communicate with your customers about your products, services, vision, and commitment to serve. It allows you to attract your audience and involve them with your brand continuously by providing value about what you know how to do.

 

 

Your blog provides a way for your company to connect with customers in an honest and meaningful fashion. Consider running a Blog on subjects that will interest your audience, while highlighting the benefits of working with you.

 

 

Blogs also allow you to create content as you target relevant keywords and helps your website appear in the search engines for more related keywords and it improves the overall visibility of your business. 

 

Using your geographical location in blog titles and URLs also will be beneficial for your business as it contributes to improving local SEO (search engine optimization).

 

 

  1. Build Localized Landing Pages

When you direct your leads to a landing page, it becomes the determining factor for effective conversion. When people are looking for products or services in a specific location, they are much more likely to engage with a localized promotion than one that is not targeted at their needs and wants.

 

 

Localized landing pages also improve your local search rankings when someone searches with location modifiers such as “chiropractor near me,” or “plumber in Hershey PA” etc.

 

 

You’ll see more conversions with local Google or geo-targeted ads when they lead to the closest branch, rather than a generic landing page.

 

 

  1. Optimize Local Listings

With more than 96% of Americans owning a smartphone, you need to make sure your business is listed on local directory sites. 

 

 

You can expect competitors in the area to be doing this too so if they’re not already prepared for that competition then it’s time they start!

 

 

Mobile technology has taken over America and with mobile usage steadily increasing people are using their smartphones as an everyday tool.

 

 

In fact, 93% of adults use their phone daily or almost every day according to Pew Research Center data from 2016-2017. 

 

 

Because nearly everyone owns a smartphone these days businesses should take advantage by listing themselves on at least one major online directory site like Google My Business (formerly known as Google Places).

 

 

The following are some Top local listings:

  • Yahoo Local
  • Yelp
  • Bing Local
  • TripAdvisor
  • Foursquare
  • Angie’s List 
  • YP
  • Better Business Bureau
  • GlassDoor
  • Biz Journals
  • CitySearch
  • Manta
  • White-pages and more!
  •  

Optimizing your Google My Business page not only improves your visibility but also gives your SEO a boost. It ensures that your business shows up when someone looks up the internet for related products and services. (see link for a free Google My Business Course I offer)

 

 

  1. Keep in touch with your leads!

This should go without saying, but after giving you their information, one might agree the next step is to keep in touch with the people asking for more information. 

 

 

It’s not enough to generate a lead by asking for their email address. Keep in touch with your leads and remember that they may be busy, distracted or forgetful when it comes to following up on your lead magnet! 

 

 

Sending them an automated follow-up email sequence will help you build rapport and show that you care about what matters most – keeping these prospects engaged until they are ready to purchase from your business!

 

 

Similarly, if you get some leads during an offline event, make sure to follow them up through email or a phone call to encourage them to take action or move one step down the sales funnel. 

 

 

Following up on cold leads is another excellent way to keep your cold leads in the loop. Create an automated email series to pull them back into the sales funnel. 

Local lead Generation

These 6 Local Lead Generation Tips for Small Businesses are just a few proven methods!

 

So, if you need more lead generation for your business, give them a try and be sure to come back and comment and let us know how it goes.

 

By the way, if you don’t have time to implement these ideas into your marketing and need assistance with the technical aspects, we would be delighted to help! Just contact us 

local lead generation\

Regina Floyd

Regina L Floyd
regina@simpleobd.com
808 400 1460
Follow Us On Facebook: @SimpleOBD

Check Out A Free Google My Business Video Course To Grow Your Business Online

Google My Business

How To Use Google My Business For Free To Get More Local Customers

Use Google My Business for FREE to Get More Local Customers

How to Use Google My Business for FREE, to Get More Local Customers

 

What is Google?! It’s a massive search engine that just about all of us know, use and love,  and it’s become synonymous with searching for information online. It’s even become part of our everyday speech and jargon.

 

Just ‘Google It’! 

 

I for one am guilty of saying that to my teen daughter when she asks questions about things she could easily look up. 

 

If you are wanting  to give your business the advantage and leverage of being found when someone does a search for your type of business, product or service, in my opinion, it makes sense to use as many Google products as you can!

 

Did you know that Google is actually more than just a ‘search engine’ these days? 

 

In their daily lives, people use Google to navigate and explore their local areas (think maps), discover answers to common household problems, seek out product and service recommendations by reading reviews as well as writing their own reviews about their experiences with businesses!

 

As a local business wanting to stand out, there is a lot you can do to improve your visibility on Google and showing up when people search.

 

Setting up your Google My Business (GMB) is probably the most advantageous of them all.  And it’s NOT hard to do. 

 

As a side note…it’s totally FREE!

 

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a free listing service that literally puts your business on the map!

It was created as a tool to help local businesses manage their online presence and connect with local customers.  

 

Quite literally your business gets a location-specific listing in the biggest directory in the world all in an effort to help you do more business. 

 

These listings help  prospective customers discover the important information about your business, such as your business address, online reviews, and where they can find you online and offline!  It also lets them see what you are about and often, see how others feel about your products &/or services. 

Google My Business

What are the benefits of Google My Business?

There are a number of benefits to your business for setting up and getting your Google My Business listing optimized.

 

Getting your Google My Business listing set up properly is all about visibility for those closest to your business! 

 

As a local business, you want to get in front of as many businesses as possible, right?

 

The whole idea is to show up in the search engine for your type of business locally!

 

Here are the main benefits of putting a concentrated effort into Google My Business.

Google 3 Pack

Rank better than #1 with the Local 3-Pack

 

Here is a subtle but important thing worth considering

When you search for a local business, even before the SEO-driven search results come up, Google shows you a list of nearby businesses that it considers to be the most relevant to the search. (Read that again)

 

These results show up on a map, complete with star ratings and all the business information that is important to searchers (also known as your potential customers).

 

Does that get your attention? It should!

The exciting news about this is by filling in your Google My Business profile as much as possible, and getting Google reviews, it will help boost your chances of being included in the 3-pack!

 

Google Local Pack

Show up on Google Maps searches

 

Achieving 3-pack visibility is definitely a great accomplishment but it’ll only work for you when the customer is already in your area. 

 

So that raises a question, “What about when searchers don’t happen to be in your local area?” 

Setting up your Google My Business account helps you come up on Google Maps when people search locally.

 

These days, 86% of people are searching for businesses on Google Maps with 30% of all mobile searches are related to location! 

 

More searches mean more traffic, which means more sales. Over 50% of “____ near me” searches result in a store visit and a chance for a sale!

 

It’s Easy, Fast and FREE!

Marketing and SEO can be complicated, super expensive, and time-consuming. 

 

Setting up a Google My Business account is a fast and free way to get your business found on Google.

 

It’s easy to update your business details so that customers trying to reach you have the right information.

 

Local SEO delivers great ROI…

Google reported that 46% of searches have local intent! That’s HUGE!

 

That means almost half the searches on Google are specifically looking for a nearby business! 

 

Within that 46% of searches, 60% of those people are searching from a mobile device, which means the map search result is going to pop up and they are ready to buy.

 

Leveraging that would be a huge advantage for your business!

 

Build trust and social proof with reviews

It would stand to reason that having (positive) reviews of your business would be favorable! 

 

When someone searches and discovers your business, seeing positive testimonials and reviews is a great way to display social proof that your business is reputable. 

 

We all like to do business with those whom we know, like and trust! And customer trust is critical for a successful business! Reviews on your Google My Business listing makes your business that much more legitimate and trustworthy!

 

It’s been said that 73% of consumers will trust a business based on their positive Google reviews!

 

Access the smartphone market

Do you know how much time the average person spends on their mobile phone?

 

4 Hours! 

 

That is a massive amount of time! And a lot of that time is spent searching for businesses!

 

Over 50% of all web traffic comes from mobile phones! 

 

Considering that information and the fact that 78% of local mobile searches lead to an in-store purchase, its clear that a winning formula is literally at your fingertips!

 

A FREE Website!!

While many businesses already have a functioning website, there are so many more that may be just getting around to moving online.

 

For local businesses that prefer to sell offline but want to be found on the internet when someone searches for their type of business, they can get a Google My Business page set up in minutes!

 

A Google My Business page is a simple website that shows off your business, and helps searchers know where to find you.

 

A Google My Business Page also helps facilitate things like placing orders, sending messages, and calls to your business!

Get Start With Google My Business

How to start using Google My Business

The best part about setting up a Google My Business listing aside from being Free is how easy it is to do.

To create a Google My Business listing for your business:

    • Head over to Google.com/business (or log in if you already have one)…
    • The page will prompt you to provide information that makes it easier for potential customers to get in touch such as your phone number, website URL, your physical address (which will show on the map), business hours, and photos of your business…
    • Make sure to complete your business category…
    • Click ‘Finish’ to verify! 
    • Google will send you a postcard with a code to the address you entered to make sure it’s your actual address. 
    • Don’t miss this last step! Once you get the postcard (it should only take a few business days), log back in, enter the code, and you’re done!

 

Is Google My Business right for you?

Some businesses don’t have a physical location or storefront. 

 

If you don’t want everyone online to know your home address, you’ll still have to put it in during the Google My Business setup process to get the verification postcard but you can change the settings, so people don’t see it.

 

You can choose what information is visible to searchers. 

 

You can also select the areas you service. 

 

And this is ideal for businesses who want to specify the locations where you offer delivery or if you have a service rather than a product.

 

As a local business, this should sound interesting particularly if you want more customers!

 

Here’s what to do next…

If you want new or more customers, go set up your Google My Business profile today and start tapping into all those extra searches!

 

By the way, if you need help with this Google My Business stuff and don’t want to deal with the all the technical aspects, we would be elected to help you. Just contact us here.

>>Click Here For A FREE Google My Business Video Course<<

Regina Floyd

Regina L Floyd
808 400 1460
Regina@Simpleobd.com

p.s

Know a local business owner that could use more customers using a Free and Easy marketing Strategy? Be sure to SHARE this post with them. 

How To Reach More People With Social Media Marketing

Would you like to know How to Reach More People with social media marketing?

  It really isn’t rocket science so here are some very basic, simple tips to help you shine.

social media marketing tips for business

Having a successful business online can be challenging. It can be hard to attract, and reach more people who want to buy your products or services, so you have to go and find them. Marketing with social media can be a great way to do this. The trick is to stand out from the rest. 

Here are some effective social media tips that will help make you a success online.

  1. Update your company’s Facebook profile regularly. Set a time schedule aside every day to keep your company’s information up to date. This should be the time when you share exciting news, answer questions, or post giveaways. Don’t leave your customer base hanging by not posting at regular intervals on your page. There really is no excuse to not have something posting on your page. You can even pick 1 day a week to schedule posts each day and then add spur of the moment stuff as you are going along. No Excuses!
  2.  Serve up a lot of great content when you are setting up your Facebook page. There is nothing worse for a consumer than going to a business page you are interested in and finding almost no useful information. Take the time to answer any questions they may have ahead of time with the content you put on your page.  Share helpful tips and how-to with them. Even something as simple as a great recipe on your page can go a long way.
  3. Link your social media sites together. Have links from each site you maintain to all the others as well. This way if a person who follows you on Instagram also has a Facebook page, they can find it and see you on both platforms. You can increase the amount of followers you have dramatically. It really helps if you can have the same name on several platforms.
  4. If you are using your social media to advertise an existing business, especially one that is based online, make sure you include the link to your website. It is astonishing how many people don’t include a link to their own site. Getting those who find you to click over to your site is a great way to introduce them to all you have to offer.
  5. Link your business page to your personal profile and keep them separate.  I am shocked at how many people who own businesses don’t actually link their business page to their profile. When you make friends and want to connect on social media, your links on your profile are the first thing they see. Don’t be a secret agent for your business. You really can reach more people with this one tip alone. 
  6. Keep your eyes on the prize when it comes to social media marketing. Don’t make your business page about yourself. Keep the focus on your company, your product or your services. Keep your personal updates and information on your own personal page and make sure to keep the two separate. Also consider posting 80/20 – 80% value content and only 20% sales pitch and buy stuff posts.
  7. Learn to make fun headlines for your social media blogs. Headlines are like the front of your business. You can come across boring and run down, or new and exciting. Think of interesting ways to lure people into your blog. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the headlines on your page.
  8. Try making some lists for your social media blog. When you are trying to attract visits to your blog, you need information that can be taken in quickly by readers. The best way to do this is to compile lists that show things like the 10 best places to visit or 10 songs that make you move.
  9. Maintain a positive perspective regardless of what others post on your page when using social media marketing. Being positive is essential to making your customers feel good when they visit your page. If they feel good, they are more likely to share your page or revisit to see what deals or promotions you may have running. This is how you get more people to help you reach more people. Positive, uplifting content is going to help you reach more people 100% more than negative content. 

 

I truly hope you found these tips helpful to make your business stand out on the internet. It will be much easier to get people to visit your website once you start putting these social media marketing tips in place.

 

Once you see results, you’ll be even more motivated to stick with this great way of marketing.

 

If at any time you need some help or guidance in your Social Media Marketing, just reach out and contact us for a free consultation.

 

We also have a variety of services to meet your online marketing needs.

Regina Floyd

Regina L Floyd

Simple Online Business Development

4-1101 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa Hi 96746

FB @SimpleOBD
IG @SimpleOBD
LinkedIn @ReginaLFloyd

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Advice-to-help-you-meet-your-social-media-marketing-goals/

What Can Online Marketing Do For Business?

Does Online Marketing Really Work for Business?   I believe it does.  When you get it going and are doing it right, there is no better way of reaching a large market of consumers than online marketing. Any method of marketing done well can be successful but finding something that is able to reach so many people yet be so cost effective is going to be a near impossible task. The problem is finding the best ways to do it.

Online Marketing For Business

 

So, what can online marketing do for you and your business?

Done correctly, it can help you get you more exposure, get you more credibility, get you more customers and, ultimately, increase sales.

Online marketing is more than just putting up a website and hoping for people to come and look at it. If you build it, you have to tell people about it so driving some traffic to your site is going to be key to your success.

But wait, there’s more… 

Search  Engines:

You also have to figure where your market goes for information about your product or service. Then, get yourself there in front of them.  One of the primary ways of getting traffic to your website is going to be traffic from search engines. You have to figure out what search engines like and try to do things that will get you ranked well. Ranking just means you show up higher in results because what you offer is exactly what people search for.

HOW?  You do this by writing articles on a blog or writing articles for article directories that point people to your site. It can be through YouTube videos, Facebook and Instagram posts, replies on forums, etc. There are a variety of ways to get exposure and traffic, it just takes time and come creativity.

Affiliate Marketing:

Another strategy to increase traffic to your business is by using affiliate marketing. This can be done in many ways but essentially, you find people willing to market your products or services for you. Obviously, this is going to depend on what you offer.

Typically, these people( affiliate marketers) have a good bit of knowledge about online marketing, have experience, and can be very effective to helping get more eyes on what you offer. You will have to pay these online marketing people commission on each sale.  Or, even pay for leads that they provide you by promoting your products and or services.  What they do is go find the people who want what you have and they let them know about what you are offering and provide a way to get them to you (a link). They are basically a doorway to your business.

Content Marketing

Online marketing for business with content can help you gain credibility as well. By writing articles, creating blog posts, and even making videos that you post on your website and social channels, you will be setting yourself up as an authority. The key here is to provide your audience with top quality content that shows them you know what you are talking about.

Through the blogs, articles, and YouTube videos you create, you have the opportunity to truly connect with people and you really can get that connection. The more credible you are in the eyes of your audience, the more traffic you will have to your website.  The more people going to your website, and clicking causes your website to climb the search engine rankings which means even more potential customers.  Basically, when search engines see more people coming to see what you offer, it realizes what you offer needs to be seen by people searching for it and you begin to show up even more.

There is more to it than just this aspect, but it is a GREAT start!

Online marketing for business done correctly can set things in motion for your business. If you have a product or service that you have created and/or want to offer to the public, taking advantage of online marketing can bring huge success.

There are many different aspects to marketing online. 

1. You can get started with a good quality website. 
2. Set up some free social media pages.
3. Be consistent with your posting on social media.
4. Know your audience 
5. Provide content that is of value to them.
6. Stay engaged by being social on social platforms. 

If you’d like to chat about anything mentioned here, need some help with your marketing, contact us today for a free consultation.  We have several services designed to customize your marketing needs to fit your business

To Your Success

Regina L Floyd
Local Growth Consultant
808 400 1460
Regina@SimpleOBD.com

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Will Internet Marketing Work For Your Business?

  Customer Reviews and TestimonialsThis post may be sponsored or contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to guarantee results or success in your business. Read the full disclosure.

Will internet marketing work for your business is an extremely difficult question to answer because there are so many variables and complex factors involved in anyone’s business.  No two businesses are alike, even if similar.

Internet Marketing

For example, there may be specific strategies you use in your Internet marketing campaigns as well as a variety ways you might execute these strategies. These two things alone can determine whether or not Internet marketing will work for your business.

Additionally, you have to factor in the likelihood of your particular target audience using the Internet and responding to your specific marketing efforts. This article will outline the potential you might have in an Internet marketing campaign and hopefully answer the question: “Will Internet Marketing Work For Your Business?“

Internet Marketing & Your Target Audience: 

Before you decide to embark on an Internet marketing campaign for your specific business, you must consider your target audience. Not everyone on the the internet is looking for the product and/or service you provide.  

Internet use is global but there is no guarantee that the members of your target audience use the Internet to research or purchase the products or services you sell.  This is a significant factor in your success online because why invest a great deal of time, effort and money into Internet marketing when your target audience is not likely to respond to these efforts because they aren’t even online. 

Internet Marketing & Market Research

Conducting some market research before launching a marketing campaign can do a great deal to help you determine whether or not you should invest in an Internet marketing campaign for your business. This step is crucial because it will give you an idea of whether or not you should even begin marketing your business on the Internet.

Market research will help you to discover who your ideal customers are, where they hang out online or in-person and how and why they make purchasing decisions. Armed with this information, you can get in front of your ideal audience in the right place at the right time, thus grabbing their attention and motivating buying behavior. (source)

You can do much of this research yourself. It may be time consuming, but it can be done.  You can also consider hiring a firm specializing in market research because they can conduct this research quickly and efficiently and will likely gain a great deal of valuable information as a result of their research efforts.

If they determine your business can benefit from an Internet marketing campaign, it is time to start thinking about how you want to advertise your business online.

Internet Marketing Strategies

When it comes to marketing your business online, seeking the help of professionals can be an extremely worthwhile investment when it comes to deciding what marketing strategies to use. If you do not have a lot of experience in the industry of Internet marketing, hiring a firm with a great deal of experience can be very helpful. You can do this yourself, but a marketing agency can consult with you to determine which marketing strategies will be most effective, designing advertisements for your campaign, helping you to orchestrate your Internet marketing campaign and evaluating the results of marketing efforts to determine which strategies are working and which are not.  

You may be asking yourself what’s so complicated about marketing online?  One answer that comes to my mind right away, is demographics of your target market and where they hang out. For example,  If you are marketing to millennial generation, then posting on Facebook as a marketing strategy likely won’t work.  Do you know where this demographic spends most of their time? 

Internet Marketing: The Sky Is The Limit

The potential for business success with an effective Internet marketing campaign is virtually limitless. The success you enjoy is only limited by your ability to promote your products and services and execute effective marketing strategies. Some of the marketing strategies you might want to use may include optimizing your website for relevant search terms, placing links to your website strategically on the Internet, writing and publishing e-newsletters and utilizing affiliates to promote your website. There are so many ways to get in front or you specific audience. 

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one important aspect of an Internet marketing campaign. SEO is so important because it dictates the ranking of your website on popular search engines. Internet users are highly valued by Search Engines and ranking results are important because when was the last time you went to page 2 or 3 in Google to find what you were looking for?  

Users are not likely to seek out websites which do not rank well with search engines.  High ranking websites can enjoy a great deal of increased website traffic as a result of ranking well with search engines.   Although Search Engine is important, don’t let anyone tell you your business wont succeed without spending $1000’s of dollars on SEO. This is NOT true.  The key is to provide quality content that is applicable to your audience. 

Inbound links to your website are also important in Internet marketing. Inbound links are links on other websites which direct users to your website. Many search engines factor inbound links into their ranking algorithms which means inbound links can result in higher search engines rankings. Also, these links can be used directly by website users to access your website. This means you can gain traffic directly from these links. Did you know that social media platforms you use can count as inbound links if you are sending people back to your business hub: your website. 

Affiliate Marketing: 

Another successful Internet marketing campaign is utilized affiliate marketing. Affiliates are essentially website owners who place a banner ad on their website to direct traffic to your website. Typically, affiliates are only compensated when the advertisement on their website produces gets the users to click through the advertisement, resulting in a sale or resulting in another action such as filling out a survey or registering with your website. Affiliate marketing can not only be highly effective but it is also cost effective because you only pay the affiliates when they produce results.

Something as simple as mentioning an Amazon product can be a very effective way to use affiliate marketing in your internet marketing strategies. 

In concluding, your business can benefit in many ways with an internet marketing campaign targeted specifically at the people who want what you offer.  When you know where to find them, how to reach them, and how to engage with them providing value, Internet marketing will work for your business. 

The following is a book you might consider if you want to tackle this strategy yourself

digital marketing strategy

Effectively select, align and manage digital channels and operations using this second edition of the bestselling guide, Digital Marketing Strategy. This accessible, step-by-step framework enables the planning, integration and measurement of each digital platform and technique, all tailored to achieve overarching business objectives.

Ranging from social media, SEO, content marketing and user experience, to customer loyalty, automation and personalization, this edition features cutting edge updates on marketing automation, messaging and email, online and offline integration, the power of technologies such as AI, plus new data protection and privacy strategies. 

Accompanied by downloadable templates and resources, Digital Marketing Strategy is an ideal road map for any marketer to streamline a digital marketing strategy for measurable, optimized results. Online resources include practical implementation guides spanning SEO, paid-search, email, lead-generation and more, as well as group activities, which will be regularly updated to equip readers as digital marketing continues to evolve.

If you aren’t sure where to start, or how to begin, Contact Us. We’d be happy to offer a free consultation to help you get clarity before you end up spending $1000’s for nothing. 

To Your Success,

Regina Floyd

Regina Floyd
Regina@Simpleobd.com
808 400 -1460

Facebook @SimpleOBD

Advice To Help You Meet Your Social Media Marketing Goals

social media marketing goalsSocial media marketing is not rocket science, but there is a science to it.  When businesses decide to take on the social media marketing goals they’ve created for themselves, they might run into problems.  This article offers some useful advice when it comes to social media marketing for your business.

Typically, it’s the cost of most advertising plans that becomes the biggest problem for business owners wanting to extend their reach, but social media marketing has become a great alternative, and easy fix to all that worry.

For one, there are no costs involved in creating captivating social media posts on all the social-networking platforms. This means that just about anyone can take advantage of the opportunity to use social media marketing to grow a business.  The trick, however, is that the focus shifts to quality over quantity. We believe the advice offered in this article, you can learn to supply both.

Tip #1 Choose your name carefully:  For example, when on Twitter, do your best to pick a Twitter handle that is very close to your business name or brand name. We strongly recommend you avoid handles like Jane7592 because nobody will remember you and it’s highly likely, no one is searching for Jane7592. Ideally, you want your name, and your brand, to be remembered so that consumers will remember it, and search  for it when they are shopping online or browsing various social media marketing sites.

Remember: If you are looking to use Twitter as a social media marketing method, make sure that you choose a username that displays well and is easy to remember. This username should get the point of your company across, but should also be easy to remember. Don’t choose usernames like TommyXo1009. No one will remember it and it is likely irrelevant to your company’s name.

Tips #2 Connect your social media accounts to each other and attempt to secure the same name for all of them. By doing this simple step, you end up developing a greater presence on the internet as people search for you. It helps to create that idea that you are everywhere, and people see you everywhere like they do more commonly known business names. 

BONUS: Connecting the accounts allows people that have discovered you in one place to quickly connect to your business on all the other social media platforms.

Tip #3 If you don’t use it already, consider using Twitter.  Twitter is a great way to market your business, product, or service on the internet.  One thing to keep in mind, however. Avoid just throwing up and out information without considering the value it brings to your customers.  What value do you provide to your followers by tweeting anything. 

Tip #4 Blogging is a great way to create content  for your social media marketing pages and accounts.  Nothing worse than having nothing else to post, and just sharing the posts of others all the time.  Make sure that you take advantage of owning a blog to market your products and services to consumers. (We can help you with that if you don’t already have one) 

Do your best to post regularly on your blog so you can get helpful information out to the world, but also to remind people that you exist and use it as a way of showing how you can add value to your prospective customer. 

People tend to forget about you and your business if you don’t stay front and center as often as possible.  Another key thing to know, the more fresh content you post on your website, the more the search engine spiders come back to see what’s new.  If done well, this can help you rank higher in searches for the thing you offer. 

Tip #5. Be sure to use video in your social media marketing. YouTube is a very popular option for social media marketing strategies for business.   It offers you the  opportunity of making videos relating to your company and putting in your company’s website link or contact information. It also gives people an easier way to get to know and like you, especially if you are actually seen and heard talking in the vide. Make sure you tag each video properly and write a description that is informative as well as inviting to consumers.

Tip #6. Use Proper Grammar. Whatever your choice in the social media marketing efforts to grow your business, make sure that you use correct grammar. We do know how tempting it is to use abbreviations such as LOL or LMAO in your posts, but remember you are trying to come across as a professional who knows a lot about his or her business, service and/or product.  Do your best to spell everything correctly and use punctuation where it is needed.

Whether you’ve been in business for years, or just launched your first one, Social media marketing will create a new world of opportunities and potential sales profits and it simply requires time and focus.

Last tip: Be sure to stay as updated as possible with the newest advancements in the online world and always stay ahead of the competition. Social Media Marketing is always changing.  If you need help in this area, just contact us.  We can offer social media marketing packages to meet all levels of business. 

To Your Success, 

Regina

Do you have some great social media marketing strategies that work for your business?  Leave a comment below and share with others. 

Questions, please feel free to contact me. 

Advice To Help You Meet Your Social Media Marketing Goals

Mastering Social Media Marketing Goals: Strategies for Success

In today’s digital age, social media marketing has emerged as the ultimate solution to the cost constraints of traditional advertising plans. By leveraging captivating media on social networking sites, businesses of all sizes can tap into a world of opportunities.

 

In this article, we will explore effective strategies to achieve your social media marketing goals, focusing on platforms such as Twitter, blogging, and YouTube.

Twittter

Twitter: Crafting a Memorable Presence
When choosing a Twitter handle for your business, opt for one that closely aligns with your brand or business name. Avoid generic handles that are easily forgotten. By establishing a memorable and relevant Twitter handle, you increase the chances of attracting potential customers who will actively seek out your brand both online and offline.

 

Connecting Social Media Accounts: Amplifying Your Online Presence: To develop a strong online presence, connect your various social media accounts and strive to secure consistent usernames across platforms. This interconnectedness enables people who discover your brand on one platform to easily connect with you on other social media platforms. By streamlining your online presence, you enhance your visibility and accessibility to potential customers.

 

Twitter Etiquette: Politeness is Key
While using Twitter as a marketing tool, always remember the importance of manners. Be polite, be professional and avoid being pushy or disrespectful. Cultivate a positive image for your company by displaying professionalism and gratitude when engaging with the audience.

 

Choosing a Memorable Twitter Username:
When setting up your Twitter account, select a username that not only reflects your company’s essence but is also easy to remember. Avoid complex or irrelevant usernames that may deter potential customers from engaging with your brand. Strive for simplicity and relevance to leave a lasting impression.

 

blogging

 

Blogging: A Powerful Marketing Avenue
Blogging serves as an excellent tool for social media marketing. Utilize your blog to regularly share exciting and informative content about your products and services. Consistently updating your blog reminds people of your existence and keeps them interested and engaged. Regularly sharing valuable content will captivate your audience and strengthen your brand’s online presence.

Video marketing

 

YouTube: Engaging Visual Content
Leverage the popularity of YouTube to create captivating videos that showcase your company and include your website’s link or contact information. Properly tag each video and craft an informative and inviting description to entice viewers. YouTube offers a unique opportunity to visually engage with your audience and drive traffic to your website.

 

Conclusion:
As you embark on your social media marketing journey, be mindful of using correct grammar and maintaining a professional tone. Stay updated with the latest advancements in the online world to always remain one step ahead of the competition. If you are seeking assistance in creating compelling social media marketing content, we invite you to call and book a clarity call with our experts today.

 

Ready to take your social media marketing to the next level? Book a clarity call with our experts today, and let us help you create compelling content that drives results.

Regina Floyd

Regina L Floyd

Simple Online Business Development

FB @SimpleOBD
IG @SimpleOBD
LinkedIn @ReginaLFloyd