Whether your store is on a commercial artery or online, increasing presence and recognition and generating traffic are essential to achieving your business objectives. Here are a few ways you can boost awareness of your business.
Local directories
There are so many local directory initiatives popping up everywhere, it’s hard to know which way to turn. Our advice: don't spread yourself too thin! Rely on solid directories with a good audience that are carried by serious or reputable players, such as Panier Bleu for example.
93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, so it's essential for your business to appear at the top of the list! SEJ
Google My Business
According to Google, 50% of mobile device users visit a store within days of a local search. In order to appear in searches, especially on interactive maps, it is essential to keep your Google My Business listing up to date.
Google My Business is an SEO service for business owners, operated by Google.
Consulted by 93% of Canadians, this is the tool that should not be overlooked under any circumstances. If you already have an account, make sure you use it to its full potential. Always keep the complete listing information for your business (especially your business hours) up to date, and check out the many available options, such as showcasing your products and promotions or creating a showcase site. It's free! Go ahead and take advantage of it!
The process of making your business listing public on Google is very simple, and will allow you to control the information that Internet users see there. Effective management of your business page is certain to improve your search rankings!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
According to a study conducted by software publisher HubSpot, 75% of Internet users never go beyond the first page of search engines. In light of this, it is high time to optimize your SEO in order to get back on track.
Optimization allows you to influence the presence of your site in the free results of search engines. To optimize your natural referencing, keep in mind that you must be concise, precise and structured. Above all, you must think about how your customers go about searching for you on the Internet.
- Establish a (short) list of keywords that are relevant to your business
Conduct a short study of keywords (and their synonyms) that are often used and that best describe your products/services. - Optimize the content of your site using relevant keywords
Reduce this list to 10 essential words, and then integrate them sparingly throughout the content of your site. Warning: Too many keywords on the same page is not good for SEO. To optimize performance, you must strike the right balance. - Structure your site's information
Optimize the content of your site and structure your texts with very distinct titles (H2/H3) and paragraphs. Beware of overly long sentences that can slow down reading and hinder the fluidity of your content. Note that the title must not exceed 70 characters, and that your meta description must not exceed 156 characters, including spaces. - Clean up your URLs
Clean up your URLs, integrate internal and external links, but avoid broken links that could greatly harm your SEO. - Use effective software, especially if you're not an IT expert.
To help you improve your site's SEO, use helpful software such as Google Search Console or Yoast SEO. They will check the performance of your optimizations and highlight any weaknesses so that you can make the necessary adjustments.
If you haven't already done so, give Google access to your site through your Search Console, category “crawl” – “crawl like Google”.
Finally, remember that you are not alone, that there are training programs and professionals to guide you (step by step if necessary) toward this new digital strategy.
Have a reactive site
For several years now, research on mobile devices has surpassed research on computers. As a result, search engine algorithms favour sites that are adapted to mobile devices, also known as reactive sites.
Social networks
Let's assume that you already have Facebook and Instagram pages. The idea is not to invade the web with multiple varied publications, but to set up a rigorous, coherent, high-performance content calendar that is representative of your business and your audience. Take stock of what works on a regular basis, and then ask yourself the right questions concerning your publication frequency and interaction strategy.
Set up contests
Organizing contests from time to time can be a good way to build loyalty among your buyers and strengthen your community in the long term. This approach works very well with customers under the age of 35. With this approach, you get two for the price of one: more customers and increased loyalty.
Promotions
Promotions can often be confused with discounts. A promotion is primarily designed to showcase a product or promote an item that you think you will attract consumers. Take a special item in your store and use it in your various communication platforms to promote your business. Tell its story, highlight the work of designers, especially if they are local, and get your customers to provide testimonials.
Keep in mind that, even if this action does not create an avalanche of sales, it gives your business recognition. Even if this kind of impact is difficult to measure, it can be very important!
Create a high-performance ecosystem using all of your platforms to increase traffic to your site.
The more people click on your website, the faster and higher it will rise in search engine results lists. In addition to creating internal/external links on your site, promote communication among your distribution channels. Using Facebook and Instagram to link back to your site and/or store is an essential part of an effective overall digital strategy.