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Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:19:23 GMT

How We Use AI to Improve Your Google Ranking

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 21:31:22 GMT

Getting 5-Star Reviews on Google Maps

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 22:28:36 GMT

How to Get Your Law Firm to Rank Page One on Google

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 19:05:46 GMT

How to Get Your Website to Rank in Los Angeles on the First Page of Google

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 15:11:41 GMT

Get Your Plumbing Company Ranked on Page 1 of Google

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 20:44:35 GMT

Get Your Website to Rank in New York City

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 20:20:17 GMT

Getting Your Website to Rank in the Bay Area

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 15:55:11 GMT

Getting Your Website to Rank in Orlando

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 21:25:56 GMT

Getting Your Website to Rank in Houston

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 21:06:02 GMT

Getting Your Roofing Company Found on Google

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:00:01 GMT

No Poop, No Profit

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 23:58:02 GMT

Be Grateful for the Challenges

There is a proverb in the Bible that reads, "Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean; But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox." ( Proverbs 14:4 ). Owning a business is hard; every day brings new problems. Be thankful for these challenges, since with the problems comes the profit.

Tough Customers

Nobody wants to deal with ox poop. I get it. But if we want to enjoy the benefits of the ox, we are going to have to deal with his poop.

Sometimes I hear people on my own team struggling to make a client happy. Everyone has had to deal with certain customers who seem to not want to find a win; they are just happy to be unhappy. When the call ends, there is a temptation for my colleagues to vent about how unreasonable or unkind the client is being. This poisons the pro-customer environment we need to maintain, and it makes it that much harder to bring our best to our next client interaction.

Dealing with customers can be fun. Sometimes it stinks. That’s okay, because without customers, we have no revenue. So we’re thankful for all our customers—just a little more thankful for the kind ones.

Competition

We have a lot of competitors. Anyone can build a website. But not just anyone can get it to rank on Google , make it look great, and convert site visitors into leads. Nevertheless, there have to be a trillion web developers in the world. We’re in a dog-eat-dog industry.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was no competition for what you did? You could charge whatever you wanted, you wouldn’t have to suck up to your customers, and you could work at your own pace. If the customers didn’t like it, tough.

But how good would you be at your job? You'd be terrible at it. And would you want to be your own customer in that circumstance? Anyone who has spent an afternoon at the DMV could tell you, "Absolutely not."

Don’t you want to be proud of how you do your work and how you treat your customers? Then you should be thankful for competition, because without it, you’d have all the heart of a DMV worker.

Employee Issues

"I can’t get anybody to show up." "Kids these days don’t want to work." I suppose business owners have been saying this for as long as there have been businesses.

Certainly, it seems like young workers (if we can call them workers) can be disappointing today. I don’t remember being so unreliable or lethargic when I first got out of school. But maybe it’s just perspective. We all remember ourselves better than we really were.

One thing I am certain of: The people who are working for you… are working for you. No need to take out your frustration about the current generation on them. It’s like a preacher haranguing the congregation about poor attendance; the people they should be mad at are still in bed. The members the preacher is yelling at all showed up for the abuse. Send the shade in an email to the ones who didn’t come; don’t be mad at the ones who did.

Complaining about how lousy your workers are to those very same workers makes them feel unappreciated.

Accepting that your employees are human—that they make mistakes and that they are bound to disappoint you in many ways—will help you appreciate the good work they do for you. Employees aren’t forever, but while they’re with you, they do a lot of work taking care of your customers that you don’t have to do yourself.

Supplier/Vendor Problems

It's maddening enough in your everyday life when you need something but can't get it. When you need something for your business but can't get it, it can drive you nuts. It might also feel like your suppliers are out to sabotage you. Here's the thing, though: They definitely aren't out to get you.

Supply chain and vendor issues are just more of the poop that comes with the profit.

You can't run your business without your suppliers, and your suppliers likewise can't survive without your business. In this way, your suppliers are just as invested in your success as you are. Don’t attribute malice to that which can be adequately explained by incompetence , and never ascribe incompetence to that which can be better explained by supply chain disruptions.

A lot of business owners like to scream at their vendors. Maybe it’s because they want to scream at their customers but they can’t. They want to give like they get. This is a bad character, and bad policy.

Abusing your supplies and vendors sets their hearts against you. You want to be their favorite customer, not their worst. Their job is to help you succeed, and you have the same responsibility for them.

In Conclusion

If you have a business that makes a lot of money and where you never have to scoop up ox poop, let me know what it is, and I’ll join you. For the rest of us, we know that the good comes with the bad, so we are going to be thankful for the good AND the bad. The CEO of LinkedIn has a sign on his desk that reads, "Hard Things Are Hard." Who promised us that owning our own businesses wasn’t going to involve discomfort? I greatly enjoy the freedom and financial benefits of being a small business CEO, so I won’t feel sorry for myself about the messy stalls.

Oh, No. The Owner Says His Business Is Doing Great

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 22:13:38 GMT

Don't Let Your Business Become Stagnant

Owning and managing a business can be like riding a roller coaster. It's fun, thrilling, and occasionally makes you want to throw up. And just like a roller coaster, there's a sign of danger you should always look out for. No, it's not the "Keep your hands inside the vehicle" sign. It's the "I'm happy with how everything is going" sign. Yes, you, the boss, saying those words, can spell trouble.

You might be thinking, "What's wrong with being happy?" Simply put, a company that isn’t improving is dying. “Everything’s fine” means everything is not fine, because as an owner, you are not hunting for ways to improve it.

Embrace Change

In business, the only thing that doesn’t change is that everything is always changing. Customers' tastes evolve, technology zooms ahead like a rocket, and market trends can flip-flop more than a politician during election season. Staying content means you're standing still while everything else is zooming by. Before you know it, your business might end up looking like a dinosaur at a techno dance party.

If you're always happy, it might mean you're wearing rose-colored glasses. Maybe you're not listening to your workers when they complain about the coffee or not taking your customers' feedback seriously. Or perhaps you're ignoring little problems, which are like gremlins: if you ignore them, they’ll multiply and cause chaos.

Moreover, if you're always singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" at the office, your employees might start taking it literally. They'll stop trying to improve, be creative, or go the extra mile because, hey, the boss is happy, right? You don't want your team to turn into happy, lazy couch potatoes.

Encourage, Adapt, and Grow

But don't get it twisted! It doesn't mean you should always be grumpy or panic at every little thing. You're a leader, not a drama queen! Celebrate victories, appreciate your team's work, and have a good time. Just remember to balance it with a bit of "healthy dissatisfaction." Keep an eye out for new opportunities, be ready to adapt, and encourage your team to do better.

Nowhere do I observe this pie-in-the-sky complacency more than with some of my clients’ online presence. They’ve got a sleek, new site and the leads and inquiries keep rolling in, so they are happy as a clam. The fatal error in this line of thinking is that just because things are going well today doesn’t mean that they’ll be going well tomorrow.

Your Google Ranking is Key

Remember that your business lives and dies by its Google ranking. As of 2023, Google accounts for some 94.92% of all online searches in the US , making it the leader by a gargantuan margin. Google uses a monstrously complicated algorithm to deliver the highest quality results to queries, prioritizing sites that have well-written, relevant, geotargeted , functional, and recently updated content. The sites that best meet these criteria are pushed to the top of the search results, while the rest languish in the graveyards of the second and third pages of results. In fact, a recent analysis showed a pitiful 0.63% CTR on sites appearing on the second page of Google search results. Compare that with the fact that roughly a quarter of searchers click on the first result of a Google search and you’ve got an idea of the stakes of happy-go-lucky contentment with your business.

Dissatisfaction Can Be an Opportunity for Growth

I can imagine some of you blanching at these numbers, and if so, good! Hold onto that feeling of uneasiness because that’s what will keep you competitive in the shockingly cutthroat world of Google ranking, and subsequently, online business.

To wrap it up, being too happy can lead to trouble in business. It's a bit like thinking you're a great singer because your shower tells you so. So go ahead, be happy, but don't let it turn into complacency. Keep innovating, listen to feedback, and remember: a little dissatisfaction can go a long way! This way, your business will keep rocking and rolling, just like that roller coaster!

Why Your Site Needs Geotargeted Landing Pages

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:41:40 GMT

Online Marketing at Your Fingertips

The internet is brutally competitive for small businesses. We have to leverage every tool available to reach our target market. Otherwise, simply creating a website and putting it out on the internet is like trout fishing with your bare hands: You might get lucky, but you should probably plan on going hungry.

Geotargeting , the practice of tailoring web content—including metatags and landing pages—to a visitor's geographic location, offers an immensely powerful approach to online marketing. By creating unique landing pages for each of the different towns and suburbs you serve (instead of just creating a list of areas you serve on your home page), businesses can cater to local interests, improve search engine visibility, and increase their conversion rates.

Here's why this method is more effective than merely listing the service areas on a homepage.

Relevance to Local Customers

A geotargeted landing page delivers an immediate resonance with potential customers in a specific area . This relevance stems from the fact that the content speaks directly to their locality, addressing their unique needs, interests, or cultural nuances. When a user in Asheville, NC, for instance, stumbles upon a landing page specifically designed for Asheville residents, they’re more likely to feel recognized and valued. This personalized approach builds trust and strengthens your brand's connection with local customers. In contrast, a generic list of service areas on a homepage may not resonate as strongly, as it lacks the local touch and personal connection.

Improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engines like Google prioritize relevance and user experience . Geotargeted landing pages are tailored to specific locations, which aligns perfectly with how people search. A homeowner in a metro area suburb looking for a plumber is likely to search "plumbers in [my city]" or "plumbers near me." To Google, they mean the same thing. If you have a unique landing page for each town or suburb in your metro, your website has a better chance of appearing in these localized search results, driving more targeted traffic to your site. On the other hand, a generic homepage that merely lists the areas you serve may not rank as high in localized search results, thereby reducing visibility.

Do this test now: Search for "plumbers near me" and take note of the top results. Then do a search for "plumbers in [next town over]." Notice that all 3 results are different. Town-by-town and suburb-by-suburb is the only way to attack the Google search.

Higher Conversion Rates

Geotargeted landing pages can also lead to higher conversion rates. By aligning the content and call-to-action (CTA) with the local audience's needs, these pages are better positioned to convert visitors into customers. For instance, if a specific suburb frequently experiences power outages, an electrician's landing page for that suburb can highlight their prompt response to power outages. This targeted approach speaks directly to the audience's needs, increasing the likelihood of conversion. A generic list of service areas may not provide such nuanced CTAs, potentially leading to lower conversion rates.

More Efficient Ad Targeting

Geotargeting also enhances pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns. By directing your ads to the unique landing pages for each location, you can ensure that visitors from your ad clicks find relevant information that matches their search. This continuity from ad to landing page can enhance user experience, increase ad relevance scores, and improve overall ad performance. A generic homepage does not offer such specificity, making the user journey less coherent and potentially decreasing the effectiveness of your ad campaigns.

Geotargeting through unique landing pages offers a wide host of benefits for home service businesses. By providing personalized content, improving SEO, increasing conversion rates, and enhancing ad targeting, geotargeted landing pages can drive business growth and success. A simple list of service areas on a homepage does not offer the same level of granularity and personalization, making geotargeting a more effective strategy for targeting individual towns and suburbs.

Reach out today and let us show you how the website you need might actually be a dozen or more small landing pages (Don't worry! We still make it very affordable!). Internet marketing might feel impenetrable at first blush, but our expert team will equip you with not only the structured website, but also the knowledge that you need to make your business a success.

We just crossed over 2,000 5-star reviews. How did we get here?

Thu, 25 May 2023 12:00:01 GMT

How Can You Mitigate the Bad Reviews?

I am regularly asked if we can get bad online reviews to go away or get them pulled down. It’s an understandable question. After all, no one likes seeing bad reviews of the business they’ve worked so hard to create.

The good news is that there is no shortage of people out there who will take your money, claiming that they can do just that. The bad news is that all they can do is take your money; only a reviewer can take down a bad review.

Most people who ask me to take down bad reviews only have a couple of good reviews, so those few bad reviews really sting. Fortunately, the remedy is fairly straightforward: the secret to surviving bad reviews is to overwhelm them with lots of good ones. As a case-in-point, between the major review sites, we now have over two thousand 5-star reviews.

Here is what we do:

We ask every client for an online review every time we serve them. We don’t ask for reviews during sales calls, but any time we are doing customer service, we end our call with a request for an online review.
We have a link to online review sites in our signature blocks so that every time a client gets our email, they are also getting a reminder to leave us a review.
We still get a few bad reviews, which don’t hurt us given that we have over 2,000 good reviews ( the bad reviews make the good reviews look more legitimate ), but we make a point to respond to each one. Most bad reviews contain a mixture of truth, exaggeration, and sometimes outright lies. This is just human nature. It is very hard to complain without lying. But every bad review we’ve gotten has some truth in it, too. We earned those bad reviews, fair and square. When we respond to bad reviews, we focus only on the part of the review that is true—the point on which we truly messed up—and we zero in on that. We apologize for what went wrong, and we learn from it. We never point out fibs or try to dispute the client’s version of things. Even if we’re right, arguing would just make us look like jerks.
We pay a small bonus to our customer service people if their name is mentioned in a 5-star review. Most hourly employees aren’t motivated directly by bonuses, but some people very much are. We have found that 10 percent of our customer service people get almost 50 percent of our online reviews. These people are very motivated; perhaps that is because of the bonus. Online reviews are tracked on our company scorecard for the whole team to see; perhaps bragging rights motivate some of them, too.

But here’s what won’t work:

Don’t post your own good reviews. Never mind that this is unethical; it doesnt’ work. To be a Google Review Partner , sites like Sitejabber have to have technology in place that makes phony reviews impossible. I have actually had clients tell me they hired people to post good reviews for them, and all their fake reviews got pulled down. Multiple posts from the same IP address (or using a VPN as a workaround) make their fraud obvious to the review sites. In other words, you won’t fool anyone.
Don’t pay someone to take down bad reviews. There are simply no technical means to do it. Contacting people who leave bad reviews to handle their issue—which is a good practice anyway if they leave the review in their real name—is the only way to get a bad review removed. In other words, the reviewer has to do the removing . "They told me they could get the bad reviews to not show up on Google" is a scam. It’s only your money that disappears, not the bad reviews.
Don’t count on Google to remove bad reviews. While it’s true that there is a review process , Google is notoriously glacial in addressing disputes and you can’t count on them to land on your side once they’ve looked over the review in question.

Which Company Inspires More Trust?

Consider the issue from your own perspective as a customer: are you more likely to trust a company that has fifty 5-star reviews or a company with thousands of reviews that average out to about 4.5 to 4.8 stars? The answer is clearly the latter.

When your company is overwhelmed with genuine, positive reviews from happy customers, you won’t have time to worry about a half-dozen bad faith gripes. If you’re interested in implementing strategies to attract those positive reviews, get in touch with me. I’ve been in the industry for long enough to help you get on the right track to showing a star rating you can be proud of.

"I Only Call Customers Back Twice" and Other Dumb Things Business Owners Say

Thu, 11 May 2023 18:40:29 GMT

How Soon Do You Give Up?

I talked to a friend the other day whose website I manage. He’s a home improvement contractor. He generally gets at least a couple of leads per day from his website, and several more through referrals and other sources.

While we were chatting, I asked him two questions:

How soon do you call the lead after you get the text message saying you’ve received an inquiry?
If you get their voicemail, how often do you try to reach back out?

I was pretty horrified by his answers.

He said he tries to call the leads within a day, and he will try them twice before “giving up.”

What Potential Profit Could You Be Missing?

This might sound perfectly reasonable to many people, but I was stunned by the lack of follow up on his part.

Some background: My friend’s average job is about $3,500, he does about $150k per month in gross revenue, and his net margins are around 30%. He claims to sell “everybody” he talks to, but I’m sure that is an exaggeration. Even if it were accurate, it would still be problematic because if you win every bid you make, you’re definitely not charging enough . Still, he probably closes at least a quarter of all of his prospects if he at least gets them on the phone.

All this means that his average lead – if he can reach them – is worth about $250 in net profit to him.

Here’s what I told him he ought to be doing:

1. Call the first time within 15 minutes.

Returning voicemails and website leads within 15 minutes is important for a few reasons. First, it shows that you are reliable and responsive , which can help build trust and strengthen your professional relationships. It can also help you stay ahead of the competition by demonstrating that you value their time and are committed to providing excellent customer service.

That is to say, it’s your one and only chance to make a great first impression and demonstrate that you are on your game. It shows that you’re not only dependable, but also trustworthy, and studies have demonstrated that 95% of customers are more likely to stay with a business that has earned their trust. Compare that with the 74% of customers who report that they are likely to choose a different company if they have a bad phone experience with yours.

That return call within 15 minutes of receiving a voicemail is crucial to laying the foundation for trust that will turn that lead into a conversion.

2. Call two more times within three days.

This is not to say that you should be immediately pestering your leads. There’s an important distinction between diligence and pushiness, and you never want your follow ups to have a whiff of the latter. Let your leads breathe a little!

Experts have demonstrated that you should give your leads a second call after about 48 hours with your next call coming about 24 hours after that. That’s two follow up calls in about three days.

You already know that you offer the best service and that your lead would greatly benefit from it, and those two follow up calls seem to be the sweet spot for reminding your leads of this fact.

3. After three calls, use a texting system.

This just so happens to be one of the fortes of my business. What we do is set up an automated text follow up campaign to remind your leads that you can do the best job for them.

After your initial calls, text messages come into play, provided your lead form captured an opt-in. They’re less of an interruption than phone calls, and are more likely to lead to conversions than emails. In fact, 42% of texts are opened compared to 32% of emails !

With sales, the ball is always in the customer’s court. However, by putting technology and administrative services to use, you can remind your leads that the ball and the court exist in the first place.

Speaking from my own experience, I’ve bought plenty of things just because a salesperson has been diligent to follow up with me. And I’m busy, so I can be a hard guy to get a hold of. It takes persistence. Converting leads takes effort and a lot of tries in most cases. Only after six months would I think about “giving up” on a lead. Even then, I would just begin to think about it.

If you need help improving your follow up game, get in touch with us today!

The Best Way to Market a New Idea

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 18:24:48 GMT

No Need to Overcomplicate

Among the most rewarding aspects of this industry is the amount that I am able to interact with fellow business owners and fledgling entrepreneurs. I am often one of the first people they talk to when they come up with a new business idea or product. A question I frequently get asked is, “How do I market this idea?”

This question might seem like it would have a nebulous answer, but it’s actually quite simple.

1. Start with a simple, clear website

I cannot stress enough how important it is to build a website that prioritizes ranking on Google . Forget about the bells and whistles and make sure that you have a website that will actually get in front of eyes. Google indexes search results based on criteria determined by its elusive (yet testable) algorithm, and it has preferences for features on websites. Having a neatly organized website with regularly updated quality content makes it irresistible to Google.

Okay, but why does Google ranking even matter?

Consider the following: Every second, Google indexes search results for around 99,000 queries . That’s 8.55 billion searches per day; 3.12 trillion searches per year! In fact, Google performs about 93.37% of all searches … worldwide. This is all to say that when people are looking for a product or service, they choose Google by a staggering margin.

That being said, it’s really not enough to be discoverable on Google. You should be aiming for the first page of search results.

The First Page is the Sweet Spot

If you had to guess a number, what percentage of people performing a search do you think click on the second page of results? If you guessed somewhere in the ballpark of 10%... you’re wrong! Only 0.63% of people even bother checking the second page of Google! This means that even if your business appears on the second page, potential customers are more likely to amend their search than bother clicking to the next page.

Clearly, your business needs to appear on that first page. So how do you do that?

Your website needs to be attractive, concise, readable, and, most importantly, engineered to appear at the top of the first page of relevant search results. That’s where we come in. I can build you a beautiful website that is laser-focused on attracting the customers who are looking for you.

2. Run a strategically implemented Google Ads campaign

Your advertising budget should absolutely include funds set aside for Google Ads. After all, by using Google Ads you are putting your business right in front of the folks who are actively looking for the service you provide on the most widely used search engine in the world. These are people who want to pay you. The trick is designing a campaign that works in tandem with your website to turn curious visitors into customers.

Google Ads campaigns might be one of the most effective ways to get eyes on your website, but without some guidance you might fail to see clicks turn into conversions.

But Don't Forget the Basics

T he most common issue that I see is that too many business owners play fast and loose with the parameters of their target clientele. Why advertise your brick and mortar location to folks who are searching in an area an hour and a half away? Why keyword capture for roof inspections when that’s not a service that you offer? Is your target keyword too specific, or is it not specific enough? These are all factors that lead to a customer becoming disinterested and leaving your page as quickly as they came.

This is where my company is invaluable to business owners. We help design a Google Ads campaign from the ground up, finding keywords that attract your target customers in the area they live. Remember, this is a type of marketing that by conservative estimates has an 800% ROI when properly implemented, so having a team on your side that knows how to implement a tailored campaign is essential.

3. Cold calling puts you in front of customers

The only bad lead is the one you never followed. Cold calling might sound outdated in a world united by the internet, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Google Ads and a strong Google ranking are paramount, but it’s equally important to be an active marketer. Google attracts leads, cold calling creates them. Perhaps even more importantly, cold calling allows you to follow up on leads rather than become a number on your analytics.

This is yet another area where we can help. For a price so reasonable you’ll wonder if you’re reading it right, we can set up an entire program based on generating and following up on leads for your company.

If you’ve got an idea bouncing around in your head that is just begging to be marketed, you’ve come to the right place. Let me build you a bespoke website that is targeted to your target customers, design a tailored Google Ads campaign, and start generating leads through cold calling.

What Gets Measured Gets Managed

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 12:26:47 GMT

The Hawthorne Effect

Want to get your sales numbers (or online reviews, or any other metric) cranking? Want to improve your company's performance? Then keep an eye on your numbers. The simple act of focusing on your company’s key performance indicators (KPIs) will create an improvement in those numbers. This is called the Hawthorne Effect .

The Hawthorne Effect is a well-known phenomenon that will change everything about how you manage your business. The effect was first identified in a series of experiments conducted in the 1920s and 1930s at the Western Electric Company's Hawthorne Works in Cicero, Illinois. These experiments sought to understand the relationship between work conditions and worker productivity .

Researchers were brought into Western Electric's Hawthorne Works wiring harness factory to determine whether additional lighting improved production. It turns out it did. So they kept the additional lights. But when the researchers left, production soon dropped back down to match the pre-lighting levels. It turns out that it was the presence of the researchers and their production tracking that created the increase in output, not the lighting. Thus was born the storied Hawthorne Effect.

Focus on KPIs

The Hawthorne Effect refers to first, the phenomenon in which people improve their performance when they are aware that they are being observed, and next, the principle that collecting and focusing on key performance indicators (KPIs) almost axiomatically produces an improvement in said KPIs.

This effect is not limited to the workplace but can be seen in a wide range of situations. For example, students tend to perform better on tests when they know that their performance will be evaluated. Similarly, athletes tend to perform better when they know that they are being watched by their coach or teammates. People who weigh themselves every day are more successful at losing weight than people who weigh in only weekly. And so on.

What does the Hawthorne Effect mean for my business?

In the business context, the Hawthorne Effect has been shown to have a powerful impact on productivity and performance . The effect suggests that by simply focusing on certain aspects of business operations, companies can improve their performance in those areas. This is because employees become aware of the company's focus on these areas, and they are motivated to perform better in order to meet the company's expectations.

For example, let's say that a company wants to improve its customer service. By simply tracking customer service metrics such as response times and satisfaction rates, the company can create a culture of customer service excellence. Employees will become aware of the company's focus on customer service, and they will be motivated to perform better in this area. This can lead to improvements in customer satisfaction, which can in turn lead to increased sales and profits.

Similarly, if a company wants to improve its sales, it can track sales metrics such as conversion rates and revenue per customer. By focusing on these metrics, the company can create a culture of sales excellence. Salespeople will become aware of the company's focus on sales, and they will be motivated to perform better in this area. This can lead to improvements in sales performance, which can in turn lead to increased revenue and profits.

Empower Employees

The Hawthorne Effect can also be seen in the realm of employee motivation. By simply tracking employee engagement and satisfaction , companies can create a culture of employee empowerment and motivation. When employees are aware that their engagement and satisfaction are being tracked, they are more likely to feel valued and motivated to perform at their best. This can lead to improvements in employee performance and retention, which can in turn lead to increased productivity and profitability.

The Hawthorne Effect is a powerful tool for business leaders seeking to improve their operations. By focusing on the right metrics and creating a culture of excellence, companies can motivate their employees and drive performance improvements across their organizations. Whether you are a small business owner or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, the Hawthorne Effect offers valuable insights into how you can improve your business operations and drive long-term success.

Let’s take a look at how you can put the Hawthorne Effect to work for your business.

As a business owner, you've got to know your numbers (KPIs).
The Hawthorne Effect teaches us that focusing on specific metrics can lead to improvements in those metrics over time. As a business owner, it's crucial that you identify and track KPIs for your company. These KPIs should align with your overall business goals and help you measure progress towards achieving them.

For example, if your goal is to increase revenue, your KPIs might include monthly sales figures, average order value, and customer retention rate. By tracking these numbers and analyzing trends over time, you can identify areas where you need to improve and make data-driven decisions to drive growth.

Knowing your numbers also allows you to quickly identify issues and address them before they become bigger problems. By regularly monitoring your KPIs, you can spot trends and patterns that may signal issues with your business model, products or services, or team performance.

You should meet regularly with your team to go over your numbers.
Once you have identified your KPIs, it's important to share them with your team and work together to achieve them. Regularly meeting with your team to review progress and discuss strategies for improvement can help create a culture of accountability and collaboration.

During these meetings, it's important to focus on the data and use it to inform decision-making. Avoid getting caught up in anecdotal evidence or personal opinions, and instead rely on the numbers to guide your conversations.

In addition to helping you achieve your business goals, regular meetings focused on KPIs can also boost employee morale and engagement. When employees understand how their work contributes to the overall success of the company, they are more likely to feel invested in their roles and motivated to perform at a high level.

Your key people will perform better if you manage them by their numbers, not by anecdotes.
As a business owner, it's important to hold your team accountable for meeting performance targets. However, it's equally important to manage your team by their numbers, not by anecdotes or subjective measures.

When you manage your team by their numbers, you provide clear expectations and a roadmap for success. Your team members know what they need to achieve, and they can track their progress over time. This approach can help create a sense of ownership and empowerment among your employees, as they have a clear understanding of what success looks like and how they can contribute to it.

On the other hand, management by anecdotes or subjective measures can create confusion and frustration among team members. When expectations are unclear or based on personal opinions rather than data, it's difficult for employees to understand how to perform at a high level. This approach can also lead to a lack of trust and respect between employees and management.

Drive Growth With The Hawthorne Effect

By managing your team by their numbers, you create a culture of accountability and transparency. Your team members understand what is expected of them and how they will be evaluated, and they have the tools and resources necessary to succeed.

The Hawthorne Effect teaches us that focusing on specific metrics can lead to improvements in those metrics over time. As a business owner, it's crucial to identify and track KPIs for your company, meet regularly with your team to go over those numbers, and manage your team by their numbers, not by anecdotes.

By following these principles, you can create a culture of accountability, collaboration, and transparency that can drive growth and success for your business. Remember, what gets measured gets managed, so make sure you are measuring the right things and using that data to guide your decision-making.

So how can Simple.biz help put the Hawthorne Effect to good use for your business?
It starts with knowing your cost-per-lead. Our PPC customers get a monthly report showing them exactly what they spent for each lead and phone call our campaigns produce. This tells them whether to spend less or more the following month. It also compels them to make sure they are converting a profitable percentage of these leads and phone calls into paying customers. "Breaking even" is a sorry goal in online marketing; a Google Ads campaign should multiply your money. Reach out to your project manager and ask them about how we can use Google Ads to grow your business.

The Phone Is the Most Powerful Sales Tool Ever Invented

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 16:56:50 GMT

Calls Can Help Your Business

As a website company, you'd probably expect us to plead the case that a website is all the advertising you need. It’s true that nothing beats a simple, high-ranking website for generating engagement from people already interested in your products or services, but who maybe haven’t heard of your business before. But a phone call allows business owners to find prospects who are only moderately interested in your services, though not interested enough to do a Google search. This greatly expands your reach.

Cold calling has been a staple in sales and marketing for decades, and for good reason. Despite the rise of digital marketing techniques, cold calling remains one of the most effective ways to generate leads. In fact, research suggests that companies that believe in the effectiveness of cold calling experience 42% more growth than those that do not.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways that a cold calling campaign can generate leads, turn customer interest into conversions, and open your market in ways you’ve likely never considered.

Personal touch

One of the most significant advantages of cold calling is the personal touch that it provides. When you call a potential customer, you have the opportunity to speak directly with them and establish a personal connection. This personal connection can be invaluable in building trust and establishing a relationship with the customer.

Qualifying leads

Another advantage of cold calling is the ability to qualify leads. When you call a potential customer, you can assess their level of interest and determine whether they are a good fit for your product or service.

Through this qualification process, you can save time and resources by focusing on the most promising leads. In contrast, digital marketing techniques may attract a broad range of potential customers, many of whom may not be a good fit for your business.

Immediate feedback

Cold calling also provides immediate feedback. When you make a phone call, you can get an instant response from the customer, allowing you to quickly adjust your approach and respond to any objections or concerns. In this way, cold calling is akin to a survey technique that provides you with raw data to consider.

This immediate feedback can be invaluable in refining your sales and marketing strategies and ensuring that you are targeting the right audience with the right message.

Building relationships

Cold calling is an excellent way to build relationships with potential customers. By speaking with them directly, you can establish a rapport and begin to build trust.

Over time, this relationship can grow and develop into a long-term business partnership. This relationship-building process can be challenging with digital marketing techniques, which may not provide the same opportunity for personal interaction.

High conversion rates

Perhaps the most compelling argument for cold calling is its conversion rates. According to a study by the DMA, cold calling has an average conversion rate of 2.5%. While this number might not seem impressive at first blush, this conversion rate becomes colossal over time.

These conversion rates are due, in part, to the personal touch and immediate feedback that cold calling provides. By speaking directly with potential customers, you can address their concerns and objections in real-time, increasing the likelihood that they will convert into a customer.

Cost-effectiveness

Cold calling is also a cost-effective way to generate leads. While digital marketing techniques can be expensive, cold calling requires only a phone and a list of potential customers.

Moreover, by qualifying leads and focusing on the most promising prospects, you can maximize your return on investment and ensure that your resources are being used effectively.

How Can We Help?

Cold calling is the most powerful way to generate leads. It provides a personal touch, allows you to qualify leads, provides immediate feedback, builds relationships, has high conversion rates, and is cost-effective. While digital marketing techniques have their place in the modern business world, cold calling remains an essential tool for any company looking to generate leads and grow its business.

We are first and foremost a website company, but we also will let you borrow our calling team at very favorable rates. If you have a list you'd like us to call, reach out today and let us generate business for you!

Want to Kill Your Business? Grow Too Fast.

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Is Growth Always Good for a Company?

Entrepreneurs and business owners are always looking for ways to grow their companies quickly. However, a recent study by the Kauffman Foundation and Inc. Magazine revealed a shocking trend: fast-growing companies are more likely to fail than slow-growing ones. This finding challenges the conventional wisdom that growth is always good for businesses.

Why is fast growth often a business killer?

Receivables & Inventory

First, fast growth strains a company's cash reserves . As receivables grow, cash in the bank drops. Growing inventory and ordering customer materials drain your bank account. When a company grows quickly, it may not have the resources to support that growth. Rather than accumulating a cash reserve to meet the demands of costs of goods sold, a company can die on the vine as they simply do not have the capital to meet production demand.

Investing for Future Growth

When you know you’re going to be growing fast, you tend to lease facilities that are bigger than you really need right now. You buy more trucks and get more equipment than you can profitably use right now since you know you’ll need them. But until the business comes in, all this is an anchor to your cash flow. “It takes money to make money,” they always say, but what if the money to invest isn’t there? The company finds itself in the unenviable position of having counted chickens before they hatched and thus unable to meet the cost of business in the present day.

Suboptimal Customer & Product Mix

Fast-growing companies can be so busy meeting the needs of their customers, they don’t have time to stop and realize that many of their customers are not worth having. None of the optimization that can happen from analyzing data – dropping offerings that don’t make you any money, culling unprofitable customers , outsourcing work that isn’t part of your core competency – and all this hurts your profitability.

Inefficient Staffing

The bigger company you are growing for the future will need more people. If your company is growing, you’re probably already short-staffed. This leads to crisis hiring , a staff with a low average experience level and tremendous inefficiency.

Wasteful Marketing

New and expanding companies are often entering new markets. They are unsure of the most efficient way to reach customers with their product or service offerings. Even in a perfect world, your marketing spend isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s mostly wasted. This is doubly true if you are expanding at a breakneck rate.

How Can We Help?

An Affordable Website

The most affordable way to reach customers is through a simple, organically-ranking website. While we also offer PPC (Google Ads) management , you can’t beat the bang-for-the-buck of a simple, targeted website. If you don’t have a lot of budget for getting out the word, you at least need a strong website.

Inexpensive, Scalable Calling Services

In marketing, nothing compares to the power of a phone call. If you know who your target customers are, our team can call them with a targeted pitch to set appointments for your or your sales team. This is particularly effective with targets who have opted in to receive calls (which is required by statute for most consumer calls), or in the business-to-business space, where rules are less onerous.

Temper Your Growth

Of course growth is good, but it’s an important exercise in restraint and big-picture thinking to understand that there is such a thing as too much growth too quickly. This is why having another team in your corner is so vital to ensuring that you are growing within your means.

If your company is growing fast – or if you’d like it to – don’t go it alone. We know how to help you manage your growth while keeping your cash in the bank.

Does Your Company Rock?

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 20:33:02 GMT

Do You Have a Plan for Your Business?

Have you ever asked yourself where you’d like your business to be in 5 years? 10 years? Most of us are just trying to deal with the customers right in front of us, so we don’t take time to really ask ourselves, “What would this company look like in the future if I could pick. What do I want the future of this company to be?”

Once you answer that question for yourself, you know which way to point. Perhaps you have a revenue target, or a geographical reach, or maybe a certain staffing level. Do you hope to have a certain number of locations? You might have a goal for profitability, or some number of customer reviews. Whatever you decide you want the future to look like becomes your vision.

You Need More Than Just a Vision for Your Business

If you don’t have a vision, you’ll never get there. As Yogi Berra said, “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.” In business, success is never an accident. But having a vision is not enough. We’ve got to take the necessary steps to get there.

In his book Traction , author Gino Wickman introduces the concept of "Rocks," a term used in the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for prioritizing tasks and goals in a business. Rocks refer to the most important tasks or goals that a business must achieve in the next 90 days in order to move closer to its long-term vision. In other words, they are real and concrete, but not insurmountable.

Determine Your Vision to Identify Your Rocks

Wickman compares Rocks to large boulders that obstruct a stream and must be moved in order for the water to flow freely. In the same way, businesses must identify and achieve their Rocks in order to move forward and achieve their goals. Rocks can also be seen as stepping stones that let you get across the stream to your long-term goals. In this way, Rocks require effort and vision to overcome, but they are also invaluable metrics for evaluating your progress toward your goals.

So how does a business identify its Rocks? Wickman suggests that businesses start by setting a clear and compelling vision for where they want to be in 10 years. Once the vision is in place, the business should break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces, such as 3-year, 1-year, and quarterly goals. These quarterly goals will become the Rocks of your business.

Some guidelines for Rocks:

Rocks are specific.

It is important to note that Rocks should be specific, measurable, and achievable within the next 90 days. They should be the most important tasks or goals that the business needs to achieve in order to move closer to its vision. Rocks should also be challenging but realistic, so that they stretch the business but are still feasible. If they cannot be attained in 90 days or if they cannot be described with a binary or numerical goal, they aren’t Rocks.

Rocks are few.

Once a company has identified its Rocks, it must prioritize them. Wickman suggests that businesses should have no more than 3–7 Rocks at any given time . This ensures that the business can focus its energy and resources on the most important tasks rather than getting bogged down in too many things at once. Prioritizing Rocks also helps to ensure that the business is working towards its most important goals rather than getting distracted by less important tasks.

Rocks have one owner.

If you have a team, everyone has to pitch in toward your company’s goals, but a team cannot collectively “own” a Rock. Each Rock should have a clear owner, who is responsible for ensuring that it is achieved on time and to a high standard. A Rock that has two owners is an orphan; if everyone is responsible for it, then no one is. Rocks must be assigned to specific team members with properly articulated expectations and appropriately delegated responsibilities.

Rocks require a plan.

To achieve their Rocks, businesses should create a plan of action. Wickman suggests that this plan should include specific tasks, deadlines, and accountability measures. The plan should also include regular check-ins and progress updates to ensure that the business is on track to achieve its Rocks.

F ocus on Your Rocks to Help Your Business Succeed

One of the key benefits of the Rocks system is that it helps businesses focus their energy and resources on the most important tasks. This can lead to increased productivity and efficiency as the business works towards clear and measurable goals rather than nebulous targets that are still years away. It also helps to ensure that everyone in your business is aligned around the same priorities, which can reduce confusion and improve communication.

Another benefit of the Rocks system is that it can help businesses achieve their long-term vision. By breaking down the vision into smaller, more manageable pieces and focusing on the most important tasks in the short term, businesses can make steady progress towards their ultimate goal. This can help to build momentum and confidence as the business sees tangible progress towards its vision.

So here’s my challenge to you and your team: Can you think of three to seven attainable and specific goals your company can achieve in the next 90 days, moving you closer to your long-term vision? Write them down, talk to your team about them, assign them each to one person, and then Rock them out!

First Rule of Web Design: Do No Harm

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 13:00:05 GMT

Even a Poorly-Made Site Can Rank Well

Most of our clients had websites before they came to us, and most of those sites were pretty terrible. It’s easy for us web designers to be heroes if the client’s old site was a ghastly beast that didn’t rank on Google.

But what if a new client has an old, embarrassing website that DOES rank well on Google? This can happen. The danger is that in the course of fixing the aesthetic problems with the site, we do damage to the functional part, which is the Google ranking.

Google Rankings are Key

Google lays out exactly how to build (and how not to build) a high-ranking website on their site , which used to be called Google Webmaster. Since Google performs over 90% of searches in the US , you either play by their rules, or you don’t rank.

Eagle-eyed and SEO savvy readers might have noticed that there are some notable exceptions to the guidelines that even Google itself delineates. Let’s talk about that phenomenon.

Sometimes an old, ugly website ranks better than you’d expect. You might own a website like that. They say ugly planes don’t fly well. The same isn’t always true of websites.

Sometimes old websites have subpages that target esoteric search terms for which there is a surprising amount of traffic and little competition.
Some old websites have been edited hundreds of times, with owners adding content with each round of edits. “ Long is strong ” still applies in SEO. What looks like bloat from excessive editing can actually make for a powerful SEO score.
Google trusts content that has been online for a long, long time .

So is the solution to leave the site alone? Certainly not.

An old, ugly website reflects poorly on your business. People’s first impression is probably, “I wonder if this guy is still in business.” You will never have a chance to make another first impression, so it’s important to get it right the first time.

Also, your old site might rank well, but it probably converts very poorly. If you have an ancient website, we’d safely bet that you probably used to get more sales and phone calls from your website than you do today. Converting site visitors is a science that was little understood even a few years ago, and if your website is older than smartphones, it likely can’t keep up.

Update Your Site and Maintain Your Ranking

If you update your dinosaur of a website with something cutting edge - and you have it done properly - it will eventually regain whatever advantage it gained from being super old and trusted by Google. In the meantime, there are steps we can take to mitigate that danger that your new site ranks worse than your old one:

1. Keep the word count high.

Usually, when a site is completely rebuilt, things are cleaned up. That means getting rid of content that is no longer relevant. After spring cleaning, you have less stuff, right? From a style standpoint, this is good. A great writer once penned a letter to a friend saying, “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” From a search ranking perspective, the opposite is true. By reducing the word count on each page, you will probably be hurting the site’s search performance. The solution? Visually reduce the content without cutting any of the precious word count or keyword density.

2. Match slugs for high-ranking pages.

Your current site might have some crazy URLs, especially if it was made in the era of spinning GIFs that read “UNDER CONSTRUCTION.” www.homepage.com/copy-of-home-page is not uncommon if someone built their site with an old WYSIWYG page builder. Slugs (the part of the URL that comes after the .com) should ideally match the target keyword; this is an accepted best practice for website building. (When it comes to matching keywords, what comes AFTER the .com/ is very important. People obsess about integrating keywords BEFORE the .com/, but this doesn’t affect search ranking at all.) However, if the existing, misnamed page ranks front-page on Google for something useful, we need its replacement page to keep the silly slug. Otherwise we are effectively starting from scratch on getting ranked on Google.

3. Keep targeting what you were targeting. Add if you want, but don’t change.

I have a client right now who ranked for a number of years in a small suburb of a huge metro area. He told his project manager (my employee) to switch his targeting to the major city he sits beside, which unfortunately, his project manager agreed to (admittedly a mistake on our part). Now he doesn’t rank anywhere. The solution? Go back to targeting his old suburb, and geotarget other nearby affluent suburbs using dynamic pages. In other words, add, don’t change. As for the major city he wants to target, we can add that to the dynamic pages, but given that he has an extremely competitive set of keywords, there is little point. There are only 10 organic results on the first page of Google whether you are targeting a neighborhood or a megacity. Targeting a large number of neighborhoods and suburbs with unique landing pages is the secret to going gangbusters on Google. Ranking first for a popular keyword in New York City, Chicago or Los Angeles (not just a part of one of those) takes a ton of backlinking, which is pretty cost prohibitive, or Google Ads, which are effective but terribly expensive.

Can we promise you that your new site won’t lose some ranking for a period of weeks or months after we rebuild it?

Unfortunately, no, we can’t. But we can mitigate that risk. Also, as we build your new site, we can geotarget dozens of areas where you’re not showing up currently, making up for whatever you might have temporarily lost. In the end, you’re left with a cleaner, more modern website with more traffic, and which does a better job turning site visitors into customers. This website will be more operationally attractive to Google’s algorithm and more organically attractive to the folks who find you.

I’m sure you can tell that we find this stuff pretty fascinating, so why not put our passion to work for you? Give me a call and we will work out a plan to create a site for your business that Google finds irresistible.

Turn Your Online Ad Spending into New Customers

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:00:07 GMT

A Well-Built Website Will Get You Moving

One of the most common mistakes that I’ve observed over the years is businesses implementing creative, well-researched, and tactical online ad campaigns only to do nothing with the leads that the campaigns generate. Why spend money on getting leads if you’re not going to turn the leads into customers?

The biggest waste of money in advertising is to turn on a Google Ads campaign (which always generates a ton of leads and phone calls) and then let the resulting calls go to voicemail and languish there. A missed call is a missed sale, and if you’re serious about scaling your business, this can’t happen.

Don't Waste Your Money

Among my clients, I've got plumbers, roofers and other contractors right now getting phone calls and leads every single day, but sometimes when I pick up the phone to touch base with the owner, I'm going to their voicemail. In one case, the voicemail is full! Why are they spending the money on Google Ads if they ignore the calls and leads they generate?

Inexpensive but Effective Receptionists

Instead of letting a potential sale die in your inbox, hire a receptionist to handle the calls and leads. We can hire you a great receptionist, you know! We’re talking about a receptionist who will never let a call ring continuously and will address callers with peerless professional courtesy and flawless English. What’s more is how affordable it’s become through our virtual receptionist packages: It's only 8 bucks! Otherwise, 80% of your calls hang up and by the time you call back, your leads have already hired someone else. The only bad inquiry call is the one that goes unanswered, and I can help you make sure that never happens again.

And, once again, we’re talking eight bucks for a professional receptionist!

Paying for Google Ads can be a paradigm shift for your business, but that’s only if you’ve got the proper personnel in place to tackle the leads as they pour in. An advertising campaign is only as valuable as your ability to keep up with it, and without the right strategy and human resources, your Google Ads campaign is like a hog on ice scrambling to get nowhere fast.

How can we help?

So let’s talk about strategy and staff infrastructure. Off the top of my head, for your business I could:

1. Build you a simple landing page to generate leads. We’re talking about keywords and Geofencing that target your client base with surgical precision.

2. Build and maintain a killer Google Ads campaign that pays for itself and then some. In fact, with a properly targeted campaign we could be talking as much as an 8:1 ROI !

3. Hire a receptionist - which I can supply - to answer every call and schedule customers on your calendar. Not only does this keep your revenue flowing, it also takes the burden of organization and time management off of your shoulders. This frees you up to focus on your passion for the actual operation of your business.

4. Have the receptionist call every email/text/chat lead we receive on your site to schedule them, too. The website that I design for you will create an effective sales funnel for your business and your receptionist will take care of the rest!

5. The receptionist will follow up by phone and text messages to leads that fall through the cracks. If you’ve ever followed up with cold leads, you know how frustrating it can be, so why not leave it in the hands of a professional who has the acumen to do exactly that! For eight bucks an hour!

Want to grow your business? That's how you do it. Easy peasy. When you're ready to make a positive investment in your business and bring it to scale in a way that you’ve only dreamed of, give me a call.

Google Ads Can Be a Nitrous Boost to Your Website

Courtney@simple.biz (Courtney Andresen) — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:00:11 GMT

A Well-Built Website Will Get You Moving

Having a strong organic website is like owning a sailboat: The boat will take you as far as you want to go, and you don’t have to pay to put gas in it.

If your website is built well, it should rank on the first page of Google for one or more keywords. If you want to rank first on Google for "computer," then you’re biting off too much, but if you are a local service provider, getting ranked in your area should be doable. This brings in website traffic organically and should produce leads that cost you nothing.

On the other hand, having a well-designed Pay-Per-Click (Google Ads) campaign is like owning a speedboat: It can cost a fortune to run, but it goes very fast. And unlike a sailboat, you don't have to wait for the wind to blow.

Landing Pages Help to Target Multiple Keywords

Our websites usually contain a lot of landing pages . This lets us target multiple keywords on Google, multiple locations for the same keyword, or both. On the outer limit, we’ll build websites with dozens of target keywords. These can take weeks or months to begin ranking , and typically not every landing page is a winner, though we never give up.

These landing pages are like the many sails of a tall ship. Each sail catches a little wind, adding up to a lot of horsepower. A website with multiple landing pages will always get more traffic than a one-page site. Although each individual landing page might not get tons of traffic, together they can bring in quite a lot.

Google Ads Can Be Expensive but Effective

When we combine our multi-targeted websites with a PPC campaign with Google Ads, it’s like adding a V-8 engine to the sailboat. We can target dozens or even hundreds of keywords in whatever location we choose. The results are not as hit-or-miss as landing pages; no keywords get left behind. We can power our way to the top of any search ranking.

The downside? Google ads are expensive . Some of my clients spend tens of thousands of dollars on Google Ads. My clients reap a handsome ROI, but it typically takes them many months to get comfortable with that high level of ad spending. Due to this high barrier of entry, most people who start Google Ads on their own end up abandoning them.

So if there is a clear benefit to running Google Ads, why have so many business owners who have tried Google Ads quit using them, and how are others making huge returns on their Google Ads investment?

1. Poor targeting:

If people start out spending money on Google clicks with a poorly designed campaign, they bring in the wrong traffic, which means they don’t get any good leads, and all the money they spend is wasted. Of course they quit. The keyword lists, ads, and geographical targeting all need to be designed to bring in the right leads. Ascertaining the most effective targets is hard, which is why professional assistance is recommended.

2. No funnel:

Google Ads bring traffic to your website. (It can also promote products or bring in phone calls, but mostly it’s website traffic.) If the website is not designed to effectively funnel traffic to a contact form, you can have hundreds of website visitors but no leads. If potential customers come to your website and aren’t immediately funneled to their next step in engaging with your business, they’ll check out completely. Again, no ROI means the business owner gives up.

3. Inadequate adjacent keyword targeting:

There are probably a lot of people searching for your keywords who are not prospective clients. For example, if you sell roofing services, "roofing company" is a great keyword. However, targeting that keyword will bring in people searching "roofing companies that are hiring" and other nominally related queries. That’s not a prospect. Religiously curating your negative keyword list—which we do for you—will make sure you’re getting the traffic you want, and keep you from paying for traffic you don’t need.

4. Ramping too fast:

Google Ads can help you build traffic in a hurry, but ramp up the budget too soon and you’ll be wasting it on a campaign that isn’t optimized yet. It varies widely from industry to industry, but it can take from a couple of weeks to a few months before your campaign is really ready for you to dial in more than a few dollars of ad spend per day. If you blow up your campaign's budget before it’s optimized, you’ll burn out on Adwords and shut it down for good.

A good baseline budget for Google Ads is $50 per day, but I never start clients there. I want to spend the first few weeks optimizing the campaign on a lower budget so that when we start spending big money, we are sure we’ll get big results.

Google Ads are not for everyone.

If your company is 90% as big as you want it to be, go with a cheaper approach, like letting us use a simple, affordable website to bring in organic leads. These sites are the sailboats I spoke of earlier; they cost very little to operate, and they can take you where you want to go.

That being said, we also build speedboats. If you want to dial up your growth aggressively—and you don’t mind the idea of paying a lot for that growth as long as it’s profitable—then let’s have a talk about Google Ads.

What Is Geofencing?

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:00:06 GMT

Fine-Tune Your Lead Generation

The business of lead generation is usually a lot like carpet bombing: You spend a lot of money hitting people you don’t even care to reach to find the ones you want. Geofencing brings to lead generation the precision of a laser-guided missile. With Geofencing , you only pay to reach the exact targets you want. So what is it, how does it work, and how does it benefit businesses of all sizes and types?

What is Geofencing?

Geofencing is the most powerful tool we have to help businesses reach the right customers at the right time. Geofencing involves identifying cities, counties, and regions that are most likely to produce the desired results for our clients. Geofencing can be used to increase visibility, build brand awareness, drive traffic and sales, and gain competitive advantage in local markets. Most importantly, it lets us force your website onto the first page of Google in the areas you target, forcing your competitors down the rankings.

How Does It Work?

The data generated by geofencing is often based on geographic data collected from various sources such as customer demographics and search engine user behavior. This data is then analyzed by an algorithm to determine which locations are most likely to produce the desired outcomes for a given campaign. Geofencing includes targeting specific cities or counties as well as more broadly focusing on regions like states or countries. It helps marketers reach potential customers who may not have heard of their brand before by providing them with targeted messages tailored to their local area.

How Is It Useful to Small Businesses?

While national firms might need to invest in a great deal of AI and algorithm development in order to capitalize on the benefits of Geofencing, this is not the case for small businesses. In the case of small businesses, no AI is needed to develop geofencing targets. You know your market very well, and you know exactly the towns, cities and neighborhoods that will produce the best leads for your business. Once we get a list from you of those areas, we use our technology to target those areas through Google search, location by location.

Geofencing Can Help Your Google Rankings
Another exciting aspect of geofencing is the applications it has with search engine optimization . SEO is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. It involves a combination of various on-page and off-page tactics to improve the visibility and relevance of a website, with the goal of attracting more organic traffic from search engines. For all intents and purposes though, Google rankings are the only ones that really matter as they comprise about 84% of global searches . When it comes to Google SEO, geofencing is especially important because it helps businesses climb up on Google's first page of search results and push their competitors off.

Geofencing Should be an Important Part of Your Toolbox
By using location-based keywords and phrases, businesses can ensure that they appear higher in local search rankings so they’re easier for potential customers to find. Location-based keywords alone can lead to huge increases in local search engine ranking (up to 40 percent in some cases) while also helping promote greater visibility across multiple locations and regions. Geofencing also works well when combined with other SEO techniques, such as backlinking or optimizing content for specific users’ needs and interests, creating even higher organic rankings for businesses worldwide.

Overall, Geofencing is one of the most effective tools available today for online marketers looking to maximize ROI while staying ahead of the competition locally and globally alike – making it an invaluable asset no matter what industry your business operates within.

Reach out to Bob or one of his partners to talk about how Geofencing can help grow your business.

If You Can't Find Good Help, Here Is Some Help That Will Do You Good.

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 20:41:08 GMT

A Good Hiring Process is a Must

“I can’t find any help!” I hear this every day from frustrated business owners. While it might be tempting to throw your hands in the air and declare, “Kids these days just don’t want to work,” the truth of the matter isn’t quite that cut and dry. I, for one, added 35 people to my team in the last 30 days, mostly college graduates. If it’s impossible to find willing and able applicants, then how did I find mine?

In my opinion, the problem is that business owners don't know where to look to find good help. Given the hectic life of the average entrepreneur, they also don't have time to spend looking.

Finding and hiring the right employees is one of the most important tasks of any business. It’s essential to have a process that balances cost-effectiveness and thoroughness in order to make sure you bring in the best people for the job.

Let’s take a look at the process that I use to ensure that I always have ready access to quality candidates.

STEP 1: Pay to post your job on Indeed.

The best way to find applicants for any job is to run an advertisement on Indeed , the most popular job search websites on the web. Advertising your open position on Indeed provides an immediate pool of applicants, letting you reach a ton of people. You can customize your ad to target specific areas, job titles, and even educational requirements so that you only attract qualified candidates who match what you’re looking for .

You can post your jobs for free on Indeed, but honestly, you probably won't get any applicants. Instead, set your budget at $25 per day and see what you get. You can adjust up or down depending on how many applicants you get. (I don’t have any skin in the game with Indeed. It’s just that in my experience, the paid listings on Indeed bring in a lot of applicants.)

STEP 2: Screen applications as they come in.

Once you’ve received applications from potential candidates, it’s important to screen them immediately . This is where having an assistant is critical; they can quickly sort through all of the applications and discard those that don’t fit your criteria so that you don’t have to waste time going through them all yourself. Make sure your assistant has a clear idea of what kind of employee you are looking for so they know what qualifications to look for when screening applicants.

If you tell your assistant, "You don't know what to look for. I'll screen the applications," you're wasting your money on the ad. You are running a business. You'll never make time to weed through all the applications you'll get on Indeed. I usually get hundreds of applications within just a few days of running an ad on Indeed. You’ll be buried. So take a few minutes to tell your assistant what you want and what you don't want, and trust them to comb through the pile.

STEP 3: Message applicants within a couple of hours of them applying.
As your assistant filters out unqualified applicants, it’s time to move on to messaging the good ones , FAST. Your assistant should be able to quickly contact those who meet your qualifications and begin scheduling interviews with them immediately so that you don’t lose out on any great candidates while waiting too long. Time is of the essence when it comes to recruiting new employees, so making sure this step is done quickly will ensure that no stone goes unturned in your search for quality talent.

At the risk of stating the obvious, after a job seekers finds a job, they stop seeking. If your hiring process takes a whole week before you even contact people (which is typical), you'll just be calling people who have already found a job.

STEP 4: Let your assistant handle the first interview (by phone).
Phone interviews are tedious. Let your assistant do it. They can quickly narrow down the list of potential employees and eliminate those who don't meet requirements without wasting your time.

Give your assistant a few questions to ask. Tell her what red flags they should look for, and what sort of attitude you're hoping for from the applicants.

When in doubt, always trust your assistant's judgment. If she thinks someone is worth a second look, she needs to schedule a face to face interview with you before the applicant even gets off the phone.

STEP 5: Lighten up during your interview.
The guy you're interviewing is probably pretty good. He applied promptly to your ad and survived your assistant's screening and interview. He's a good one, so be nice to him. It's not his fault some other employee quit after a week on the job. Complaining to the poor guy about "kids these days" doesn't make him want to come work for you. Put yourself in his shoes; you were a kid starting out once.

Finding employees doesn't have to be difficult or expensive if done correctly. Running ads on Indeed plus screening applications followed by fast calls and second interviews are essential steps in ensuring success during recruitment efforts. Utilizing these techniques can help employers find strong contenders as well as get more bang for their buck when searching for new hires.

"But what if I don't have an assistant?"

I’m pleased to tell you that's a $7.99/hour problem, my friend. Call your Project Manager and let us hire one for you. Having a personal assistant will pay for itself many times over in this and many other ways.

Why Choosing the Right Website Designer Matters

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:55:19 GMT

A Decision to Benefit Your Business

Business owners never stop thinking about their businesses. If you’ve ever run your own business you don’t need me to tell you how much your business occupies your mind, on and off the job. Having a website designer working for you means that you're not the only one thinking about it.

When it comes to growing a business, having the right team of people is essential. Having a website guy on board can be one of the best decisions you make in terms of growing your business. With the right web designer, you can not only maintain your online presence but also increase customer engagement and ultimately grow your business.

A Case-in-point

A few weeks ago, I had a client who was thinking about expanding to another state in a few months. I told him I would put up a website in that state to start the clock on getting an organic search ranking there. Even if he didn't end up expanding to that state, it wouldn't hurt to get the ranking (I could just take down the site). However, if he does decide to go there, he'll have less time to wait to start getting leads.

I looked this morning and the site I built for him already ranks fifth in the prospective state for his primary keyword (credit card processing). For reference, he is #1 on Google in his home state, and #1 on Google Maps. He still hasn't made the decision to open an office there, but his phone is already ringing.

When I was chatting with him this morning about all of this, another idea occurred to me. I had built a really powerful lead capture form for a client in another industry (a law firm) that was bringing in new leads every single day. I told my client about it and suggested I do something similar for him. He's understandably excited.

Experience to Benefit Your Business
This happens to me all the time. I will be thinking about a client's website and an idea will come to me that worked well on another client's site. Sometimes a completely new idea will come to me, or a client will tell me about something that's working for them through another agency.

It’s this robust wealth of knowledge and experience that makes a dedicated website designer such a valuable asset. If you don't have a website professional working for you, you need one.

Keeping Track of the Nitty-gritty

Having a website guy means that you have someone who is always up-to-date with the latest trends in web design and development, and lead generation. It’s important to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technology in order to remain competitive. We can also advise on how to optimize your website for maximum user experience, leading to better conversion rates and higher sales .

We keep track of analytics data in order to gain insights into where customers come from, how much time they spend on each page/post etc., which can then be used by marketers or business owners themselves for further improvements down the road! All this combined makes having a website guy around really helpful when trying to grow a business online – it’s like having an extra set of eyes looking over things 24/7 without needing too much extra effort from entrepreneurs themselves!

Staying Competitive on Google

Another benefit of hiring a website guy is that they know how to build an effective content strategy. Content plays a key role in driving traffic to your site as well as influencing customers’ decision making process when buying goods or services from you. The content needs to be relevant, engaging, and informative in order for customers to trust your brand as well as take action upon visiting your site. A web designer can help ensure that all these elements are present on every page or post on your site through various strategies like creating keyword rich titles, producing interesting visuals, setting up engaging CTAs, etc., all designed to give users a great experience while increasing the chances of getting more sales leads from them too.

Don't Forget About SEO

A website guy also understands search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is an important part of any digital marketing strategy because it helps your site rank higher on Google searches which increases visibility and traffic flow onto your site organically; meaning more potential customers that could bring in more revenue for you at no additional cost! By hiring a website guy who knows SEO well enough, they can help optimize all aspects such as page titles and meta descriptions, content flow and structure, backlinks etc., so that search engines recognize them quickly and display them at the top of their result pages - thus granting more exposure and leads for businesses on the web !

The Takeaway

Having someone dedicated solely towards managing an online business’s web presence is irreplaceable when it comes time for growth activities especially since such positions require specialized knowledge and skills which most entrepreneurs lack; thus making it a wiser choice than leaving such tasks in the hands of less experienced individuals. With the help of a website guy, not only can you rest assured that your website is exceeding the competition, but also achieve better conversion rates and greater ROI just by optimizing certain aspects regularly - allowing you time to focus more attention towards other tasks more in line with your specialty.

Of course, I'd love to be your website guy. Whether you’re a Mom & Pop outfit or a firm with national presence, my experience makes me a good fit. Call me today and let's talk about how we can start working together to grow your business.

Businesses Love Sending Text Messages for a Reason

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 05:26:13 GMT

Texting Can Be a Boon for Any Business

Texting is becoming an increasingly popular method for businesses to reach and engage with potential customers. It can be annoying, but there is a reason businesses send them. Compared to email or even phone calls, texting offers huge advantages that make it an essential tool for every business – including YOURS.

Texting vs. Email

First, texting has a much higher open rate than email. According to a study by TextRequest, text messages have an open rate of 98%, while the average open rate for emails is just 20% . What’s more is that texting is the number one most commonly used form of communication for Americans under the age of 50, with over 90% of the demographic regularly checking texts . This means that businesses are much more likely to reach and engage with potential customers through texting than through email.

Second, texting is a more immediate form of communication than email. Text messages are typically read and responded to within minutes, while emails can take hours or even days to be read. In fact, 95% of all text messages are read within three minutes of receiving them . When a customer receives a text, their phone will alert them, while an email could very easily go unnoticed. This makes texting an ideal way for businesses to connect with customers in real-time, and to respond quickly to any questions or concerns they may have.

Professional Yet Engaging

Third, texting is a more personal form of communication than email. Text messages are sent directly to a person's phone, making them feel more personal and intimate than an email sent to a generic inbox. A text message sets a professional, yet friendly tone with clients, and with brevity to ensure that your messages are actually being read. This can help businesses build stronger relationships with potential customers and increase their chances of converting them into paying customers.

In addition, texting allows for two-way communication, which allows businesses to collect customer feedback in real-time and respond to it quickly. This allows businesses to build trust and establish a personal connection with potential customers.

Texting vs. Phone
Calling a list of clients can take forever. Even if you just want to confirm your appointments for a single day, it could take you an hour of calling. Heaven forbid someone picks up and they want to keep you talking forever.

Texting reminders is fast. In fact, since it’s automated, it doesn’t take you any time at all. And texting your clients appointment reminders - both at the time the appointment is made and again one hour prior to the appointment - will do just as much to reduce no-shows as a phone call would do.

If your time is valuable - and we know that it is - an automatic text message beats a phone call a thousand to one.

Advantages for Businesses

Consider the possibilities that this technology affords to businesses. For one, text messages are perhaps the most effective way to reduce the number of no-shows for appointments. The average no-show rate for businesses is 10-15% which is not only a loss of revenue, but also a waste of time. Through a texting service you can send clients friendly reminders of their appointments in advance and thereby reduce the number of clients who never even walk through the door.

Encourage Positive Reviews

Text messaging is also an easy and effective way to follow up with clients. Part of customer service excellence is taking the initiative to make sure that your customers are satisfied with the service they received from you. By contacting them first, customers will know that their satisfaction matters.

Most customers are also perfectly willing to leave you an honest review, but they might need a gentle push to do so. By texting them a link following their service, you can help your business drum up more reviews. Studies have shown that the businesses with a lot of reviews and a star rating of 3.5-4.5 earn more revenue and attract more customers, so it’s in your best interest to gather as many reviews as you possibly can. There’s no better way to attract those reviews than through text messaging.

Harness the Benefits of Texting

In conclusion, texting is a faster, more personal, and more effective means of communication than email or phone calls. It has a higher open rate than email, allows for real-time interaction, and is more likely to convert potential customers into paying customers. You don’t have time to call everybody. Therefore, businesses should consider incorporating texting into their marketing strategy to reach and engage with potential customers more effectively.

Talk to your Project Manager today about leveraging the power of text messages to connect you to more customers. When you’re ready to take the next step in generating more revenue and retaining customers, get in touch with us and we will put our expertise to work.

Who's Answering Your Phone When You're on the Job?

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 13:00:00 GMT

Every Leader is Different

There are a lot of different types of business owners out there. Maybe you’re the type who likes to run a lean crew, a trusted team who you know you can count on and not much more. Perhaps you like to have all of your bases covered and delegate responsibilities across different departments. Maybe your whole business is just you, the dream team, “Me, myself and I.”

Whatever your style of leadership might be, you’re going to come to the inevitable realization that you can’t be available at all hours taking calls. You’re just one person, and if you’re tied up when a client or potential client calls, that’s a problem.

Let’s take a look at some statistics about missed calls and then get to the solution.

Answering First Calls Is Vital

Studies have shown that 80 percent of customers will hang up when they are sent to voicemail when calling a business. That’s hundreds of missed leads every year simply because you needed to take care of other clients. You can hardly be blamed for providing your existing customers with great service, but these leads could spell big things for your business.

Unfortunately, all of these leads die on the vine instantly when calls go unanswered. In fact, recent surveys have shown that 85% of customers won’t call back if their first call goes unanswered. Customers resent not having their calls answered and assume that any messages they might leave would go unheard and unanswered.

The vast majority of leads immediately cease to be leads the moment they hear that voicemail recording.

The Missed-Answered Call Ratio

If someone put a million dollars on the table right now and asked you what percentage of calls to your business you pick up, how confident are you that your answer would be accurate? A recent survey of home service professionals provided a fascinating case study in the significant gap between business owners’ perceived rate of answer and the actual rate of answer. The average estimate was 97% of calls being answered. However, analysis of phone data revealed that the real average answer rate was just 66%, over 30 points lower than the estimate!

Remember, the overwhelming majority of those missed calls are from customers who will never be back.

People Like Talking to People

Having a human voice attached to your business is paramount. While making a phone call almost seems quant in the age of smartphones and the internet, people still regard talking to another person as the most effective way to get their questions answered. A recent article published in Consumer Reports showed that a whopping 75% of customers reported their single biggest complaint with a business was being unable to talk to a human on the phone.

Having a real, live human being on the other side of the phone line not only makes customers feel connected and validated, it also gives them someone who is accountable for their inquiry. Where four out of five people will hang up when they get a voicemail, only 1% of callers will hang up on a live human being .

Not having a real person to answer all of your calls is a huge problem, but fortunately, there is a solution.

Hiring One (or More) of Our Remote Receptionists is the Answer

When you hire a remote receptionist through our services, you are effectively doubling the size of your office and ensuring that no call will go unanswered.

If 80% of your potential customers are hanging up the phone when they get your voicemail, you may be able to get five times more customers by having one of our remote receptionists answer the phone for you.

You May Be in Need of a Receptionist

For less than 8 bucks an hour, we can provide a full-time, dedicated receptionist who can answer your phones, follow up with your customers, and even use the phone to generate new leads for you. She can manage your calendar, send out emails, and screen out spam callers.

Your new receptionist speaks pitch-perfect English, has a sweet and friendly voice, and can handle any other administrative tasks you need done. Best of all, she is your receptionist. She won’t be taking calls or doing work for anyone else. All her computer and phone equipment are provided, and she’ll cost you less than 8 bucks an hour - that’s around 300 dollars per week.

Don’t send potential customers to voicemail. Let a friendly, professional receptionist give your customers the warm welcome they deserve and never miss a lead again!

10 Things You’d Do for Your Business if You Had the Time

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 14:54:39 GMT

Being a Business Owner is Time-Consuming

If you’re a business owner, you don’t need us to remind you of how few hours there actually are in a day. It seems like you spend your entire day putting out fires, only to remember your massive to-do list staring you in the face. What’s worse is that it’s already 11 PM and you’re dead to the world. But if you don’t tackle these tasks, who will?

We’ll answer that question shortly, but first, let’s talk about ten specific things you could do for your business if you had the time.

1. Call your past customers to follow up and drum up new orders

You’re already well aware that the most difficult aspect of sales is converting leads into revenue . Turning one-time customers into repeat customers is far easier. If you just had that extra 45 minutes, you could perform your due diligence and provide that superior customer service by following up with past customers and get some new orders.

2. Round up 5-star reviews from recent customers

Provided that they’re satisfied with the service they received, most customers are more than happy to leave you a positive review , but they might need a gentle push to do so. With some extra free time, you could put some more 5-star reviews under your belt, which is great for business.

3. Call back the cold leads you haven’t been able to reach

A lead is still a lead, even if it’s gone cold. If you had the time, you could warm them back up by calling potential customers and reminding them of the amazing service you offer.

4. Cold call potential customers

It’s a big world out there, and it’s full of leads just waiting to work with you. One of the most productive uses of your time is cold calling potential customers and putting yourself on their radars. The only bad lead is the one you ignore, and having the time to make yourself known in all different areas would make all the difference.

5. Call on your old receivables every day

Considering how busy you are, it stands to reason that all of your clients are equally busy. They might need that gentle reminder of past due invoices and unpaid balances, and wouldn’t it be lovely to actually have the time to reach out to collect on your old receivables and get that revenue into cash?

6. Call around to new suppliers for better pricing

Cutting costs wherever possible is paramount for your cash flow. We’re willing to bet that the reason you haven’t found better vendors with better prices is that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to do so.

7. Engage with potential customers on social media

Customers today like to feel like they have a relationship with the companies they buy from , and there is no better way to do so than starting a dialogue with them on social media. If only you had the time…

8. Answer calls on the first ring so you don’t lose any leads

For better or worse, it’s an attention economy we live in, and most callers will lose interest within 30 seconds (about four rings) and hang up. It’s a crying shame to miss leads when you’re out on the job or otherwise occupied. Did you know that when potential customers get your voicemail, they are 80% likely to hang up the phone instead of leaving a message? If you had the time, you would need any of your calls to go to voicemail.

9. Screen cold callers

While it’s flattering to think that some kind soul has been so desperately trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty that they clog up your office lines with their entreaties, it sure would be a godsend if someone could tell them to kick rocks on your behalf.

10. Call customers with delayed projects before they call you

Delays happen and most professional adults are sympathetic. That being said, they will always be happier and more understanding when you initiate the dialogue first and they don’t have to chase you down. Wouldn’t it be nice to actually have the time to sit down with them to keep them informed?

You May Be in Need of a Receptionist

We know what you’re thinking: “Yeah, that would all be good, but I don’t have time to do all that stuff.”

It almost seems like a pipe dream, but what if we told you that for about 8 bucks an hour, we could get you a smart, friendly, college-educated assistant who could do all this stuff for you?

If you hire one of our Remote Receptionists, she can answer your phones, call your customers, follow up on receivables, or whatever else you need. Our Remote Receptionists speak perfect English, with the friendliest voices you’ve ever heard, and their computer skills are superb.

All in, a full-time Remote Receptionist – working only for you – including her phone and computer costs, will run you about 8 bucks an hour.

How? Give us a call today. We'll get you set up with a hard-working administrative assistant who can take most of these tasks off of your plate and give you the time to focus on what really matters.

That's Not a Keyword

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 21:05:34 GMT

Fine-Tune Your Keywords to Boost Traffic to Your Site

The internet works on keywords. Keywords are vital to directing traffic to your website. Choose the wrong keyword to represent your site to Google and your leads will be next to nil. As the old adage goes, “Aim at nothing and you’ll hit it every time.”

When we build a website, we don’t aim at nothing. We target specific search terms we can rank for. These are called “ keywords .” They are the mechanism through which potential customers find your website, and how you, in turn, convert clicks into sales.

A good keyword meets three requirements:

It is something people actually search on Google.
It is a search term that we have a realistic chance of ranking on the first page of Google.
We have a clear understanding that the website offers what the Google user is looking for when they search for that term.

In other words, a strong keyword is intuitive for users, realistic, and related to the content of the website.

I will give you examples to show what happens when each of these requirements is mi ssing.

Nobody is actually searching for the term.
We once had a client who wanted to rank for the search term "In-home non-emergency medical services for men." Yes, it's a long search phrase. That makes life much easier, not harder, for a web designer in terms of SEO. It's not that hard to get ranked for what is known as a " long-tail keyword ." (A long-tail keyword is generally considered to be a search term with 3 or more words, excluding articles.)

The problem is, no one is actually searching for "In-home non-emergency medical services for men." In fact, probably no one ever has searched those exact words in Google, and likely they never will.

Use long-tail keywords judiciously

Long-tail keywords can actually strengthen your ranking , but their too long, you end up winning a search contest with no prize. No one is searching the term. Shorten the term to find something people actually search. There are two ways to do this:

1. Take the core part of the phrase (in the case of our aforementioned example, "medical services") and type it into Google, but don't hit Enter. Look down the list of suggested searches Google gives you until you find one that fits. These are all terms with actual traffic. That’s why Google is suggesting them.

2. Visit Google Trends . Enter your whole search phrase to check for traffic. Hit enter. You’ll see a flat line on a graph. That indicates that no one ever searches your term. Then remove words from your phrase one by one until you see a "heartbeat" on the graph. How much search is there for your new, shorter search term? Some. And that's more than you had for the longer version. Just make sure the shorter version of your search phrase is still what you’re offering.

You're never going to rank for that.
Doctors are in the business of practicing medicine, so does "medicine" make a good keyword? No. A Google search for "medicine" shows that the first page is not geographically sorted. You are competing worldwide for that term, and the competition is fierce. In fact, every result on the first page is a well-known institution with likely millions of backlinks , so there’s really no point in fighting that battle on your budget.

Now search for OB-GYN. Notice that the results are all local to you. That means that when we use "OB-GYN" as our keyword, we don't have to build the best website in the world, just the best one in your city. That's a big difference. Local OB-GYN practice websites are unlikely to have a lot of backlinks, typically their tagging is poor, and their home page content is usually thin. Ranking for "OB-GYN" is a battle we love to fight. "Medicine," "COVID," "Osteoporosis," etc., are all topics, not keywords, and those who enter that arena are destined to lose. Doctor, medical office, psychiatrist, etc., are all localized keywords, and ranking on Google for these is much, much easier.

That search term doesn't tell us anything.
If someone searches for "body shop," they've probably wrecked their car. If they search for "cruise agency," "plumber near me," "business phone systems," or "dalmatian puppies," you could surmise a lot about what the searcher is thinking at the moment they hopped on Google.

Not only are all these search terms winnable, we are able to create relevant content that speaks to what the site visitor is probably looking for. That means we can convert site visitors into customers for our clients.

We can help
On the other hand, let's say someone searches for "cannabis." This doesn’t tell us much. Are they looking for a CBD store? Are they researching cannabis for a school assignment? Are they looking for a cannabis dispensary, or for a doctor who prescribes medical cannabis? We don't know, and so even if we could rank for the term "cannabis" (which we can't), the content we create wouldn’t be properly curated for conversions.On the other hand, “medical marijuana clinic,” “marijuana dispensary,” and “cbd store” are both excellent local keywords.

In this way, one of the most important aspects of assigning a keyword to a website is using it to funnel Google searches relevant to the content of your site, and therefore the services that you provide.

Need help picking out good keywords for your website? It can sometimes feel like you’re attempting to read the minds of potential customers, so let our experts take care of the guesswork for you.

Google Adwords vs Landing Pages

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 17:36:30 GMT

Boost Your Company's Visibility With Targeted Landing Pages

The average person might be surprised by the amount of strategizing that goes into our designs for getting your website in front of customers’ eyes on Google. From carefully-crafted content down to the number of characters in your website’s description, we’ve made search engine optimization into a science.

One of the most effective strategies we’ve found is fortifying your website with targeted landing pages . In addition to your homepage, we create a few pages that are custom-built to rank for specific useful keywords in particular areas. By targeting customers not only in your exact location, but also the surrounding areas, we can rank for specific search terms (“tree service,” “CPA,” “auto repair,” etc.) in more than just one city or town. Sometimes we build sites with up to 300 landing pages. Targeted pages always rank better than trying to get one homepage to rank for multiple search terms in multiple cities.

Landing pages are effective, especially given the prevalence of “ near me ” searches in recent years. What’s more, they’re actually quite inexpensive. In fact, once we build them, they cost nothing.

Pay-per-click (PPC), AKA Google Adwords, costs a lot of money . Without a budget of $2,500 per month or more for the campaign, Adwords isn’t even worth considering. That being said, if you have the means, the results of Google Adwords are huge and immediate.

In contrast, landing pages are more of a long game. Though they are the more budget-friendly option, they can take time to rank. Sometimes ranking can happen in a month or less, but more often it takes multiple months or even a year to get a landing page to rank for its target keywords. If your website has 100 landing pages, at best only half will ever rank on the first page of Google. That will take patience, but it will be rewarded.

On the other hand, with PPC you can be generating actual leads 30 days from when you start.

Case-in-point , one attorney we work with in Orlando, Florida, waited the standard 3 weeks for us to build their site, and exactly 7 days later, they signed their first new client off of the PPC campaign we built for him. It’s been about a month now, and as I write this, he has received 83 inquiries from the campaign. A half dozen have already signed on as clients. His ROI is through the roof.

It wasn't cheap though. This attorney is spending around $5,000 per month on his campaign. To put that in context, so far, his ROI is above 1,200%. Still, that's a lot to invest.

So which strategy is right for your business? Well, that’s going to depend on how aggressive you are.

If you’re a more cautious entrepreneur, and your designs for your business are to expand slowly and manageably, let us build you a clean megasite with a lot of landing pages. With this affordable and incremental model, we’ll get your site to start generating free leads from the various keywords and locations it targets. It’ll be slow-going for a while, but the ROI is massive if you have the patience for it.

If your intention is to grow aggressively , don’t just use PPC instead of landing pages. Use both. I built our attorney friend in Orlando a single webpage with hundreds of landing pages so that if you were to search for his services in central Florida, you are sure to find him organically on the first page of Google. At the same time, I built him two streamlined lead-funnel websites to receive traffic from his ad campaigns. The investment in the funnels is clearly paying dividends in the form of new clients, with no waiting. As the megasite begins to rank on the strength of the engagement with the landing pages and the free, organic leads start to come in, his overall cost-per-lead will begin to drop. But that piece will take time.

The strategy that works best for you is going to depend on what kind of business owner you are, and what your short- and medium-term goals are. Whichever route you choose, you will see real results; the question is how long you are willing to wait. If you have any questions about targeted landing pages, PPC campaigns, or which one is right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our job is to make your website generate leads and no matter your business philosophy, we’ve got a solution for you.

Is It Time to Hire an Assistant?

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 21:42:49 GMT

Expand Your Company's Horizons

I build and manage small business websites, many for “mom and pop” companies. I interact with my clients on a daily basis as we maintain their websites with regularly updated content, implement strategic social media management, and convert leads into sales through sophisticated automated follow ups.

I know small business owners. Consequently, I know that many of them would benefit greatly if they took the plunge and hired an experienced assistant . For far too many of my clients, their most significant hindrance is that they insist on remaining just “mom and pop” businesses, despite their potential for significantly expanding their reach. This is exactly the type of business that desperately needs to add an assistant to their payroll.

Why do these small businesses need to hire an assistant?

While there’s certainly a charm to a small, tightly knit team taking on the world of business together, the fact of the matter is that once a business reaches a certain size, the operation of the business becomes unmanageable for just one or two people.

It comes down to two things: workflow and organization.

If you’re simply too busy to answer the phone every time it rings, you’re missing out on sales and leads . What’s more, you’re not providing the level of service that you want to be able to offer. Having a dedicated team member handling administrative tasks means that you are free to focus on the work in front of you, while new sales are being generated at the same time. I can’t offer more effective advice for workflow management than having an assistant whose job it is to make things run smoothly for you.

Disorganization Hinders Productivity

Perhaps the most important role an assistant fills is that of the organizer. You might make the best widgets and provide the gold standard of customer service, but if your business is disorganized, it is leaking money like a sieve . An assistant can help you stay on top of your accounts receivables, manage your appointment calendar, and keep you abreast of communications with vendors.

It’s no wonder then that three quarters of struggling small business owners report that a lack of organization is a driving force behind their lack of productivity. What better way is there to get your business organized than to hire an assistant whose responsibilities include doing just that?

So why don’t they hire someone?

Well, there are a lot of different reasons from what I’ve observed. For one, small businesses (especially the “mom and pop” types) are often driven by the passion of the owners. As a result, many small business owners feel territorial over their company.

They don’t like the idea of an assistant telling them where they need to be and what time they need to be there. Their books might just exist in their heads, a maladaptive coping mechanism for a lack of resources and proper instruction that they’re reluctant to surrender. They might not recognize the importance of being an effective delegator of responsibilities . Honestly, they might feel embarrassed by how disorganized they are.

Whatever the reason might be, it’s important for small business owners to realize that if you hire an assistant, you'll sell more, you'll stress out less, your customers will be happier, and you'll collect more of your receivables. Assistants aren’t an encumbrance; they’re a lifeline for struggling businesses.

Where should they start?

Remember that the internet is your best friend when it comes to hiring. Indeed is currently the best option for hiring sites. Just run an ad on the site for an assistant position. You’ll pay around $25 to $35 per day for the promotion, but the payoff is well worth it. Avoid agreeing to pay by applicant; you’ll end up spending much, much more.

If you’re in the website or digital services industry, let us be your virtual assistant. It’s one of our specialties. We provide call answering services and back office support for web designers across the country, freeing them up to concentrate on their projects, so they can deliver the best possible products to their clients. We’ve got clients all over the US and Canada, 290 and counting!

Qualified Applicants Come From All Around the World

If your budget is a concern or the local talent is less than impressive, offshoring is an excellent option. Your project manager can give you pointers on that and provide you with sound advice. You can hire someone offshore who is extremely qualified, who is an incredibly diligent worker, for less than $1,500 a month (full-time). These folks speak immaculate English, they are super friendly, and they are happy to work on your schedule.

Do yourself and your business and seek an assistant. Once you take the time you train them - time we know you don’t think you have - they will supercharge your business. Don't keep trying to be a one-man-show. Hire, hire, hire!

What if You Could Re-Capture 10% of Customers Who Didn't Buy From You?

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:21:38 GMT

Focus on What Matters Most

Ten percent is a small number that can mean big things for your company’s revenue. Ten percent could mean expanding your business, upgrading your company infrastructure, or providing your employees with a well-deserved raise. However, as a business owner you probably already know that re-capturing even 10% of cold leads can seem like an almost herculean task. So how do you re-engage customers without sinking a preponderance of your precious time into the endeavor?

The answer is sales automation targeted at customer re-engagement. Our fully automated sales services take the time-suck out of turning dead-ends into revenue and let you focus on the things that require your attention. So how does it work?

1. Give us your cold contacts

The first step is to identify the potential customers who expressed interest in your product or service but did not respond when you first reached out to them. These are the people who inquired about pricing or information about the services you provide. Re-targeted customers are 70% more likely to become conversions than those who are not, so the incentive to re-engage is clear.

By identifying these people who have had a modicum of engagement with your company at some point, we will use our technology to bring them back into the fold. Sales automation will make up 40% of customer interactions by 2023 , so this method is clearly an effective trend.

2. Let our automation platform re-engage them

We take care of all of this. We accomplish re-engagement through a combination of email and text messaging campaigns as we’ve found those to be the most effective way of putting your company in front of their eyes again. Customer win-back is achieved when we identify the product or service that interested them in the first place and engage them in a conversation about their questions. In this way, personalized content is the most effective way to win back cold leads, as communications with personalized content have 259% higher engagement than other types of marketing.

Texting and email provide an excellent opportunity to begin a conversation with potential customers as that provides an opening for converting engagement into sales. If that’s not enough, our call center is at your disposal to reach the most unresponsive prospects.

With a host of strategies, we will leave to stone unturned with absolutely no effort on your part. Simply provide us with the list of contacts and watch cold leads turn into conversions.

3. Once they respond, they are hot leads again.

A response to our sales automation means that you have a lead, and from there, sales are an inevitability. Anyone who has contacted your company is a potential customer, even if the initial engagement was fruitless on your end.

Sales automation is an invaluable resource for your business as it opens up a base of clientele that has already discovered you and knows who you are. The work of introduction and recognition has already been accomplished, so half of the work has already been done. All that remains is to remind them why they sought you out in the first place. Sales automation accomplishes re-engagement and funnels customers by reaching out to them on your behalf, turning a tedious process of customer outreach into a native part of the technological infrastructure of your business.

Turn Your Leads Into Sales

This process takes care of the most arduous aspects of lead generation and following, but lead conversion requires a human face on the back end of the process. These things can be difficult to navigate, but Simple.biz is here to help you along the way. From building a strong, organic website, to increase website traffic through best practices in SEO, all the way to turning leads into sales, our crack team is on your side. Please feel free to reach out to us at any time, and let’s grow your business together.

For Contractors in Repair Categories, This Is the Most Important Thing You Can Do for Your Business

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:38:38 GMT

Repair Contractors Rely on Internet Searches

A homeowner can spend ten years thinking about a new kitchen, but once a water leak from the dishwasher destroys the subfloor, the thinking stops. Likewise, a hardscaping project can wait, but when water starts coming through a leaking roof, a homeowner is going to act fast. The same happens on a hot day when the air conditioner goes out, on a cold morning with the furnace blows, or when a pan fire ruins the cabinets.

The contractors who respond to these customer emergencies are in “Repair Categories.” For other contractors, your Yelp reviews or your Facebook page might earn you some phone calls from tire-kickers. But for repair category contractors, Google Maps is everything.

When a homeowner is shopping for siding or windows, they’ll plop down on the couch with a tablet and spend hours - or even months - shopping. But when the sewage backs up the drains, they only go to one place: their phones. And they don’t sit down on the couch to shop. The Google search “plumbers near me.” The first thing they see is the Google Maps listings (try it!), and they click on the first listing with decent reviews.

Your Google Ranking is Crucial

We’ve discussed at length how businesses live and die online by the strength of their Google ranking, but for contractors in repair categories, a strong Google Maps presence is nearly as vital. Your customers need to know that they are within your service area and have immediate access to reviews, photos, and contact information for your service.

Did you know that there has been a 150% increase in “near me” searches in the past two years? That is to say, Google searches that use the phrase “near me” in the query (for example, roofing contractor near me). Customers tend to prefer businesses that are close to them, and they overwhelmingly trust Google Maps to supply them with that information. In an emergency, the closest contractor is exactly who they want.

So how do you make sure you show up top-3 on Google Maps?

1. Claim Your Business on Google Maps

This is our first step when helping a client improve their Maps presence. Claiming your business on Google My Business is essential as it allows you to edit the information about your business to make sure that it is up-to-date and trustworthy to potential customers. It tells Google that the basic information they have about your business is accurate, which makes them more willing to serve it up to searchers. Claiming your business on GMB also allows you to be alerted to customers' reviews and respond to them, which lets customers know that you are available and responsive. It greatly helps your SEO performance as the Google algorithm prefers verified businesses.

2. Link Your Google Maps Listing to an Organically Strong Website

The site you link to your Google Maps listing needs to have all the elements of a strong organic website: Rich & deep content, clear tagging, video, and contextual outlinks. According to Google , the algorithm prefers sites that are regularly updated with high-quality content that is user-friendly and relevant to customer inquiries. Having a well-designed website that meets these specifications is the next step to getting your business noticed on Maps.

3. Make Sure You Are Near Your Customers

When customers search for a repair contractor, they should see a red pin on the map for your business location. Even if you don’t have a company office, you should always provide at least a city address for your business. This will help your business show up in the aforementioned “near me” searches from customers in need of a local contractor. If you don’t have a company office, you can edit your pin location by logging in to your Google My Business account and following directions from there.

You can’t control where your customers live, but you can control how many pins you have, which makes you more likely to be close to more customers. Let us help you with this.

4. Solicit Reviews from Customers (Hint: Use Our Review Automation Service!)

The first listing on Google Maps isn’t usually the contractor with the most reviews or even the one with the highest average rating. However, the first listing is very rarely a contractor with no reviews. To rank well on Google Maps, you’ve got to get in the game and score yourself some customer reviews.

Most happy customers are more than willing to leave a positive review on Google for their contractors, but they might need some encouragement. Whether in person or through a follow-up email, you should always request that they write a review on Google , and when they do so be sure to reply. This will make other customers more likely to leave reviews and will make your business more trustworthy to other potential customers. Additionally, the more reviews that you receive, the better your website will perform on Google maps, making it more likely to be suggested to potential customers.

Turn Your Voicemails into Sales

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 06:49:07 GMT

A Missed Call Can be a Missed Opportunity

All too often small business owners can’t be bothered to pursue leads to the end. They tell themselves things like:

"If they call me for a quote, I'll call them back and leave a message. After that, I'm not wasting my time."

That attitude, shared by 44% of small business owners, will leave 90% of your leads unsold . You aren’t likely to immediately make a sale without pursuing customers who have expressed interest in your service. On average, it takes 8 attempts to reach a lead. Other studies show that 95% of leads can be reached with 6 tries .

Sales Automation Can Help

That being said, it seems like there are simply not enough hours in the day for you as a small business owner to tackle all of the tasks on your plate. You might find yourself thinking something along the lines of:

"I am a one-person business. I don't have time to keep chasing these people."

Hey, we get it. You don't have time to make 6 or 8 callbacks to every person that ever asks you for an estimate. But here’s the thing: You don't have to. That's what sales automation is for.

Sales automation from Simple.biz refers to technologies that take care of the grunt work for you. Through sales automation, we can turn your website into a powerful follow-up tool. You can focus on your business while your website goes to work following up with your leads. Your website will never get tired of reaching out to your customers, and it never decides, "Oh, forget it. They must not be interested."

Here’s how it works:

1. When someone reaches out to you for an estimate - leaving you a voicemail, text, or email - you of course call them back. Leave a message if you have to. While automation is a powerful tool, it’s important to show your customers a human face to your business whenever possible.

2. Immediately input their phone number into a form we build on your site. The system then reaches out to them 8 items over several weeks to invite them to schedule an appointment on your online calendar (which we set up for you) or gets them to text you a question about your services. These follow-ups can mean big numbers for your business, with even a single single follow-up email accounting for up to 22% more conversions than campaigns without follow-ups. If they schedule a specific time to talk or meet, you will get a text message with the appointment information.

3. If someone submits an inquiry on your website, their information is automatically added to the system. You don't have to do anything. The system just reaches out to them by itself 8 times without you so much as lifting a finger.

As a small business owner, if you have time to reach out to people 8 times, you must not have much business. Don't waste your time. Let our sales automation tool take care of it for you!

“Can This System Get My Customers to Leave Good Reviews for Me Online, Too?”

It would be a wonderful world if all of your happy customers would leave a review of their own volition. Unfortunately, it seems like it’s the unhappy ones who always do. The only way to get your fans to share their experience is through review automation, which is using the same set of tools that make sales automation work. The fact of the matter is that most happy customers are perfectly willing to leave a review, they just might need some gentle reminders. Studies show that 70% of customers are perfectly willing to leave a review, they just need to be asked to do so . Through review automation, your customers will be given just the motivation they need to leave you that positive review and boost your public-facing approval rating.

Automation is a powerful tool for small businesses to seize leads and convert interest into real sales. They take the guesswork out of follow-ups and free up your time to focus on what really matters. This is where the sales and review automation experts at Simple.biz can deliver real results for you and your business. When you are ready to take your business to the next level, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’ll be with you every step of the way.

Stop Training Your Customers

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 05:18:28 GMT

Always Keep Your Customers in Mind

As a small business owner, you probably have a certain way that you like things to be done. You have personal quirks to your organizational strategies, technological limitations, and best practices that you’ve found work best for you. It’s perfectly normal, too! We all have our own personal preferences, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Here’s the thing though: your personal preferences are exactly that: Yours. This means that what works best for you might not work for your customers, especially when they are actively interacting with your business, whether by phone, through your website, or through frontline employees.

This is what we mean when we say that you should stop trying to train your customers. Instead of attempting to bend their habits towards what works best for you, a better idea is to structure your business around what works best for them .

Let’s look at some examples of “Customer Training” and then discuss some ways to train your business to work for them instead.

Hostile Cancellation and Scheduling Policies

One of the classic examples of customer training is subjecting them to draconian cancellation and scheduling policies. Do you require cancellations in writing or by certified mail? Do you require reservations for certain days of the week, but not for others? Do you only allow cancellations through your website? Do you only allow reservations during certain periods of time in the future? These are all examples of training customers to work around our needs instead of the other way around.

So what are some good remedies to this tendency that so many business owners gravitate towards? Well, first of all, both cancellations and scheduling inquiries are fantastic opportunities to interact with your customers and show them that you are receptive to their expectations.

In his insightful LinkedIn article , CEO and entrepreneur Abdi Guleed presents a simple question: “Do you build your processes from a member’s point of view?”

Cancellation Requests Can be Beneficial

When we design our business practices with the intention of coercing behavior from customers, these requirements create friction in our interaction with our customers. They make it harder for customers to engage with us, and less convenient to be our customers. The ideal business relationship with our customers is one where attempts to engage with the service by scheduling reservations are streamlined and intuitive. A cancellation request is accepted as a chance to make a customer feel validated in their concerns and offered satisfactory recompense.

Don’t train your customers to jump through hoops to meet your expectations; approach these challenges by imagining a workflow that is designed by your customers according to what is most convenient for them.

Center the User Experience

When your customers interact with your business in person or online, is the workflow designed to make things easy for them, or easy for you? Do you offer support only through email, not by phone? Do you require customers to keep paper receipts and physical copies of documents with no digital options? Are submission forms on your website full of unnecessary required fields that grind conversions to a halt?

When you strictly dictate how a customer interacts with your business, you are giving them unnecessary rules to follow, and these rules often have to be stated and restated multiple times a day. You are training your customers, and we promise they don't appreciate the training.

Interface With Your Customers in an Intuitive Way

Having simple, inviting, and intuitive ways to interface with your customers is essential to centering your service around their needs. Consider the fact that 88% of online shoppers report that they would not return to a website after a bad user experience. This number is telling, and it demonstrates the importance of centering your customers’ experiences when interacting with your business.

Training your customers to understand the way you do business with them tries their patience. Your average online customer will only bother to read about 28% of your website’s content , so when it comes time for them to actually engage with your service, they need to understand exactly what to do as intuitively as possible.

Outside Insight is Always Useful

If you feel like you might have engaged in some customer training in the past, don’t worry. There are a few great places to start addressing the issue. First of all, make a more concerted effort to actively engage with your customers. Read and respond to reviews. Ask a confidant for their unbiased opinion on the ease of interacting with your company. Send follow-up emails to clients and make their voices heard. One of the best resources you have is your employees who interact with your customers. Talking to your employees gives you insight into the issues that customers have when doing business with your firm, and can provide excellent feedback on where things can be improved.

Of course, having a streamlined, attractive, and user-friendly website is perhaps the best step to take. If you’d like to start centering your customers’ experience and stop training them, please reach out to us as soon as possible. The best way to keep customers coming back is to make it as easy as possible for them to do so, and a tailor-made website for your business will give you the tools you need to keep everything running smoothly.

5 Ways A Great Website Can Grow Your Business

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 04:51:31 GMT

A Website Can Help You Grow Your Business

We live in a brand new world in terms of marketing and growing a business. Long gone are the days when a clever slogan or an inflatable dancing tube man in front of your store are sufficient assets for maintaining a business. The evidence has been gathered and the jury has spoken: You need a website and a great one at that.

Whether you’re selling hunting gear, artisanal cheese, a cleaning service, or homemade apple pies, a quality website is essential to growing your business. Let’s take a look at the top five ways that a beautiful website will take your business to the next level.

1. Attract new customers

Back in the dark ages of phone books and newspaper ads, the potential customer base of any given small business was likely limited to the immediate vicinity of the business. Business owners could only attract customers by enticing passersby and building a reputation through word of mouth. Even then, there was a very real ceiling to business growth as the customer base was limited to the number of local customers who are interested in your specific business.

However, in the digital age, a great website will make it easy for new customers to find you , even if they are not in your immediate area. Having a website provides you with an invaluable commodity: Visibility. Through a simple Google search, customers from across the country can purchase your products and services without ever setting foot in your store. A quality website will increase your clientele from those who happen to walk by your store to anyone who is interested in what you do.

2. Make it easy for your existing customers to find you

That couple loved the new kitchen you built for them. It’s been a couple of years. Now it’s time for bathrooms. Surely they’ll call you again, right? Not if they can’t find you.

Make sure your existing customers can easily track you down. Also, they need to see that you’re still a thriving business. With a great website, you have a way to show past customers that you’re still open for new business. There is no easier sale than to someone who has already experienced your company at its best.

3. Demonstrate to the public that your business is on the cutting edge

We’ve said it a million times already, but Google is your best friend in growing your business. Accordingly, your website should work to keep Google happy. One of the factors that Google loves in a website is regularly updated content, and it prefers regularly updated websites because human beings prefer regularly updated content on websites.

Having a quality website provides you with the impetus that you need to keep your business looking active and popular through quality content. A regularly updated website keeps your website relevant to Google and makes it more attractive to potential customers.

4. It Increases Your Trustworthiness

Has a potential customer ever asked you, “Don’t you have a website?” Business owners without sites hear that a lot. Having a professional-looking website is basic expectation consumers have. It establishes credibility if you have one. Even more, it puts a question mark out there if you don’t.

In a world where business reviews are easily accessible and there is often a wealth of options for potential customers, people tend to be skeptical about their choices for where they spend their money. A high-quality website makes you more trustworthy to potential customers . A professionally designed website with regular, high-quality content such as blogs, updates, and recent testimonials shows customers that you provide a service that other people value, which in turn increases your value in their opinion. A website that has a chic, uncluttered, and modern look will be infinitely more appealing to potential customers than an old Geocities site that is gathering cobwebs in the corner. Therefore, investing in a website that looks active, popular, and engaging will help customers recognize your value and trustworthiness as a business.

5. Increase your sales

If you are only selling out of your brick-and-mortar, you are missing out on a profound amount of potential revenue. Online shopping is here to stay, and it’s only getting more popular. In fact, just last year in 2021, online sales grew by 14.2% . Not only do consumers appreciate the safety and convenience of online shopping, but it also allows them to purchase products and services that were previously unavailable to them in their area.

A quality website that is e-commerce compatible expands your reach and visibility and opens up an entirely new stream of revenue for your business. This is the future of business growth.

That all being said, not all websites are created equal. If you are looking to grow your business online, you need a sleek, one-of-a-kind website that is SEO optimized to funnel customers to your front door. We’re leaders in the industry for a reason: We have crack teams of web developers and content creators who have the experience and expertise necessary to take your business to the next level. When you’re ready to grow your business, make more money, and expand your client base, get in touch with us, and let us put our expertise to work for you.

Do Seasonal Businesses Need Year-Round Websites?

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 04:25:41 GMT

Your Business Should be Visible Year-Round

If you own a seasonal business, you already know how important it is to batten down the hatches and reduce your expenses as much as possible in the off-season. Many businesses will shutter completely and go into hibernation when the weather doesn’t permit your trade to operate. After all, when there’s no snow on the mountain, nobody’s going to be skiing, and when there is snow at the beach, nobody’s going to be renting beach umbrellas.

This need to conserve resources may tempt many business owners to unlist, take down, or neglect their websites, but we’d like to take the opportunity to caution you against any action (or inaction) that reduces your website’s visibility. To answer the question presented in the title of this article: Yes! Your seasonal business absolutely needs a year-round website!

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits and opportunities that a well-maintained website has for seasonal businesses and some tips to help you along the way.

1. Off-Season Is Collaboration Season

One of the keys to a business's success is diversifying your streams of income, and one of the best ways to do that is to collaborate with other businesses. Let’s use an example to illustrate this point.

Imagine that you are the owner of a ski resort. During the hot summer months, you have an expansive tract of land and facilities under your stewardship that are not generating any revenue at all. It might seem like your hands are tied until the first good snowfall, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! This is the perfect opportunity to reach out to local universities and businesses and offer your lodge as a conference center at a discounted rate. Reach out to your local film board to scout your slopes as a filming location. Avail your property to local natural tourism companies who are likely looking to expand their business during their peak season.

There are countless opportunities to generate revenue when your business is in the middle of its annual slump, and keeping a well-maintained and regularly updated website advertising seasonal services that are outside of your normal purview is the best way to attract business that you didn’t even know existed!

2. Keep Your SEO Ranking

It might be tempting to save some money by canceling social media contracts or web hosting, but this could have disastrous consequences for the visibility of your business come peak season.

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it a million times more: the online health of your business lives and dies by its Google ranking.

Though the Google algorithm is byzantine and extraordinarily complex, we know for certain that Google loves websites with high-quality, relevant, and regularly updated content. A website that has not been updated for months is treated prejudicially by Google, so even during your off-season, it is tremendously important to keep your website active with high-quality content such as blogs and news updates.2

It might seem like a good idea to save some money during your slow quarter by letting your website rest, but the investment in keeping your website active and engaging even during your slowest season will pay dividends when your business picks back up and you are still comfortably located on the first page of Google search results.

3. Save Your Backlinks

Along with the previously mentioned quality content, Google loves backlinks . Backlinks are created when your website is linked by another website and serve as a kind of internet “vote of confidence” in the quality of your website. Google uses the prevalence of backlinks to your website as a barometer for the quality of your content. In social media terms, you can think of backlinks as a “Like” on Facebook or an “Upvote” on Reddit.

One of the issues with deleting or neglecting your website during the off-season is that Google may mark these backlinks as broken or irrelevant, which can have severe consequences for your SEO performance. Your goal should be to protect the health of existing backlinks and to generate new backlinks regularly. It helps Google see your website as authoritative and will be more likely to recommend it to others.

4. Make Off-Season Sales

Who says that you need to be in the middle of summer to make summer sales? Many savvy consumers will book services with seasonal businesses in search of savings, making your off-season the perfect time to entice customers with flash sales and discounted rates.

Use your website for advertising your services for a discounted price so that you enter your peak season as booked up as possible. As they say, “one in the hand is worth two in the bush,” and approaching your business with this ethic will help you generate revenue year-round.

Keeping your website updated with blogs, sales announcements, and social media campaigns is the best way to stay relevant and paid throughout the year.

5. Use the Off-Season to Improve Your Website

If you find yourself twiddling your thumbs during the off-season, remember that your website is a great place to devote your time. The importance of an ever-improving and regularly updated website cannot be overstated.

Since you have time on your hands, a great way to boost your website’s SEO performance is to improve old content on your website . Using your Google analytics, find the content that is performing the best and build upon that. Are your blog articles about local wildlife drawing traffic and causing conversions? Great! Write more blogs in a similar vein! Are certain blogs languishing and stagnating? Get rid of them and build on what you know to work! Use your free time to improve the performance of your website and you’ll reap the benefits when your peak season is in full swing.

All of this talk of SEO performance and quality content can be a bit overwhelming for the average person. That’s why we’re here to help! Depend on our crack team of blog writers, social media experts, and web developers to build you the kind of site that Google can’t resist. All of our content is built with a keen eye for SEO performance and Google ranking with a human touch that helps your customers connect with your business. Get in touch with us today and let’s make your business the best it can be all year round!

Your Business Is About More Than Making Money

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 22:19:54 GMT

Times Have Changed

Up until the 1950s, most home builders were the sons of other home builders. Carpenters came from carpenters, plumbers from plumbers.

Back then, there were few building codes, because they didn't need them. Workmen took pride in their work. Quality was a point of pride. The mere thought of subpar workmanship was embarrassing beyond measure. You did good work because that's what your dad taught you to do, and he would tolerate nothing less. And you’d expect the same from your own son one day.

In the late 1940s and 50s, this began to change, starting with the horrible, built-overnight Levittown developments, whose goal was to construct as many low-cost and low-quality homes as possible, over 30 units a day. Yes, you read that right.

Quantity Over Quality

This push to churn out as many artless houses as quickly as possible meant home construction was eventually taken over by mercenaries who cared only about their bottom line, not about the real human beings who would occupy the houses they built.

According to the experts, following the baby boom, countless low-quality houses were constructed throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Though there was a slight uptick in quality during the energy crisis of the mid-1970s, tract-built homes and condos all through the 1980s were absolute junk. With stricter building codes and increased public and governmental scrutiny of the mid-1990s, tract builders improved eventually - partly because they had to, with stricter building codes - but the industry is still dominated by people and companies that just want to make big money, not people who care about building quality homes for quality's sake.

What about today?

One of the most well-known parts of the American mythos is our belief in the dignity of labor and the importance of an honest day’s work.

At least, in theory.

Nowadays, those mercenary elements still linger all too often in the building trades. This subversion of the American work ethic may seem especially prevalent among many contractors - so much so that there was a 2014 reality TV show Catch a Contractor that was aimed at holding these money-minded, dishonest workmen accountable after they cheated homeowners and businesses.

Homebuilding has changed dramatically in the century, but not all contractors follow that trend.

What would a contracting company look like today if it was old school?

If a contractor still took pride in their work today, and above all wanted to make sure that homeowners were well taken care of, how would the public know that? Let’s take a look at some of the signs of a good contractor.

1. A contractor who cares about homeowners will work to educate homeowners.

A true contractor is a professional who wants to keep you informed about what is going on with your project. You will learn about unexpected issues before they are addressed with a signed change order, not afterward. If your contractor is in regular contact with you to let you know about progress, you are likely working with a qualified individual. Eagle Painting Company based in Dallas, TX is particularly impressive in the breadth of knowledge they freely share through their blogs and exceptional customer service. Look to companies like theirs for inspiration.

2. A contractor who cares about homeowners is honest about their limitations.

They will make useful information available to the public about who to know which contractor to hire for their project, even if it means admitting they're not the right contractor for a particular job.

Never, under any circumstances, trust a contractor who says “I can do it all.” A quality contractor will tell you when a part of a job is outside of their purview. They will tell you when they do not have the credentials, certifications, or experience to do a job right and they will point you in the direction of someone who can. James Trail Contracting out of Northern Arizona is an incredibly forthright firm that other contractors should take note of. Remember, being honest about their abilities and accomplishments is a sign of great moral fortitude in a contractor.

3. A contractor who cares about homeowners will take time to answer questions from homeowners, even if it's not their customers.

This is a sign of integrity and compassion on the part of the contractor. Many people are understandably wary of contractors given past negative experiences, and a true contractor takes it as a point of pride to let their actions speak to the contrary. Remember, these are stand-up people who believe that a job isn’t done until it’s done right, and this extends to everyone in their community, even if they aren’t paying them.

Want to know who the mercenaries are?

The public can spot them. They have websites that say "call now" and talk about what great contractors they are, but don't do anything to educate homeowners with the information they need to make a good decision. “Hire me, you'll be fine. Don't hire me, you're on your own!”

If you're reading this, you do care. So create some blog content on your site - or let us write one for you - so that the public can benefit from your vast experience in contracting. You get out of this industry what you put into it, and too few people are putting in the work.

Does Your Business Have a Higher Purpose?

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 21:02:25 GMT

Give Back to Your Community

Some companies are founded with a higher purpose in mind. Tesla has made it a mission to electrify mobility. SpaceX endeavors to put human beings on Mars, and long before Elon Musk, Henry Ford had the vision to build a car so affordable that every working person could own one. These companies set out from the start to change the world, or even the galaxy, for the better.

Most of us small business owners don’t have a built-in mission like that. The majority of small businesses are an extension of the particular talent of the founder, so it’s hard for us to claim that we are out to change the world. And that’s okay! Providing an important service to our communities with integrity, at a reasonable cost, and with the highest possible standard of quality in order to create wins for our customers and employees is mission enough for most of us.

Make an Impact

Still, it’s easy to feel inspired by the companies that are out to do something more; those that have a higher purpose. As small business owners, we can’t let ourselves be intimidated by the outsized impacts that others may have. What’s important is that we have a high purpose, outside of just making money in exchange for our work.

This year, Simple.biz might not change the world, but we will make an impact on the lives of 10,000 children to whom we are sending toys through Operation Christmas Child and Samaritan’s Purse, a ministry of Franklin Graham.*

Many of the children who will receive these gifts have never gotten a Christmas gift before. It’s an act of kindness we are proud to be a part of.

Giving toys to 10,000 kids has nothing to do with our mission to help small businesses get found online. It does, however, give us some invaluable advantages as a business:

1. It is magic for our company culture.

Our team members strive to do their best at work for many reasons, like improving their relationships with their colleagues, making more sales, or advancing their careers with the company. Nothing wrong with any of that. But when our team members bring their best without the expectation of recognition or reward, it’s even better. When they are bringing their A-game just to help other people, it’s true servanthood. The ethic of servanthood is one that prioritizes acts of service and kindness for the benefit of another person for no other reason than it is the right thing to do. It’s doing right by people simply because it feels right to do so. A culture of servanthood is vital for a winning organization since it will never be possible to serve customers at the level that the marketplace demands without it. Likewise, a sense of mutual servanthood within a company allows team members to work on one another’s behalf and form a cohesive unit.

What could your higher purpose be? This year, we chose to donate toys to 10,000 children we will never meet precisely because we would never meet them. They will never thank us, and we will never be rewarded for the donation. We know that. That’s the point. That’s servanthood.

2. Money alone is an empty metric for the value of our work.

When you reduce the efforts of a company to rising and falling lines on a graph, you are left with a disturbingly hollow portrait. After all, a company is all about the genuine people who come for a service and the people who help them. It’s communication between workers, administrators, and customers. It is real and human, and there is value in that.

There are some people who would work for Tesla for free just because they believe in the mission of the company. There are people who would forgo a million dollars for the chance to have a business dinner with Jay-Z. People are attracted to opportunities like these because they recognize a higher purpose in the opportunities they present. There is meaning in having a higher purpose. Even if it doesn’t change the entire world, as long as it changes an individual’s world, there is value.

This value doesn’t have to come from zeitgeist-defining acts of prescient entrepreneurship. Just think about how the world seemed to stand still when the new iPhone is released because it made the camera a little better. What matters is having a higher purpose to provide a more complete, if intangible, metric for the value of your work.

3. Lasting Impact

My dad worked in fiber optics for most of his career. He retired 20 years ago. Not a single inch of the cable he was responsible for installing is still in use. Not a single technology he developed is still considered state-of-the-art. Thirty years of work and nothing remains. This is the unavoidable, immutable reality of the work that we do. The technology we create, the sales records we break, and the aesthetics we curate are doomed to an Ozymandian irrelevance within our own lifetimes.

This is why the efforts we make in pursuit of higher value in the ethic of servanthood are so important: These are impacts that can last a lifetime. The impact that we make on these children’s lives goes on and on. Many adults testify to the lasting impact that something so simple as receiving a gift box from Operation Christmas Child had on them. This kindness goes on to inform the world view and outlook on life for children and in a life where much of what we do on a daily basis is destined to be forgotten, this is something that will surely be remembered.

So ask yourself: What can I do as a business owner that will create value that outlasts the business itself?

4. God blesses those who bless kids.

I remember when I was a 5-year-old kid our neighbors once came over to our house and saw the presents that my sisters and I had received for Christmas. It had been a good year for us. I had a new train set; it was awesome! Sadly, the neighbors’ kids told us that they had not gotten any presents themselves. We asked them why, and they explained that their parents were divorced. At five years old, I couldn’t understand why that was their fault. It seemed so unfair to me that Santa would skip their house on account of their parents being divorced. I wasn’t mad at Santa, just perplexed. It saddened me that my neighbors wouldn’t be getting any Christmas presents, as I loved the toys I’d received. Later, I realized that my neighbors were really saying that they got no Christmas presents because they were poor, owing to their parent's divorce. Then again, we were all poor; we were neighbors in a trailer park. Kids don’t know they’re poor, but they know when their friends get presents but they don’t.

This year, millions of children won’t have to explain to their friends why no presents came for them, and 10,000 of those toys will be from a humble website company here in the States that God has greatly -and undeservedly- blessed.

If you’ve been looking for a higher purpose for your business and Operation Christmas Child sounds like something you’d like to be involved with, consider sending your own gift boxes through Samaritan’s Purse HERE .

* The toys have been ordered from the factory and should be arriving in November 2022 for delivery to the Samaritan’s Purse main warehouse, which is in Charlotte, North Carolina. These will add to shoebox gifts sent by people all over the developed world to children in the developing world. If the gifts arrive too late for Christmas (which we do not foresee) we will still donate them to Samaritan’s Purse for use in 2023.

What to Do with a Bad Review

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 13:34:36 GMT

Bad Reviews are to be Expected

Online reviews are like the food at the county fair: It’s all fun and games until you get something that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. As a business owner, it can be difficult to read negative reviews, especially when they seem unfair or are written in bad faith. Even if you have page after page of glowing testimonials, a single bad review can feel like the end of the world.

We’d like to take this opportunity to assure you that a bad review doesn’t spell the doom of your company. According to one study, more than 88% of respondents stated that a single negative review has never caused them to refrain from purchasing a product. In fact, if you play your cards right, a negative review is a great opportunity to promote customer confidence and gain a valuable learning experience. Let’s take a walk through what you should do when you get a negative review:

Never Publicly Argue with the Customer

We’ve all seen those viral posts of fed-up business owners unloading pithy retorts on customers who’ve left bad reviews and as satisfying as those can be to read, this is perhaps the worst course of action for you to take. While dunking on unreasonable customer reviews might be fun on a Buzzfeed post, you will end up looking petulant and indifferent to potential customers seeking an honest appraisal of your business. Studies have shown that 93% of customers read online reviews before purchasing a product or service which means that they are coming to Google or Yelp for information, not to witness an owner belittle an unsatisfied customer.

Even if the review is intentionally misleading or dishonest, it is incumbent upon you to offer a polite redress to the customer’s grievance. About 54% of consumers report paying special attention to extremely negative reviews which means that they will be paying attention to owner responses as well. Remember, most potential customers who are perusing online reviews won’t be able to spot bad faith criticism, but they will certainly notice a company that takes complaints seriously and offers practical solutions.

Talk to the Customer to Resolve the Dispute

Sometimes your business won’t live up to the expectations of your customers; it’s just the inevitability of human error. When a customer has a complaint, the best practice is not to simply attempt to rectify the problem but to do so with empathy and a charitable spirit. Studies have shown that customers respond positively to smiles and direct eye contact during in-person conflicts with company representatives and your aim as the business owner should be to approximate a smile and eye contact through your words.

When you are addressing a customer complaint, your response should indicate that you understand the source of their displeasure, that you are sorry, and that you have a sincere desire to set things right. Indicate that you would like to hear more about what went wrong and invite them to contact you directly. In this way, the aggrieved customer feels validated and outside observers see a reasonable business owner who cares about their customers.

Use This as a Learning Experience

A beneficial mindset to adopt is to think of reviews as individual data points that paint a picture of your business's reputation with the public. Positive reviews show you what you are doing right, and negative reviews show you where you can improve. If customers consistently remark positively about the quality of your product or service but gripe about the wait time and customer service, you know it’s time to step in and implement plans to streamline service. If one of your employees is frequently mentioned as being especially rude or incompetent, you have a pretty good picture of what customers like in their representatives. It doesn’t do you or your business any good to view negative reviews as anything other than areas where improvement is needed. Remember that a single star improvement on Yelp has been demonstrated to lead to a 5-9% increase in revenue , so it is in your best interest to make the necessary changes to attract those glowing five-star reviews!

If you have any questions about social media and review strategies, get in touch with the experts here at Simple.biz. Negative reviews can be a pain in the rear, but with the right team working alongside you they can become valuable tools for growing your business!

5 Things I Know About Starting a Stump Grinding Business

bob@simplesitecompany.com (Bob Hansen) — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:33:00 GMT

Let the Market, Not Passion, Shape Your Business Decisions

As a postal letter-carrier, my father-in-law knew years in advance the exact date he would retire. He also knew that retirement wouldn't suit him.

So, a few years before his scheduled quitting time, he bought a defunct horse farm near his house. He figured people in his area would pay good money to board their horses and take riding lessons. He was sure he couldn't lose. He managed to blow his life savings on that disaster, plus far more money that he had borrowed.

Then he bought an electric train, selling rides at the local mall on weekends and evenings. He didn't lose any money on it week to week, but he really didn't make any, either. It just wasn’t worth his time.

Finally, the week of his retirement, he met an older man who wanted to get off of a high-end stump grinder he owned. The fellow was "a good Christian guy," my trusting father-in-law claimed, as he always did about pretty much everyone he met. The man wanted just $50,000 for the stump grinder, "a steal."

When he told me about it, I felt like Jack's mom when she learned he had traded the family cow for some beans.

Could he be this naïve? "You're not going to do it, are you? Are you really thinking about buying this guy's stump grinder?" I asked.

"I already did," he said.

I know a thing or two about losing everything and then, in desperation, clinging to the first hope that comes along. What I didn't know anything about was the stump grinding business, and neither did my father-in-law. Buying the machine, which he didn't even know how to operate, was a ridiculous gamble born of panic. His retirement loomed ahead like an unknown afterlife, and if someone had offered him a bull-milking business, he would have bought it.

I knew my father-in-law was overly anxious to get his next chapter started, and he was probably running ahead of God. And I told him that.

He ignored me, of course. Desperate people won't listen to reason.

A few years have passed, and a lesson has been learned.

The stump grinding business was a huge win. My father-in-law will do over $2M in sales this year with healthy margins. He has two work crews and a pole barn full of stump grinders and bucket trucks. He's happier than he's ever been, and certainly more prosperous. The freedom he enjoys as an entrepreneur beats anything he experienced as a wage slave for the post office.

What's the lesson? A few, actually:

1 Don't listen to your son-in-law. He's not God. If you only start the business all your friends think will work, you'll never start anything. And if your friends do all agree your business idea is a winner, it won't keep you from failing. Unless they all want to become paying customers.

2. Be willing to spend some money. It turns out that landscapers are often cash-poor. Their basic equipment - mowers and trailers - is inexpensive, which makes for a lower barrier to entry, too much competition, and low margins. Many landscapers don't have the capital or the credit to buy their own stump grinders. But stumps have got to come out. Landscapers will often sub that work out to guys with grinders, like my father-in-law. The $50k equipment cost creates a barrier to entry for the stump grinding business, creating higher margins. If a business requires no investment, it generally means there will be too much competition.

Better businesses will require some capital, so don't be afraid to spend money to get started. "It takes money to make money," as they say.

3. Start small. Fifty grand is a lot of money, but it's not that much. Buying the horse farm was a mistake my father-in-law couldn't financially recover from. It took him years to dig out. The mall train cost him just $35k to buy. It was a dead-end, but not a disaster. In fact, he eventually he sold it for a small profit. Burning $50k on the stump grinder was survivable if it had been a mistake. Fortunately for him, it was far from a mistake.

4. “Start a business doing something you love doing” probably isn’t genius advice. Nobody loves grinding stumps. Stumps just need grinding. Most businesses are like that. “I want to grow up to be a professional stump grinder,” said no kid, ever. The market’s response to your idea is far more important than your enjoyment of the work involved. In fact, the market response is the only thing that matters, because without it, you won’t even have a business. What if turning your hobby into a business is something all the other people who love your hobby are already doing? Or what if customers don’t care that you love doing it?

5. Reinvention is naturally born of desperation. Xerox invented a ton of great products - the digital printer, the mouse, the graphic user interface, and the local area network - but did not go to market with any of them. Why not? They didn't have to. They were riding the dominance of their office copier business and didn't need to reinvent themselves. The companies that took Xerox's inventions to market are worth trillions; Xerox is almost worthless in comparison. The crisis you may be facing - a layoff, an impending retirement, a financial problem - is likely to be the genesis of your own reinvention. That doesn't make the nightmare you may be living any easier to handle, but don't be surprised if you look back at your current disaster as the start of a great new season. In life, there is no boom without a bust.

So should you start a stump grinding business? Don’t ask me. I’m not a paying customer. If I had a stump to grind, my father-in-law would take care of it. Instead, ask the market. Its verdict is the only one that matters.

The 6 Must-Know Facts About Google Search Rankings

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 00:08:06 GMT

Getting Google Search Rankings Right

If you are number one on Google, you can set your marketing budget at nothing. You won't have to spend a thing and you'll be as busy as a bee. If your website doesn't appear in Google, you'll be up against insurmountable obstacles. You already know that Google has the power to make or break your company.

I've created more than 3,000 websites in my capacity as a web designer. My websites appear on the first page of the Google results in thousands of searches. Our daily analytics demonstrate fresh searches for which my clients appear on the first page. Among the 600 web design firms assessed by Sitejabber, I am among the top 10 in the country. So allow me to offer you six pieces of advice.

ONE: A New Website Rarely Starts Out at #1

A few years back, I received a bizarre phone call from a man in Ronkonkoma, New York, who announced that he was starting an axe-throwing business. I was certain he was playing a practical joke on me because of his loud voice and thick Suffolk County accent. It took considerable persuasion for me to accept that this obnoxious New Yorker wanted to start "Molly Hatchet's Axe Throwing" at MacArthur Airport.

Axe throwing is something I'd never heard of. It felt ridiculous how he described the "sport." Who would be willing to pay money to hurl axes at wooden targets? Who would travel to Ronkonkoma to carry it out? Is that not risky?

His new website was created three weeks later by me. As soon as it was up on Google, it immediately topped the search results for "Axe Throwing Long Island." I set prepared his Google Maps listing, so he appeared twice in the SERP (search engine results page).

The location was crowded. He contacted me every day to cancel bookings until I showed his assistant how to do it on her own. He had a full schedule.

Can I also do it for your company? Will Google rank your new website #1 when it launches? Most likely not.

On Long Island, there are currently less than a dozen places where axes are thrown. Their intended search terms face little competition (keywords). On Long Island, there are tens of thousands of contractors, electricians, and plumbers (and a lot more money is spent on those services), but only ten of these results appear on the first page of Google results for any given phrase.

I create a lot more websites for tradespeople and contractors than I do for axe-throwing establishments. (Molly Hatchets is the only one I've constructed, in actuality.)

While there is significantly more search volume than there is for "axe throwing," most keywords are subject to much greater competition. The typical person looks for an HVAC technician a lot more times throughout their lifetime than searching for "axe throwing".

The issue is that no matter how much search traffic there is, if you aren't on the first page of the search results, you won't hear your phone ring.

But every contractor on the first page is familiar with the term "meal ticket." Being consistently busy is necessary to get an organic ranking on page one.

Ranking for popular, very competitive local keywords (such as "contractor," "mobile detailing," "electrician," "pressure washing," and "therapist," for example) will take 3 to 6 months or longer compared to my almost instant ranking for "axe throwing." However, it's worthwhile because there is substantial and consistent traffic from those search phrases.

You won't ever get to take advantage of the advantages of having a front-page website if you give up 30 or 60 days after your site goes up (the most typical time to cancel a new website).

TWO: A Website Needs "Good Bones."

Regardless of how long you give it, a poor website will never rank. Before any website goes online, the following must be in place:

Create a landing page for each target area or keyword.
On each landing page, use more than 800 to 1,000 words of original material.
Not phrase fragments or word lists, but whole sentences should make up the majority of your work.
Keep your keywords in mind. Utilize a keyword density of about 2% (20 times per 1,000 words) and a comprehensive vocabulary of associated jargon.
Include contextual backlinks to reliable, associated websites (at least 5 on each page). Locate pertinent.org,.edu, and.gov websites to use as references.
Embed a video with the term in the title.
Make sure your metatags are neat and include the term and location in the <Title> tag.
On each landing page, use clear slugs that coincide with the target term. (www.example.com/axe-throwing-long-island-ny)
A single H1 tag should include the keyword exactly, followed by a few H2 tags having keyword variations, and so on, until your H5 tags are used on unrelated titles (such as "Order Now!").
Check your writing for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.
Include a single place or address per page in the viewable content (not only the metatags) (for local search terms). For a local search query, you won't appear at all if Google is unaware of your intended location. (A whole address is not necessary. Long Island or Ronkonkoma, New York, will do.)
Verify that all of your links are active.

The combination of these factors is known as "on-page SEO," and it means more than anything else you can do to push your website to the top of Google.

A successful racing car driver would claim that his on-track prowess is what got him the win, and that's true, so it's significant. However, if his automobile had not been initially constructed correctly, he would not have had any chance at all. Before the starter gun even fires, races are already decided.

THREE: Evaluate Your Situation in 30 to 60 Days.

New clients typically start to worry why their phone isn't ringing after a few weeks. To see where they rank in the search results, they might conduct a search using their keywords. This is where annoyance may begin. But let me tell you when it's appropriate to start fretting:

I utilize Google Console to link a finished site to Google search results once I'm done with it. It is known as "indexing" the website. In my experience, Google acts as though they are unaware of the website for 30 to 60 days after it is submitted. The site won't rank for anything during this time, not even the client's own name. (Of course, if you are utilizing an existing domain, it will already rank.)

When should you start worrying about your keyword rankings? When someone searches for you by name, you arrive first. (Obviously, this does not apply if your company is called "Glendale Electrician" and you are attempting to rank for the keyword "electrician" in Glendale, California. Your keyword is your name. Not a problem, but it invalidates this test.)

If the name of your company is "Mary Jane's Excavators" or "Happy Harry's Mobile Bartending" (or something else distinctive), you'll know when Google has properly indexed your website when you appear at the top of search results for that term. However, you might also discover that your website is not yet at the top of searches like "Excavators Overland Park KS" or "Mobile Bartending Chicago IL." And for the time being, that's okay.

Your website should currently appear between positions #21 and #100 in the search results if it was constructed properly (page 3 to page 10 on Google). Your phone won't start ringing just yet, and this won't bring you any traffic. But it's a wonderful place to start if you want to establish a long-lasting front-page ranking. It's time to start overtaking other vehicles now that you're in the race.

Four: Focus on fixing the simple issues .

We may begin to make modifications to gradually move up in the rankings once my site is indexed and I'm in the first 100 results on Google. If I make numerous modifications, the website's position in the SERPs could possibly worsen. Additionally, if I make a lot of changes at once, I won't know exactly how I messed it up. I therefore intend to change no more than two or three things at once.

I inspect the website again for fundamental flaws using my "Good Bones" checklist.
I quickly scan the top three organic results for the keyword search I'm aiming for to gauge my competition. I don't have to create the best website in the world to win the search (which would take thousands of hours). All I have to do is create a landing page that is superior to the ones that currently include my target keywords. Examine the tags and content of your rivals to find inspiration.
I then do a study of the website using "Ubersuggest," a free app available in the Google Chrome store. Even if the website is flawless, the SEO Analyzer will generate a list of improvements you can make. Since implementing too many modifications at once could effectively result in us starting the process over from scratch, we're only seeking to implement the top 3.

You can co nduct a new study and, of course, it will give you a new top 3 once you address the top 3 concerns Ubersuggest highlights. Don't go too far in advance. Do only the top 3 at this time. By impact, they are arranged.

FIVE: Every 30 to 60 days, make 1 to 3 adjustments.

You may gradually improve your search results by checking the SEO results every month or two (and repeating the Fixing the Easy Stuff procedures). You wouldn't be able to determine which modifications are improving or harming your performance if they happened too frequently. Never making any changes will either maintain you where you are or cause you to begin to fall in the rankings.

Every month or so, set a date to concentrate on improving your search ranking. Make a plan of action, carry it through, and then let it sit for another month or two.

Ubersuggest's suggestions can be challenging as you are forced to delve deeper. In an ideal world, you would like to rank without spending a lot of effort or money on off-page SEO. Most of the time, I am able to get my clients' websites to rank without using a single off-page SEO strategy because 99% of my clients are local service providers (or they operate nationally in extremely specific areas). (By constructing many location sites, even statewide queries can be gathered using only basic SEO strategies.)

SIX: when your website ranks first on Google

You halt making changes. You can change your promotional messaging (deals, expiration dates, etc.) and keep developing the depth of your blog posts, but you shouldn't change a site's metatags, keyword density, or slugs if it is the top-ranked site. You can only harm the ranking at this point.

How to Get the Most Out of a Blog For Your Small Business

bob@simplesitecompany.com (Bob Hansen) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 19:05:59 GMT

With Over 4 Billion Internet Users, Blogging is a Strong Marketing Strategy

It's fairly amazing how the Internet can transform practically anything that appears on its pages into a marketing game-changing algorithmic innovation. The most unassuming online artifacts have the potential to become crucial tools in boosting SEO and enhancing your company's online presence, whether we're talking about image macros of cats being cats, a 12-second audio clip of the song that went unnoticed upon its release in 2014, or relatable reactions to bizarre situations captured on camera.

Consider the lowly weblog, also known as "blog" for short. Blogs have evolved from being mostly used by amateurs to chronicle their travels and voice their worries about science fiction universes to becoming one of the most effective methods for improving a business website's Google position and general SEO performance.

So, just how does this operate? Let's examine how a blog significantly improves a website's exposure and why it might be time to start one for your company.

How Does it Work?

As we have previously explained, when a user conducts a search, Google browses and indexes webpages that its algorithm predicts would be the most pertinent to the user's query. We'll talk about Google's preference for high-quality website content in this case.

In terms of SEO, “content” refers to the text, images, videos, and metadata contained in a website.

I guess that's pretty self-explanatory. When you investigate what Google regards as "excellent material," things start to get interesting. A common definition of quality content is the presence of interesting media that is pertinent to user searches; the more recent the content, the better.

Here is where business blogging might be useful. In addition to adding more pertinent material and images to your website, blogs also serve as a route for potential customers who are searching for information on Google that may not be covered in the landing pages of your website. Another crucial factor is that a blog shows Google that your website is active and often updated with new information.

Be Found in More Google Searches

For instance, let's say that you run a Georgia-based pest control business. You've got a fantastic website with lots of eye-catching pictures, entertaining videos, and writing that uses the appropriate keywords. Now picture local Google users in your area asking queries such, "What do termites look like?" that are tangentially related to pest control. It just so happens that you recently posted an article on your blog titled "How to Tell the Difference Between Ants and Termites," despite the fact that your landing pages may be missing in termite taxonomy.

Google is now showing your blog article to someone who is just now aware they have a termite infestation and is looking for the most locally relevant and recent sources to address their inquiry.

Social Media and Backlinks

Blogs provide another indelibly beneficial service to your business’ SEO performance in the number of backlinks and social media shares they garner. As we’ve discussed before, a backlink occurs when another website links to yours, and Google absolutely adores backlinks. Backlinks demonstrate to Google that your website is both relevant to and an authority on the subject matter in question. Social media is used by an estimated 4.48 billion people, or roughly 56.8% of the world’s population, so having your website referenced frequently on social media is like turkey on Thanksgiving for Google. All it takes is just one of your blog posts going even moderately viral for your business to see a staggering increase in engagement. In this approach, blogs serve the dual purposes of expanding the reach and traffic to your website and showing search engines that your website is active and updated frequently.

A blog can provide your website with the perfect inflections of warmth, expertise, and even cheekiness that make customers believe in your business as much as you do.

Because blog entries are more intriguing and entertaining to read than landing page material, they are more likely to generate backlinks and social media attention. They give a company a human voice, and a skilled writing and editing staff can produce content that connects with readers in a way that a dry list of services performed just cannot.

Reach out to the Simple.biz social media team if a professionally written and edited blog is the missing component of your company website on a regular basis. We have a social media plan that will suit your requirements!

3 Ways Site Videos Improve SEO and Conversion

bob@simplesitecompany.com (Bob Hansen) — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 20:13:13 GMT

Native Video Content Equals Quality Content

There’s an old joke among Internet marketers that the best place to hide a body is on the second page of Google search results and it’s not hard to understand the gallow's humor there. As we’ve noted before, your Google ranking is vital to the success of your business websites.

It might seem surprising to some that one of the most effective ways to improve your Google ranking and search engine optimization (SEO) is to have high-quality video content embedded in your business page. As Bill Gates famously wrote in 1996, “Content Is King.” Mr. Gates predicted over 25 years ago that the businesses that would thrive in the digital age would be those that prioritize quality, engaging content, and he’s been proven largely correct by the current shape of the Internet.

It just so happens that the contemporary definition of quality content is largely video media. In fact, it’s predicted that by the end of this year over 82% of all internet traffic will be video content. This information can be a bit confusing for the layperson, so let’s take a look at three ways through which site videos improve SEO and turn clicks into sales.

1. Google Loves Videos

Google search results are where successful online businesses are created, as we've previously discussed. When you conduct a search on Google, it browses the Web, indexes the information, and then displays the results that its algorithm predicts will be the most relevant to you. Although the algorithm's decision-making processes are various and sophisticated, the caliber of the websites that appear in Google's search results is what matters most in this case. This means that Google gives websites with the highest-quality, most relevant information a higher priority when showing you results.

One of the main determinants of what Google considers a website with excellent content is native video content. In fact, it's thought that 62% of Google's 5.6 billion daily searches produce video results. Websites with video content are 53 times more likely to show up on Google's first page, even if the video itself isn't shown in the search results.

Even while the firm keeps the precise methods by which the Google algorithm makes these decisions a corporate secret, analyzing the statistics and metrics from different websites does offer some insight.

Visitors stay on websites with video content on average 2-2.6 times longer than visitors to websites without video content, increasing the likelihood that they will continue to interact with the website's offerings.

2. Videos on websites reduce bounce rates and increase backlinks

Let's quickly define these terms. The percentage of site visitors who only see one page before leaving is known as the "bounce rate," as opposed to those who stay on the website longer by visiting subsequent landing pages or making a purchase. Your site's bounce rate will improve as user activity increases. Backlinks are external links from other websites that lead to your website. Google views websites with a low bounce rate and a high frequency of backlinks as being robust and interesting, which gives a site a significant boost in its Google ranks.

Visitors are more likely to stay on a website with video content, view other landing pages, and sign up for services. This is probably because video material gives companies credibility and makes it easier for customers to engage emotionally with the service being delivered.

The visibility of the business website in Google's algorithm is also increased by the fact that sites with video contact receive three times as many backlinks as sites without it.

All OK, but how do these factors contribute to increased sales? Well…

3. Website Videos Increase Conversion Rates

When we refer to "conversions" in the context of SEO, we mean the rate at which customer interaction results in a sale; the "conversion" of website clicks into money.

Then how precisely do site videos result in higher conversion rates?

As was already said, the existence of videos elevates websites in Google's algorithm because they are a sign of high-quality content. More traffic to the website stems from increased presence on Google search results.

However, simply obtaining visitors to a website is insufficient. Customers genuinely connect with site videos, which is their other clear benefit. You might be surprised to find that 50% of prospective clients look for product or service videos online before visiting a website or physical location. Studies and surveys have shown that professionally made movies with real people in them boost a potential customer's confidence in making a purchase.

In fact, 52% of consumers claim that watching videos helps them make decisions about what to buy and increases their likelihood of doing so by double.

Video content on websites is essential for capturing potential consumers' attention and giving them the extra boost they need to complete the transaction.

Here at Simple.biz, we've discovered that the best way to assist our clients in achieving their business objectives is through a strategy that combines cutting-edge SEO techniques with the provision of the highest-quality content for their websites. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us right away if you're interested in learning more about how the Simple.biz team can improve your content marketing and SEO.

Why You Can't Afford to Ignore Google for Your Business

bob@simplesitecompany.com (Bob Hansen) — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 20:50:11 GMT

Search Engine Optimization and How It Can Make or Break Your Website

Consider for a moment just how powerful Google is on the internet: The corporation manages about 2 trillion searches annually, or an estimated 3.8 million queries each minute. With a stunning 91.43% market share, they have a stranglehold on the global search engine market. With only 3.3% of all global searches, Bing, the next-closest rival, is hardly even a close second. If you have any uncertainties, we advise you to quickly google "google" to clear up any confusion. Google is so pervasive that even the name of the corporation has evolved into a verb meaning "to search."

While social media campaigns and other internet marketing techniques are undoubtedly very useful, your company's online health ultimately depends on how well it ranks on Google.

In what ways does your website's Google ranking effect it? The position at which your website appears in Google search results is known as your Google ranking. Your website is performing better the closer it is to the top of the first page. According to a number of important criteria, such as the website's usability, relevancy to search terms, and quality of information, Google's algorithm indexes, sorts, and displays websites.

You would see the businesses that Google's algorithm has concluded are the most relevant, have the best content, and are the most useful, for instance, if you searched for "hair salon near me." Now, if you change this search to "best hair salon near me," you will see slightly different results since Google will emphasize the highest rated company websites that feature material that claims to be "the best" in its search results.

Although it can appear unimportant to the layman, a staggering 92% of all traffic hits originate from the first page of Google results.

Everything depends on your Google ranking. Although it can appear unimportant to the uninitiated, a staggering 92% of all traffic hits originate from the first page of Google results. On the second page of Google search results, only 6% of websites will get a click. Just 6%.

Your website is in jeopardy if you conduct a relevant Google search for your company and it doesn't come up on page one. The staff at Simple.biz can help you in this situation. In order to propel your company to the top of search results, our expert team of professional web developers specializes in search engine optimization (SEO). They build streamlined sites filled with relevant, high-quality content that will drive more traffic to your website, generate more leads, and increase your revenue.

Get in contact with us right now to find out more about how we can elevate your Google ranking for you!