Local Business Optimization: You Can’t Win without a Plan or Strategy

Local Business Optimization Digital Marketing Strategies

It’s not easy to get found online without local business optimization. In fact, 80% of consumers search for local businesses on Google. But only 30% of small businesses are showing up in the top 3 organic listings because they don’t have a plan or strategy in place to optimize their business listing and build citations across the web.

The truth is that without a solid SEO foundation, you will never be able to compete with larger companies who can afford more expensive advertising campaigns like Pay Per Click (PPC) and Display Advertising (Display). If your competitors are outranking you organically, it could take months or years before you can overtake them.

The good news is that with a little know-how and hard work, you CAN win. Follow these eight steps to make your business ranking soar and get found by the right people in no time!

8 Digital Marketing Strategies for Local Business Optimization

Step One: Optimize Your Business Listing

To optimize your online presence, it’s critical that you have an accurate account of all of your company information on major search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo!, etc. This includes things like hours of operation (i.e., if customers can visit during certain days/hours), phone number(s) for customer service or live chat assistance; website URL address; email addresses; logo image file name & size (if one); list of services offered; links to social media accounts, etc.

Step Two: Build Citations Across the Web

Once you’ve optimized your business listing, it’s time to start building citations across the web for more visibility and organic traffic sources. This is done by publishing articles containing a link to an authoritative article or page about your company on various sites throughout the internet such as LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Entrepreneur (and other niche-specific industry blogs). These will take some work but can have a major impact on getting found online!

citations optimize business listings

Step Three:  Optimize for Local Search

Optimize your website using Google Webmaster Tools or Bing Site Explorer Google has created a tool called “Google Search Console,” which provides valuable information about how people find your site and what they do once they get there. If you have an existing domain with content already on it, you can submit a site map to Google and Bing Webmaster Tools to improve your ranking on their search engine results pages. By submitting these, you are telling the engines about all the content that is available at your domain so they can crawl it more effectively, index it faster, rank you higher in local SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), and reduce duplicate content across domains.

Step Four:  Engaging with Customers Over Social Media

Engage customers over social media by creating profiles for each business location. It’s important that social media managers have knowledge of what goes into running good SEO campaigns as well because many times they will need to publish articles or make updates directly from Twitter or Facebook feeds without using an outside editor. Keep your readers engaged with your social media profiles by using hashtags, Facebook, and Twitter posts (featuring photos), as well as LinkedIn updates.

Step Five:  Monitoring Your Rankings for Local Search Results

Monitor rankings of local search results on a quarterly basis to make sure the work is paying off. Use tools like Google Analytics or Semrush to track traffic from specific keywords that drive customers back to your business’ website. You can also use keyword alerts in Google AdWords so you are notified when someone searches for something relevant online.

monitor website analytics results & rankings

Step Six:   Stay Ahead of the Competition

Follow your competitors on social media and in search engine results. They might be doing something you aren’t, which could result in a better customer experience for customers who are searching online. Identify new opportunities with their strategies by seeing what they pay attention to on Twitter or Facebook. Utilize keywords that they don’t so you grab more visibility when people are looking for those things locally.

Step Seven:  Use Your Own Content Strategically

One way to stand out from the competition (and get found) is using original content as well as outreach campaigns like guest blogging and #1 Press Release Distribution Service. Expertise in one field can make it easy to write articles about subjects related but keeping content only on your site and not reaching out to other sites can result in missed opportunities.

Step Eight:  Create a Comprehensive Content Strategy

A content strategy is the backbone of your digital marketing efforts, and it’s one that should be created with care before you dive into allocating resources for delivering on its goals. A living document that outlines how every piece of content you create will help meet business objectives, attract qualified leads, and increase conversions starts by answering questions like these:

What types of content do we want to produce?
Who are our audience members?
Where/when should this type of content live online?
How long should each article be so readers keep reading instead of skimming or skipping over parts they don’t find relevant?
What should we aim to accomplish with this content strategy?
How can our content be leveraged on other channels, such as social media or paid advertising campaigns?
Who will own the execution of this plan and when will it launch?

These answers help marketers create a roadmap for their goals that they’ll use in conjunction with keyword research data. It’s also essential for identifying which metrics you want to monitor to measure performance. “Content is king” has never been truer than now — organizations need quality content if they’re going to overcome competition online. The best way to get started is by mapping out what your audience wants so you know how best and where most effectively to deliver against those needs.

We’ve developed an effective system for helping clients rank locally over time by implementing our local business optimization process into their overall marketing strategy. Find out more about our recently launched step-by-step local marketing strategy system called Online Strategy Domination Mastermind here.

Selling a Gas Station: 3 Things to Consider Before Marketing Your Gas Station for Sale

Selling your gas station

If you’re thinking about selling a gas station, you probably want to get the highest price in the shortest amount of time. Selling a business involves complex processes that will require time and a solid plan for success.

Here are three primary considerations to maximize the value and minimize the stress of selling a gas station, or any business for that matter. You likely have an idea in mind of what your business is worth and what you will be willing to accept. The following considerations will help you align your expectations with reality.

business broker for gas stations

1) What is a Selling Memorandum?

Preparing your gas station for sale requires creating a thorough overview of your business. You want to present your business to prospective buyers so that it makes it a good purchase for them. The selling memorandum, also known as an offering or selling memo, offers your prospects an insight into your business operations and its future profit potential. The sales memo is a marketing document that highlights your entire business. The details of your selling memorandum depend on your business size and complexity. Ideally, it will make potential buyers more comfortable if they know the history and the potential of the gas station.

The selling memo should include:

  • Table of Contents
  • Offering Summary
  • Business Description
  • Geographic Location & Building Description
  • Business Advantages & Strengths
  • Competitive Overview
  • Products or Services
  • Operations, Inventory, Staffing
  • Marketing Strategy, Trends & Customer Profiles
  • Key Management & Employees
  • Future Growth Projections
  • Potential Buyer Concerns
  • Financial Information, Revenue Summaries & Net Income
  • Offer Price & Terms

2) Business Valuation – How to Calculate the Value of a Business for Sale?

When preparing to sell your business, you need to know your business value to price it correctly. A business broker for gas stations will help you determine what your gas station is worth in the market. Accurate pricing attracts the largest pool of buyers with serious intent.

Gas stations differ slightly from other businesses in value assessment in that there are further requirements because of gasoline storage and regulations. Additionally, sellers should consider the station’s brand, condition, and location as well as traffic patterns, the number of gas pumps, and whether the station includes a convenience store or car wash all factor into the value. For example, a branded gas station with numerous gas pumps potentially holds more worth than an unbranded one with 2 or 3 pumps.

selling a gas station

3) Expert Assistance When Selling a Gas Station

Selling a gas station is something that typically requires assistance. The sales process can be complex since it includes preparing the business for sale, deciding on the price, marketing your gas station for sale plus putting together financial documents for buyers, and completing the legal paperwork. Putting together a team of expert advisors can streamline the process to ensure you get the best price for your business.

  • Strategic Advisor – Your strategic advisor is a trusted source and a vital team member for the selling process. The team member could be a business broker who specializes in selling gas stations and convenience stores. For some business owners, the lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor serves in this role.
  • Business Lawyer – Your lawyer will help you with potential regulatory concerns, licenses, or environmental concerns that may affect your business. The more transparent you are upfront to a potential buyer, the smoother the process will be. Hidden or overlooked issues that may arise can change the buyer’s perception impacting their offering price or even jeopardizing the sale even if it is just an oversight.
  • Accountant – The buyer will take a detailed look at your financials. If you have your accountant prepare accurate income and expense documents, it will avoid unpleasant surprises during the transaction process.
  • Banker – This team member assists with financing to meet buyer requirements. They also provide a more attractive business by offering strategic advice and financing reinvestments.

Business brokers offer services to sell businesses quickly and at maximum value. These experts can ease the burden of putting your gas station up for sale and guide you in creating the selling memorandum and obtaining the business valuation.

 

Discover Why Online Business Listings Matter for Your Website

Local listing optimization

If you’ve been anywhere in the digital world, you might have heard the mention of citations a time or two. But whether they apply to your business or not may seem more elusive. So let’s explore what online business listings are and then discover why they are vital for your website.

Local business listings or citations act as a summary of your essential business information. This data provides a powerful means for your customers to find your business online and in real life.

What is NAP Data?

Citations include NAP data about your company. NAP is an acronym that stands for Name, Address and Phone Number. Online listings will always have your NAP data along with your website URL.

This information serves the purpose of supplying the main essentials necessary for your potential clients or customers to research, find, and contact your business.

Typically, business owners can add other bits of business data, including hours of operation, business descriptions, and photos.

Are Citation Listings Effective?

Business listings are only as useful as the accuracy and consistency of the information a company provides. Social media sites, search engines, online directories, and maps offer companies the opportunity to list their business information publicly.

The more listings published online, the better potential customers can find your business. Why? Because these listings increase your presence and brand awareness across multiple authoritative channels online. That means more ways that your customers can find you!

But there is a caveat. Having a strong presence only works if the listings provide accurate information about your business. For best effectiveness, listings must be consistent and have completely accurate data on every site you publish them on.

online business listings & Local listing optimization

Examples of Citation Sites

The following high domain authority sites provide excellent listing opportunities for business citations:

  1. Apple Maps
  2. Facebook
  3. Google
  4. Yelp
  5. Bing
  6. Four Square
  7. Yahoo
  8. BizJournals
  9. Superpages
  10. Thumbtack

What Are the Benefits of Relevant Online Business Listings?

Paying attention to detail on your business listings truly benefits your efforts. Customers Can Find You.

Just like the billboards that dot the urban landscape and cross country highways, your online listings act as digital billboards to draw consumers to your business.

digital advertising billboards

Incorrect Information Can Hurt Your Business

If consumers search online and find incorrect or missing information about your business, they may feel less confident about your brand. This lack of brand trust may lead them to choose your competitor.

Consumers also search online about businesses before visiting them in person. Often, they may check your location hours before coming to your brick and mortar location.

Listings also supply information about your brand that visitors may use in company reviews. A good reputation online is vital in today’s marketplace. Customers want to tell others about their experience, and your potential buyers seek out this information. If you don’t have any listings online, then potential customers have no way to evaluate whether or not they want to do business with your company. Reviews provide transparency about your services and products while they also increase your company’s online visibility.

Ranking Boost: An Added Benefit

Accurate and consistent online business listings, along with positive reviews to boost a company’s visibility, also offers another benefit to business owners. It can help boost your local search results. SEO or search engine optimization is another tool in the online arsenal. Accurate business listings increase visibility and website traffic and work together to help with your site’s SEO needs.

Increasing your brand visibility brings new prospects and customers to your website. Take time now to make sure your business NAP matches your website, social media, and other online channels.

Citations are the necessary foundation for successful digital marketing strategies. NicheQuest can help you determine how visible your brand is online and whether you need to add online business listings to your marketing mix. Call us today (203) 762-1366.

How to Rank on Google in 1 Hour or Less: Real World SEO

local SEO expert discusses how to rank on Google

Despite all the Google changes we hear about, one constant that works for me and my clients continues to be keyword-rich blog posts.

I’ve been doing this for 7 years, and this method still works.

Yesterday was January 12. I wrote a blog post titled Top 11 SEO Strategies for Professional Organizers.

In less than 1 hour, the post was able to rank on Google page 1 for numerous keyword queries.

Continue reading

3 Simple Mindset Steps to Turbocharge Your Profits Today

Break out of your rut with success visualization techniques

Many of you are seeking ways to increase your productivity and profits. I deal with this same issue regularly myself and find our new and existing clients do the same. I have found most of us fall into 1 of 3 buckets:

  • You’re either making too little money or none at all. Many of us are stuck in a hole trying to find a way out. Some people with this issue have experienced a degree of success in their lives. But for whatever reason they’re stuck.
  • You’re having some degree of success, but you are struggling to scale your business.
  • Or perhaps you’re laboring in the salt mines of your business making a living….knowing you need a better way. You have a business that is working. It’s paying the bills and going OK. However, you need a solution to produce more.

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What No One Teaches About SEO and Social Media

SMART Plans

In this post, I’m going to explain where success begins online.

To generate leads and new customers with SEO and Social Media You Need a SMART Plan.

Every SEO course I’ve ever taken shows how to get ranked on Google.

Every social media course I’ve taken shows how to create “likes” or “shares” or advertising campaigns.

What they overlook is the critical ingredient to success. A SMART Plan.Continue reading

Boost Your Social Media & Content Marketing With These Tips

Social Media & Content Marketing Tips

What content marketing strategy are you using for your online presence? Is there a plan in place to share your content on other sites besides your own?

If not, read on to learn how you can integrate social media and content marketing together to create massive traffic and potential leads to your website.Continue reading

How To Get Free Amazon Research to Drive Customers From the Big 3

Get Leads to Website From Google and Facebook

If you’re looking for content ideas to write about for your blog as well as meaningful Facebook and Twitter posts, this is for you.

I’m going to explain how I use Amazon to find content for my clients sites. I also discuss some basics about what makes a blog profitable including backlinks and the importance of keywords.

In the second half of this post I show a step by step process to finding exactly the content in demand by your website visitors and social media fans that will convert to sales.Continue reading