3 Sites to Help Boost Your Local Business’ Online Exposure

Nico Dato

Tech-savvy business owners know how Google, Yelp, and Facebook give them a better chance of being found online. They also know that a large percentage of their customer base likely visits one or all of the three mentioned sites with some frequency. With that said, it’s a no-brainer for them to ensure that they have a positive presence on all three sites. After all, those three sites tend to be a customer magnet for many local businesses.

We’re so confident that focusing on these three sites can be so beneficial for your business, that we’ve put together a list of facts and figures. Read through them and get your business listed on the each site if it isn’t already.

Google, Online Reviews, and Reputation

Google is arguably one of the most important places for your business to have a presence. With nearly 65% of search engine market share, the site provides an incredible opportunity for your business to be found.

One of the easiest ways for your local business to be found on Google is to have a high quantity and quality of online reviews. Online reviews give your business a chance at a level playing field and helps your business show up in local search results.

If you’re not already focused on collecting and monitoring reviews on Google, start right away. If you are currently collecting and monitoring reviews on Google, be sure that you’re taking every precaution necessary to ensure positive reviews. Google also takes into account recency of reviews, so be sure to always be generating new, positive reviews.

Yelp, Online Reviews, and Reputation

Many people associated Yelp with restaurants. While the restaurant industry certainly holds quite a bit of clout on Yelp, the review platform serves almost every vertical imaginable. In fact, verticals like retail, dental, automotive, and many more are quickly gaining ground and becoming popular businesses on Yelp.

It is, however, important to gather Yelp reviews in a compliant manner. NEVER pay for Yelp reviews (or reviews on any other platform) or incentivize customers to leave you reviews. Yelp, and many other platforms, frown upon this – and rightly so.

The consequences Yelp, and other sites may impose, are not worth the risk. Plus, many people can spot a fake review with ease.

Gather Yelp reviews organically, increase your business so that your Yelp reviews reflect a positive experience and watch the reviews and additional business flow in. By the way, Yelp reviews can also appear within Google search results.

Facebook, Online Reviews, and Reputation

Ah, Facebook. The often overlooked platform for business. Why? Because most people don’t often realize that nearly 1/7 of the world logs in each day. That’s right, Facebook has nearly 968 million daily active users, yet only 41% of small businesses use facebook.

This lack of attendance by small businesses give those businesses with a presence a huge leg up. Those businesses will run ads at a much cheaper rate, collect reviews that will be seen by a much larger audience and be found much easier when individuals search Facebook for businesses near them.

If you’re not currently doing any marketing for your small business on Facebook, then start. Here’s a quick guide for getting your business Facebook page up and running.

Conclusion

Building a presence on sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook is essential for any and every small or local business. It allows your business to diversify its presence across sites that your potential customers will be visiting before they even visit your store.

Reviews on those sites also help your potential customers get a glimpse into what your business is all about. The transparency provided from past customers allows future customers to engage with your business with a sense of comfort.

If done correctly, your business has the opportunity to close the sale before the customer even reaches out or engages.

For more information about these sites, their online reviews, and how they can impact your business, download our free eBook: The Complete Guide to Online Reviews.

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