How Important is Creating a Google Maps Account
It is a common misconception that if you do not have a website, you will be unable to make your presence felt on the internet.
The good news is that any bricks and mortar business has the opportunity to advertise their location, products and services through a very powerful advertising channel. This channel is known as Google Maps.
With so many potential customers using all manner of devices to access the internet, PC’s, laptops, smart phones and tablets to name just a few, creating a Google Places account really should be a no brainer for all business owners.
Getting Started
Getting up and running really couldn’t be much easier. All you need to get going is a Google account and once you have set that up, simply sign in, 
search for ‘Google Places’ and select add a new business.
It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Google may actually have your details already, so it is important to do a quick check first just to make sure. Google will prompt you to do this anyway but if you don’t see your business among the results, click ‘Add a New Listing’.
Completing Your Profile
You will be prompted to add a number of details relating to your business and it is important to make sure that you do not skip anything, even if it is optional.
Your goal when setting up your account should be to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to find you, and therefore it only stands to reason that the more you can tell them about your business and its services/products, the better the chance you will pop up in search results.
Make sure that you add your hours of business (remembering to update if they change). Few things for a customer are more infuriating than turning up and finding the business is closed when it said it was open!
Showcasing Your Business
Your listing can be elevated to another level by including photos and videos as well. It can often be a stroke of genius to ensure that you include a view
of your shop front as seen from any direction so people can recognise it as they approach.
And of course, photos and videos are a powerful way to appeal to your target audience by showing them what they can expect from you – and how irresistible it is.
You may think your product or service is not visually appealing, but even photos of your staff looking friendly and approachable are valuable.
Taking the time to set up one of these accounts can make all the difference for your business, so if you haven’t got on yet – what are you waiting for??
To find out more about how the Footprint Web Design team can help you, please give us a call on Tel. No. 01883 372488 and we’ll be happy to talk through your options with you.
Why Can’t Search Engines Find Me Without SEO?
If you would like your business to be successful, the importance of finding effective marketing and advertising techniques is something that cannot be overstated. The implementation of SEO will help you to find new and innovative ways to be seen, get your message across, engage with your customers and to build those all-important relationships.
You may be aware of SEO – Search Engine Optimisation – and have a feeling it could be a positive tool to support the growth of your business, but you don’t know really know what it means, where to start or what represents good value.
Maybe you already have a business website up and running, and you need some support to really make it work for you?
Offering a Helping Hand
Whilst search engines are incredibly intuitive, they still need some assistance. All of the major engines constantly work towards improving their 
technology to ensure that they generate the best and most accurate results for each search. However, there is a limit to how search engines can operate and this is where SEO steps in to help guide the search engines to your website.
It is important to note though that the correct practices must be implemented because whilst the right SEO can net you countless visitors, the wrong moves work against your website ensuring that your site becomes buried deep in the search results where visibility is minimal.
Should I Try To Do SEO For Myself?
The SEO industry is hugely competitive, and it takes a good deal of leg work to get to the top of the rankings (and stay there!). If your business is in a position that it can have someone who dedicates a large chunk of time to rankings and pushing key terms, etc. that’s great.
It is worth remembering, however, the SEO for business market is flooded with professionals; people whose primary expertise is knowing its intricacies. With that in mind, in order to be successful, it is usually more beneficial to rely on experts.
We have been providing SEO for business services for a number of years, and really understand what it takes to get your website to the top of the search rankings. We have SEO packages to suit all business sizes and can tailor a programme for your specific needs.
Click here to see what we can do for you.
Further Information
Footprint specialise in creating bespoke websites designed to help take your business to another level. We have been providing SEO Services since 1998 and if you’d like to speak to us regarding any of our services, give us a call on 01883 372488 or contact us via Facebook and we’ll be happy to talk you through your options.
Understanding the Importance of SEO
By now you’ll understand just how important SEO is to your online presence – but how can you ensure you’re doing everything possible to keep your website at the top of the rankings?
There are a few common errors that people make, when it comes to SEO. They may not seem like much, but, if you can give each of them a little bit of attention, you’ll make sure that you’re dotting all the “i”s and crossing the “t”s – this sort of detailed thinking can make a huge difference to your SEO.
Location, Location, Location
Around 1 in 3 searches on Google are focused on a place or location and this number is even greater when considering searches from mobile devices – 
nearly a third of all searches carried out. In order for small businesses to reach their target audiences, they must ensure that they are ranking high in these local searches. There are several strategies for targeting local search, including:
- Listing your business in relevant industry and geographical directories/listings
- Creating keywords that combine your company with your physical location (e.g. “plumbers” and “London”)
- Optimising your company’s website for mobile
Overlooking Social Media
A lack of time and resource are often the things that small businesses suffer with the most. Because of this, managing the Social Media accounts is sometimes considered a bit of a waste of time. Even worse, small companies will set up their accounts, then ignore them, leaving a trail of empty, outdated profiles.
In fact, posting on a variety of social media accounts will afford your business a wealth of opportunity for ranking. Not only are social media channels 
great opportunities for businesses to put out quality content, but links from social media channels are growing increasingly more important to search engine websites.
Unsure which social media channel is right for you? See where your competitors are online, and more importantly, where your customers are. Start with just one profile on the channel that is most applicable to your company, such as LinkedIn or Facebook. Refresh the content often, build quality links, and as you get more comfortable, add on channels as needed.
Posting New Content
It can be difficult for small businesses to find the time to update the content on their website. However, consistent, fresh content positively increases organic search rankings as well as user experience, which is increasingly important to search engines’ ranking factors. Two of the easiest ways you can consistently publish new, quality content are:
- Create a blog for you business – Many companies will start one, but as deadlines and other work crops up, the posting and maintenance will fizzle out. Commit to posting content relevant to your industry or company twice a week. Involve co-workers, interns, and if the budget allows for it, freelance writers to help.
- Create a news feed on your company website, and update it frequently with events or news, anything that is relevant to your business and industry, and that organically uses your keywords to help boost search rankings.
SEO – The Ongoing Commitment
A successful SEO strategy is a commitment – your work is not finished just because you’ve researched keywords and optimised your website. Those tactics are the best first step to launch a small business’s SEO campaign, but from there, it is a recurrent process to generate content and build links to your content and site. While it might seem daunting, keeping up with your SEO commitment means your company will have increased visibility, more website traffic – and more customers.
Further Information
Footprint Web Design have been at the forefront of web design and development for nearly 20 years. If you are looking for a website that truly represents your business, or advice on how to make your site stand out, then contact us today on 01883 372 488, or via email at info@footprint.co.uk.
