Blog – Page 22

Genius Success Story: Google Maps Is Indispensable

Last Updated: October 19, 2021

In our weekly “Genius Success Stories” series, we showcase clients that have used our program to positively impact their small businesses. Check back each week to see a new success story!

At this point, it’s cliché to open up with, “Now, more than ever…” or to even mention “these uncertain times.” Everyone gets it. We’ve all been existing in 2020.

So, we’ll just say this: Owning a small business right now is a harrowing battle.

BUT —

Despite everything that’s been going down, we’ve seen several clients fight and scrabble and find success—thanks in large part to smart digital marketing strategies. And we think these stories offer valuable, actionable lessons for other small businesses that might be going through a tough time.

This week, we’re showcasing Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair. The story of this small business demonstrates how a long-term SEO strategy focused on Google Maps can be your suit of armor against a pandemic, an economic downturn, and even Google’s continued money-grabbing, pay-to-play schemes.

To find out more about Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair’s road map to success, keep reading!

Doubling Leads During a Pandemic

Based in Portland, OR, Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair has been a Prospect Genius client since 2016.

With our program, they got a responsive, content-filled website, an optimized Google Maps listing, and an aggressive local SEO strategy. Their incoming leads from local customers climbed steadily, and by 2019, they were receiving several hundred leads per month.

In the spring and summer of 2020, many small business owners worried, understandably, that their prospects would dry up as the economy largely shut down. However, for Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair, the opposite happened.

The company’s incoming leads soared even higher. In August of last year, they received a total of 325 leads. In August 2020, that number nearly doubled to 631!

Not only was the appliance repair company able to keep leads coming in via their web presence, but they were able to do so even after Google rolled out its Local Service Ads product.

This product is yet another pay-to-play measure from Google that puts sponsored ads from paying businesses at the very top of the search results page—even above the Google Maps box.

For example, take a look at these two search results below.

Search results for “appliance repair portland or”:

Search results for “dishwasher repair portland or”:

As you can see, the Local Service Ads capture a user’s attention right away. Consequently, these ads funnel a lot of clicks away from results further down the page.

Thankfully, though, Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair is ranked in the top three on Google Maps, directly below the Local Service Ads. This high visibility is how the company was still able to bring in 631 leads this August, even with Google’s Local Service Ads as a significant obstacle (in addition to a global pandemic and economic shutdown, of course).

Conclusion: Google Maps Marketing Is Mandatory

The company’s sustained success during this moment is a testament to the importance of an optimized Google Maps listing and a long-term investment in local SEO.

So, do what Knapp’s Service & Appliance Repair did: Commit to building a holistic online presence on a local scale. Fortify your Google Maps listing. Collect as many positive customer ratings as you can. As this appliance repair company will tell you, doing the work pays off.

By putting resources into Google Maps marketing now, you’ll have a defensive shield against life’s unfortunate, unforeseeable events in the future. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that preparedness is priceless.

How to Undercut Google’s Pay-to-Play Model and Advertise on a Budget

Last Updated: October 26, 2020

It’s genuinely depressing to think about the totality of words we’ve wasted whining about Google’s pay-to-play model.

Not because we regret the time spent educating our readers, but because we wish this weren’t the reality of digital marketing in 2020. Especially during a crippling pandemic.

And we know this situation is just as depressing for all of the small, local service providers out there who feel like they don’t have a fighting chance.

But we’re done with despair. It won’t do anything to combat Google’s nefarious greed.

That’s why, today, we’re showing all you small business owners how to fight back.

In this blog post, we’ve compiled some of our best tips to market yourself online without handing all of your hard-earned money to Google’s coffers.

READ MORE: How Google’s Greed Is Slashing Your Website Traffic

Use Social Media Ads

Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Yelp, or Twitter, your audience’s favorite social platform is the perfect place to advertise your business.

In fact, designing a quick ad and paying for clicks or impressions on one of these platforms will be much cheaper and potentially more cost-effective than Google Ads in terms of ROI. Just a small investment in time and money could pay off big.

After all, the endless social media scroll is how most people are exercising their thumbs these days. Might as well take advantage of it!

Use Word of Mouth

We know, we know: Nobody likes talking in person anymore!

Thing is, that’s not entirely true. Sure, people consistently prefer texting over calling on the phone, but that doesn’t mean everything takes place virtually. People talk!

Especially people who are close friends and family. In casual conversation, they’re likely to recommend contractors and service providers whom they had a good experience with. So, there’s no harm in giving your customers a little nudge to spread the word!

However, there is such a thing as virtual word-of-mouth, too. For example, you can use platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and NextDoor to join local groups, stay up to date on community events, and even network with other small business owners.

There are so many ways to get your name out there organically. Think outside the box!

Use Offline Materials

This might sound odd coming from a digital marketing team in 2020, but we’re big proponents of including offline materials in your overall marketing strategy. Such materials include:

Flyers
Brochures
Business cards
Direct mail
Branded calendars, pens, coasters, tote bags, etc.

With memorable marketing materials, unique branding (including logos and signage), personal referrals, and face-to-face networking in your community, you can supplement your online efforts and really stamp out a place for your business on the local scene.

Keep Fighting!

It’s easy to feel discouraged when you realize how much the Google game is rigged–but, frankly, that’s not productive. Instead, stay in the ring and keep swinging. There are so many other avenues you can take to market yourself that don’t involve draining your bank account straight into Google’s gullet.

And if you need any assistance with creating a Facebook ad or designing a business logo, don’t hesitate to contact us! There’s nothing Prospect Genius loves more than helping small businesses stick it to the big guy.

How Google’s Greed Is Slashing Your Website Traffic

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Google’s new slogan should be, “Helping Goliath pummel David.”

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, then you already know how we feel about Google and their reckless behavior towards the little guy. But for newcomers, here’s a quick recap:

Google’s motivation will always be to maximize profits for themselves. This runs in direct opposition to the best interests of small businesses that can’t spend a fortune advertising themselves online.

And it’s getting worse.

Now, with Google’s Local Services ads, in addition to Google Ads (formerly AdWords), Google is siphoning limited SERP (search engine results page) space and handing that space to their own paid platforms. The consequence of this action is that Google is slashing available organic traffic for everyone else, particularly small businesses that can’t afford a big ad budget.

At this point, the notion that Google’s local search platform is pay-to-play is no longer up for debate.

In this blog post, we’re going to look at how the bloated presence of paid ads on Google’s SERPs are hurting small businesses’ web presence in real, tangible ways. We’re also going to tell you what you can do to protect yourself. Keep reading!

Paid Ads Are Taking Over

In the 30-or-so major U.S. cities where the Local Services platform has rolled out, small businesses are seeing a substantial decrease in website traffic.

Why? Because now, when someone searches for a local service provider in their city, like a plumber or electrician, they’re confronted with several paid ads right away. They have to scroll multiple times before even getting to the first organic website listing. This puts all organic listings at a major disadvantage.

Just take a look at this local SERP for “appliance repair service.” This is how much Google-sponsored content users see before they even get to the first organic listing!

More info: “How to Minimize Your Damage From Google’s New Platform”

In fact, a 2018 Bright Local study shows that the presence of Local Services ads has a significant, negative effect on other SERP listings:

Local Services ads receive 13.8% of all local SERP clicks
At the same time, 25% of all local SERP clicks are on paid ads in general (including Google Ads) when Local Services ads are present.

In other words, websites are missing out on a full quarter of their potential traffic due to the presence of paid ads. This is doing tremendous damage to website traffic for local service providers.

And here’s the thing: It’s not an accident that Google’s paid services are taking up so much space and hogging so much traffic. That’s by design. Again, Google’s interests conflict with yours: Their goal is to line their pockets through paid ads, which means they have to get the most clicks possible. Organic listings are, therefore, Google’s competition.

So, it’s no wonder that Google takes up the whole, top half of the SERP with paid ads. The more clicks those paid ads receive (and the fewer clicks organic listings receive), the more profit Google rakes in!

Plus, add to all of this the fact that Google is floating the idea of adding paid features to their Google My Business platform, and you’re looking at a steep price just to be visible online.

Play the Game but Protect Yourself

By now, it’s clear that Google’s pay-to-play model favors big businesses with big budgets. On local SERPs, the winner is whoever can afford to spend the most on paid ads. And if you’re a small service provider who can’t afford to dump money into advertising? The best Google can say is, “Good luck.”

Your takeaway? Don’t trust Google to have your back.

Maybe it’s just us, but we don’t like the idea of putting the fate of our company into the hands of a giant corporation whose sole objective is to empty our pockets.

And because of Google’s greed, organic traffic ain’t what it used to be. SEO is still crucial, but relying on SEO alone simply won’t cut it anymore. That’s why we advise our clients to diversify their advertising as a form of protection against the unstable nature of organic SEO.

To that end, we very begrudgingly admit that Google Ads is a necessary evil. It’s an unfortunate truth that Google owns the local search arena, so we all have to play by their rules. It pains us to say this, but as we demonstrated above, you need to set aside some money each month for a Google Ads PPC campaign if you want any degree of prominence or visibility on the local SERP.

Pro tip: Having a savvy marketing specialist manage your PPC campaign for you will help you keep costs down.

However, to only invest in Google Ads would be a mistake.

Again, diversifying your web presence is the goal here. That’s why we also recommend using paid ads on whatever social media platform(s) or directories your customers connect with most. For many businesses, this is Facebook, but Instagram and Yelp are also popular choices. And the good news is, most social media ads are substantially more budget-friendly than Google Ads.

Related: “How to Run a Holiday Facebook Ad That Drives Results”

In addition, we always remind our clients that old-school, real-world marketing is still effective, too! With memorable branding (including logos and signage), word-of-mouth, and face-to-face networking in your community, you can supplement your online efforts and really stamp out a place for your business on the local scene.

So, don’t get down about your diminished website traffic. There are still several ways to promote yourself online (and off) without blowing your budget. Even though your organic website traffic may drop, you can still get plenty of calls, leads, and booked revenue from other sources.

Keep fighting!

Do You Know What to Ask When Hiring an SEO Company?

Last Updated: October 22, 2019

To ask the right questions of a prospective SEO company, you first need a baseline understanding of online advertising.

Unfortunately, if you’re a small, local business owner with little knowledge of online marketing strategies, then you probably don’t quite know what to ask.

That’s why Kim Lachance Shandrow’s article, “10 Questions to Ask When You’re Hiring an SEO Consultant,” is such a godsend.

In the article, Shandrow lists some of the big questions you should ask when on the hunt for a new SEO company or consultant. Even if you don’t necessarily know what these specific questions mean, exactly, she explains their significance and tells you what kind of answers are best.

Some of those questions are:

Do you follow Google’s best practices for webmasters?
Will you please explain your SEO strategies?
Are you specialized in local search?
How do you track or measure results?

And, for a real test, one trick question:

Do you guarantee number-one rankings? (If yes, RUN!)

To see the full list of questions and the rationale behind them, check out Shandrow’s article on Entrepreneur.com!

Important caveat: The last question in Shandrow’s list has to do with content ownership. She states that the business owner/client should be given full ownership of any web content the SEO company creates on their behalf. This is certainly true when that content is on the website owned by the client. However, if the content is created from scratch on a completely separate site owned and hosted by the SEO company, then this rule does not apply. So, make sure you’re clear on who owns the website URL and content.

And, for further reading, please check out the extensive research on SEO consultants from the pros at Ignite Visibility: “Hiring an SEO Consultant? 38 Questions & 12 Things to Look For”.

Armed with all this information, you’ll hunt down the ideal SEO company for your business in no time. Good luck!

How to Respond When Your Domain Is Held Hostage

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

From time to time, our team is reminded of a very depressing truth: Many SEO providers out there do scummy things.

The latest reminder? Just the other day, we were talking to a small business owner, and he told us how skeptical he was of the SEO industry. At first, we couldn’t understand why he was so mistrusting of us. But after some prodding, he revealed where his trust issues came from…

As it turns out, his last SEO provider registered his domain for him, and then held it hostage when he tried to quit. Since his whole online presence had been tied to that URL, his traffic and calls plummeted.

And the worst part? This didn’t even surprise us. We’ve heard versions of this same story dozens of times before.

In fact, we’ve even seen some SEO companies demand thousands of dollars in payment (a.k.a. ransom) before they give the domain back!

But instead of getting down about the slimy state of SEO, we’ve decided to turn our angst into action. In this blog post, we’re going to help you fight back against these bad guys by giving you advice on how to proceed when they hold your domain (and/or associated phone number) hostage.

What you’re about to find out will save you a ton of headaches and money going forward. Keep reading!

When You Can’t Get Your Domain Back

Unfortunately, as we mentioned, this scenario is not uncommon. But the good news is, you’re not powerless. There’s a solution. We’ve helped countless business owners in the same jam reclaim domains that were rightfully theirs to begin with.

The process involves working closely with GoDaddy (or whatever registrar you originally used) to prove you are, in fact, the business owner and that the domain is yours. This process is more successful when your business name is in the URL that was used in your SEO campaign, but it’s not a requirement.

In the past, we’ve helped business owners work with their registrar and obtain sufficient evidence that the domain belongs to them. The steps involved in obtaining access to your domain vary from business to business and will depend on the extent of your current online footprint.

However, in rare instances where there isn’t enough concrete proof that you own your website, you might have to rebuild your web presence from scratch. This means getting a whole new domain, wiping the slate clean on your web presence, and starting your SEO from scratch. This is not ideal, but it does sometimes happen.

Keep in mind, though, that starting over with a clean slate and a consistent URL is far more effective than clinging to a patchwork web presence with conflicting details.

Need help building your case? The specialists at Prospect Genius are happy to listen to your story and advise you on the next best steps. Give us a call!

When They Keep Your Phone Number From You

Along a similar vein, unscrupulous vendors and SEO providers have tarnished our industry’s reputation by withholding metered phone lines from former clients. It’s the same as what they’re doing with domains: They set up a metered phone line for your campaign, and once you quit, they refuse to give you access to that line.

This issue is critical because your metered phone number (alongside your URL) was probably the primary contact detail in all of your online advertising. By not giving you access to it, they’re essentially tying your hands behind your back.

Thankfully, the law is on your side here. FCC regulations forbid this practice. In fact, the FCC stipulates that if a phone number ever rings to your phone, it’s yours. So if you have a metered line out there that was ringing to your business at one point in time, then your old vendor or advertiser cannot withhold it from you without violating federal law. They are legally required to port your number when you request it.

Again, if you’re having difficulty communicating with them or convincing them they’re in the wrong, let us know. We can point you towards some information and resources that may help.

Simple Ways to Protect Yourself

Before we wrap things up, let’s make one thing very clear: It’s not your fault that a sleazy SEO company took advantage of your trust and acted spitefully against your interests.

Furthermore, it’s a natural response to mistrust other advertising teams after this kind of experience. We know how you feel. Nonetheless, SEO campaigns and metered phone lines remain critical marketing tools. If you want to bring in new customers and keep track of incoming leads, then you can’t avoid using them.

So, instead of forgoing online marketing altogether out of fear, you can take a few simple measures to protect yourself the next time around:

Ask your prospective marketer what their standard cancellation procedures are.
- If you own the website content and domain, how will they return these assets to you upon cancellation?
- If you purchase a metered phone line, how will they port the number back to your phone?
Make sure you have a contract with your marketer that clearly states you have ownership of all website assets (domain, images, content, etc.) upon final payment.
Ask your marketer which company will be hosting your website and get that company’s contact information.
Ideally, you should buy your own domain in your name so it’s 100% yours from the beginning. (GoDaddy is a popular domain registrar for this purpose.)
- Note: Some SEO companies prefer to register your domain under their own account so they can monitor your website and receive alerts. This is usually done as a service that you purchase so you don’t have to monitor everything yourself. In this situation, being 100% clear about cancellation procedures (including how you can transfer domain ownership) and having a signed contract are crucial.

Prospect Genius Is Here to Help

Of course, even your best efforts sometimes aren’t enough to protect you from a particularly nasty or vindictive agency. If you find yourself stuck dealing with such an agency, call Prospect Genius for help right away. We’ve been working in this field for more than a decade, and we’re very familiar with the laws around these topics.

Keeping our industry honest is something we’re passionate about. We’ll be more than happy to help you protect your rights however we can.

And, hey—if you want to work with a company that won’t hold your web presence hostage, you know where to find us.

Prospect Genius

Genius Success Story: Google Maps Is Indispensable

Doubling Leads During a Pandemic

Conclusion: Google Maps Marketing Is Mandatory

Do You Know What to Ask When Hiring an SEO Company?

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