Last year, we shared 10 free tips to improve your digital presence. Unless you are very disciplined, it is difficult to work on 10 things at the same time. So, based on our experience, we will prioritize three things that are within the reach of most businesses to adapt, formalize and continually hone for the short term.

  • Improve Content Creation
  • Get Reviews
  • Develop Sound Email Practices

CONTENT IS KING & QUEEN

So, what is content? According to Merriam Webster, “it is the principal substance (such as written matter, illustrations, or music) offered by a website.” That works – but to build on that, your content should elucidate how your service solves your prospects’ problem and why they should consider your company as an option. Not only do you need to address your prospects’ pain points, but also you need to do so in their language. To produce content that never gets noticed serves no purpose. So, you have to work towards getting your content recognized. Fish where the fish are. Where do your prospects congregate? What do different platforms require to feature your content? Can you appreciate that material filtered for relevancy allows audiences to self-identify content they are inclined to engage with? Getting higher quality leads at increasing quantities are the first two parts of the trifecta of inbound marketing. The third part is conversion. What can you provide for prospects that will guide them throughout their buyer’s journey?

Let us apply those principles to SEO – search engine optimization on Google. Why?

  • Because the daily 8 billion Google queries represent over 90% of the search market
  • 53% of all Internet traffic begins with a search

In other words, plenty of fish. Your prospects are telegraphing their needs via the queries submitted. For example, “barbershop near me” is someone looking to conveniently get their haircut imminently; that is eminently relevant to you if you are a hairstylist. The language they are speaking is the keyword with the most volume or highly specific description (long-tail). Years ago, when my previous e-commerce company began selling shoes, we labeled the department “footwear” following the brick-and-mortar categorization. The reality was few people search for “footwear” online. More people search terms such as sneakers, flats, boots, sandals, etc. Whereas sneakers have greater search volume, a specific term such as “black and gold Superstars with glitter” will close at a higher rate – if you have that exact item. Know your keywords. What phrases are repeatedly invoked by your prospects? Incorporate those terms into your content. When prospects discover your site, what do you want them to do next? What do you observe is done well on other sites? A visit for shoes might continue with filters by size, color, price points, grouping style, etc. You notice that e-commerce leader AMAZON has suggestions such as “people also looked at.” And Amazon has product reviews – which brings us to our next topic.

REVIEWS AS SOCIAL PROOF, IDENTIFIER & FREE IMPROVEMENT ADVICE 

Merriam Webster informs us that a review is “a critical evaluation.” For our purpose, we will distinguish testimonials (often selectively posted on your own site) from reviews (publicly posted, especially on an authoritative third-party site, without filter). Prospects place more credence in reviews than they do testimonials as self-serving filters are less likely. With that said, testimonials are more credible than the typical marketing speak blathered on many sites. Generic copy such as “we are the best – call us today” can be claimed by anyone. Having one of your customers say “you are the best” is a step in the right direction. Better still is having many customers publicly repeat why you are the best in a variety of ways in a trusted forum. Data indicates that reviews are 12x more credible than unsubstantiated marketing claims. “88% of consumers will trust online reviews as much as a recommendation from a trusted friend.”

Four years ago, we were in a foreign country on a family vacation after a 30,000-steps “touring” day. We were tired and hungry but, at that moment, there was zero interest in going far afield to find dinner. The Google search conducted on our smartphone was “restaurant near me.” We prioritized those sites that had at least ten reviews and a rating exceeding 4.5 stars. Have you had similar criteria? Can you imagine other individuals doing so as well?

About two years ago, we developed a website for a Divorce Attorney whose site had not been refreshed in over a decade. Since he only received solicitations from web designers to update his site, he was skeptical about improving his Internet presence. Given the acrimonious nature of divorces, he worried about false claims being posted to any review site. We pushed him to embrace his Google My Business (GMB) listing. He had few reviews with an average 4.6 out of 5 rating. Within weeks of the new site, he received an extremely critical 1-star review, lowering his rating to 4.1. He did not recognize the name of the reviewer; he disputed the claims in the review. His lawyer’s instinct was to identify and then sue the reviewer. We advised him to:

  • declare that he did not recognize the individual as a client,
  • offer to correct the allegations if true
  • provide the ABA (American Bar Association) contact information to initiate a formal censure
  • reach out to past clients to provide a review of his service

The Attorney thought past clients would be reluctant to talk about their divorce process. But we convinced him and so, he asked. Numerous clients rallied to express how their experience was in stark contrast to the claims in the negative review. His reviews quadrupled, boosting his overall rating to 4.8 stars. The reviewer neither identified himself nor substantiated his allegations. Our client’s Internet presence, a strong GMB dovetailing with blogs that emphasize the same keywords, now generates low double digit calls per month about 80% of his new business during the past six months.

Additional benefits of reviews are that Google treats them as fresh content and includes it in its algorithms of ranking factors. Positive online reviews improve your brand image; 9 out of 10 consumers read business’ responses to reviews and consider it in their vendor evaluation process. Think about prospects who have not experienced your service, have no direct personal contact with you or cannot physically touch your products. A few keystrokes away are dozens if not hundreds of alternative providers. Do you see how reviews could be included among the filters deployed to prioritize their options? What are some other things you could do to remind them of your presence or to reinforce positive reviews?

A visitor to your site may agree to share their contact information with you to receive an informative e-book, to get a quote, or to have an initial complimentary consultation.  In other words, there’s engagement, but you have yet to close the sale.  What’s next?

EMAIL CONTINUES CONVERSATIONS

At any one time, even with those whose needs are well defined, only about 1 in 25 are ready to purchase. Buyers tend to be motivated more by their heart than their head – that is more emotional than analytical. They often will hold out to validate that there are no better options. If you are not familiar with the statistics, some two trillion pieces of email are delivered weekly. While 54% of volume is viewed as spam, 49% of consumers say they like receiving weekly email from their favorite brands. It is a love-hate relationship because while email marketing can be useful, too often the sender is thoughtless and strays off topic.

We worked with a home-service provider who once generated a random email about holiday season coat donations and was surprised to receive many unsubscribes. We worked with another residential painter to mine their email house file to remind subscribers of seasonal services or to offer scheduling incentives. In a little less than a year, we sent over ten thousand emails which generated scores of appointments resulting in dozens of jobs. The return on investment was at least 35 to 1 from a previously moribund list. What was the difference between the two extremes?

First, we stayed on topic. A subscriber to a home service provider wants to hear about home services or tips for maintaining their house. Nothing else should be discussed.  The coat donation topic was entirely foreign. A past customer who worked with a residential painter for interior painting, might not be aware of deck staining, exterior painting, power washing, color consultation, kitchen cabinet refinishing or epoxy floor coating, among other services. If they were considering those services, they might not have been aware our client provided those items.  If (respectfully) informed, they might consider those services.

Second, we let before and after images or testimonials paint the picture of service quality. We avoided making unsubstantiated marketing claims of “being the best.”

DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES 

The center of a solid digital marketing plan has its target audience and potential customers at its core. Content marketing is the opposite of the relationship breakup line. “It’s not you, it’s me” must be replaced by “it’s not you, it’s them.” To get into the head of the customer and to speak with the voice of the customer, use digital marketing tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console to focus your landing pages on the language being spoken by your prospect. Pay attention to technical matters such as fast loading pages, the appropriate metatags and web address construction.  Use good digital marketing tools that keep your branding consistent.

Avoid discontinuous conversation that surprises your clientele. Do not write about topics that get zero search interest. The world is not waiting for mediocre content and why waste your time producing it? Long term, the average customer is willing to spend 31% more with a provider that has excellent reviews and first-rate customer service. To get more reviews, be sure to routinely ask for them – after a purchase or another vote of confidence such as a contract renewal. Consider placing links to Facebook, GMB or Yelp! to encourage more reviews. Identify those key review sites or directories relevant to your industry – say Angie’s List for home service providers. Consider automated services such as Birdeye to accelerate these efforts.

Just as numerous positive reviews reinforce the consensus of an enjoyable experience, negative reviews that repeat the same operational shortfall should be embraced as an opportunity for improvement. A poor experience is more likely to generate a negative review and negative reviews could eliminate your firm from consideration.

So, reply to all reviews – good or bad – with as much of an individual and human touch as possible. If you’ve erred, admit it and do not gaslight customers by pretending it is their fault. Offer some compensation and take the discussion offline. If the claim is inaccurate, answering in anger will not help you. Rather, get your loyal customers to share their experience to drown out the discordant claim.

By reading reviews, note the words and phrases most used and integrate those keywords into your SEO. Consider surveying your customers or interviewing your most ardent clients to understand why they choose your firm.

At the end of the day, you can increase sales through more visibility and credibility with your target audience – all of which can be built by useful content, great reviews, and relevant email follow-up. If you want to discuss other digital strategies or need help with generating a return-on-investment through your digital channels call us at (914) 348-9467 to learn more about our online marketing lead-generation.