Google Updates Mean Opportunity for Small Business Owners.

It's no secret that online consumer research and purchasing has moved beyond the point of being a trend, to the point of being a way of life. In fact, according to a recent study, a whopping 97% of consumers now use online media to shop locally.  At first glance, it's a wonder why more local small business owners aren't leveraging their online efforts to their fullest potential.  

It's not that entrepreneurs are afraid of taking risks, or unable to adapt to their environment.  A lot of it comes from confusion, and the amount of time required to effectively engage. Of the thousands of people searching for their product or service online, 33% of the traffic is captured by the business holding the first spot on Google's first page search results.  However, the rules for getting a website to rank on the first page are constantly changing, and many business owners are simply frustrated in their efforts to keep up.

Recently, Google made significant changes that have dramatically affected many businesses in SE Michigan.  In years gone by, Google measured the popularity of a website based on how many other websites were linking back to it.  More links equalled higher ranking in the search results. In an effort capitalize on this system, it was common practice for many companies to spam the internet with thousands of links pointing back to their site.  However, in an effort to reduce internet spam, Google has put strict guidelines in place that have completely changed the way businesses seek to boost their organic search ranking.   

In many ways, the game has become much more straight forward.  It's not nearly as mysterious, although there are still many little-known strategies that can impact one's ranking.  Unfortunately, the upside also comes with a downside.  Although it's easier to understand, it now takes much more time to accomplish the same results. 

Google's goal is to create a rich web experience for users - something that benefits all of us.  There's now more emphasis than ever on consistently producing high quality and compelling content on your website, blog, and social media channels.  Google rewards those who are engaging effectively in this space high ranking in the search results. In order to compete, it's no longer enough to simply "set it and forget it."  

The problem is, all of this is extremely time consuming.  For many business owners, the level of attention required to adequately maintain their site, brainstorm and execute on great blog posting ideas, and keep up with all their social media channels, spreads them too thin, and keeps them out of the game. For those who are attempting to engage, many struggle to do so regularly, and as a result their efforts have little effect on their ranking.  

So what's a small business owner, with little time to allocate towards jumping through all Google's hoops to do?  The reality is that there are many tasks business owners don't have time to accomplish on their own.  That's why they hire a staff to execute the details.  This is just another position you'll need to fill.  

You can start by looking within your current team.  You may have people on your team who would love the opportunity to write for your website and blog.  Just make sure they also are up-to-date on the latest Search Engine Optimization (SEO) trends, or pay for training to bring them up to speed.  However, don't just dump this responsibility on one of your key employees.  As I mentioned, it's extremely time consuming, and can end up costing you a lot of money in lost productivity.  More than likely, you'll need to backfill their previous position, and free them up to focus their time, energy, and creativity on developing your brand's online presence. 

Another option is to bring in outside help.  If you find it's necessary to go this route, consider outsourcing this work rather than hiring a full/part time staff person to do this for you.  In many cases the work can be done for less than the cost of a part-time employee making minimum wage.  This is possible because professionals have the tools and experience necessary to produce great results without wasting precious time on trial & error experiments.  Many also have large networks of professionals who can help shoulder the load and deliver results. 

Today, it's more important than ever to tailor the way you market your products and services to the way people are buying those products and services.  With 97% of people searching for your services online, and the top listing on the first page of google capturing 33% of traffic, the revenue potential is staggering.  

One word of caution.  Don't assume that even your biggest competitor is doing all the right things, and you're too far behind to catch up.  Chances are, they're not.  I work with clients from many different industries, and I'm often shocked at how little attention their competitors are giving to their online presence.  

As a small business owner and entrepreneur, you didn't allow obstacles stand in the way of making your dreams come true.  This is another obstacle, to be sure.  However, as you well know, with every obstacle comes great opportunity.  It's all a matter of perspective.

Until next time, if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know.

Jeff Bickley
CEO & Founder
Brown Box Branding