The vast majority of people looking for local businesses start with google. Getting your name out there for prospects to easily see is critical to developing your client portfolio. When you google your type of business, where are you in the rankings? If you’re on page 2, only 8% of potential new clients will find you. That’s a lot of business going to your competitors who you would take better care of than they ever will! If you’re looking to get those opportunities back without paying for Google Ads, here’s how to get started!

1. Have a website! This may seem obvious to some, but many businesses have a web presence that’s solely on business rating websites such as Yelp!, Angie’s List, Yahoo! BBB, etc. Setting up a website may seem like a daunting task, but in this day and age, it can be quite simple for you to create and manage on your own, or you can have one developed for a reasonable price on a platform that you can update on your own.

2. Boost your SEO. Have you ever searched for “IT Support Chicago”? We didn’t pay our way to #2 in the Organic Search, we worked the system! SEO, short for Search Engine Optimization, is critical to placement on google. Google’s search algorithm has little bugs that crawl through websites and determine the best results for any potential search. Enhance your site to improve your SEO rankings over time. There are a variety of practices that help with this such as regular content updates, keyword application, quality linking, and more!

*Be warned that some SEO management companies use less than ethical practices which can hurt your SEO in the long run. So, if you’re looking for someone to manage your SEO, make sure you know who you’re dealing with.

3. Cultivate your Social Media Presence. There are a variety of social media platforms that different target markets engage with on a daily basis. Are you an interior design firm looking to share your beautiful spaces? Try Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Share your brand with current clients and friends on social media; it make your business more accessible and transparent to potential customers.

Web searches are the new phonebook. They can cultivate leads that nicely supplement the great word of mouth your clients share with their contacts already to keep the flow of new business heading in your direction. Looking for guidance on how to get there? We can help! Give Katie a call today! 312.474.9400.