Google and the Small Business Administration have partnered to educate
local businesses about how to succeed online. Each video describes how a
small business owner successfully uses the internet to grow his or her
business. It's important to be where your customers are...online!
Highlight important contact details in your listing, such as
address, phone number, and email address.
Use local listings and a website to build your representation
on the web. Local listings help your business display details,
while a website is your virtual store front.
Complete every available listing field to give your customers
even more information.
SalonRed
provides a creative and compassionate salon environment in Decatur,
GA. It excels in the services industry because it uses a website and
local listings to help customers find its locations and book
appointments.
Display Imagery on Your Website
Tips for Success
Post as much information about your business as possible on
your website, including location, contact information, and
description.
Upload high quality photos and videos to show your unique
offerings.
Make your website user friendly.
Make
My Cake is family owned and operated. It provides Harlem, NY,
with great tasting baked goods in an intimate neighborhood setting.
Its recent website redesign allows Make My Cake to display vivid
imagery of its offerings and to sell its products online.
Engage Customers with a Website
Tips for Success
Build pages that are easy and simple to navigate.
Benchmark sites you like and try to incorporate the best
elements of each on your site.
Brainstorm ways to show your customers what you do well
offline, on your website. Be creative.
Lumus
Construction designs, constructs, and renovates public
facilities, and specializes in renewable energy and fire mist
prevention. It uses its website and online maps to both research
projects all over the United States and show potential customers
examples of its past work.
Interact with Your Community Using Free Marketing
Tips for Success
Use social media to ask your customers what they think about
your business. Gather all the feedback and improve where ever
possible.
Post as much content as possible to inform of specials and
promotions.
Find where your customers are online and engage them.
FuegoMundo
creates a unique dining experience by bringing the flavors, spices,
and culture of South America to Sandy Springs, GA. The restaurant
uses social media to request feedback from its customers for
improvement. Even its name was decided on a social network!
Promote Using Free Online Marketing
Tips for Success
Utilize free marketing to announce specials, deals, and
changes to your offerings. Be as clear and specific as possible.
Build a relationship with your customers by listening to what
they are saying online.
Reach people beyond your local area. Decide who you want to
reach and use free marketing to target and engage them.
Humphry
Slocombe makes premium ice cream in the Mission District of San
Francisco, CA. With flavors such as Secret Breakfast and
Pistachio-Bacon, it creates a vibrant social media following around
the world. It uses social media to inform its customers on new menu
items and to gather feedback.
Educate Your Customers Using Free Marketing
Tips for Success
Produce original content specific to your offerings and
industry.
Use free marketing to teach and engage the community. It
doesn't have to directly lead to a sale to be effective.
Ask your customers how you can help them learn more about you
and what you offer.
Skaters
Landing is a national retailer and e-tailer of products and
accessories for the skating industry. Although located in CT and MA,
it uses free marketing online to teach customers from all over the
world about its industry. Specifically, Skaters Landing's
informational videos give customers video tutorials on how to
properly shop for and use skating products.
Grow with Paid Online Advertising
Tips for Success
Complement your traditional advertising with paid online
advertising to reach consumers while they are in front of their
computers.
Search and display advertising are highly customizable. You
have full control over keywords, creative, and your budget.
Design creative specific to your services and offerings.
Mandy
Scott Flowers creates beautiful floral arrangements in its San
Francisco, CA, location. As a premium boutique flower shop, she
competes with national brands using paid online advertising. By only
showing ads to a very targeted group of customers, she ensures her
tight advertising budget is used effectively.
Measure Results with Web Analytics
Tips for Success
Web Analytics allows you to measure and track how your
customers interact with your website.
Analyze your web analytics account to determine how you can
improve your site layout and attract new customers.
Once web analytics isimplemented, you can see where customers
came from, how long they stayed on your site, and where they
clicked.
TCHO's
start-up mentality, combined with its unique location on Pier 17 in
San Francisco, CA, merges technology with chocolate production. It
uses web analytics to constantly improve its website's layout,
ensuring consumers are engaging with its products in the most
effective possible.
Google and Small Business Administration
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people
around the world with information every day. Google is a top web
property in all major global markets. Its targeted advertising program
provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while
enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is
headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas,
Europe and Asia.
The Small Business Administration recognizes that small businesses are
critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's
future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global
marketplace. Through an extensive network of field offices and
partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its
services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.
S. Virgin Islands and Guam.
This web site is provided as a public service under
Cosponsorship Authorization 10-2110-16. It is not an official U.S. government
web site and may contain links to non-U.S. government information. Inclusion
of such links does not constitute or imply an endorsement by SBA. SBA is not
responsible for the content, accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness
of linked information. Please use caution when considering a product, service
or opinion offered by a linked web site. All SBA programs and services are
extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Establish Your Online Presence
Display Imagery on Your Website
Engage Customers with a Website
Interact with Your Community Using Free
Marketing
Promote Using Free Online Marketing
Educate Your Customers Using Free Marketing
Grow with Paid Online Advertising
Measure Results with Web Analytics
Google
