Last updated 2 years ago
2010 has been a momentous year here at ReachLocal, from becoming a public company to the official launch of our new social media service for small businesses. We’ve also worked hard to provide the education and guidance many small business owners are looking for when it comes to learning about online marketing strategies and techniques. So as the year comes to a close, it’s rewarding to see what we’ve been doing and working on reflected in our blog posts. Here are the top 10 blog posts that got the most attention this year:
1. ReachLocal Rings the Opening Bell at Nasdaq
Without question, our biggest event of the year was having the honor to ring the opening bell at NASDAQ as part of our celebration for becoming a public company. Cameras were on hand to capture the moment, as well as a video of CEO and Co-Founder Zorik Gordon’s speech.
2. ReachLocal CTO Spotlight on Reverse Proxy: The “Mirror Myth”
In this post, CTO Jeff Hagins seeks to put to rest once and for all the false rumor that the technology which allows us to track conversions somehow “mirrors” an advertiser’s site. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t!)
3. Big Changes at Google: What Every Small Business Should Know
Alex Hawkinson, the GM and SVP of ReachCast, had a series of posts at the ReachCast blog detailing the many changes Google has been unrolling in recent months, why small business owners should care, and what to do to stay ahead of the curve.
4. How to Deal With Negative Reviews & Complaints
Unhappy rants from unsatisfied customers online can have a big impact on an SMB’s bottom line – and unfortunately, negative reviews and complaints never really go away. This post details how to approach the situation before making a move (and this week’s post on the same topic takes a closer look at how to respond once you’re ready).
5. Online Search Alert: New Google Place Search Mixes Up Local SEO
One of the first big changes at Google was the introduction of Place Search, which displays search engine results differently when Google can tell a consumer is searching for local info.
6. 5 Effective Ways to Increase Traffic Through Social Media
As small business owners continue to invest time and resources into social media, there’s still a bit of a learning curve. This post outlines some good principles to keep in mind when you want to drive more traffic and engagement with consumers through social media.
7. How to Get Customers Online: 5 Must-Do Tips
These days, being discovered online starts with your web presence. Follow these steps to get started building a strategy that incorporates paid and organic tactics alike.
8. The Search Engine Advertising Secret Weapon: Bidding On Your Business Name
According to our IMCs, this is probably the single most asked question advertisers have when discussing a search engine marketing strategy: It’s your name, so why should you have to pay for it? This post explains why.
9. Bing + Facebook = Social Search
An alliance between a heavyweight search engine and the largest social network in the U.S. illustrates the way consumers are searching for and digesting information online today.
10. The Three Conversations: Online Consumer Behavior 101
Learning how to capture consumers online through your online marketing strategy begins with knowing what consumers are doing online in the first place! By breaking down these relationships and behaviors, it’s easier to pinpoint what tactics and solutions will work for you.
Which were your favorites? Let us know in a comment, and make sure to share them online with your friends and colleagues!
Angela Epley writes about online advertising, web presence, and digital retention for the ReachLocal blog, which focuses on small business online marketing strategies.
Last updated 2 years ago
Negative reviews and complaints online are, unfortunately, one of the most predictably bothersome side effects of owning a small business in this digital age. But handling them properly starts with approaching the situation calmly and putting everything into context. For starters, be selective about which complaints or reviews warrant a response because sometimes it’s better to not respond at all. Does the review rely on inappropriate language or personal accusations to get the point across? Nasty, to be sure, but it’s not worth drawing more attention to someone who’s clearly just trying to pick a fight.
But if a negative review or complaint clearly cites specific details about an unsatisfactory experience with a product or customer service issue, it could be a golden opportunity in disguise. Why? You’ve just been handed a virtual podium, microphone and spotlight – what you do and say next can have a big impact! Stick to this basic formula when replying to negative reviews and complaints, and your chances of converting a jilted customer into a customer for life may increase dramatically.
1. Introduce yourself. Taking ownership and responsibility can inspire a vote of confidence to anyone who may read your reply, so make sure you do so right off the bat. Use your real name and your position in the company (whether you’re the owner, manager, or sales assistant), and speak in the first person (“I”) to set the stage for a transparent, authentic reply.
Example: “Hi [reviewer’s name], I’m Jill and I’m the owner of Boho Bistro.”
2. Stick with an apologetic tone. Look – mistakes happen, so there’s no need to be defensive to the point of being argumentative. Nor is this the time or place to accuse your customer of being someone they’re not, like a competitor or ex-employee with a grudge. Instead, treat this negative review or complaint as genuine, and start off by apologizing and acknowledging the customer’s incident.
Example: “I’m sorry you had a poor experience – what you described is certainly not up to the standards we have here at Boho Bistro.”
3. Address a specific detail from the negative review or complaint. One of the factors that makes upset consumers rant online is that they want to be heard, plain and simple. So make sure you’re letting them know they’re coming in loud and clear. If you have an explanation or reason for a lackluster product or customer service experience, speak your piece (but remember to be apologetic). If this is a new issue, let the customer know how valuable their feedback is and that you’re taking steps to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again (you may want to outline the steps, too!). And if there is just flat-out misinformation in the complaint, politely state the facts without sounding smug.
Example: “Waiting 40 minutes for a table is unacceptable at our establishment, so we are currently hiring more staff to ensure the kind of prompt service we strive for.”
4. Focus on looking forward. Extend a sincere, personal offer to fix the situation. Offering to tend to the reviewer personally the next time they come in is a great way to show how you’re willing to go the extra step for your customers – and it might even result in them coming back! Then encourage the reviewer to contact you (personally) offline, which will help keep the negative review or complaint from getting more attention from both consumers and search engines.
Example: “I’d love an opportunity to show you what the Boho Bistro experience is truly like, so please and ask for me personally the next time you call or come in so I can serve you.”
5. Check for clear, plain, correct language. Before you hit “post,” get another pair of eyes to re-read what you’ve written to make sure you’re coming across as an articulate professional. Typos happen (especially with digital media) but you want to be extra careful that your grammar and spelling are flawless now that your words are under a microscope.
Remember: when it comes to replying to a negative review or complaint online, you’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. So keep your chin up and your smile wide when it’s your turn to speak on behalf of your small business.
Have you discovered any other tips or tactics that have diffused a negative review or complaint against your company? Share your experience by leaving a comment.
Angela Epley writes about online advertising, web presence, and digital retention for the ReachLocal blog, which focuses on small business online marketing strategies.
Last updated 2 years ago
Today’s a special day here at ReachLocal as we officially launch ReachCast across the U.S. This full-service web presence management solution is our first new anchor platform release since 2004 when we launched our original advertising platform in ReachSearch™. So if you can’t tell, we’re pretty thrilled.
As Co-Founder and CEO Zorik Gordon put it,“We are excited to offer this unique solution that helps small business owners solve some of their most complex marketing challenges in today’s digital world. It’s no longer enough to simply have one static website, and the demands of creating and maintaining a dynamic social Web presence are more than most small businesses can fully address. That’s why we developed ReachCast: to help SMBs connect with local consumers through a thriving Web presence without them having to worry about creating and managing it themselves.”
You can read the official press release here and learn more about ReachCast on our website. And for helpful tips and articles about social media marketing and web presence management for your small business, be sure to check out the ReachCast blog and follow @ReachCast on Twitter.
Angela Epley writes about online advertising, web presence, and digital retention for the ReachLocal blog, which focuses on small business online marketing strategies.
Last updated 2 years ago
With the holidays right around the corner, many small business owners are eyeing new tech gadgets that can help improve their productivity and increase their ability to stay connected in today’s digital, real-time world. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or have someone else in mind, here are some great tech gadgets for the small business owner’s holiday wish list:
1. iPhone 4 or Samsung Epic
As far as tech gadgets go, the hot mobile market is naturally our first stop. After all, a recent comScore report from October stated that 1 in 4 mobile phone users in the US have a smart phone. And while some users have loyalty to certain manufacturers, these are the two hottest and most powerful smart phones on the market right now. The Apple and Android marketplaces house plenty of apps for both work and play, while both handsets boast unique features that are sure to please any user. Whether you prefer the iPhone’s sleek design and user interface or the Epic’s fast processor and hard QWERTY keyboard, smart phones like these are a great way to manage multimedia files with ease and stay connected. Smart phones can not only help you manage your business thanks to a variety of business-friendly apps, they can also connect you directly to social media sites for marketing your business online.
2. FlipCam HD
When it comes to creating quality content online, videos bring your business to life like nothing else. So make sure you’re showcasing your products, services, facilities and staff/team in action! A crisp HD picture can make your amateur video clips look that much more professional. Plus, the portability of the FlipCam ensures you can take this tech gadget wherever you go, so you can always capture a great video when the opportunity arises.
3. Mobile Payments: iPhone Mophie Case 3G & 3GS and Square
Want to really impress your customers? Redefine “point-of-sale” and start accepting credit card payments on your iPhone - seriously! These tech gadgets give you the power to accept payments wherever you and your phone go, which is perfect when you’re away from the office or onsite with a customer. The Mophie case has the added benefit of protecting your iPhone, but if you don’t want to bulk up your phone, then Square might be the tech gadget for you. Square lets you accept and process credit card payments on the go, plus it has the added bonus of attaching to either an iPhone or an iPad. And unlike the Mophie case, there are no monthly fees or contracts with Square, so it’s ideal if you want to proceed a bit more cautiously when it comes to new tech gadgets.
4. Jawbone Bluetooth headsets
There are plenty of compelling reasons to get a wireless headset for your mobile phone: talking and driving is dangerous (and in many places, illegal!), and multitasking’s much easier when you can use both of your hands – even at your desk. And while there are many options available from many manufacturers, the products from Jawbone consistently get rave reviews all across the Web and feature sleek, tasteful designs that can be downright stylish.
5. MiFi® Mobile Hotspot Card
Designed to work with a number of wireless network providers, the MiFi card can support multiple users, work with any WiFi-enabled device, and is smaller than a deck of cards. For many small business owners, accessing the Internet anywhere is no longer a luxury but a necessity, making this tech gadget a must-have.
6. iPad, Kindle and nook
The e-reader market has only gotten more competitive over the years, which is a boon to small business owners who want to compare different features or price points. These space-saving tech gadgets make it easy to take your entire library wherever you go so you never have an excuse to not catch up on some reading.
7. Roku
According to a recent Forrester stat, the average U.S. consumer now spends as much time online as watching television. But that doesn’t mean we’re watching less TV – It means we’re supplementing our media diet with formats and types that only the Internet can deliver. Digital media is how we stay informed and entertained, but keeping up with it all shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. That’s where Roku, a digital multimedia tech gadget, comes in. Whether you want to stream a movie whenever you want, relax to some Internet radio like Pandora, or see what’s new on Hulu, just sit back and relax, because Roku can handle almost all your digital media needs.
Is there a tech gadget on your wishlist that we didn’t cover here? Let us know what you’re really hoping for this holiday season in a comment.
Angela Epley writes about online advertising, web presence, and digital retention for the ReachLocal blog, which focuses on small business online marketing strategies.
Last updated 2 years ago
Google has been very busy in recent months rolling out new features and updates that all show a renewed focus on search discovery for small businesses. And Alex Hawkinson, the GM and SVP of ReachCast here at ReachLocal, has done a great job shedding insight on what these changes mean – and what small businesses need to do about them – over on the ReachCast blog last week in a series of posts called Keeping Up with Google.
In Part 1: The Rapidly Changing World of Search Discovery for Small Businesses, he begins with a detailed analysis of Google Place Search: “a complete overhaul of the interface and presentation of any search results that Google deems to be ‘local’ and related to consumers trying to find businesses.” With a new layout, a new emphasis on organic ranking, and “hub pages” that aggregate info from third party sites around the Web, Alex makes a clear point that “any small business that doesn’t have an extended and up-to-date web presence including a Place Page will be at a substantial disadvantage.”
But that’s just the beginning. There are even more Google updates small businesses definitely need to be aware of, including: Tags, Google Instant, Instant Previews, HotPot, organic ranking algorithm revisions, and Boost.
The theme and momentum of all these updates in a specific direction is quite clear, according to Alex:
“Marissa Mayer, the long-term leader of the search business at Google, shifted in mid-October into a new role overseeing Google’s local products. There has been a lot of speculation about what this means, but the conclusion is pretty straightforward when seen in conjunction with the monumental changes outlined in this post: geo/local is a massive opportunity that has not yet been fully tapped.”
So what will you need to do to position your small business for success with all these new updates? In Part 2: 4 Critical Things Small Businesses Should Do to Keep Up with the Changes, Alex stresses the importance of ranking organically on the search engines, which requires a strong dynamic web presence. And with an increasingly bright spotlight on social media, the way you handle customer service – online and off – matters even more.
For some of the meatiest food for thought on Google’s “tidal wave” of recent updates, be sure to visit the ReachCast blog and read Parts One and Two of Alex’s series, Keeping Up with Google.
Angela Epley writes about online advertising, web presence, and digital retention for the ReachLocal blog, which focuses on small business online marketing strategies.
