If you’re wondering if your business should start a blog, start by asking yourself a few questions:

❓Do you like to write?
❓Do you have the time?
❓Do you have tips to offer?

Blogs are a great way to gain respect, position yourself as an expert in your field and increase website views. Google ranks websites with blogs higher than those without because of the engagement with readers. Blogs give you extra content to share on social media and across your website.

But as beneficial as they are, they also require work. The most successful blogs have a strategy, planned content and consistent posting.

If you have the time to add an extra element to your online strategy, I absolutely encourage a blog and can help you start one!

But if you’re already feeling overwhelmed with the platforms you’re on, don’t add more to your plate! Focus on excelling on a few key platforms rather than just meeting the minimum on all platforms possible.

As the most popular and most used search engine, Google is a great asset for businesses to use to reach customers. By utilizing the FREE Google My Business platform, you are able to have your listing come up on the side of search results with all the information you can upload like hours, website, photos and more.

Just having a Google My Business is a great step – but here are some tips to get the most out of your profile.

🕐Always update your hours. Especially if you have a brick and mortar storefront that you want people to visit, make sure you are updating your hours regularly to reflect any holiday closures, hour extensions, etc.

📱Encourage customers to review you on Google. Especially for food establishments, Google reviews are key for potential customers deciding if they want to buy your product. Encouraging customers to review you on Google with an incentive like a contest or discount is a great way to gain trust.

📷Update your photos. Your customers can upload their own photos to your listing which helps with community trust, but also make sure the photos you upload are up to date. If you have a short term rental or cabin and you do renovations, upload those new photos! It will give a better sense of the experience for your customers.

📈Look at your analytics. You can sign up to receive analytics from your Google My Business profile every month. They will tell you how many people saw your profile, where they clicked and what search items they used to find your business. These are all key pieces of information that can inform your SEO and strategy moving forward!