In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, leveraging the power of text marketing can significantly elevate your business strategy, offering a direct line to your audience’s smartphones. As more consumers rely on their mobile devices for information and communication, SMS advertising and mobile marketing have emerged as powerful tools for enhancing customer engagement. By integrating text message promotions and opt-in text campaigns into your marketing efforts, you can cultivate a more personal connection with your audience and drive measurable results. This post will guide you through effective text message marketing strategies, empowering you to harness this dynamic channel with confidence and creativity. Join us as we explore how these techniques can transform your approach to reaching and engaging customers.

Introduction to Text Marketing

Text marketing is revolutionizing the way businesses connect with their customers. This section explores the fundamentals of SMS advertising and the significant benefits of mobile marketing strategies.

Understanding SMS Advertising

SMS advertising is a direct and powerful form of mobile marketing. It involves sending promotional messages to customers’ phones via text message.

This approach leverages the ubiquity of mobile devices, ensuring that your message reaches customers quickly and effectively. SMS boasts impressive open rates, often exceeding 90%, making it a highly effective channel for time-sensitive offers.

One of the key advantages of SMS advertising is its immediacy. Unlike email, which may sit unread for hours or days, text messages are typically read within minutes of receipt. This makes SMS ideal for flash sales, limited-time offers, or urgent updates.

Benefits of Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing offers numerous advantages for businesses looking to enhance their customer engagement and boost sales. Its reach is unparalleled, with most consumers keeping their smartphones within arm’s reach at all times.

One of the primary benefits is increased customer engagement. Mobile marketing allows for personalized, targeted messages that resonate with your audience. This leads to higher conversion rates and improved customer loyalty.

Another significant advantage is cost-effectiveness. Compared to traditional marketing channels, mobile marketing often provides a higher return on investment. It’s also highly measurable, allowing businesses to track and analyze campaign performance in real-time.

Lastly, mobile marketing enables location-based targeting. This feature allows businesses to send relevant offers to customers based on their geographic location, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Building Effective Campaigns

Creating successful text marketing campaigns requires careful planning and execution. This section delves into strategies for crafting compelling messages and designing promotions that resonate with your audience.

Text Message Marketing Strategies

Effective text message marketing strategies are crucial for engaging customers and driving conversions. The key is to provide value while respecting the personal nature of text communication.

Start by segmenting your audience based on demographics, behavior, or preferences. This allows for more targeted and relevant messaging. Personalization is also crucial – use the recipient’s name and tailor content to their interests or past interactions with your brand.

Timing is another critical factor. Research optimal times to send messages based on your audience’s habits and the nature of your offer. Avoid sending too frequently to prevent message fatigue.

Always include a clear call-to-action (CTA) in your messages. Whether it’s “Shop Now,” “Click for Details,” or “Reply YES,” make it easy for recipients to take the next step.

Lastly, ensure compliance with regulations like TCPA and GDPR. Always obtain explicit consent before sending marketing messages and provide an easy opt-out option.

Crafting Text Message Promotions

Crafting compelling text message promotions requires a blend of creativity and strategic thinking. The limited character count demands concise, impactful messaging that immediately captures attention.

Start with a strong opening that clearly states the offer or value proposition. Use action words and create a sense of urgency to motivate quick responses. For example, “24-hour flash sale: 50% off all items!”

Personalization can significantly boost engagement. Use the recipient’s name or reference their past purchases to make the promotion feel tailored to them. For instance, “Sarah, we’ve got new arrivals in your favorite style!”

Include essential details like discount codes, expiration dates, or any conditions. However, keep it brief – you can always link to a landing page for full terms and conditions.

Test different approaches to find what resonates best with your audience. Try varying elements like tone, offer type, or CTA wording, and analyze the results to refine your strategy.

Enhancing Customer Engagement

Customer engagement is at the heart of successful text marketing. This section explores strategies for building opt-in campaigns and personalizing your communication to create meaningful connections with your audience.

Strategies for Opt-in Text Campaigns

Opt-in text campaigns are crucial for building a receptive audience and complying with regulations. The key is to make the opt-in process simple while clearly communicating the value of subscribing.

Use multiple channels to promote your text campaign. Include opt-in invitations on your website, social media, email newsletters, and even physical marketing materials. Make sure to highlight the benefits of subscribing, such as exclusive offers or early access to sales.

Implement a double opt-in process to ensure consent and reduce the risk of spam complaints. After the initial sign-up, send a confirmation message that requires a response to complete the subscription.

Consider offering an immediate incentive for opting in, like a discount code or free content. This can significantly boost sign-up rates and provide immediate value to new subscribers.

Regularly review and clean your subscriber list. Remove inactive numbers and honor unsubscribe requests promptly to maintain a high-quality, engaged audience.

Personalized Communication Techniques

Personalized communication is key to building strong customer relationships through text marketing. It involves tailoring your messages to individual preferences and behaviors.

Start by collecting relevant data about your subscribers. This can include purchase history, browsing behavior, or demographic information. Use this data to segment your audience and create targeted campaigns.

Utilize dynamic content in your messages. This could involve

inserting the recipient’s name, referencing recent purchases, or suggesting new products based on past behavior. For example, “Hi John, we thought you’d love these new sneaker arrivals based on your last purchase!”

Incorporating customer feedback can also enhance personalization. Send occasional surveys or ask for feedback on past purchases, then use this information to refine your offers and communications.

Automation tools can help manage personalized communication efficiently. Set up automated messages for key triggers, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or cart abandonment, to maintain ongoing engagement without manual intervention.

Lastly, maintain a conversational tone to foster connection and make your messages feel more genuine. Encourage two-way interaction by allowing customers to respond with questions or feedback. This not only improves engagement but also strengthens your relationship with your audience.

By implementing these personalized communication techniques, businesses can create more meaningful interactions with their customers, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

]]> https://pmcmediagroup.com/sms-text-marketing-strategies/feed/ 0 https://pmcmediagroup.com/how-pmc-media-group-can-increase-organic-traffic/ https://pmcmediagroup.com/how-pmc-media-group-can-increase-organic-traffic/#respond Mon, 29 Apr 2024 19:57:53 +0000 http://pmcmediagroup.com/uncategorized/how-pmc-media-group-can-increase-organic-traffic/ Organic traffic plays a pivotal role in driving sustainable growth and visibility for PMC Media Group. As a leading media consulting firm, PMC Media Group can leverage various strategies and techniques to enhance organic traffic, improve search engine rankings, and amplify brand awareness. Let’s delve into actionable steps that PMC Media Group can take to increase organic traffic effectively.

The Importance of Organic Traffic for PMC Media Group

Organic traffic comprises visitors who find PMC Media Group’s website or content through unpaid search results, social media shares, or referrals. Unlike paid traffic, organic traffic represents genuine interest from potential clients and stakeholders, making it an invaluable asset for PMC Media Group’s digital marketing strategy.

Strategies to Boost Organic Traffic for PMC Media Group

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
   • Conduct comprehensive keyword research to identify relevant search terms and topics within PMC Media Group’s niche.
   • Optimize website structure, meta tags, and content for target keywords to improve organic search visibility.
   • Regularly update and refresh content to maintain relevance and authority in search engine rankings.
2. Content Diversification and Optimization:
   • Develop diverse and engaging content formats, including articles, videos, infographics, and podcasts.
   • Optimize content for user experience (UX) by improving readability, incorporating multimedia elements, and enhancing mobile responsiveness.
   • Implement content clusters and internal linking strategies to boost organic traffic to key landing pages.
3. Social Media Integration:
   • Leverage social media platforms to promote PMC Media Group’s content and engage with the target audience.
   • Encourage social sharing and amplification of content to expand reach and drive referral traffic.
   • Use social listening tools to monitor industry trends and identify opportunities for content creation.
4. Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations:
   • Forge partnerships with influencers, industry experts, and complementary businesses to expand PMC Media Group’s online presence.
   • Collaborate on guest posts, webinars, or joint ventures to reach new audiences and attract organic traffic from partner networks.
5. Technical SEO and Website Optimization:
   • Improve website loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall user experience to enhance search engine rankings.
   • Implement schema markup, structured data, and XML sitemaps to help search engines better understand and index PMC Media Group’s content.
6. Email Marketing and Newsletters:
   • Build and segment email subscriber lists to deliver targeted content and updates to PMC Media Group’s audience.
   • Incorporate CTAs (Calls to Action) in email campaigns to drive traffic back to PMC Media Group’s website and specific landing pages.

Analyzing Performance and Iterative Optimization

PMC Media Group should regularly analyze organic traffic metrics using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. By monitoring traffic sources, bounce rates, and conversion rates, PMC Media Group can identify areas for improvement and refine strategies accordingly. Continuous optimization based on data-driven insights will enable PMC Media Group to maximize organic traffic growth and achieve sustainable business outcomes.

In summary, increasing organic traffic is a strategic imperative for PMC Media Group to enhance brand visibility, attract qualified leads, and foster meaningful engagement with its target audience. By implementing SEO best practices, diversifying content formats, leveraging social media, forming strategic partnerships, optimizing website performance, and utilizing email marketing, PMC Media Group can unlock the full potential of organic traffic to drive business success in the competitive media consulting industry.

Embrace the Spring Theme in Your Marketing Campaigns

Spring evokes images of renewal, growth, and freshness. Incorporate these themes into your marketing campaigns across channels such as email marketing, social media, and website promotions. Use spring-inspired visuals, colors, and messaging to capture the attention of your audience and create a cohesive brand experience.

Highlight Spring Products or Services

Take advantage of seasonal trends by showcasing products or services that resonate with springtime activities, events, or needs. Whether it’s outdoor gear for hiking and picnics, spring fashion collections, gardening supplies, or wellness products promoting a healthy lifestyle, align your offerings with what customers are looking for during the season.

Create Seasonal Promotions and Offers

Entice customers with special spring-themed promotions, discounts, or bundles. Consider running limited-time sales, spring clearance events, or exclusive deals for loyal customers. Leverage urgency and scarcity to encourage immediate action and drive conversions.

Leverage Influencer Partnerships

Collaborate with influencers or brand ambassadors who align with your target audience and embody the spring spirit. Partner with influencers to create engaging content, promote seasonal products, or host giveaways and contests that generate buzz and increase brand visibility among their followers.

Refresh Your Website and Content

Update your website with spring-themed visuals, banners, and landing pages that reflect the season’s vibe. Create blog posts, videos, or guides related to spring activities, tips, and trends relevant to your industry. Incorporate SEO keywords and hashtags related to spring to attract organic traffic and improve search visibility.

Engage Customers with Interactive Content

Encourage user-generated content (UGC) by hosting spring-themed contests, challenges, or photo/video campaigns that encourage customers to share their spring experiences using your products or services. Feature user-generated content on your website and social media platforms to showcase authenticity and foster community engagement.

Optimize for Mobile Experience

With more consumers shopping and browsing on mobile devices, ensure that your website and marketing campaigns are mobile-friendly and responsive. Optimize landing pages, checkout processes, and email templates for seamless mobile experiences that drive conversions and reduce bounce rates.

Personalize Customer Experiences

Use data analytics and customer segmentation to personalize marketing messages, product recommendations, and offers based on customer preferences, past purchases, and behavior. Tailor email campaigns, retargeting ads, and website content to resonate with individual customers during the spring season.

Leverage Social Media Platforms

Harness the power of social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to amplify your spring marketing efforts. Create engaging posts, stories, reels, and live sessions that highlight spring products, promotions, behind-the-scenes content, and user-generated content. Use relevant hashtags and collaborate with influencers to reach a wider audience.

Measure Performance and Iterate

Monitor key performance metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, email open rates, social media engagement, and ROI from marketing campaigns. Use analytics tools and A/B testing to identify successful strategies, optimize underperforming campaigns, and iterate based on customer feedback and market trends.

By implementing these seasonal marketing tips, online businesses can harness the energy of spring to attract, engage, and delight customers while driving growth and achieving business success. Embrace creativity, stay agile, and keep your finger on the pulse of spring trends to stay ahead in the competitive online landscape.

A high number of reviews is preferable to a low number — unless, negative feedback predominates. A small amount of reviews is better than having zero.

• A whopping 80% of Americans read reviews before deciding whether to make a purchase, as stated in Online Reviews Statistics.
• People read product and service reviews for various reasons, the most popular being to ensure quality (79%), that it works as intended (61%), or to avoid getting scammed (53%).
• According to recent studies, 83% of shoppers discover new products through reviews every month. In addition, 7% of consumers need to read at least 20 reviews before they feel comfortable trusting a company.

Asking customers for reviews is one of the best ways to improve your company’s local SEO performance. By learning how to ask for reviews and encouraging customers to leave them, you can ensure that your business gets more and better reviews on a regular basis.Keep in mind that if you’re already giving your customers amazing experiences, they’ll be more than happy to leave positive reviews. All you have to do is remember to ask them! Oftentimes, this is the simplest way to get more five-star ratings.

If your goal is to improve or establish an online review management system, this tactic will help you whether you have 0 or 100 reviews. Asking customers for reviews (as long as you’re not being too pushy about it and aren’t offering rewards in return) is a strategy that can work well for businesses of all types.

Benefits of Asking for Reviews

Reputation boost. A stream of 5-star reviews from customers is not only a free way to advertise your business, but also increases social proof – resulting in more sales.

On average, businesses who request reviews receive 4.34 stars out of 5 from consumers: a higher rating than unprompted reviews (3.89 stars out of 5).

Usually, brands that ask for reviews produce more 5-star ratings; These are probably going to stay consistent. Meanwhile, unprompted reviews have a bigger amount of 1-star ratings; However, the overall rating is prone to decreasing eventually.

By proactively asking for feedback, you can strengthen customer relationships and connect with the voices that matter most. Asking for reviews at the right time can also turn your happiest customers into promoters and word-of-mouth catalysts who will write positive reviews about your company on business review sites.

Google and other industry experts agree that a company’s reviews (count, ratings, text) play a role in its organic and local search ranking. In other words, the more reviews you have, the higher you’ll rank on search engine results pages (SERPs), making it easier for customers to find your business.

According to research, if you increase the number of reviews on your website, it will lead to a significant improvement in conversion rates. If review volume increases by 8 to 100 reviews, not only will conversion rates improve, but natural search traffic will as well.

Customer reviews can be used as data assets for your marketing efforts, just like tweets and Facebook posts. However, reviews have a longer shelf life.

A tweet’s shelf life is minute, with the median lifespan being only 18 minutes. Furthermore, 75% of engagement on a Facebook post occurs within the first 5 hours. As for reviews? They stick around for 3 months until they become irrelevant to consumers–or at least that’s what 69% of them believe.

In other words, what customers said on Yelp or Tripadvisor two weeks ago is more credible than what another customer said on Twitter or Facebook two days ago.

If you’re monitoring social reviews and conversing with social media users about your brand, why not also learn how to ask for reviews? With their long shelf life and ability to expand your digital footprint, they can serve as an integral part of marketing infrastructure.

How to Ask for a Review: Keys to Success

If you want to reach out to your customers and ask for a review, here are some best practices and techniques that will give you the best chance of success.

Ask for Reviews via Email

You can generate new reviews effectively by sending out review request email campaigns. These campaign emails often take the form of customer surveys, though they can also be simpler and more direct, with just a link to a page where your recipient can write a review.

Email should be your top priority when asking for customer reviews. According to research, as much as 70% of all customer reviews come from post-transactional review request emails. Not only that, but by asking for reviews via email, you can tie them to specific transactions—making them more authentic and valuable.

Evaluating customer loyalty and satisfaction levels is only part of the benefits you’ll reap when you request reviews via email. You’ll also be able to identify which customers are likely recommend your business versus those that won’t, based on their replies.

Best Practices: Asking for Reviews through Email

Having defined goals is crucial if you want your survey to be successful. What are your objectives? Do you merely want more reviews, or do you also want to assess customer loyalty and satisfaction with your customer service? If so, then make sure that net Promoter Score questions are included in your survey. By taking the time at the beginning of your project to identify its goals, you will be able save future headache by making sure that only relevant information is collected throughout the process.

If you want a more comprehensive guide, read our post on the best customer feedback questions examples you can ask in these types of surveys. It’s important that your email feels personalized so that recipients will be encouraged to open and respond to it.

Make it brief. Likely, you can’t remember the last time you took a 30-minute survey. If your email asking for feedback or your survey takes too long to finish or even read, there’s a chance respondents will stop before they’re done.

Keep your message clear and concise. omit unnecessary questions or terms that will probable confuse your customers. If you want them to leave a review on a particular website, say so directly and provide easy-to follow directions on how to do it.

It’s best to ask for a review score or star rating at the beginning rather than the end. Why? Because it’s a crucial question that requires an immediate reaction, and if you wait to 5-10 minutes after asking other questions first, the customer might not give an accurate response.

Give your reviewers a middle ground. If you’re using a rating system in your review request campaigns, make sure to give them a way to say they are unsure or have mixed feelings. Not only does this provide better data (which is backed by research), but it also gives the respondents an easy way out if they don’t know how to answer.

If you don’t plan on using scales, restricted your questions to those that can be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No.” If your questions are more complicated than that, provide respondents with pre-selected answers instead. This will make it easier for them to understand and answer the question.

If you receive negative feedback, address the customer’s complaints right away. Timely responses are essential; if you wait too long, the mad customer might never come back!

Always test, measure, and adjust your campaigns to get the best response rates possible and collect feedback that is most useful to you. In today’s customer-driven market, people will have different interactions and experiences with your company at various times.

How to Ask for a Review: Use These Templates for Email

If you’re unsure of what to write in your review request message, here are some subject line and message ideas that may help inspire you.

Subject line templates and examples

“How did we do?”

“We’d love to hear your feedback!”

“Got a minute to share your experience with (Company Name)?”

“We want your feedback.”

Message templates and examples

“Hi (First Name of Customer), Thank you for visiting (Business Name)! It was our pleasure helping (service you provide). Reviews help our business build an online presence and helps others learn about us. Would you be willing to take a few minutes to leave us a review? You can click this link (direct URL to your review website profile) to leave us a review. Thank you in advance for taking time to share your experience. We appreciate your business!”

“Hello there, (First Name of Customer)! I hope that your recent visit to (Business Name) exceeded your expectations. We would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to share your experience on one of the review websites linked to in this email. Your feedback helps us improve our ability to provide you with the best service possible. To write a review, click one of the links below and you will be sent directly to the correct page for posting your review. Thank you again for your support. (direct URLs to your review website profiles)”

“Hi (First Name of Customer)! Thank you again for choosing (Business Name). It’s our priority to continue providing top-notch service to customers like you. Please leave us a review on our profile on (review site, with direct URL to review website profile). It will only take a minute, but your valuable feedback will help us improve and make a huge difference to our company. Thank you!”

Request Reviews via SMS

A majority of online reviewers use mobile devices, which is unsurprising considering the increase in voice dictation typing and social media platforms that favor shorter reviews. With this technology, consumers can easily write reviews for brands straight from their phones or tablets.

If you send customers a text message survey or a review request via SMS, there’s a better chance they’ll click on that link than emails. Text messages are opened at a 98% rate, whereas email typically has a 40 to 50% open rate. Additional research shows that 90% of SMS messages are read within 3 minutes.

Still, crafting your review request for SMS requires careful thought — perhaps even more so because of this channel’s character limitations. Here are a few review or feedback SMS templates to help you achieve high response rates.

How to Ask for Reviews: SMS Templates

How to ask for a review with a text message? Here are some actionable feedback SMS templates to inspire your text surveys and review request campaigns via SMS.

“Thank you for being a customer.” This basic template is great to help you get started. It doesn’t require your customer to give up a lot of data or make a big effort to post a review. “Hey (First Name of Customer), thank you for visiting (Business Name) today! To help us best serve you and others, could you click on this link (review website profile link) to answer one question about your experience today? Thanks!”

“Will you review us on (Review Site)?” This template helps you increase your reviews on a specific online review website where you might be performing poorly. “Hi (First Name of Customer), thank you for doing business with us. Do you have 1 minute to leave a review on (review site) about your experience with us? Just go here: (review website profile link). Thanks for your help!”

“Review our location.” Thank your customers for visiting your outlet or local branch and ask for a review as well. “Hello (First Name of Customer), thank you for your recent visit to our location in (City). We here at (Business Name) want to provide you with the best experience possible! To help us, please take a moment to leave your feedback. Click here (review website profile link) to review. Thank you.”

“Your opinion matters.” Establish a stronger relationship with your customer by allowing them to feel like they have a voice. “Hello (First Name of Customer), your opinion matters to us. Could you take 1 minute to leave us feedback on your visit to (Business Name)? This link will take you to a quick survey with 3 questions. We appreciate your help!”

The three most important, yet simple ways to get more Google reviews:

1. Ask for a Google review
2. Show how to leave a review
3. Remind them to review you

Think about it: when you shop on Amazon, what is the one thing you do before you check out? I bet you read the reviews. Am I right?

Reviews are one of the first things I check before even clicking into a product. In just a few seconds, I can see if other users enjoyed the product and if it’s something I’d be interested in learning more about. If there’s a low star rating though, that usually tells me that the experience or item itself isn’t worth my time.

In addition to looking at the stars given by reviewers, I also take note of how many people have reviewed the product. Why? Because if only one person gave it five stars, then I cannot be certain that the product is actually as great as it seems. One opinion isn’t enough for me- I prefer seeing ratings from 3-5 different people before making a decision about whether or not to trust a business. If there are plenty of reviews with positive ratings, then I know that the company is most likely reliable.

The same is true for Google reviews.

Google Reviews As A Deciding Factor

When time is of the essence and you need to find a reliable plumbing professional quick, which one will you choose? Go with TN Plumbing Solutions. Although they have a slightly lower score, they boast many more customer reviews than GNC Plumbing – who only has ONE. With such an essential service, it’s best to go with the company that can show off their consistent quality via positive feedback from past clients.

We’ve talked about this before, but Google has changed the way we do things online. WithIts user-friendly tools, people can now make decisions without having to visit a company’s website. For example, somebody could read reviews and see a business’ location and pictures all from SERP. Consequently, local businesses should be really pay attention to their Google reviews because they act as the initial deciding factor for many people when choosing which company to go with. A good star rating goes a long way in convincing potential customers to call or click into your website instead of your competitor’s.

Even if you have the best logo or most aesthetically-pleasing profile photo, customers are highly unlikely to reach out to your business if your ratings and reviews aren’t good.  Garnered local reviews from customers is integral for your business’ Google ranking and SEO. It’s the primary deciding factor when it comes to acquiring new clientele via Google traffic.

To put this into perspective, let’s say I am located in Nashville and need a plumber. These are the first two Google results along with a map displaying their proximity to my location.

How Do I Get More Google Reviews?

There’s no magic formula here, but there are three steps you can take to get more:

Asking For Google Reviews

You can’t get around asking your customers/clients to review you; it’s that simple. You must ask someone to leave a review if you’re going to get a review. There’s several ways to approach this:

• Ask after you complete a job
• Ask the latest customer you have interacted with
• Ask through an email
• Ask when you send a bill
• Ask when you conclude a conversation on the phone

If you want more reviews, don’t be afraid to ask your customers! It may feel a little weird at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will become. Start by asking customers with whom you have close relationships. That way, it’s less likely they’ll say no. Plus, the more reviews you have, the better chance new potential customers will take notice of your business.

Showing How To Leave A Review

The video above goes over how to leave a review. Some of your customers might know already, but some might not have any idea how to do it. For those that don’t, here are quick instructions on leaving a Google review:

1. Sign into Google (Gmail account)
2. Search for your business on Google
3. Click to leave a review
4. Select star rating, write review and submit.

The key to getting customers to leave a review is showing them that they need to sign into Google and go directly to your business listing. The fewer questions or confusion they have, the more time they’ll be willing spend leaving a review. You can also provide them with a direct link to your Google Maps reviews page.

Can I link a customer to review me on Google My Business?

Follow these easy steps to find the web link to your review section:

1. Search for your business on Google (you may have to do this away from your location for the GMB info to show on the right hand side)

2. Click the reviews section within your GMB information

3. Click “Write a review”

4. Now select the entire link at the top and copy it. This link is what you can provide to people.

This is the gateway to getting more Google reviews. The link immediately sends someone to the review section of your GMB (Google My Business). This way, they won’t get lost along the way.

We all lead busy lives and sometimes forget things. When you ask someone to leave a review, keep in mind that they likely have many other items on their to-do list for the day. It may take them a week or longer to get around to writing the review. They may even forget altogether. Be sure to follow up with them within two weeks and remind them about leaving a review so they don’t forget altogether. A little nudge now and then goes a long way!

Where Are Google Reviews Shown? 

If you’re new to Google reviews and having your business/organization on Google then you may wonder where the reviews actually show…

Google reviews will show in two prominent places: 

1. WITHIN GOOGLE SEARCH RESULTS

When searching for a business/organization by name, and they have a Google My Business listing, then you will see their listing and any reviews for them directly in the search results. You can also be searching for something local, such as “local hamburger joint,” and see Google reviews for those listed in Google’s search results. We call that section of maps listings in Google the “local pack,” and you can immediately their star rating, which is derived from their Google reviews.

2. WITHIN GOOGLE MAPS RESULTS 

Google reviews for businesses and organizations are important because they can be seen by millions of people using Google Search and Google Maps. If you don’t have anyGoogle reviews, it will be listed as such which makes it difficult to stand out from the competition.

A good method to see if you’re making progress is to compare the number of reviews you have with your competition. If they have more, then it’s time to put in some extra effort. However, if they have less than congratulate yourself, but don’t stop there. Keep aiming to get even more Google reviews.

What do we recommend you do? 

If you see a Google review that is fake or malicious, take these two steps: first, flag the review; second, respond to it. If possible, write your response on the same day that you read the original comment. Even if the reviewer’s claims are untrue, act like they’re legitimate and offer to make things right–this will show other readers that your organization cares about its customers and their experiences.

Third, if the review isn’t removed by Google after a week or more, follow up with them through the support section of your Google My Business dashboard. Try to email or call the Google My Business support team regarding the issue and plead your case.

Instead of being scared of negative reviews, think about how your business handles them. Customers and potential customers will see this as a reflection on your brand, which is probably more important than the review itself. If you believe a review is unfair, say so in your response. Be polite and kind when doing so. Apologize for where your organization went wrong, and if possible, offer to make the situation right. This way, anyone who reads this negative review will also get your side of the story and see that even when things don’t go according to plan, you’re willing to take responsibility and learn from mistakes.

Get Out There & Get Google Reviews

Currently, check to see how many reviews you have on your Google business listing. ‘Google’ your business and take a look. Your goal should be to acquire 5 or 10 reviews. Make a list of customers you could ask for a review from. If you can’t think of 5 happy customers off the top of your head, then consult with someone in your business who talks to clients frequently. Write down their names and reach out to them–show them why it’s important, and remind them often. With some effort, you will succeed in getting those valuable customer reviews that’ll leadTo get more leads for your businesses.

In the same way, Google Reviews are vitally important to the credibility of both B2C and B2B organizations. Potential clients and customers will Google your business name to check you out or they may simply Google your product/service and your Google My Business profile will appear. This will display your Google Reviews. If you have never paid attention to these reviews before, here are several reasons to start doing so now.

Why Google Reviews are important:

1. Google Reviews are a big credibility boost to your business and you don’t need to spend a dime. Unlike other marketing campaigns, Google Reviews only require a few minutes of your customer’s time. By utilizing Google My Business, you can give customers a direct link to leave their review. TRG Marketing has devised a strategy to make requesting online testimonials from loyal customers as efficient as possible. The key is clarity so that you only receive positive reviews.
2. Google Reviews increase your online exposure and help with SEO, especially local SEO. The Google search algorithm is nearly indecipherable to the common person. But, Moz reports that almost 10% of the Google algorithm is determined by signals from Google Reviews. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Google Reviews have some sway. Online reviews are crucial for businesses because they show up high in Google search results. The more positive reviews you have, the higher you’ll rank on Google, and potential customers will be able to see that people like doing business with you. Having 40 or more reviews on Google portrays your business in a positive light to both potential customers and to Google itself. Furthermore, people are now directly calling businesses from their Google My Business profile rather than going to the website first. Consequently, it’s vital that you take care of your GMB profile and amass quality online reviews.
3. Google Reviews are a great way to gain testimonials for use in other marketing areas. While you still need to ask the person leaving the review for permission, it is much easier to obtain a positive response when they have already completed the task. PMC used this strategy when we were developing a new website for one of our clients. We wanted testimonials scattered throughout the website, so we took a few quotes from the old website and then searched Google and Facebook. We asked a number of people who left reviews on these platforms if we could use them on the new website. It was successful!
4. Finally, Google Reviews are a good way to better understand what you are doing right and/or wrong as a business. Reviews give you a window into what is and isn’t working in your business. Not all reviews will be accurate, but they can still offer valuable information on ways to improve. One hesitation that businesses often have when asking for online reviews is the fear of negative comments. Although it may not seem like it, a negative review can actually be beneficial to your business. By replying in a professional manner and trying to resolve the problem that the customer had, you’re showing future customers that their satisfaction is important to you. Furthermore, having a mixture of both good and bad reviews makes your online presence more believable and trustworthy.

Positive Google Reviews are essential for maintaining a good online reputation. Contact us today to see how we might be able to help.

The most popular hashtags on social media are those used to describe videos. On Twitter and Instagram, hashtags are the norm.

If you’re utilizing social media to promote your business, you should use hashtags. Hashtags can aid in increasing the social media presence and engagement of your brand.

Some people believe that the only time you should use hashtags is on social media sites like Instagram for “#ThrowbackThursday” posts. However, this could not be further from the truth! A good social media strategy contains a mixture of popular, relevant, and branded hashtags. By continuing to read this post, you will learn more about utilizing hashtags correctly on social media as well as why they are beneficial in the first place.

You’ll also learn:

• What is the best way to look for relevant hashtags that will help you grow your brand?why
• Using only popular hashtags isn’t the best strategy.
• Essential tips for using hashtags on every social media platform:

What is a hashtag?

The pound symbol on your keyboard — often known as an octothorpe — was originally used to indicate numbers.

In the summer of 2007, Chris Messina developed the hashtag as a means of categorizing tweets and making it easier for users to find specific tweets. That’s when he came up with the concept for Twitter. He proposed that since the platform is so brief,

Hashtags aren’t just for Twitter anymore. Hashtags are useful on a variety of social media platforms, not just Twitter. (For each platform, see below for how to use hashtags.)

Hashtag basics

• Hashtags must always begin with “#” but will not work if there are any spaces, punctuation marks, or symbols in between.
• Keep your accounts open to the public, otherwise people who don’t follow you won’t be able to see what you’re writing.
• Don’t try to make a long phrase. The ideal hashtags are generally brief and simple to recall.
• Use relevant and specific hashtags. If it is too obscure, it will be hard to find and it won’t likely be used by other social media users.
• Limit the number of hashtags you use. More isn’t always better. It actually looks spammy.

Why use hashtags?

Hashtags are an excellent way to connect with others who share your interests, and they can be used for nearly anything. For example, if you own a small business, you could use hashtags to advertise your products or services.

There are many reasons to use hashtags, including raising awareness for a cause or starting a conversation. Hashtags are also a great way to keep up with trends and breaking news. Here are some more reasons you should be using hashtags in your social media strategy:

-They help you connect with like-minded people

-They make it easy for people to find your content

-You can use them to measure the success of your campaigns

Increase engagement with your followers

Including hashtags in your posts helps you engage in a discussion that is already taking place on that social networking site. Most importantly, it makes your postings visible in the conversation. This can lead to greater participation, which will increase your brand’s social media interaction by likes, shares, comments, and new followers.

Build brand awareness with branded hashtags

Creating a branded hashtag is an excellent way to promote your business and get people talking. It can be as easy as using your company name or adding a slogan to a hashtag.

For example, in 2021 JIF Peanut Butter made TikTok history with its branded hashtag #JIFRapChallenge. In the promotional video, famous rapper Ludacris rapped with a mouth full of peanut butter.

The #LudacrisChallenge asked users to create their own Duet with Luda video, using JIF “in their grill.” This challenge saw more than 200,000 impressions and 600 unique videos created.

Show support for social issues

Backing a cause or issue that’s bigger than your brand by using an associated hashtag is one way to get people mobilized.

For example, the most retweeted Tweet of 2021 was posted by K-pop sensations BTS. They used Twitter to spread their #StopAsianHate/#StopAAPIHate message.

Add context to a social media post

On Twitter, you have less room to write a caption than on Instagram. On Instagram, captions that are longer aren’t always the most effective. The same can be said for Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and any other platform. Sometimes less is more.

Hashtags are simple, yet effective. They help to explain what you’re saying without using up a lot of valuable characters or having to write repetitive captions.

Help your target audience find you

Users can also follow hashtags and other people on LinkedIn and Instagram. Using a few popular hashtags could be another method to assist newcomers discover your business. This is an example of how using #travel on your Instagram photos might result in new followers for you.

Disclose sponsored partnerships

If you are an influencer or work with them, use this section.

When influencers partner with brands, they have to let their followers know that the content is sponsored as per FTC (Federal Trade Commission) guidelines from 2019. If these regulations aren’t followed, then both the parties involved can face heavy punishment through fines.

Influencers: always use hashtags to clearly indicate when a post is sponsored by a brand.

Brands: be sure to look for these hashtags when reviewing and approving influencer content.

The most popular hashtags in 2022

The most popular hashtags aren’t always the best. For example, Instagram’s #followme hashtag has over 575 million postings. Hashtags that request likes do not engage your followers and provide no meaning to your social media post. They’re also awkward to read. You don’t want people thinking you’re spamming them with those kinds of hashtags.

Also, don’t forget to use well-known hashtags. For example, #throwbackthursday or #flashbackfriday are great ways for your company to take part in a social media discussion that’s already happening. As of April 14, 2022, these 10 hashtags were the most popular on Instagram:

1. #love (1.835B)
2. #instagood (1.150B)
3. #fashion (812.7M)
4. #photooftheday (797.3M)
5. #beautiful (661.0M)
6. #art (649.9M)
7. #photography (583.1M)
8. #happy (578.8M)
9. #picoftheday (570.8M)
10. #cute (569.1M)

Keep in mind that what counts as a popular hashtag varies from social media platform to social media platform. For example, on LinkedIn, two of the most well-known hashtags are #personaldevelopment and #investing. Even though networking sites contain millions—and sometimes billions—of posts with these types of tags, they’re pretty general. They don’t tend to focus on any one industry or subject matter, which means they likely won’t say much about your brand specifically. A better strategy is identifying niche hashtags thatwould be Manzana more directly related to your company and its values.

How to find the best hashtags to use

In order to discover hashtags that target your customer base, brand, and industry, you will need to conduct some research.

1. Monitor social media influencers and competitors

Begin by conducting a social media competitive analysis. Get knowledge on your rivals and any important influencers in your brand’s niche. Keep track of which hashtags your competitors utilize the most frequently, as well as the number of hashtags they include in each of their posts. This can help you figure out how your rivals are interacting with your common target audience and which keywords they favor using.

2. Know which hashtags are trending

RiteTag is revolutionizing the way we use hashtags on social media. With RiteTag, simply type your caption into the text bar and upload the photo you want to accompany it. From there, RiteTag generates trending hashtag suggestions based on your content which lets you see not only the best hashtags to get immediate visibility for your post but also ones that will keep working over time. And if you want a more detailed look at how effective each hashtag would be, just click “Get Report” for a analysis of all displayed tags.

3. Get a social media listening tool

A social listening tool, such as Hootsuite, allows your brand to use search streams in order to identify which hashtags are the most successful for each social network that you’re utilizing. In other words, search stream make it easy discover popular and useful hashtags.

4. Find related hashtags

After clicking on a hashtag on LinkedIn, you may see additional hashtag recommendations below the hashtag. After clicking the ellipsis, select “Discover more hashtags.”

5. Analyze which hashtags were successful on past posts

Keep track of which hashtags you use on past posts by analyzing which ones have been most popular. If you notice some of your most popular posts always contain a few of the same hashtags, make sure to include those in future content.

How to increase organic reach with hashtags

Hashtags make your post discoverable to those searching that specific tag. For example, if someone is looking for a #weddingplanner and you use that hashtag in one of your posts as a wedding planner, they may come across your post.

You’ll have greater organic reach with hashtags when they are relevant to what you do. Do some research on which tags are most popular within your industry, then start using them frequently in your posts.

Using a stockpile of hashtags that are both relevant and high-performing will improve your posts.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of overusing hashtags. However, Instagram advises that you should only utilize 3-5 tags per post. Our study backs up this assertion, and we even discovered that using too many hashtags may reduce your reach.

How to use hashtags on every network

Here, find simple, easy-to-read tips for using hashtags on different social media platforms.

Twitter hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

1-2

Where you’ll find hashtags on Twitter:

You can use hashtags in your Tweets anywhere. Use them at the beginning for emphasis, at the end for context, or in the middle of your post to highlight a keyword. Hashtags may also be included in comments Retweeted, replies, and in your Twitter bio. You have additional options as well:

• Type a hashtagged keyword into Twitter’s search bar to find hashtagged content.
• See trending hashtags in Twitter’s trending topics.

A couple essential Twitter hashtag tips:

• Although you’re technically able to use as many hashtags #hashtags #xD in a Tweet as you want up to the 280-character limit, Twitter suggests that users stick to two or less.
• Before you create a new hashtag, do your research to ensure that it is not already in use.

Instagram hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

3-5

Where you’ll find hashtags on Instagram:

Use hashtags after writing a great Instagram caption. You can also include them in the comments section when engaging with your followers.

You can use up to 10 hashtags in your Instagram Stories, however, they are no longer featured on hashtag pages or shown to users who follow a tag. Although this means thatnew audiences won’t necessarily see your content, you can stilluse themto add context to what you post..

You can also:

• Search hashtags in the Tags tab of Instagram’s Explore section.
• Follow hashtags. That means content from any creator will show in your feed, as long as it includes the hashtag you’re following.

A couple essential Instagram hashtag tips:

• Post your hashtags as the first comment in the post so that people can focus on the fantastic caption you’ve created.
• With an Instagram Business account, you can access Instagram Insights in order to analyze your profile’s performance from hashtags.
• Although adding hashtags in the middle of your captions or comments may make your material less accessible to those utilizing text-to-speech readers, they should not be avoided entirely.
• If you’re unsure about where to place your hashtags, it’s usually best to group them at the end of your caption or in a comment.

Facebook hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

2-3

Where you’ll find hashtags on Facebook:

Hashtags can be placed anywhere in your post on Facebook, or in the comments section. Hashtags are also a great way to keep track of content and organize posts by theme or topic in private Facebook groups–something that is becoming increasingly popular among businesses.

You can also:

• Type a hashtag into Facebook’s search bar to look for one.
• Click on a hashtag to see a feed of Facebook posts using that same hashtag.
• Search hashtags used in private Facebook groups using the “search this group” bar under the group’s menu.

A couple essential Facebook hashtag tips:

• Because so many users’ profiles are private on Facebook, remember that it’s more challenging for brands to track how users are interacting with your hashtags.
• Monitor your brand’s hashtags and see which public profiles are joining in the conversation by using the URL facebook.com/hashtag/_____. Include the keyword you want to search at the end.

YouTube hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

3-5

Where you’ll find hashtags on YouTube:

Including a few hashtags in your brand’s YouTube video title or description can be beneficial. By clicking on the hyperlinked hashtag, users can see a feed of other videos that also use that same hashtag. However, don’t use more than 15 hashtags as YouTube may ignore all the hashtags or flag your content as spammy.

A couple essential YouTube hashtag tips:

• Hashtags in titles and descriptions are hyperlinked, so followers can explore more content by clicking on the hashtag.
• If you don’t include hashtags in the title, the first three hashtags in the description will show above the title of your video.
• Type in “#” into the YouTube search bar to find popular tags on YouTube.

LinkedIn hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

1-5

Where you’ll find hashtags on LinkedIn:

Incorporate hashtags anywhere into your LinkedIn posts.

You can also:

• Search hashtags using the platform’s search bar.
• Hashtags that are currently trending on LinkedIn will appear in the “news and views” section on the home page.
• Get hashtag suggestions from LinkedIn as you write an update.

A couple essential LinkedIn hashtag tips:

• LinkedIn is a professional platform. Keep the use of hashtags professional too.
• Follow hashtags on LinkedIn to see recent posts incorporating that hashtag.

Pinterest hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

2-5

Where you’ll find hashtags on Pinterest:

As Pinterest is mostly known as a keyword engine, hashtags can give your content an additional boost if used correctly. If you’re wanting to use Pinterest for business purposes, be sure to include appropriate hashtags in both the Pin description and any written descriptions when Repinning. Furthermore, take advantage of Pinterest’s mobile version which provides hashtag suggestions when creating new pins.

A couple essential Pinterest hashtag tips:

• Consider Pinterest to be a search engine. Use hashtags that are searchable, unique, and relevant in order to improve your chances of being found.
• In a Pin description, avoid including more than 20 hashtags.

TikTok hashtags

Optimal number of hashtags to use:

3-5

Where you’ll find hashtags on TikTok:

TikTok has several hashtags, and there are numerous ways to find them in a video’s description or on the Discover page. You can look for trending hashtags on the Discover page and any videos that use them now. The search bar also may be used to discover hashtags that are relevant to you.

A couple of essential TikTok hashtag tips:

• Use a combination of niche and trending hashtags.
• Leave space in captions for your hashtags.
• Launching a branded hashtag campaign is a great way to interact with your target market and improve brand recognition.

10 TIPS FOR ENGAGING ECOMMERCE SOCIAL MEDIA HOLIDAY ADS

We’ve worked with dozens of retailers over the last decade. Along the way, we’ve uncovered a few key strategies to make your holiday social media marketing stick.

1. Use seasonal ad creative.

This advice may seem obvious, but it’s the basis for successful holiday advertising on social media: Use Christmas-themed text, photographs, and video advertisements to engage with your consumers and encourage them to buy.

Seasonal touches, such as advertising certain items as Christmas or Hanukkah presents immediately within your message, can be simple and obvious.

(Bonus: It also enhances our brand awareness by vibing with our year-round social strategy.)

Examine your brand’s social media holiday advertising to see which current product pictures and videos may be used.

2. Emphasize holiday sales and promotions.

A great way to make your ads more seasonal is by incorporating holiday sales and promotions.

If you haven’t done so already, talk to your brand’s promotional team to get an idea of what kind of sales will run during the holidays.Then, create a content calendar for your different social media platforms around that schedule.

Your customers already delaying their purchases until they receive holiday sales and discounts from you. Utilize your social ads to increase the urgency and encourage them to make that purchase now instead of later.

Make sure to emphasize your unique discounts and discount codes in your ad design, ad text, or both today’s consumers are trained to seek for specific savings.

3. Get your first-party data in order.

First-party data isn’t as simple to harvest from Facebook users these days thanks to Apple’s iOS updates. Because this consumer data is a gold mine, you must decide how and when you’ll gather and use it now that you have it.

That way, you’ll have it ready to go when the upcoming holiday shopping season hits its full stride in a few months.

Consider collecting first-party data through:

Email list growth and acquisition

• Progressive profiling form fills
• “Save cart” prompts
• “Create account” prompts

4. Strategize your segmentation.

Your first-party data is only as good as the strategy you have for using it. Develop a plan for targeting your holiday sales towards your VIP purchasers, regular customers, or Christmas newcomers.

If you’re undecided, take a look at your past shopping data and run some experiments in the next few months. With enough time, you can develop a target audience that is ready to buy before winter arrives.

5. Watch your competition.

It’s always a good idea to monitor your competitors, but it becomes even more important during the holidays. See what kind of ads they’re running and when their campaigns start. This will help you create timeless holiday content.

Last but not least, you don’t want to be caught flat-footed as your competitors swoop in on your early bird consumers (see tip #10).

6. Evaluate and set realistic targets.

The 2021 shopping season is unpredictable. With the recent pandemic and concerns about inflation, it’s difficult to say how shoppers will behave this fall and winter. When setting your Facebook marketing campaign KPIs, keep this in mind.

In addition to metrics like revenue and ROAS, we recommend looking at micro conversions and micro-KPIs, like:

• Link click-through rate
• Link cost per click
• Add to cart ratio

These can be just as informative metrics as purchases and give you an even deeper understanding of your customers’ behavior.

Start tracking these early on, and they will help you optimize your holiday Facebook ads strategy throughout the season.

7. Look at historical holiday shopping data.

Although this year’s shopping trends may defer from years past, there are bound to be some similarities. To get an idea of what these might be, take a look at your CRM data on holiday shoppers from previous years.

Remember, a prospective buyer looks different during the holidays than the rest of the year. Use the demographic data from previous buyers to build a seed audience and remarket to them for repeat purchases. You can also create a lookalike audience from the same data for new customer acquisition during this period.

8. Don’t forget about Pinterest.

Pinterest is often overlooked — but, as the darling of women looking for gift ideas, it’s a great opportunity for your eCommerce brand to get your holiday advertising in front of interested customers.

Remember that customers on Pinterest are looking for gift-giving inspiration, so tailor your creative with that in mind. Run different ad campaigns utilizing interests and keywords during the holidays, and watch their performance closely to further optimize them in the months to come.

9. Stretch your budget to beat the competition.

The holiday season is a competitive one. If you want your ads to be shown in increasingly crowded ad auctions, you’ll need to up your budget.

Take another look at your historical data on Facebook, Instagram, and other target platforms before setting your budget. How much were your ad costs in the past? What were your results like from that spend? Were you leaving money (or impressions) on the table?

Based on this data, work with your digital marketing team to identify the best budget for this holiday season. Don’t forget to include some room to adjust your spend depending on your campaign performance.

10. Start advertising early — like, right now.

Finally, we recommend building and running your Instagram and Facebook ad campaigns as early as you can swing them.

The holiday shopping season starts earlier each year, and your eCommerce business shouldn’t be caught unaware. Just as there will always be the customer who waits until the last minute to buy their gifts, there will also be the customer who crosses everything off their list before Halloween.

Split the difference with your social media advertising, and stretch your calendar (and budget) as long as you can during the holiday season.

START PREPPING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ADS HOLIDAY STRATEGY NOW

The holiday shopping season is the most crucial period of the year for eCommerce businesses — which means it’s certainly not the time to slack on your paid social media advertising.

Fortunately, with a little forethought and the tips above, you can set your brand up for success with months of planning to spare.

If you’re not sure which kind of Instagram or Facebook holiday advertising is best for your business — or you just want an experienced social media marketer running your holiday marketing strategy — our team is always here to help.

Request a free proposal from our strategists today!

As the seasons change, how can you ensure that more people will buy from your e-commerce site as opposed to a competitor’s?

In this post, we’re going to cover 3 ways to make your site more cheerful and less bah-humbug so you can generate more sales this year.

3 ways to ready your site for the holiday season

Be a trusted resource for your site visitors.

Have you ever heard someone declare, “the person I’m buying for already has everything they need” or that “it’s difficult to shop for”?

By putting up a gift guide (or a few) on your site, you can save time and energy in shopping for customers. You may encourage people to the goods that are best suited for their demands or highlight the items you want to sell by doing this.

Make sure your gift recommendations are properly named. There should be no question as to whether your gift guide is appropriate for a grandmother or a great-nephew. To give customers with enough information to make an informed purchase, include keywords and specifics in product descriptions.

Remember, appearances count! It’s not 1997 anymore — so don’t bother creating a list of goods in a Word doc and then posting it to your site. There are so many competitors vying for customers’ attention that you must be different.

To make your gift guide look great, try using a free graphic design site or tool. Canva is one option, but there are many others available if you do a quick internet search.

Give your site a festive facelift.

When was the last time your website got some attention? People don’t wear the same apparel or hairstyles for long, and there’s no better time than during the holidays to improve your website.

You don’t need to rebuild your entire website, but a quick-fix would be updating your primary banner image to something Christmassy. For example, Coca-Cola updated their site last year before the holidays rolled around by adding a seasonal product page for Coke Cinnamon and switched up their header image too.

With today’s technology, you no longer have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on quality photography and graphics for your website. So if that’s been holding you back, don’t worry about it anymore. When creating your new holiday banner image, be sure to include a visible coupon code to attract shoppers.

Be a little less Scrooge and a little more Santa

We’ve addressed shopping a lot in this guide, but it isn’t quite all that it’s about. Your consumers are looking to buy presents for the people they care about as an expression of thoughtfulness and affection.

Make sure your customers know you care about more than just profits this holiday season by donating a percentage of your sales to charity. Even something as small as 1-2% can mean a lot to someone in need.

It’s critical to share your message about the importance of making a difference when you buy items. It may be the difference between being just another company and gaining a competitive advantage over others by letting customers know that part of their purchase is going towards a good cause.

Happy holidays to you and your site

The holidays are the perfect time to change up your website. Give visitors what they desire with gift guides, updated wintertime photos, and a way to feel altruistic by donating to charity.

We’re excited to be unveiling new local solutions, including a holiday guide, as well as a local holiday guide and new ways for you to stand out on Google so that your customers can easily find you online. We’ve unveiled fresh local options and a local holiday guide to assist you to differentiate yourself on Google and connect consumers with your stores.

Engage with customers using your Business Profile

Starting this week, you may directly claim and verify your Business Profile on Google Search or the Google Maps app. When you search for your company by name, you’ll see a button to claim and verify the associated Business Profile. You may modify information about your business, such as the address and hours of operation, as well as photos and more after it has been verified.

Update your company profile and communicate directly with consumers through search and maps. We’ll also be adding new methods to make the most of your Business Profile. You may now message clients right from Search, and merchants in the United States and Canada can use call history to see which inbound customer calls originated from their Google Business Profile.

View your call history from your Business Profile.

In order to streamline our services, we recommend that small businesses manage their profiles directly on Search or Maps from now on. To avoid confusion, “Google My Business” is being renamed “Google Profile.” And in 2022, we will no longer offer the Google My Business app so more merchants can use the upgraded experience found on both Search and Maps. In the upcoming months, Google My Business will be tailored more towards larger businesses with multiple locations and renaming it “Business Profile Manager.” Look out for further details about these changes from us soon.

Show your local inventory

Before they get to your store, holiday shoppers want to know what’s available. More than half of all U.S. holiday consumers will check online to ensure an item is in stock before heading to the store, according to a recent survey. There are several methods for ensuring that your company appears when people do a search for the items you provide.

You can now see which stores near you have a specific product in stock by using the new “in stock” filter on Search. If you’re a retailer in the U.S. or Canada, make sure your products show up by signing up for Pointy from Google—it’s free and easy to do right from your Business Profile on Search. Pointy allows you to automatically upload all of your in-store product inventory by connecting directly to your current point of sale system. If you have a local inventory feed available, you can submit it through Google Merchant Center. You can also choose to manually add products to your Business Profile on Search one at a time if you want greater control over what’s showcased.

The new “in stock” filter on Search allows users to view only the nearby businesses that have a certain product in their shelves.

Promote your nearby store locations

Seasonal promotions and in-store product goals? No problem! You can promote your location to people searches on Google Maps, Search, Display or YouTube using Local campaigns. Get discovered by potential customers who are near you and help them find what they’re looking for at your store, restaurant or dealership.

Now, with the help of Performance Planner, you can more easily budget your Local campaign for the upcoming holidays. This tool allows you to create a plan for your local advertising investment, and see how changes to that plan might impact your outcomes and performance.

Local campaigns Performance Planner can help determine how much to invest this holiday season and beyond.

You should continue using Local campaigns throughout the holidays to reach consumers because this is a crucial time of year for your business. When the moment is right for your company, you may also test Performance Max campaigns before next year’s campaign upgrades. To help you attract more foot traffic to your physical locations and promote your brand across all Google Ads platforms, Performance Max allows you to advertise your company across all Google Ads channels to increase foot traffic – which includes new inventory and formats that aren’t available in Local campaigns.