Studies have shown 97% of consumers research products online before buying local. Given that; one doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that it’s critical for business owners to use all available resources, especially FREE ones, to enhance their business’s online brand and make it easier for customers to find it. The easier it is to find your business; the more likely you are to gain customers. In this series of blog posts, I endeavor to explore how you can leverage online resources to help provide a boost to your bottom line.
First step in improving your business’s online brand is to claim its online business listing on business listing services and review sites as well as establishing your business’s presence on social networks. Bing Business Portal, Google+Local, Yelp, and TripAdvisor are examples of business listing services while Facebook, LinkedIn, Foursquare and Google+ are examples of social networks. Consider the following benefits and I think you’ll agree with me in that it’s definitely worthwhile. (more…)