Small Local Business Marketing Checklist
As a small business, you want to take advantage of every possible way to increase the chance of success of your business. Here is a checklist to make sure you are on the right track:
1. Clean Website Design
Your website design can make or break your business. We all know the old adage - keep it simple! Tell your story with content that is easy and quickly absorbed through a combination of descriptive headlines and great imagery. Remember, no one wants to read the next great novel on your website. Make sure it is easy to navigate (mobile-first mentality) and loads quickly. You only have a few seconds to keep the customer engaged or say goodbye to that order.
2. Optimized for Local Search
Same basic tactics here can go a long way in helping your business get found such as:
- Clearly reference your target geography
- Provide online directions to your business location
- Accurate business info including Business Name, Address, Phone, Operating Hours
- Optimized Google My Business Profile listing
3. Leverage the Right Social Media Platforms
We know that social media can be scary so start simple with one or two platforms that make sense for your audience. Think about where your customers spend their time when they are on their phones or computer and target those social media platforms to start. The next step is to commit to a posting calendar. Again, you don't have to become the next social media influencer. Commit to posting once a week to start and adjust from there.
4. Content and Social Proof
Freshness always wins. Your customers want to see (and feel) that you are alive and well. Simple content updates to your website including sharing images of your latest creation, writing a new blog post, and posting to social media will let your customers know that you are ready to delight them. Keep a calendar so that you remember to make updates. And always, always ask satisfied customers to leave an online review or provide a testimonial - this is essentially money in your pocket.
5. Review the Numbers
Most website platforms have built-in analytics that makes it very simple to understand the health of your online presence and business. There are also free tools like Google Analytics that can give you deeper insights. A few key metrics such as website visits, visitor source, page load time, bounce rate, and goal completion rates are enough to give you a good grasp of your business. Spend at least a few minutes once a week to review your metrics and you will stay ahead of the game.
Congratulations on your website and investing in your business! Need help with your checklist, send us a note at openforbusiness@monumentbuild.com and we'll help you figure it out.