So you found your business on Google Places and claimed it. Now you’re done, right? Wrong!

One of the most common errors of business owners with regards to their Google Places page is simply claiming it, and then practically “forgetting” about it. Claiming the page as your own is the first of many important steps which will separate your listing from that of your competition. Yet, if you have at least claimed your page and done nothing else to it, then you’re still better off than 80% of your fellow entrepreneurs. About 1 in 5 business owners have an unclaimed Google Places page. If you’re part of the minority to have claimed your page, then congratulations. Now let’s see how you can make it better.

When you login to your Google Places account you are taken to your dashboard. On the top right of the screen you will see the completeness level of your Google Places page. If you’ve reached 100%, then you’re in good shape, if not, here’s what you need to do:

• Fill Out Your Address Completely and Thoroughly – Be sure to take note of the abbreviations Google has delegated to your address and make changes at your discretion.  Ex.  If you prefer “Street” be spelled out instead of abbreviated as “St.” then make that change.
• Add 5 Categories to Your Listing – At least one category must be pre-filled by Google, and the other four can be customized.  Just be sure you only list ONE category per line so that you have five max!
• Use Keywords to Describe Your Business -  In the description box, be sure to write keyword rich and natural looking sentences to portray your business.
• Include Business Hours & Payment Info – List your hours and forms of payment accepted in these sections.
• Upload Up to 10 Images & 5 Videos – Google allows you to add up to 10 images and 5 videos of your business.  So be sure to maximize your usage here!
• Additional Details Section – Here you can include any text you want that you haven’t been able to fit in anywhere else.  You can include certain keywords you wish to rank for, but you’ll want to be certain you’re not just “stuffing” them in there.

Once you have completed everything above, then your listing should be 100% complete.  Of course there are still a number of things you can do to optimize your listing for search so you can reach the “7 box,” (A-G listings on the map of pg. 1 for a given keyword) but that’s another story. 

If you need help following the steps above, or would like to learn more about how to properly optimize your listing for local search, please contact us today!

QR codes are quick response codes and are defined as non-invasive pull media. They can be further defined as a hypertext link that is print based. Currently the most important role of these codes is to help those with smart phones to get access to information from around the world. These codes really help consumers to connect with those who are providing products and services that interest them. This code has become extremely popular in the marketing world and those who have smart phones with the application of scanning bar codes can enjoy its benefits. Now what does a QR code do?

The function of these codes is very simple. For example, let’s say you’re walking down the street and you happen to see a QR Code on a banner, poster, etc for a new movie coming out. It says to scan the QR code now to buy tickets. Now, if you have a smart phone that can scan QR codes then all you have to do is scan the barcode on the poster with your phone and your cell phone will immediately take you to the theatre’s website. You can then instantly buy your tickets.

QR codes are a step forward in the marketing world. This code saves the consumer a lot of time and effort and browsing through the needed website becomes easier. You are not going to have a laptop and internet with you all the time. If you have a smart phone with this function then you can access information anytime anywhere in the easiest way possible. This code works as a hyperlink that can be scanned rather than typing the website address.

How are you going to make use of the technology of QR codes? This is very simple and there are two essential components for using this code. First, you need to create a code for your product or service that you want to market. Then comes the reading and scanning of the code you have created for your product or service. To create a code you can use many of the available on line resources. Many websites online can generate these codes automatically. All you need to do is go to a website, create, and fill the information where you want your code to point.

After this, the only thing that remains is the audience reading your QR codes. As of now, this new marketing trait is only catching up and not everyone is aware of it. In addition, another drawback is that not all phones have this application. It is usually not possible for basic phones to have the function of scanning bar codes. Primarily only smart phones and technologically advanced phones have this application. If the clients understand why and for what the code is, only then will they scan it. Make sure you add a tag saying “scan this” so that people understand.

Mobile Marketing has become a very important part of media-communications and today, it is among the first means for marketing new campaigns. The reasoning behind this is that cell phone offers are very engaging for consumers and leads to a quick response from their side to you. This helps the brands to increase their proximity with the consumers and marketing through mobile is very effective for your products. This type of marketing has come up as a very good alternative for the old and traditional methods of marketing. It is faster and very effective. As this type of marketing is becoming popular, the other means are slowly diminishing.

If you want to be successful at mobile marketing then you need to consider the following tips:

1) Making your marketing message fun: A cell phone is used as a productive tool for communication as well as entertainment, i.e. means via sms or media messages one can do advertising on the mobile phone medium. The message that you send out to users must make them reply to your message urgently or must at least grab their attention. Your message should be entertaining and worth reading. People use their cell phones constantly regardless of whether or not they are preoccupied with something else.

2) Mobiles are personal: Mobile phones help people to connect instantly with people. This connection goes well beyond the wire lines and goes even beyond the internet. Technology has made it very easy for consumers to keep in touch with their friends, family, colleagues etc through SMS(texts), calls, web and other applications. Today mobile phones are even used for banking, shopping, games and a variety of other applications. Hence it is important that you make your mobile marketing strategy engaging, personal and relevant for the customer.

3) Giving incentives: If you give the right incentives, your consumers will then be more attracted to your product. You can use incentives such as free offers, coupons, and more. Another strategy for mobile marketing is to offer things to people on your SMS lists exclusively, so they feel “special,” and part of an “elite” group. These are just a few ideas of the different kinds of incentives you can use to keep your customers coming back and to help spread the word about your business.

4) The right target: Targeting to the right consumers for your product is also important. It does not make sense to market your product to every person on the list. Selection of customers depends on the product or service you are marketing. For example, a message regarding a spa treatment may not please everyone. Targeting your audience is very important in marketing. Even if it is a short list of consumers, it still makes more sense to have separate lists for different types of services you offer, rather than sending everyone the same offer.

If you follow these mobile marketing strategies, you will surely start to see some good benefits as a result.

Social Media is taking the world on by storm. A few years ago, many people had never heard about social media and did not even know that something like on the web can exist. A phenomenon evolved gradually, affecting every bit of lives along the way. Today, the situation is such that we cannot live without social media. Be it work, professional life, personal life or even something that is intimate, everything and everyone is on social media. Every brand today wants a social media presence. Many claim it to be a medium through which they can reach out and interact with their customers on a personal level. However, earlier social media was not thought of as something that could go beyond the personal reach.

Slowly and gradually, brands, corporate etc. have realized its power and therefore, everyone is into social media marketing. Customers are met, pursued and persuaded through this platform.

Maintaining a customer is very important because find a new one is a much more daunting task. So when you miss a potential customer by not connecting with him through social media, you may also miss a current customer because he/she will not find you on social media, where they spend a lot of their time.

The emergence of Social Media Marketing gives marketers an opportunity by which they could make a relevant, high impact, and long lasting relationship with the customer. The early bird catches its food first and those who come late go home hungry, The scenario in Social Media Marketing is somewhat the same. There many companies and brands already present on Social Media Marketing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, BlogSpot & various others. You will want to be sure your company is not left behind.

Now, let us discuss what all you can do by being present on Social Media Marketing platforms. You can have first hand interaction with your target audience which would help you understand market perception of your brand. This would help improve your offerings, advertisements, etc. and keep them posted with latest happenings, updates and many other things. Suppose your company is already on Facebook and your current customer or potential customer likes your page. Instantly all of his friends would get an update about how he liked your page. This could generate their interest to check out your page, which could then result in them ultimately liking your page as well. The word of mouth effect would come into full action, and the cycle would then repeat itself. The potential new customers would then get updates about your new products, discount offers, advertisements, or anything you happened to post to your page. They would also be able to post their feedback on your wall. The connection you make this way is more precious because you can instantly know your what your customers feel about something you post based on their responses on your wall.

Besides Facebook, other popular social media platforms include Twitter (a micro blogging web site which allows people to “follow” a certain person, brand, etc. and exchange messages back and forth), BlogSpot (another blogging web site similar to Twitter, but they will keep you keep updated with full fledge blogs which are much more elaborate in nature and can have pictures in them), YouTube (which you can connect through videos, both posting your own, and commenting on others), and more. Being present on social media is very important in today’s world. And if you still don’t understand the concepts involved, there are plenty of professional companies who understand Social Media Marketing completely, and would be able to lend you a helping hand.

If you have a small or midsized business and you are not a “big player” in your industry with deep pockets, then you need to find a marketing platform, which is efficient and saves on cost. This is where Local Search Marketing comes into place.  Marketing is necessary for every product or service, which is why there are so many advertisements, offers, etc. around us. Through marketing, communication takes place in which the offered product or services are put forth or communicated in different ways. Innovative marketing is what catches the eye. There are various mediums to bring this communication into action but choosing the medium depends upon the size and need of the business.

Local search marketing therefore makes a very attractive offering for various reasons. It is light on the pocket, which means it is usually cheaper when compared to other mediums like TV and print. It is more efficient because you can evaluate results that become very complicated in other mediums like TV and print because you cannot surely say how many people watched your advertisement and then how many among whom watched it, also bought it. There are agencies that have the expertise in this area and can help you bring the results.

It is said you must be where your customer is. Today customers spend a lot of their time online and this is where they try to find sellers or service providers. It becomes pertinent to be on Local search marketing platform taking into consideration the customer behavior. You may also lose a potential customer to a competitor, if you are not present where the customer is present. Today so many things are searched on the search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) because this saves a lot of time as compared to mediums like yellow pages, which take more time to physically go through and flip through the pages to finally find what you’re searching for. Wouldn’t you rather just be able to go to Google, type in what you’re looking for, hit, “search” and have everything right in front of you in a matter of seconds?

Local Search marketing will not just help potential customers know about you, but they can also locate you on the maps (Google maps, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) and get all relevant details about your business such as the contact number, hours of operation, etc. If previous customers have rated the service of a seller or service provider, potential customers can review the feedback by other customers and make a logical decision on whether or not to do business with you. If all this sounds confusing or complicated to you, simply contact a professional such as ourselves to help put your business in a better position in your local market.

This new medium of marketing (Local search marketing) has proved to be very effective and cost efficient. You could do a search online or contact us should you have any questions about how to best market your business online.

500+ Million users on Facebook alone can’t just be part of a fad, now can they?  Believe it or not, Social Media is here to stay.  Here is a really interesting video showcasing the “Social Media Revolution.”  Have a look for yourself and see how this changes your thoughts on Social Media.  If you’re not already utilizing it in your business now, I bet it really opens your eyes as to what you’ve been missing out on.

If the phrase, “QR Code” is unfamiliar to you, you’ll want to keep reading. QR (Quick Response) Codes are 2D bardcodes which are readable and can be detected via barcode readers and smartphones (You can easily download a free reader by searching for “QR Reader,” “QR Code App,” or something similar through your smartphone app marketplace.). These QR Codes are a relatively new form of technology here in the US, but have been flourishing for well over the past decade in Japan, and have been becoming more popular in Europe as well.

Calvin Klein Billboard Utilizing A QR Code

So what does a QR Code do you ask? Well, a number of things! Once you have your QR Code app installed on your phone, all you need to do is open that up and hold the phone up to an image and let it “scan” it. There’s really no way to tell what exactly is on the QR Code until you do this. Such examples you may find embedded within include: photos, restaurant menus, links to websites, videos, phone numbers, coupons, contact information, and so much more! The possibilities are truly endless!

Real Estate Sign With QR Code

You may also be wondering where you can showcase these “weird little barcodes.” Once again, there are no limits! You can put them on your windows in front of your business, on the tabletops of your restaurant, on cars, on clothing, on supplies, on product displays, etc. More than anything, these QR Codes provide convenience to both you and your customers. Instead of typing up a long description on a display of a product you are selling, you can simply put a QR Code there that can be scanned, and then redirect the customer to a website description of the product, a YouTube video of the product, etc. Restaurant owners will love that they can display these QR Codes on their menus, real estate agents will love that they can display these QR Codes on their home listings, car dealers will love that they can display these QR Codes on all the cars for sale on their lot, and the list goes on and on. There really is a use for these QR Codes for ANYONE in ANY business!

The worst thing you can do right now is just sit around and watch as your competitor is taking full advantage of the situation. Wouldn’t you rather be the one who initiates the QR Code Marketing campaign and have your competition following you? Be the leader in your industry! Take action now, and start putting these QR Codes to good use!

Creating a website that is search engine friendly is one of the biggest challenges faced by any company that desires to tap the marketing potential of the web. Utilizing SEO services Savannah is one way of ensuring that your website is designed in such a manner that people have compelling reasons to visit your website. In fact, SEO Savannah would advise you on how to keep the site architecture simple so as to make it easy for visitors to navigate the various pages. Most importantly, there should be arresting static text adequately peppered with keywords relevant to your line of business for search engines to pick it up. After all, as much as 80% of online traffic comes from search engine listings.

If you feel that your website should be delivering more than it is at present, then you should make that smart move now. Shop around for SEO services Savannah which will give you a convincing business plan to modify the website design and create a support system of article directory entries which have articles using the same keywords that drive traffic and have proper backlinks embedded to lead unique traffic to your site. Remember that SEO Savannah is actually a multi-pronged effort and is most effective when a comprehensive plan is drawn up after clearly defining the online niche of your business.

Online visibility is a key resource which business success depends on in today’s world. After nearest to church, furthest from God is not simply a saying. In the metaphorical sense too how often does it happen that we realize a food store or specialty chain outlet is close to us only by checking on the net? With SEO Savannah on your side you can at least ensure that the name of your business/service/outlet does not miss its listing on the net. SEO Savannah is the most focused of all marketing strategies as advertising efforts are not wasted as they are targeted at people only interested in your goods or services.

SEO services Myrtle Beach can help you create number crunching marketing copy and blend it with smart SEO to make your website competitive in terms of search engine friendliness. SEO Myrtle Beach will give you the guidance your business needs to make it to the top of search engine listings. So build a powerful online brand for your business to help you connect with the world and your own backyard.

The web based business world is so glamorized by connectivity to the entire globe that they often neglect their own backyard. And quite honestly for many kinds of businesses the bulk of the clientele is to be found in the geographic area of operation; which makes SEO Myrtle Beach all that much more effective. Local search listings have to be optimized to drive traffic to your website and from there to your doorstep. SEO services Myrtle Beach will enable your business to improve keyword search and recognition to bring unique traffic to your website.

Why is optimizing keyword search so important for your business? The answer is simple. Unless the static text of your website has a sufficiency of keyword density, it will not rank high on search engine listings. SEO services Myrtle Beach will advise you on the desirable keyword density for marketing and/or descriptive text of the site to achieve the kind of listing or ranking which will make your business a highly visible site. SEO Myrtle Beach will be able to inform you on the search volume of the keywords relevant to your line of business. This information will give you an insight on the business potential for your line of products or services through online marketing.

Making your site search engine friendly is a multi-pronged effort. An area often neglected while developing and maintaining a website is the strategic usage of meta tags. Advance use of meta tags helps direct consumers interested in your product/s or service/s to your site and presumably to your store/office.

Over the last decade the main thrust of marketing efforts has shifted to the web. Now with Web.2 bringing ever more sophisticated technology to your service, it makes sense to take greater advantage of SEO services Charleston. Does your website only announce your existence to the world? Is the architecture of the site cluttered with a lot flash images and sliders? Then the chances are that it does not get picked up by search engines in the way it should to drive traffic to your site. And whatever traffic does come sees a lot of moving images and little arresting static text to bother to read on or at least find out whether you are promoting a social cause or selling some product/s or services. Effective SEO Charleston will enable your potential customers/clients/patrons to come to your site rather than visit your competitor.

How often does it happen that someone gets your url from some happy and satisfied customer and then is disappointed to find that site does not inform about critical issues that would help in clinching a decision to try out your products or services? There are any numbers of sites on the web which could benefit from SEO services Charleston. This could be because there are not enough calls to action on the site itself. It could be complicated architecture which hinders the visitor to your site. There are many providers of SEO services Charleston who would be able to advise you on the correct web design to promote your business. In addition SEO Charleston would be able to ensure that the static text on the various pages have the correct keyword density and are have the right meta tags for search engines to pick up your url faster and ensure sufficient prominence in the listing.

Remember the higher up your site is listed on search engine results, the better your chances of prospective customers clicking on your page. So don’t wait just make the most of SEO Charleston.