Physical Attributes Are Important, But Not Everything

I've been reading and re-reading a recent article on why google wants to know if your local small business has a wheelchair-accessible entrance or offers takeout.  

The simple anwer is that google wants to be the "go-to" source for search results.  And they're not alone. 

The "reputation" sites also want to these and other things, like services, accepted payment methods, and whether or not  you offer (or even can offer) free parking (not every business does).

They want to know, for example, if your restaurant is "appropriate for kids"; if dogs are allowed (and under what circumstances); does it have televisions; do you accept bitcoins? 

They want to know all of these "business attributes" so they can provide "rich, descriptive content" about the search results that they deliver.  It makes them  more useful, which makes them attract more visitors, which makes them more valuable.

You didn't really think they do it all for you, right?

BUT HERE'S WHY YOU NEED TO HELP THEM:

As the author out it: "they amplify a business’s data".  Most small business owners - especially local small business owners - don't know that "Inc." and "incorporated" might not show up "across all the places where people conduct local searches".  They don't know that the search engines probably won't recognize "123 Any Street" as a location match for "123 Any St.", even if the city, state and postal code are all in sync.  So, "business attributes" - a business’s data - might show up in one search tool, but not in another; great "reviews" might not get as widely published as that local small business owner thinks they have been.

The "foundational data", "identities", as the author calls it - names, addresses, phone numbers, might be completely accurate as a human reads it, but, as explained above, computers (and especially search engines) won't necessarily understand that "St." is "Street", rather than "Saint" or "State"; and those things are not the same.

If your small business needs help in turning searches into visits into business, CALL or TEXT 602-618-6626.  EMAIL US: info@localmotivemareting.com. YOU are why we're here.

Will They, REALLY?

You've thought about it, but you've wondered... "Will my customers really want my offer in their mobile phone?"

If you thought like a customer (instead of like a small business owner), you'd know. 

Price-conscious people have always taken every reasonable action to save.  Since the first "Free Coke" coupon in 1887, people who have had to be careful about spending (and A LOT of people who are just smart) have taken every opportunity to save a little here... a little there...

And tough times have always amplified that customer need. "The coupon biz" EXPLODED when "The Great Depression" hit in the 1930s.  Chain supermarkets began to use that need to draw customers away from neighborhood markets in 1940.  By 1965, HALF of all American households were "clipping coupons".  1990 introduced "downloaded" coupons and "online coupon codes".

And those price-conscious (or simply smart) people used those "downloaded" coupons and "online coupon codes", to SAVE close to $4 BILLION DOLLARS in 1992, alone. (More likely, they used those savings to fill other needs; needs that might otherwise have gone unmet.)

Customers NEED.  Customers WANT.  And - when there's a way - customers will meet that need, they will fulfill that want.

But we don't generally think like customers.  At least, not like OUR customers.   We're in business.  We have many of the same needs (food/shelter/clothing; transportation; "necessaries"), but we have additional obligations ("location, location, location"; inventory; facilities; tools, etc).

Business ownership changes us.  It changes our DNA (which was, no doubt, "different" to begin with).  It makes us incapable of thinking like OUR customer.  We're on "this side" of the transaction, and - try as we might - we really can't "see" from "the other side".

So, when you wonder, "Will my customers really want my offer in their mobile phone?", think about how often familiar faces are accompanied by your offer.

And think about this:  If they got your offer directly, and more often, you'd see them more.

Isn't that what you want?

What "The Experts" Don't Yet Know..."

...Can Work To Your Small Business' Benefit

FINALLY! (I thought) SOMEBODY PICKED UP ON THIS!!! <sigh>

It was an article by someone who could reasonably be seen as “an expert” (if this is your first visit, you’ll notice that most of my posts discuss articles by “experts” about “experts”).  After all, he (the “expert” guest author) is published by a well-known, well-respected online “expert” industry observer (which I highly respect), and actually does what he writes about for a national company; a “BRAND” (I very much respect him, and like that, too.).

I had spoken (thought, I think, maybe I said it out loud…) too soon.

Understand that this fellow does know what he wrote about.  He wouldn’t be in charge of what he’s in charge of for a national “BRAND” if he didn’t.  He’s not wrong. And the industry observer that published his article provides the latest industry information available for publication.  This is valuable to me, and to you, too.

Their information, and the information published by other industry observers, authored by people who know their stuff, lets me see what is going on nationally.  Information I can “overlay" with what I know about local small businesses in Phoenix, separating “the wheat” of value here from “the chaff” of what works in New York or San Francisco.

So, here’s the gist of “Two tried and true methods to make social media impact SEO”

The subtitle mentions that “social signals…” aren’t included in “…Google's ranking algorithm”.  No kidding.

But it goes on to say “…social media can still be used to enhance SEO.”  Also not news.

In the body of the article, there’s “…people are more likely to link to a page on a site they know and trust…”  and that “tweets and shares” can get more links.

Build relationships.  Engage. Be relevant.  Be responsive.

All true. All good stuff, as is every other suggestion included.  For “an indirect effect on SEO”.

My disappointment is because I happen to know others who have discovered a way for social media to “get ranked”; to have a direct effect on the search engines.

If you want to know more, leave a comment with your name, phone number, and email.  I’ll forward it.

The POWER of Local Small Businesses

I've commented, several times, about how those who write about "Marketers" aren't writing for you, the local small business owner. HERE and HERE and HERE 

That those who have the "big data" don't know how to use it, or what to do with it. HERE  

Just a few days ago, I posted about a just published article revealing that the "experts" don't even trust their own data.  And  that you understand that nearly ALL of what the writers are writing is for big, national companies and really doesn't apply in our local small business world.

I've written about how these very fine authors don't even understand the word, "local" HERE, lamented about "last year's data" being published as if it's still relevant HERE, and how a bare majority of small business websites have "caught up" to last year's standards.  (NOTE: This not really their fault.  These authors, and their publications, can't publish "results" until those results are calculated, and the speed at which life and business are moving means that the information is already "old" before it's even published.)

I've expressed my disappointment that that bare majority is a majority within a minority, because almost 6 out of 10 "very small businesses" don't even (YET!) have their own website HERE, and the unseen impact that is having on those "VSBs".

And just moments ago, I read a new article that validates what I've been telling you.  Even that "bare majority  within a minority" - the 52% of the 41% of small local businesses that have a website are making "the big dogs" sit up and take notice.  Local business reviews are "influencing" search "click-throughs" enough that this new article suggests that franchise and multi-location companies (in other words, NOT "local")  "need to have a strategy".

Be proud.  Your presence - the presence of local small businesses - is being felt in the marketplace.

CALL US. 602-618-6626. TEXT US.  SEND US AN EMAIL info@localmotivemarketing.com.  Let's sit down together and go over your marketing.  We might even be able to give you a few tweaks that'll make it work a little better.

And if you CHOOSE to add "mobile" to your marketing mix, we'll be happy to oblige.

 

Surprise! What People Say They Want And What People Do Aren’t Always The Same.

It was an article lauding the benefits to be derived from a combination of “intent marketing” and “programmatic advertising”. 

I want to be as clear as possible: this article was not altogether incorrect in its analysis and conclusions.  I have a lot of respect for the author, and for the organization that published the article.  But…

As I’ve written about before on Local Motive Marketing’s website blog (to which I will copy this, verbatim – heads up Google, I’m duplicating my own content!), this article was written about and for “BRANDS”.  It was not for, and did not even take into account, local small businesses.

It discussed, quite candidly, what “BRANDS” have gotten… wrong:  targeting of irrelevant ads; stalking customers online as they move around the web. Some of the very things that have cost “BRANDS” the public’s trust that they once so enjoyed.

The article described, quite intelligently, how “programmatic advertising” can be effective in respect of “intent signals” to “anticipate… wants or needs”.

And these areas are exactly where local small businesses can, and often do, excel.

First of all, local small businesses don’t really need “demographic information, search data, browsing and purchase behavior and location-based data” to know their customers.  They already know what products or services they’re in business to provide, and that knowledge alone tells them about their customers. Even customers that have not yet found them.

And that’s where MOBILE MARKETING can help local small businesses excel at the article’s suggestions of “a smart strategy” and “effective execution”.

Local small businesses waste a lot of their limited advertising (marketing) budgets, especially if they use mass coupons as a means of attracting those customers that have not yet found them.  With the mass coupon approach, the local small business is essentially sending out  “poorly targeted ads” that might occasionally” reach a ready customer, “but most of the time they won’t.”

They waste even more so if they rely upon “referral sites” instead of having their own website.  Sure, those sites feature “reviews” from people who supposedly used that business, but that still is no match for a business website with good content and keywords for a customer that just got “ready”.

Earlier today, I put it, again, in terms of “marketing physics”:  HIGHER RESPONSE to a marketing message means LOWER COSTS; the business can either SAVE MONEY by reducing the number of messages sent, or MAKE MONEY from maintaining the “send rate”.

CALL or TEXT 602-618-6626.  Let's chat about what your local small business is doing.  We might even have a few tweaks that'll make what you're doing work better.

And if you decide you'd like HIGHER RESPONSE and LOWER COSTS that come with adding MOBILE MARKETING to your mix, we'll be happy to oblige.

GET THE BUSINESS.  Or SAVE THE MONEY.  Or BOTH.  

Why Most "Marketers" Don’t Trust Their Data

I admit it. I pick on these guys. "Marketers", I mean. And I give some specific reasons for that in posts linked below. But today's post is about an article I just read this morning.

We live in the age of "Big Data". Yes, the term is falling out of favor (with the same people I pick on, among others), but the reality is still the reality. And, as it turns out, the reality is part of their problem.

The questions that were asked included:

• What does marketing measurement look like on the ground, to the people running the metrics?
• What channels are they using?
• How are they measuring them?
• What do executives want to know, and which metrics and tools deliver those answers?
• What’s getting in the way of unified marketing analytics? and.
• What are marketers doing to overcome those roadblocks?

These questions arose because "most marketers" us at least six tools to measure results.  But half  don’t trust the results.

"Challenges in data collection and centralization" came in as the #1 issue (almost 60% identified this), with nearly half saying they were unable to "gain actionable insight" from the reams of data at their disposal.  More than 3/4 "plan to use or adopt an attribution solution" (but don't necessarily agree on a definition of "attribution"), while more than 1/4 plan to use statistical modeling and algorithms (geek stuff), and nearly 1/4 are going to stick with "last-click" to determine where a particular customer came from (who cares how they got there, right?).

You do.  You, a local small business owner, already understand "attribution".  That's the "marketers" term - the NATIONAL "marketers'" term, for a question you ask, if you don't know.  "How did you find us?"  "Who referred you?"  If they came with coupon-in-hand, or someone else's business card, you don't even have to ask.

It comes down to what I posted here, and here, and here.  "Marketers" and those that write about them, have absolutely no interest in you.

But WE ARE YOU.  Local Motive Marketing IS LOCAL; IS SMALL.  And we want to keep as much "bottom line" in Phoenix, the Valley, and Arizona as we can.

The Physics of Digital Marketing

You’re in business. 

And you know being in business in this day and age means you have to add “digital” marketing; you have to be “online”. 

“Traditional marketing” is holding its ground statistically, and you can’t abandon what you know works. 

But your actual return-on-investment (ROI) is not quite what it used to be. You don’t need a calculator to tell you that higher costs and static returns equals lower profits. And you know that pattern can’t continue forever. Even 1% adds up.

You’ve considered adding “mobile” marketing to the digital mix. You know you have to market your business – advertise – to “eyeballs”, and more customer eyeballs are looking at their smartphones for products, for information, for deals. Coupons. Punchcards. Rewards. Right there on your customers’ smartphones. You know, instinctively, that every great recipe has a variety of ingredients that complement each other. That “pinch of spice” turns a great dish into a legend.

But you’re conflicted. Even though you know all this, even though you know that you have to adapt your marketing plan to the realities of your market, you keep seeing or hearing things like “consumers are using more than twice as many “ad blockers” as a year ago”; “half of consumers are annoyed by push notifications”. You might not even be sure what those terms mean, but you know they apply to “online” or “mobile” marketing. And you know they’re not good.

There are 2 stories being told. Two realities, from one set of facts. Here’s the thing:

BOTH STORIES ARE TRUE. BOTH REALITIES ARE VALID

More than half of all online searches happen on mobile devices. In the car (bad idea, but people still do it); in waiting rooms; in the parking lot; in the store. An estimated 146 MILLION people are even on their smartphone (or other mobile device) while they’re watching TV!

That’s truth. That’s reality.

But more than twice as many are annoyed by unwanted, unwelcome ads on the websites they find, and use whatever they can find to “block” those ads from showing up. They’re annoyed by getting constant messages from someone they did business with awhile back (“Check out our Tuesday at 3:45 PM special!”).

That’s truth, too. An equally valid reality.

You know what else is the truth?

THESE DON’T HURT YOU AT ALL

In fact, they can work to your benefit. The last decade or so has taken its toll on “Big Brands”. People no longer trust them like they used to. And all those “ad blocker” stories are about “Big Brands”. The same is true with the “push notification” stories”. They’re all about “Big Brands”. “You’ve been here before!! Come Back!!!” comes across as “Give us more money!”

But if a customer is at “the corner of X and Y”, and is looking for what you sell (product or service), and finds you a block away because you’re “online”, haven’t you just increased your chances that they will walk through your door?

And, visiting your website on their smartphone, if they see a “coupon offer” they can have RIGHT NOW, on the device they’re looking at, haven’t you just increased your chances even more?

CALL US! 602-618-6626 TEXT US! 602-618-6626 We’ll be happy to go through your current marketing plan with you. We’ll even give you a tweak or two to improve it – no charge.

And if you decide you’d like us to help you merge “mobile” with what’s already working for you, we’ll be happy to do that, too.