Everyone has heard of Google and you’re probably not surprised to learn that it’s the world’s most visited website! It currently holds more than 92% of the search engine share- it’s seemingly unstoppable!

So if you’re making sure your SEO is getting your business seen in searches it makes sense to go one step further and take advantage of Google Business Profile.
 
What is Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business) is a free business listing provided by Google. The listing lets you include all your important business contact details and photos and is a brilliant way to boost your business discoverability. It’s only available to businesses that have customer contact, so you’ll have to stick to other tools and analytics if your business is online-only.
 
It’s really beneficial to your business to create a Google Business Profile as once you’re up and running your listing can appear in any of the Google Services from Google Search, Google Maps and Google Shopping.
 
How Can Google Reviews Impact Your Website?
Customer reviews are great for your business- they give you valuable insights into your customer and their journey, build trust and credibility and give you great content to use in your social media marketing to boot! Obviously the difference with Google reviews as opposed to say reviews on your business Facebook page is that they’re there for everyone to see- this might seem scary especially as you can’t pick and choose which reviews to share but the combination of star rating and written detail really help your potential customers make an informed choice.
 
Negative Review? Don’t panic!
Criticism or negative reviews can be hard to handle but don’t let that put you off creating your Google Business Profile. It’s important to respond to your reviews, positive or negative, as this has been found to affect how your business comes across to customers. A survey carried out by Google and Ipsos Connect found that businesses that respond to reviews are viewed as being more trustworthy than those that don’t so it’s well worth taking the time to reply.
 
Be sure to respond in a timely manner and remain true to your brand voice and image. If a review is negative you should respond honestly and always offer an apology where it is necessary. Criticism is a great learning tool so use it to help improve the weak points in your business.
 
If you get a review that is inappropriate then you can get it removed by reporting it to Google.
 
Top tips for optimising your Google Business Profile

• Keep your business details up to date i.e contact details, business hours etc
• Verify your business
• Complete all elements of your profile and add real photos of your business location etc
• If you sell products be sure to add them to your listing
  
• Make use of the free Google marketing tools
  
• Include relevant keywords in your profile
• Ask your customers to share their questions and reviews
  

 
 
Need help with your Google My Business listing? Want help improving your existing profile?  Book a Health Check for first aid assistance.

This month we’re taking a look at the emerging trends in digital marketing for 2022. The pandemic and it’s continuing effect on the way we live, and work has had a huge influence on the marketing industry. These are difficult times in many ways and all industries are having to adapt to the ever-changing landscape.

So, as we slowly step into 2022 what can we expect to see trending in digital marketing?

Metaverse and Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality experiences
When Mark Zuckerberg announced the transformation of Facebook to Meta it was met with mixed reviews. But whatever your opinion on the ‘Metaverse', it can’t be ignored. There are loads of apps that work in augmented reality via the smartphone camera and as mobile devices advance VR will become more accessible too. AR and VR are a great way for consumers to experience products and services and interact with brands!

Voice Search
It was hailed as a digital marketing trend a few years ago but never really took off as predicted, however it looks like it might be finally catching on so you might want to consider including optimisation for voice search in your marketing strategy for 2022.

Personalised Messaging
Targeted marketing is a huge trend for 2022. When you’re planning your marketing strategy for the year be sure to hone your customer lists so you can ensure you tailor your ads to their preferences.

Micro Moments
Closely linked to targeted marketing, micro moments is a term coined by Google to describe the way we make snap-decisions. The key here is to make sure you have a presence on all the same platforms as your customers, using short and snappy targeted ads and personalised marketing.

CSR
Brands and businesses need to show they care about their communities and act with respect and authenticity. Recent reports in the US showed customers will actively boycott companies that have unethical practices or values.

Influencers
During the pandemic consumers put more trust in influencers than they did big brands so there’s no doubt influencer marketing is set to rise this year as well.

Creator Led Shopping
By introducing affiliate revenue Instagram is making it easier for Creators to share and earn money on the products they love.

Clear Communication
Make searching and shopping a breeze with a clean, simple and easy to navigate website. If it’s not clear what you sell or the services you offer then you are going to lose customers so make sure your website communicates well.
 
Takeaway message: This fast-paced industry is not slowing down but don’t panic, there are lots of exciting opportunities and developments to embrace that will help your brand soar in 2022!
 
If you’re not sure your website can stand up to the fast-paced world of 2022 get your FREE website audit here.

1. Give Away Branded Treats
Give away branded treats with every purchase or order. Cupcakes and treat bags are always popular but think a little outside the box… it might just grab you a bit of attention!

2. Hold a Halloween Event
Be part of the Halloween spirit and if appropriate make it a dress up day at work.

3. Halloween Themed Graphics
Create spooky or Halloween themed graphics and add a funky graphic to your branding... this can used on your social media and website.

4. Get Creative with #Hashtags or Voucher Codes!
You can brainstorm a bespoke hashtag or voucher code for your customers to use to promote how they use your products or services or to save money on products and services just for that day. #Halloween2021, #Boo, #FindTheSpider, #TrickOrTreat

5. Hold a Halloween Competition
Hold a Halloween competition with public voting on a specific theme e.g. For a veterinary practice… best spooky dog costume. You will need to advertise this through your website or social media.

Treat by the way!... Happy Halloween!

The information you get will give you indications of how you can improve your website to increase visitor rate and sales such as redesigning your homepage to make it more user friendly or ensuring it’s mobile friendly if it appears most of your visitors are using a mobile device.
 
How does it help with each marketing channel?
The information you get from your website analytics data will give you great insight into where your visitors are coming from such as an organic search using a search engine, paid search (Google Ads etc), referral from blogs, social media or email. You’ll be able to see the biggest drivers of website traffic and it will also tell you which channels you need to focus on to see improved traffic flow.
 
In order to get a real understanding of the numbers you need to look at each marketing channel's analytics as well as your website analytics. Understanding how well a certain email campaign has performed compared with a blog or social media post can help you see where you need to focus your attention.
 
How can you find out this information?

• Google Analytics With this fantastic free tool you’ll find valuable information about all your website traffic and find out how your marketing channels are performing.
• Website reports
• Social media insights - most social media apps have their own free analytics so you can see how well they’re performing where you can make improvements.
• Email marketing insights - use this data to help you produce effective email campaigns. Insights will tell you what your readers are interested in so you know what to focus on in the next campaign.
• Collect your own data - trade shows, events and networking are fantastic opportunities to find out more about your customers and what they’re really interested in.

 
It’s really important that you use all the analytics tools available and measure everything you do. Focus on one marketing channel at a time, really get to understand it and build on this. Make it manageable for you and your business - if you find it tricky to get your head around or you lack the time and patience, get support from your web designer.
 
Understanding your numbers
If 100 people visit your website how many of those turn into a call, enquiry or an order? If you’re finding the number of conversions is dropping it’s worth reassessing your website. Perhaps your homepage isn’t clear - is it obvious what your products or services are? Or maybe your Contact Us form asks for too much information. If a customer is taking those first steps you don’t want to scare them off with lots of questions. Fundamentally you need to understand your customers so that all your marketing and content is relatable and relevant to your potential customers.
 
Contact Creative Remedy for further advice or to take advantage of a Free Website Audit

A marketing funnel is basically a way of mapping a customer journey from awareness of your brand/business through to the final stage (purchase/sign up). There are different types of funnels focusing on specific areas of marketing (social media marketing funnels, video marketing funnels, email marketing funnels etc) but they all have the same role - to follow the steps a customer takes before fulfilling the final stage.

Why do you need a marketing funnel?
Having a marketing funnel will give you great insight into your customer journey. The data you will get from the funnel report will highlight if you are losing customers along their journey and help you focus on the weaker areas of your marketing plan. You will see which areas are strong and which areas you can build on. It will help you focus your marketing to your target audience which will ensure a better conversion rate. Understanding your customers and their needs makes it much easier for you to guide them through the ‘funnel’ and hopefully bring you more sales through your website/leads.
 
It may seem like a lot of data but it all makes sense once you understand your numbers and can see where you can improve brand loyalty or increase conversion rates.
 
How can a marketing funnel help your business?
A marketing funnel is a great way to build brand loyalty which in turn leads to recommendations, new customers and further sales. The marketing funnel is made of stages your customer goes through before making that purchase:

• Awareness - Attracting new customers
• Attention - Make your brand stand out from your competitors

• Action - Encouraging your new customer to make the purchase
• Engagement - Keeping in touch with your new customer through social media channels
• Loyalty - Building trust with your customers so they recommend your business to others

 
The information you will get from a marketing funnel will help you gain understanding of your audience and ultimately help you convert them into loyal customers.
 
If you need help with your marketing plan and would like more information, why not get a FREE Health Check