Take Control of Your Listings

June 4, 2009

There are a lot of local business listings out there—ThinkLocal®, Yahoo!® Local, and YellowPages.com™ are just a few. Thanks to these online business directories, it’s easy for your clients to find information on your business, which is great. But sometimes the information that is gathered by local directories is incorrect or outdated, which in no way benefits your business. Fixing this situation is easy, however, by simply taking control of your listings.

Take the time to look up your business on some of the top local search engines (click here for the top 5). By taking ownership of your listings, you can take control of what searchers find. In addition to changing or updating existing information, you can also add a link to your website, a description of services offered, your business hours, an email address at where you can be reached, and much more. We suggest taking ownership of your listings at the top 5 directories first, then expanding to the rest when you find time.

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Posted by thinklocal

Keep Your Online Business Listing Updated

May 20, 2009

Have you updated your ThinkLocal® listing lately? It’s a good idea to keep your online business listings as up-to-date as possible. If you add or change your business’ phone number, make sure this is reflected in your online listings—you want your customers to be able to reach you quickly and easily, without having to search for the correct number.  Does your business have multiple locations? Be sure to create listings for each so that all locations show up in local searches. If the online business directory offers a description field, fill it out and include any promotions or special offers that are currently going on. Your business listing can drive a lot of traffic to your Web site; if there’s a particular page you’d especially like your customers to see, use that as your business URL instead of directing traffic toward your home page.

The best thing about local search directories and online business listings is that most of them are 100% free. Take advantage of this cost-effective way to spread your online presence, and optimize your listing as often as you can.

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Posted by thinklocal

Search Marketing for Small Businesses Webinar

May 6, 2009

If you’re a small business owner, a marketer, or anyone who’s interested in search marketing, consider attending the “Search Marketing for Small Business: The Basics for Online Success” webcast. It starts at 1pm EDT on Thursday, March 14, and it’s free for all attendees. Disa Johnson, a search marketing expert, will discuss topics such as SEO, link building, social media, search advertising, and other topics relevant to search marketing.

To register for this free webinar, visit http://searchmarketingnow.com/webcasts/wc090514.

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Local Search Continues to Expand

April 30, 2009

If you have a Facebook® profile, odds are you’ve seen the myriad applications that are now available for your page. While most of these are for entertainment purposes, there are a few that actually provide useful information to their users. Where I’ve BeenTM is one of the latter applications. Sure, the concept is entertaining—you get to show off to others the places you’ve lived or visited, and you get to compare your travels with those of other members.

But Where I’ve BeenTM has morphed into a valuable travel and local search resource, similar to Trip Advisor®. Users can see pictures, read reviews, find travel accommodations, and more, all at one convenient Web site. Ben Parr recently posted an article at Mashable.com that highlights some of Where I’ve Been’s newest features. To view his article, visit http://mashable.com/2009/04/27/where-ive-been-2/.

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Online Tools for Small Businesses

April 23, 2009

Many large businesses, including banks, cable providers and airlines, require their callers to select from several touch-tone menus in order to match them up with the appropriate customer service representatives. This time-consuming process often produces a lot of anger and frustration.

Luckily, the creators of Fonolo.com have made it possible for callers to skip the tedious navigation process completely! Fonolo users can simply go to Fonolo.com and indicate the business name and department they wish to contact. In a matter of second, they’ll receive a phone call connecting them to the desired customer service representative. The Fonolo team does all the work for them – for free!

To learn more about Fonolo.com and all of Inc.com’s “12 Cool Web Tools for Small Businesses,” go to: http://www.inc.com/ss/12-cool-web-tools-small-business?nav=mostpopular#4

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Posted by mysolutionspot

Celebrate Earth Day in Your Local Area

April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day! Here at ThinkLocal®, we would like to encourage all of you to take a few minutes to think about some of the ways in which we can help our planet. “Going green” seems to be all the rage these days, and it’s about time—helping our environment is far from being a new concept. Here are a few things that you can do to help our planet:

*Use reusable tote bags when you go shopping. This reduces both the amount of toxins that are released into the air during plastic production and the amount of plastic bags that end up in landfills.

*Recycle everything that you can, including plastic, glass, paper, and aluminum.

*Limit the amount of water that you use. Taking shorter showers (you’ll save even more water if you switch to taking baths), turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth, and collecting rain water for watering plants are just some of the ways you can save water.

*Reduce the amount of disposable cups, bottles, plates, and utensils you use. Since single-person place settings are cheap and easy to find, they’re perfect for leaving at the office. And instead of buying bottled water, invest in a water filtering system and a reusable bottle. You’ll save money AND our natural resources.

If you’d like to participate in Earth Day events in your local community, check out EarthDay.net. You’ll also find resources that provide more information on living a green, eco-friendly lifestyle.

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Should Your Business Try Online Video Ads?

April 21, 2009

It seems like every time you turn on the news, the main topic of discussion is the failing economy. Keeping a positive outlook on your business’s future can be challenging, especially when a word like “recession” is liberally thrown around. But a challenge is good for creative thinking; in fact, challenges are often what bring around the best, most revolutionary changes.

Over at ClickZ.com, Christine Beardsell posted an article that discusses a way for businesses to overcome the challenge of expensive, traditional advertising. In “Online Videos Ads Are a Good Bet in a Recession,” Beardsell argues that online advertising, including online video ads, is both less expensive and more effective than traditional advertising since online ads can be monitored and optimized quickly. Since most product research is now conducted online, advertising online is the sure way to reach your target audience.

To read Beardsell’s complete article, visit http://www.clickz.com/3631078.

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Posted by thinklocal

Synergy in the Local Business Community = Sales

April 20, 2009

Synergy – it’s a term we’ve all heard before. Synergy is not just applicable to large corporations. Small businesses can synergize by collaborating with other small businesses. For instance, a local restaurant can cook with vegetables and fruits from local farms, serve beverages from local breweries, and feature desserts from local bakeries. In return, these farms, breweries and bakeries can mention the restaurant in all of their ads. A local market can also achieve similar collaborations. By advertising their partnerships, participating businesses can positively influence consumer perception and attract consumers who support the buy-local movement.

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Posted by thinklocal

Free Small Business Webinar on Marketing & Capital Access

April 17, 2009

On April 30, Network Solutions® is hosting a free webinar that will help small business owners learn how to overcome two of their biggest challenges. The GrowSmartBusiness Webinar will focus on capital access and marketing, the two areas that small businesses seem to struggle with the most. This webinar will discuss marketing strategies, tips on gaining access to startup capital, and other hints that will help you and your business find success. Featuring knowledgeable speakers from the business world, including Roy Dunbar, CEO of Network Solutions, and Anita Campbell, editor of Small Business Trends™, the GrowSmartBusiness Webinar promises to provide useful insight for small business owners and employees of all industries.

The GrowSmartWebinar is on Thursday, April 30, from 2-3pm ET. For more information and to register, visit http://GrowSmartBusiness.com/webinar.

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Posted by thinklocal

Do You Have High Online Visibility?

April 16, 2009

If you haven’t physically placed any information about your business online, then chances are, your online visibility is practically nonexistent. Having online visibility will soon become a necessity – something you need to have if you want customers to walk through your door.

So, what are some things you can do to achieve online visibility?

1. Get a Web site.
A Web site gives you a Web presence and the ability to tell potential customers about your business and why you are better than the competition. On top of that, you can use it to tell consumers how to contact or locate your facility. Of course, if you want to ensure that your site will be seen by ideal prospects, you must promote your Web site using online marketing strategies, such as link building, search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising.

2. Blog about your industry.
Blogs seem more time-consuming then they really are. Blog articles are short and to the point, and you don’t have to be a professional writer to write them. You simply must have industry knowledge. You can post more than one blog article every day, but it’s also OK to post just two articles per week. You’ll get exposure either way.  It’s also a good idea to read other people’s blogs and add your comments, along with your URL, of course. This will help you gain even more exposure.

3. Join social networking sites.
Sites like Twitter™ and Facebook® allow you to connect with your target market, showcase your expertise and provide information about your business. Many businesses have also begun to use them as customer service tools.

4. Take ownership of as many online business listings as you can (They’re FREE!).
Online business directories are like the new yellow pages. However, they cost you nothing and they give you more exposure. In fact, studies have shown that today’s consumers regularly use online directories and prefer them to paperbound directories. Therefore, if you aren’t listed, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to reach your target audience.

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