Go Local Search for Business and Getting Value from Email
Local search is a vital channel for business with Google Places an important part of any local search strategy. This week's round has Google linking Google Place check-ins to offers, SEO the marketing channel of choice for small and medium businesses, engaging with customers with email and 10 million Australians now using smartphones.
What would you do to promote your business if you could only do one thing? For a lot of SMBs the answer by a large margin is SEO.
It's Harder to Connect When Selling Online Compared to a Face to Face Sale
When you have face to face engagement it it much simpler to have the customer leave your business with a good feeling about the sale due to the customer service you offer, and the advice you could give on your products while they visited. Online, ususally the only way you communicate is via email, so ensure once your customer has purchased they are left with a good feeling as well as trust from your website.
Search is still the go-to media online for information about local businesses, resturants and bars. While social media can build relationships and lists, search is still more likely to be the first point of contact between the customer and the business.
Google Users can now Check-in for Offers
Google Maps users can now check in on mobile to claim offers from the business. Business owners can create offers through their Google Places dashboard, or if their customers don't need to be in the store to claim the offer, this option can be ignored.
Smartphone Adoption by Country
Australia is ranked fourth on the list with 47% of the population using Smartphones, beaten only by Singapore, Hong Kong and Sweden. This means that in a country of 21 million, at least 10 million are carrying around a mobile, Internet capable, device.
