Online marketing is confusing as hell, we know. And unfortunately, in today’s overcrowded digital marketplace, basic knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is pretty much essential. Because we all want to appear on page 1 of Google search results right?
But for now, forget about SEO. Let’s start with the one simple thing many small businesses haven’t done to put themselves on the online map (literally!)
In this blog post, we’ll let you know what you need to do to begin your journey to page 1 of Google before you get bogged down in all that SEO jargon…
This blog post is part of our FREE program: Online Storytelling That Generates Leads [SEO Basics] – CLICK HERE to join via our Facebook Group.
The Page 1 of Google Journey
There will be A LOT of small businesses out there – all you plumbers, food producers, wineries and inventors – that spend less time on the internet and more time out there in the real world, doing what you do.
And that’s great! But if you want to get business through online search, there are a few internet-type things you need to make sure are ticked off your list. The most important is registering with Google My Business.
Google My Business
No doubt you’ve got a website. But even if you don’t, registering with Google My Business is the starting point for anyone’s business to appear on page 1 of Google.
It’s free to register. And doing so will allow your listing to appear when people are searching for your business, or businesses like yours, on Google Search or Maps.
Need to adjust your hours for the holidays? Or add a new phone number? You can make these changes easily within Google My Business, and your listing will update across Search and Maps.
Add photos that showcase your business, staff, or products. And encourage your customers to leave reviews. This all helps your listing (and website) to become more visible. You can also post updates and offers directly to your listing.
NB: Google My Business is NOT the same as Google+ !
Try not to get tangled up in Google’s web (pun not intended) of different tools and products (including YouTube). It’s easily done. We experienced a few challenges ourselves, due to having several different personal and professional Google profiles and email addresses. (In the end, we created a Google Brand Account, which oversaw all the other individual bits and pieces.)
But whatever your Google experience and however painful, you must persevere! Simply put, if you’re a local company wanting to pick up extra business, you need to get this done.
The great thing about Google My Business is that you can list your business even if you don’tbasic have a store front or set location. As long as you have a physical address at which you can receive the Google verification code, you’re good to go.
How To Get Listed On Google
- Head to Google My Business and click Start Now.
- Enter the name of your business and where you’re located. (Here, you have the option to hide your address.)
- State the type of business you run and enter your website or telephone details.
- Decide how Google should send your verification code to you (usually by mail) and you’re all done!
Getting your business listed with Google really is the first step of basic SEO.
If you want to go further, join our Facebook Group HERE!
Because we’ll be sharing in the Group information and resources from our FREE program: Online Storytelling That Generates Leads [SEO Basics].
For more business tips and marketing insights, check out our Be The Drop podcast. We release new content each week!
PS: REMEMBER to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.