If you have been in business for a while there is a strong possibility that your business has an existing web presence, even if you aren't aware of it.
You need to take ownership and leverage this web presence to increase your business's web profile.
Just Google your business name, and see what comes up. If you have a website, then hopefully it will come up first. But what else?
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Your business listings on online directories,
- Your social media accounts
- Other Social Media accounts
- Websites where you have written reviews
- Your supplier's websites.
- Professional associations of which you are a member.
Often you cannot control the places your business is listed online, but there are a number of ways you can leverage these to your advantage.
1. Online directories
Scrapping tools gather information from reputable online listings such as Yellow Pages and Google Maps and alternative online directories use this information to populate their listings. Therefore your business will most likely be listed on free online directories such as True Local, Hot Frog and Aussie Web. Our citation reports can highlight these for you.
You can take ownership of these online directory listings and use then to leverage your web presence. These free listings usually offer a link to "claim these listings".
2. Social Media
The three most important social media platforms for business in Australia currently include Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.
Setup a "Facebook page for Business" independent from your personal page, and use this as a means to have conversations with your clients. Your Google+ Business page is linked to your Google Maps listing and your YouTube account and therefore influences your Google search rankings.
Ensure that your social media images are created with the right dimensions. You need to look good on the web. If your logo is not square it won't look good as your social media profile. Make it square with some white space.
3. Reviews
When writing reviews for other businesses try to use your defined NAP and include a link to your website. When writing reviews on Social Media use your business account, and remember to add your business hash-tag.
4. Suppliers and associations
Links to your website from higher level, reputable websites give you amazing leverage for your web presence increasing your domain authority. Ensure that your listing conform to your NAP and has an active link to your website.
Be active on professional association's websites in the form of forums and online discussions, especially if these link to your profile, and then back to your website.
Takeaway
- Ensure you use your predefined NAP citation to populate the fields on the online directories
- To avoid duplicate content issues, don't copy and paste from your website when posting on social media or online directories.
- Record all claimed listings, profiles and social media accounts on a spreadsheet
- Ensure that all links work, the text is professional without spelling and grammar mistake and you use professional looking photos
- Ensure your social media images are designed with the right dimensions
