Darling Online Marketing

How Important is Local Online Marketing?

Posted on 22. Jun, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Many business owners think of the Internet globally and not locally. By ignoring your local online marketing, you might as well be turning down potential customers. A vast majority of people look online for local businesses instead of using the phone book.

Facts, Figures & Projections

• In 2010, business owners earned 5.1 million dollars from investing in local online advertising according to the marketing insights firm, BIA/Kelsey. The firm projects that number to double within the next four years and continue to grow.
• According BIA/Kelsey, local searches make up 30% of all online searches. ComScore.com estimates a number of approximately 33%. Either way, local online searches account for nearly 1/3 of all searches.
• Google changed their search algorithm in late 2010 to place a higher emphasis on local businesses. Effective Google Places listings now show up in the first seven results on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) with special markers. Other local businesses follow below. Most people only go through one or two pages of search results at most. Your local business needs to show up as highly as possible.
• Currently, users on mobile devices perform 10 – 15% of all web searches. Google reported a 130% growth in mobile searches last year. Users on the go typically look for the closest business or service provider. If these users do not know where your business is located, they are likely to move on to one of your competitors.

Other Benefits

• Local online marketing helps community businesses thrive by increasing sales. By marketing your local business online, you are not only helping yourself, but you are helping other businesses in your community.
• You need to stay ahead of the competition. Effective local online marketing means that you show up on SERPs before your competition does. A higher SERPs position means that you are less likely to lose business to others.
• Superior local online marketing reassures customers. When customers, or potential customers, see your business show up highly on Google’s SERPs, it reassures them that you are providing good products and/or service.

Local online marketing can easily make the difference between gaining a customer or missing customers. Do not just think of everyone who is using the Internet; think most of the people in your area who are searching for businesses like yours. Your local prospects are your best prospects.

Chris Darling is the creator of the Be The Obvious Choice System for owners of service based businesses across the nation. She works with those that struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. The main goal is to provide Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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Seasonal Marketing Suggestions

Posted on 17. Jun, 2011 by Chris Darling.

One way to boost your local online marketing campaign is by taking advantage of offering directories that allow you to offer incentives to customers. Websites like Yodle, Yelp and Google Places all give businesses the ability to promote their products and services with special deals. Offering seasonally based incentives can be a great way to target potential customers in your area.

The directory site Yodle published a blog post titled Make Seasonal Marketing work for YOU! that offers great suggestions for how local businesses can take advantage of certain times of the year. The blog post does not just target obvious promotions flowers for Valentine’s Day, but also covers how businesses like dentists and plumbers can take advantage of seasonal promotions even though they are not seasonally based businesses.

Make Seasonal Marketing work for YOU! offers creative suggestions for many different types of businesses. Even If you think there is not a seasonal niche for your business, this post will help inspire you with new marketing ideas.

Chris Darling is the creator of the Be The Obvious Choice System for owners of service based businesses across the nation. She works with those that struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. The main goal is to provide Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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3 Google Search Tools for Local Online Marketing

Posted on 06. Jun, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Sometimes businesses are so worried where they are listed on search engine result pages (SERPS), they don’t realize they can use search engine results to assist their local online marketing campaign. One of the best ways to reach a higher Google SERPS position is to obtain information from Google about local directories, forums and other great link building opportunities.

Google Images
Search for a local competitor’s business name and city, state. When you hover over the images, a window pops up that displays where the image is hosted. Browse through the results to find images that are most relevant to the business such as pictures of the location. Look at where the images are hosted. Are they directories you can list your business in? Are they local blogs you can comment on? Knowing where your competitors have links will help you find new places to build links.

Google Discussions
Go to Google’s homepage and enter a keyword related to your business and your location. For example, you could search for “transmission repair Newark, DE.” Next, go the left hand side of the screen where the different search types are and click on “Discussions.” See which local discussion sites show up in the search results. Some of them you may be familiar with, some you may not. Make a list of the ones you don’t recognize. Each one of the places on your list is somewhere you can promote your business and/or place a link as long as it is relevant to the discussion.

Google Everything
You can use all search results for your keyword and location much like the Google Discussions technique mentioned above, however you get a wider range of results. You will find directories, blogs, review sites, forums and more. The results on the first few pages will likely be major directories and/or review sites you already know about, so you will might have to go through several pages of results to find the sites you don’t know about. Every link helps your local SEO, so even lesser known directories are worth listing your business with.

Don’t be afraid to use Google to figure out the best ways to improve your Google SERPS position. There is nothing wrong with using the same techniques as other successful local businesses to help your own SEO; in fact, it is essential if you want to keep pace with your competition.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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Link Building Tips for Local Businesses

Posted on 23. May, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Unless you are a professional online marketer, finding enough sites to build quality links can be frustrating. Small businesses have to take advantage of opportunities both online and off. Some of the best ideas for building links come from using your traditional marketing/networking strategies to help promote your online marketing.

Jeremy Bencken’s 21-Day Link Builder Relationship Challenge offers great suggestions for combining other marketing efforts, such as giving away promotional products, as part of your strategy for link building. Bencken also covers typical online link build efforts such as social media and blog commenting. However, the real strength of this article is Bencken’s advice on how building relationships can help you build links as well.

The 21-Day Link Builder Relationship Challenge gives tips for using personal contact such as emails and networking events as opportunities to establish relationships. People you have already been in contact with are much more likely to be receptive to your request for a link or other promotions for your website than strangers are. Local businesses thrive on relationships and local SEO thrives on links; following Bencken’s advice is a great way to do both.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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Offline Tips for Local Online Marketing

Posted on 16. May, 2011 by Chris Darling.

For small to medium business, there are many ways to promote your online marketing campaign offline. One of the best ways to do this is by connecting with people who can help create links to your business’s website and help establish your brand identity. Doing things to build links offline is as important as the links you create online.

Justilien Gaspard wrote an article for Search Engine Watch titled Link Building Tips for Small Businesses that offers advice for building links that goes beyond standard online methods such as blog commenting and using your own social media accounts. Gaspard offers interesting tips for small business to get others to build links for them such as asking loyal customers for assistance, networking and how to find inexpensive link building help.

Link Building Tips for Small Businesses is a different approach to link building that is expertly tailored to the needs of small businesses. If you are struggling to find enough time or ways to build quality links for your website, this article has the solutions you are looking for.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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Top 5 Reasons Why Online Marketing Beats Yellow Page Ads

Posted on 11. May, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Many people feel that Yellow Page advertising is dead. While this isn’t entirely true, businesses can gain a lot more from online marketing than running Yellow Page ads. Before you allow someone to talk you into signing another Yellow Page ad contract, consider the advantages online marketing can offer your business.

1. Online marketing builds long lasting results. An advertisement is only as good as long as it is running. Building a website, social networking and creating links helps ensure that people will be able to find your business. You will continue to see results from online marketing long after a Yellow Page ad contract has expired.
2. People can’t carry a phone book in their pocket, but they do carry cell phones. The number of mobile web surfers is growing on a yearly basis. If your business is not online, they are not going to find you. Relying strictly on yellow page advertising means that you are invisible to this ever-growing market.
3. Printing is expensive and space comes at a premium price. With online marketing, you only have to pay your website hosting fees and/or possibly for an SEO service to help you generate traffic to your website. Even if you hire a professional SEO service, the long-term return on investment will yield better results than a Yellow Pages ad.
4. You have unlimited space with online marketing. Yellow Pages ads are limited to the amount of space on the page you can afford. With online marketing, you can add as much content to your website and social media profiles as you want. Videos, photos, and customer testimonials are all big selling points for your business that you can use online.
5. The Internet attracts a huge number of visitors. Not only can you market your products and services locally, but you can also attract business from others areas. Phonebooks generally cover a limited area and customers in nearby areas won’t see your yellow page ad, but they can find your business online. Online marketing is a great way to expand your pool of potential customers.

There is no guaranteed formula for building a successful business. Many businesses rely on a combination of Yellow Page and other print ads as well as online marketing. However, if your budget is limited and you have to choose between print ads and online marketing, the latter is a far better investment.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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3 Reasons Why Ranking Doesn’t Always Equal Traffic

Posted on 02. May, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Nothing can be more frustrating than hiring a professional SEO marketer to get your site ranked highly on search engine result pages (SERPS) and then still not seeing a huge influx of traffic to your website. Obviously most online marketing companies try to avoid this, but there are situations where it happens.

Dr. Peter J. Meyers, an SEOmoz associate, recently wrote a blog post titled I’m Ranking, So Where’s My Traffic?! that gives three possible scenarios how and why this could happen to your website. Dr. Pete, his preferred nickname in the SEOmoz community, breaks things down systematically so that you can see for yourself where your problem(s) might be. The article also provides great screen shots that show you precisely how to examine your website for traffic problems.

Local online marketing can be difficult in competitive industries. Ranking highly on SERPs is important, but it is only effective if it generates enough traffic to your website to bring in new business. Dr. Pete’s I’m Ranking, So Where’s My Traffic?! can help you figure out why your website is not getting the return on investment you want and how to fix it.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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Make Your Google Places Listing An SEO Beacon

Posted on 29. Apr, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Google’s boost to the placement of Google Places listings in search results is a great way to generate new business online even if your website’s SEO isn’t perfect. For local businesses, there is a strong chance that a well-optimized Google Places listing will show higher and more frequently in search results than the company’s website. One of the easiest things you can do to improve your local online marketing is to spend time creating a great Google Places listing for your business.

Jessica Lee of Bruce Clay, Inc. wrote a very informative article titled Quick Tips for Optimizing Your Google Places Page for the company’s blog. The article provides valuable optimizing tips that can help local businesses outrank even large chains. Lee also provides insights into how Google search works when it comes to local businesses and invaluable information about how keywords words can make a tremendous difference for creating a high-ranking Google Places listing.

Even if you are not at the end of your SEO rope, optimizing your Google Places listing is still essential for small businesses. Quick Tips for Optimizing Your Google Places Page provides simple, yet powerful tips for making your business’s listing stand out from the crowd.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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6 Ways to Boost Your Online Marketing Offline

Posted on 20. Apr, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Many people don’t realize that local online marketing includes more than just what you do on your computer. For the best results, you should blend online marketing with traditional methods of marketing and advertising. Generating traffic for your website should be a part of every effort you make to promote your business.

1. Display your website’s URL prominently on your business card along with your email information. Some businesses choose to include their Facebook URL and Twitter username as well. Owners often hand out business cards as a means of contact or networking and people like to visit the business’s website to find out more about them.
2. Include your website on every piece that your business has printed. Flyers, take-out menus, brochures and advertisements are all great places to include your website’s URL. The same goes for signs as well. You can also add your website discreetly on the back of holiday cards that your business sends to loyal customers or vendors.
3. Join your local chamber of commerce. Networking with other businesses in your area is a great way to make connections. When people refer your businesses to someone else, they will often do it by directing them to your website.
4. If you are a guest speaker, featured in a local article, or a speaking on a local radio show make sure to give your website address if you get the opportunity to plug your businesses.
5. Add your website to promotional products such as pens, t-shirts or other items. People love freebies and a pen with your website on it is a reminder of your business and/or something they may give to someone else who could be a potential new customer. Someone wearing t-shirt with your logo and website’s URL is a walking billboard.
6. Attend community events. Event networking is a great way to meet people and make a good impression on them; it is also a chance for you to promote your business’s website. If you are part of the event, that presents even greater opportunities.

Your website is part of your businesses’ identity and should be used for branding the same way you use your logo. It’s also part of your contact information, so it is appropriate to tell people about your website when talking about your business. “Real world” website promotion is important to online marketing as SEO.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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How to Deal With A Negative Google Places Review

Posted on 11. Apr, 2011 by Chris Darling.

Part of online marketing is dealing with what people are saying about your business. Negative feedback on sites like Google Places can become a big problem for small businesses. One bad review from an unhappy customer could cost your business hundreds, maybe even thousands of potential customers.

Eric Enge wrote an excellent post for SearchEngineWatch.com called Negative Reviews in Local Search: A Survival Guide for Businesses. The post mentions the three main types of reputation management problems, but focuses primarily on dealing with negative reviews. Enge offers great advice including a specific client case study and links to more information on dealing with bad reviews and other reputation monitoring problems.

There is truth to the old adage, “You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Most businesses will likely have to deal with an unfavorable online review at some point. Even if your business has glowing reviews now, read Negative Reviews in Local Search: A Survival Guide for Businesses to prepare yourself in case that changes.

Chris Darling works with owners of service based businesses who struggle with getting their websites found by effectively using local search SEO and Social Media sites for their business. Find Pain Relief for Your Social Media SEO Aches and set the stage to earn more online revenue from new contacts, clicks, and phone calls. If this speaks to you and your online business goals discover if it is time for Darling Online Marketing.

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