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The Power of Going Mobile for Small Business

June 17, 2015

The_Power_of_Going_MobileHow often do you pick up your smartphone throughout the day? When you wake up; when you’re standing in line for your coffee; when you get a notification? According to a study by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, the average person looks at their phone 150 times a day. With 57% of customers saying they would not recommend a business with a bad mobile site, the power of mobile for small businesses is undeniable. Here are a few tips to get started:

Put your website to the mobile test

If you’re not sure whether your website is mobile-friendly, we have you covered. This Google Webmaster test tells you if your website is mobile-friendly and shows how it looks on a mobile device. Once you have those results, use the Webmaster’s Mobile Guide where you’ll find ways to customize your website software or implement mobile SEO best practices.

Don’t neglect your mobile ads

Did you know that search interest in “near me” (aka things within a customer’s vicinity) have increased 34x since 2011? Not everyone who uses mobile is always searching directly for your product or service. That’s where mobile ads come in. If a customer is searching for a local hardware store, you can use mobile ads to make sure your store pops up where and when they need it. These ads can take many forms, including text, image or even within mobile apps. To make these especially mobile-friendly, you can also purchase call-only ads, which only show up on devices that can make phone calls.  (more…)

Celebrating National Women’s History Month

March 9, 2015
From the Google Small Business Community

We’re excited to take part in National Women’s History Month this March. The 2015 theme – “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives” – celebrates the impact that women-owned small businesses have on our culture and economy. Women have been a force in American business for generations, from Henrietta Johnston – the first professional American female artist in 1707 – to the eight million female business owners in the United States today.

Women continue to make a positive impact across many industries. Check out a few of our member spotlights on female small business owners including:

  • Pastabilities: An Italian restaurant in Syracuse, NY;
  • Red Chair Salon: A salon started by a hairstylist who grew from apprentice to owner in five years;
  • Jackalope Brewing: A brewery founded by two friends combining their passions; and
  • LSTN: A headphone company that pays it forward with every product it sells.

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Meet the Google Small Business Community

January 12, 2015

Google Small Business CommunityMore than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and two out of three new jobs in the U.S. each year are created by small businesses*. The Google Small Business Community gives these small business owners and entrepreneurs a place to share what makes their businesses special, connect with other businesses and hear from experts.

Our team is committed to providing the best information about business and the web, including how to get your business online, finding and retaining customers and more.

Get Help from Experts and Each Other

Our ongoing trainings include tips from partners such as Twitter, MasterCard, Intuit, Mailchimp, Squarespace, and HostGator covering a range of topics relevant to small businesses. We even host partners live, giving our members direct access to industry leaders. For example, this past August we hosted Maria Contreras-Sweet, the leader of the U.S. Small Business Administration and voice of small business in President Obama’s Cabinet, who answered questions from our small business owners in real time. (more…)

6 Methods For Making a Lasting Impression

January 23, 2014

You went to a networking event, chatted with new contacts, and collected cards. Now what? There are multitudes of things you can do to make a personal and lasting impression past the first interaction. Now that you’ve done your due diligence in attending a networking event and connecting with peers, it’s time to begin the process of staying top-of-mind.

Here are 6 tips to get you past a one-night networking stand — and into a long-lasting business relationship:

Connect quickly on multiple levels. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, you name it. Today, there is even a great app powered by LinkedIn called Cardmunch that allows you to take a picture of a business card and it will instantly connect you with the person’s LinkedIn account. It doesn’t get simpler than that. I recommend doing this either the same day or the next day — it’s important to connect while the event is still fresh on everyone’s mind. Building relationships takes time, effort and genuine interest. You wouldn’t wait a week to connect with a new interest on social sites; consider timely interaction with new business contacts as proper business courting.

Get it on the calendar. Coffee, lunch, or drinks are preferred first methods of connection. Send an email to remind your new contact how you met. Make sure to include an important fact about the person too; we all love to know people were listening to us, and details can be great conversation starters. Request a time to meet to learn more about them, their business, and how you can help one another. (more…)

Support the Businesses that Make a Neighborhood Your Neighborhood

November 26, 2013

Small Business Saturday® is a day dedicated to supporting locally owned small businesses nationwide. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and helps give small businesses across the country a boost.

Make Small Business Saturday the biggest day of the year for small business.

Anyone and everyone can be part of the celebration. Here are a few ways you can help make this year’s Small Business Saturday the biggest shopping day of the year for businesses in your neighborhood.

Are you a small business owner?

• Create your free personalized marketing campaign to help attract customers at ShopSmall.com
• Get on the Small Business Saturday® Map*, so American Express® Card Members can find you. For qualifying American Express Card accepting small merchants only.
• Watch videos and see how other small business owners drove results during last year’s big day. (more…)