What’s in it for you? Take the right steps toward success in online marketing.

Are you a local business owner? If you own a computer repair shop, a bookstore or deli, how do you get locals in the front door? Your signage is bold; you’ve handed out leaflets on the weekend; you’re registered with the local business bureau; and of course, you’ve built a website for your business.

But now what? How do you make sure that someone finds your business when searching online for a particular service, for example? By knowing how to market your business online.

In this Newletter, you’ll also learn

• why search engines are essentially digital Yellow Pages;
• what the acronyms SEO and PPC stand for; and
• why for a local business, Google AdWords is the holy grail.

1. In our digital age, traditional marketing methods like printing business listings or ads are now mostly irrelevant.

2. SEO is a useful strategy for reaching new clients online but paid ads on Google are more effective.

3. Small businesses looking to attract local clients have a powerful tool in Google’s AdWords.

4. The first page of your website is essential to turning a person’s interest into a purchase.

5. Build your landing page well, structuring it so it showcases the best of what you have to offer.

6. Data collection is essential to measuring the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts.

Right now, there are dozens of locals in your area using the internet to find a service like the one you provide. The question is, will they find you?

So how can today’s popular search engines help potential clients find your business online?

There are two ways that Google can help push your shop into the digital spotlight. The first is through search engine optimization or SEO. This process helps you, using relevant keywords, bump your website closer to the top of search results when someone searches online for your particular service.

Keep in mind that Google uses an algorithm to determine how relevant the content of a website is to a selected keyword. The most relevant sites are thus displayed first in results when someone searches for those words.

Yet you should also know that pay-per-click (PPC) ads have an advantage over SEO, the biggest boon being that PPC ads are placed above SEO results in search.

This prime positioning makes a huge difference – people often only look at the top of a search results page, choosing the first link out of convenience or being too lazy to scroll down.

If you choose PPC ads, you’re likely to see an immediate payoff. From day one, your website will show up at the top of Google search results!

In contrast, effective SEO is a long-term investment. It can take between three and six months to see results, and hiring a firm to handle SEO can be expensive.?In contrast, effective SEO is a long-term investment. It can take between three and six months to see results, and hiring a firm to handle SEO can be expensive.?

Small businesses looking to attract local clients have a powerful tool in Google’s AdWords.

Google is one of the most influential and successful companies of the information age. But did you know that around 90 percent of Google’s earnings come from its advertising services?

This program is called Google AdWords, and its specialty is pay-per-click (PPC) marketing.

There are a few reasons why AdWords stands out from other online marketing services, but its primary strength is the program’s incredible reach.

You could set an ad to be displayed on searches that only take place within a 10-, 20- or 50-mile radius from your business, for example – ideal for local marketing.

The first page of your website is essential to turning a person’s interest into a purchase.

While Google can help bring potential clients to your website, the quality of your landing page has the power to seal a deal.

Data collection is essential to measuring the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts.

Any smart investor knows that when investing in the stock market, you need to have quality, transparent reporting to make sound financial decisions. The same goes for marketing, as when you market your company, you’re investing in the future of your business.

Such data can be helpful when optimizing a marketing campaign, as it clues you into effective keywords and identifies words to abandon. Using a call tracking service can help you manage your budget and boost the overall success of your marketing strategy.

Final summary

With the rise of the internet, business has changed and so has business marketing. Older methods of investing in print ads or business directories no longer work. To ensure a steady stream of new customers, your business needs to build a strong online ad strategy.