With more businesses moving online due to COVID-19, it is more important than ever to make sure you have a strong digital presence. Even before the pandemic hit, Statista reported 65 percent of ecommerce digital traffic was through Google searches in 2019. Additionally, Social Media Today reports that that 36 percent of US consumers believe social media is at least as important as other sources when making purchasing decisions.
There is no doubt your digital presence is important to attracting customers. However, with so much uncertainty in the world today, you may have limited time and budget to dedicate to improving your digital tactics. Trusted Choice offers a few tips and resources to help you use your current resources effectively.
1. Update your Google My Business listing
According to Google, businesses with a verified Google My Business listing are twice as likely to be considered reputable. This information appears in the sidebar of Google searches when people are looking for your company. Make sure it is complete with your website, phone number, physical address, and more. You can also add photos of your company including your office and employees. Managing your Google My Business listing is free and easy.
2. Focus on getting Google reviews and improving your rating
Google reviews appear on your Google My Business listing and can make your business look more reputable. Nine out of ten consumers read online reviews before doing business with a company and 84% of them find online reviews as credible as reviews from friends and family. Online reviews have largely taken the place of word of mouth reputation.
Encourage your customers to leave a review of your services on your Google My Business listing. Multiple, positive reviews can help your credibility and online visibility.
3. Refresh your Contact Us and About pages on your website
Since more of your business may be moving online, it is more important than ever that your company information is clear. Take this time to make sure the About section on your website is updated. Consider adding staff profiles to help customers get to know the faces at your company especially if you are hosting fewer face to face meetings.
Have you added new communication channels due to COVID-19? Make sure your Contact Us section lets customers know new ways to reach you and make sure phone calls are not directed to an empty desk at the office.
4. Use Google Analytics to find your best performing content
Make sure your site is connected to Google Analytics to help you assess the performance of your site. Google Analytics can offer key insights like number of visitors to your site and how much time they spend on it. Two areas you might be underutilizing are the Behavior and Acquisition tabs.
The Behavior tab can tell you how many people are visiting each page on your website and where they are leaving your site. This information can help you improve your sales funnel, identify areas where you might be missing information, and better leverage already high performing content.
The Acquisition tab can help you discover how visitors are finding your site. You can see what percentage of your visitors are finding your site through search (like Google), social media, emails, or directing typing in your web address. This can help you see which marketing tactics are working well for you.
5. Check all website pages for unique title tags and page descriptions
When a link appears for a Google search, it includes a title and a short page description known as meta data. When written well with the right keywords, this is one of these easiest ways to improve your search engine optimization (SEO). When your site leverages SEO best practices, it helps customers find your site on search engines like Google. The better your SEO, the higher your potential ranking on search engines.
You can write unique meta data for each page which can help your site rank for more keywords. To help find keywords relevant to your business and measure performance, you can use tools like SEMRush, Ahrefs, or Moz. Most keyword planning tools offer limited free searches or a free trial.
Ask your website manager to review your current pages and make updates. If you don’t have a website manager, most content management systems have built in fields or plugins you can download to add title tags and descriptions. For example, if you host your site on WordPress, you can download the free Yoast plugin to easily update page descriptions and get tips on how to improve each one.
6. Update your social profiles
Just like your website, your social profiles have several options to showcase your agency’s identity. Similar to your website, your social profiles should include your logo, a high-quality cover photo, a link to your website, and updated about and contact information.
It is also possible that consumers will find you through social media instead of search. Social profiles can also show up in search when they use the right keywords in the descriptions and posts. Plus, sharing content from your website on your social channels can drive more traffic to your site, telling Google that your site is helpful. Because of this, it is important that your profiles are complete, informative, and engaging.
Many social sites limit you to just one link in your profile information. Most businesses will choose their home page as this link. However, keep in mind free services like Linktr.ee and Linkin.bio allow you to add multiple links. This can include your About Us page or interesting posts on your blog. The links don’t even have to be from your website. You can share Trusted Choice or carrier partner content too. When done well, your social sites can be a valuable resource for your customers.
7. Revisit your social content strategy
You may have slowed your social posting schedule due to COVID-19. However, social media can be a great extension of your digital presence. It can be a great opportunity to share posts highlighting how your agency has changed, showcase your insurance knowledge, or by answering FAQs.
Take advantage of the Trusted Choice resources with social posts from Content to Share and specific posts ideas from the Social Media Calendar.
8. Showcase your expertise with a blog
If you already have a blog on your website, now is great time to update it especially if you already have a writer in house. Consider highlighting trends, industry knowledge, or ways your agency has been helping out in the community. Don’t forget to share these posts on your social media channels. If you don’t have an existing blog on your website, consider writing and posting about these topics on your LinkedIn company page.
As mentioned, posting helpful content with your targeted keywords can help your site and company show up in more search results on Google. This content also shows customers that you are a reputable, knowledge source causing them to spend more time on your site and visiting more frequently. When customers do this, it reinforces your value to Google, which also leads to higher search rankings.
If you are a member of Trusted Choice and not sure where to start with your digital updates, consider signing up for a free Digital Review. Trusted Choice can help identify and prioritize areas for improvement to help you get started on implementing these tips.