Last month, I wrote a blog post on getting and using a Google Business Profile; this month we’re talking about getting more traffic to your website – and the two are ultimately interdependent.
Little did I know so many people were totally unaware of this great (free) tool and I got a lot of follow up calls about the wonders of google! One of those calls was from my friend Hector at Rocket Crane Services in Chicago (but more about him later)
Yep, it’s a game changer alright, but it’s not the be-all, end-all of marketing tools, That mix requires a few more tricks. But how do you know which marketing platforms your business needs?
When I’m talking to clients, I like to share the analogy of a four-legged stool as a marketing planning tool (or 3 legs or 5 legs; I just like 4).
The top of the stool (seat) is your website. To make sure it can support the weight of your…well, I don’t know, but anyway…to support your business your website should be up to date, optimized for SEO, readable, and have a clear and strong call to action (CTA). As the “seat” of your stool, the website has everything you need to support and the legs of your stool serve as the various other tools in your marketing arsenal.
Leg 1 is Facebook.
Leg 2 is Google
Leg 3 is email marketing
Leg 4 is everything else
Basically, each of the legs “supports” the seat – your website – since that’s where the magic happens. Your website is the ultimate destination for you to make the sale or book the client appointment.
Let’s break it down like this:
- Leg One – Facebook. It’s true Facebook currently isn’t much use for anything marketing related. So why do you have to be there. Because. Because you do and because it’s probably either the #1 or #2 place people will search for your business. You need to fill in every blank, every opening, every opportunity on this platform with your hours, company information, keywords, photos, services, and anything else you can plug in there. Don’t leave a single space blank if you can help it! The content on this page helps with your overall search results so don’t scrimp on filling out the business info section completely. Use this page to drive people to your website to make the sale and turn on the Call Now and Message buttons for faster return.
- Leg Two – Google Business Profile. Here’s why: If someone searches “crane service near me” and you DON’T have a Google Business Profile page, you’re most likely NOT going to show up in those search results. Ever. You need to claim, verify, and (like Facebook) maximize this profile with as much information as you can muster. Use the Services area to highlight your available services. Upload photos. Complete every line in Business Information. You MUST verify this page to be able to post on it. Use this page to drive people to your website to make the sale (CTA).
- Leg Three – Email marketing. With a solid seat and two legs, your marketing “stool” is likely to list to the side, or worse yet, fall over and never hold up anything. Email marketing can help close the loop and give you at least three legs to stand on! You should choose a reputable platform like Constant Contact (my favorite) or the monkey brand. Some websites come with email platforms as well. Your email should be short, sweet, and to the point, and offer readers some sort of CTA. Use this tool to drive traffic to your website to make the sale. Without a call to action in this tool, you won’t be able to measure any results.
- Leg Four – Anything else. If you’re B2B it could be LinkedIn. Entertainment industry? Instagram for sure. News or nonprofit based? Try Twitter? Whatever fourth leg you choose to support your marketing mix, make sure it’s one that actually houses your target audience members. Is your audience middle-aged women on Pinterest? Or high schoolers on Snapchat? Audience analysis will tell you what leg(s) you need to add to your stool to round out the package. Don’t forget platforms like YouTube (the No. 2 search engine in the world) or Instagram if your audience is there.
The Rocket Crane Services Case Study…
A lovely gent (Hector of Rocket Crane Services) called me during my February Snow Day Special Consult lamenting his business was not being found when people searched for crane services in Chicago. It was showing up when he typed “Crane Company Chicago” but not when he typed “Crane Companies Chicago.”
Well, I’m always up for a 30 minute challenge and here’s what we found:
- You don’t have an SSL certificate on the website (google hates that!)
- You don’t have the words “crane companies” on your website (crane “company” but not “companies”). Add the words you want people to find.
- You don’t have a claimed and verified Google Business Profile (formerly Google my Business) page. Verify it and complete the Business Info section including keywords and services
- Install images on website and social captioned and tagged with your brand
- Update an incorrect (old) address and phone number on Facebook Page.
Sure enough, a couple of days later, I got this happy email from him:
Thank you Cheri!
I fixed the SSL and renamed all my pictures and finally we are coming up when I search “Crane companies in Chicago”. You’re a genius!
Hope you are having a wonderful day!
Hector Perez, President, Rocket Crane Services, Inc
It sounds simple because it IS (relatively) simple. It just takes time and experience.
Think strategically and you can get these results too. Don’t just post for the sake of posting. And for crying out loud, use a call to action to actually send people to your Contact Us or Call Now buttons if you want to see ANY results.
Get going! You can do it.
