Developing a strong online and social media presence has become critical to competing in the modern business universe. SpaBoom was founded on the premise that not only being online, but being innovative, interactive, creative and effective out there are really the point of the online exercise.
Driving traffic into your brick and mortar via your website and social media interactions remains the goal, as does developing a strong, trusted brand that evolves constantly with your audience expectations. Again, the measure of success is nurturing relationships and enjoying the financial benefits of doing so.
One of the big challenges we all face is not just developing our websites and social media presence, but in fact garnering an audience to see how innovative and creative and interactive we are – without being found we’re like sailboats adrift in an endless, windless sea just hoping for a stiff breeze.
The local search and online recognition playing field is full now, with a litany of names coming immediately to mind – Google, Bing, Facebook, Yahoo, YouTube and FourSquare, to name a few. We’ve encouraged you to claim your identity, to always keep your business information current, and to avail yourselves of any additional features that make sense for a small business wishing to promote itself. The importance of current business information has never been greater – your audience expects to be able to find you not just with specific searches of your name, but also with categorical searches in your area which means you need to ensure your listings and keyword criteria meet those needs.
One of the most interesting recent additions to the search formula is geo-location. Smart phones are where most searches initiate, with iPads and other personal devices close behind. I was reminded of just how important considering the geo piece is when describing one’s service location when I saw yet another Google Maps car driving around the other day – how cool is it for someone to simply click on an address that provides a detailed map to your brick and mortar business? Technology has made big strides when it comes to ease of being seen, found, and for your audience to pinpoint you with broader searches.
The onus, then, remains for you to know where you’re visible online and keep that information cutting edge current 24/7. The key is constant vigilance, and remembering that you’re building relationships, not sending out a telegram of information from time to time.