Do online reviews have a real-world, bottom-line impact for your business? Or, are they simply there to bolster your pride? Some new research from BrightLocal leaves little question that online reviews matter a great deal. According to the data, an astonishing 87 percent of consumers read online reviews for small businesses before they make their purchasing decision. And nearly as many (79 percent) say they trust online reviews just as much as they trust personal recommendations!
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Website user experience, or UX, has always been an important consideration for marketers and developers. Reflecting the ease with which website visitors can navigate your content and find the information they’re after, UX is a core metric for user engagement. And over the past couple of years, it’s taken on new significance as a central SEO concern, being adopted by Google into its ranking algorithms.
Small business owners often dream of “organic” website traffic… visitors who trickle into their sales queue sheerly based on their interest in the company’s products or services. While organic traffic is certainly desirable, the reality is that many of your visitors are going to need a little push. Simply put, you have to make people aware of your business, your product and service offerings, and your website if you want them to pay you any attention.
Google is constantly updating, revising, and expanding local search functionality. Even so, the flurry of activity in 2020 has been rather surprising. According to the company, their search engineers have made more than 250 changes to Google Maps and local search queries, simply since the start of the pandemic… and most of these changes have involved the rollout of new features.
YouTube videos can be an effective way to educate and inform your customers, to demonstrate thought leadership, or to show off your products and services. Ultimately, YouTube may help you grow your business considerably… but only if you can actually get viewers.
Creating a Google My Business (GMB) account is one of the best things small businesses can do to boost their local SEO rankings, and ultimately to draw the attention of consumers in their geographic area. In fact, GMB offers such a rich assortment of features that it’s easy to take some of them for granted.
Even among experienced marketers, it’s easy to overemphasize the visual: For example, many of us tend to think about digital marketing solely in terms of Instagram stories, YouTube videos, and images shared across Facebook, Snapchat, or Twitter.
At enCOMPASS, we have been steadfast in our advocacy for email marketing: We consistently see the proof that it offers immense value to marketers and small business owners, and represents a cost-effective way to connect with customers, drive website traffic, and increase sales.
Facebook advertisers have long been bound by a strict set of rules that prescribe the kinds of content that are and are not allowed in a Facebook ad. One of the most complained-about rules by far is the rule restricting the amount of text that can appear in ad images. Some version of this rule has been in effect since 2013, and has generally been a source of frustration for those who simply want to announce sales, discounts, or other promos in their Facebook ads.
Businesses seeking to boost their holiday sales have countless tools at their disposal. One that is all too often overlooked is Google My Business (GMB). While GMB is a local search essential no matter the season, it takes on a unique utility during the holiday shopping season.
