The headline says it all. Having a visually appealing, high-ranking, functional website is still critical to the success of your business, period. Yes, the impact of social media platforms like Facebook and review sites like Yelp are absolute essentials in your online marketing arsenal. However, don’t discount the power of your website and your Google My Business profile. Without those, you would be dead in the water. Here’s why.
Your Website: The Single Most Important Marketing Tool
More than half of consumers say they would think twice about using a local business if the contact information was out of date on their site. It’s a no-brainer to have a website these days, as costs are extremely low at the entry level with a far wider reach than any other form of advertising. Serving as the virtual equivalent of a physical business, your website achieves much more than information dissemination. So much information is gained by those who browse your website: what they see and read shapes the perception of your company or brand as they make important decisions in the consumer lifecycle.
Consumers trust details from local business websites more so than even Google My Business or online directories. A website:
- Helps you genuinely connect with your potential customers.
- Acts as a brand ambassador and sales person.
- Is a vital part of your overall inbound marketing strategy.
- Helps your users benefit from engaging content.
- Acts as a main source of information to learn about your services or the team.
- Gives you control of content, ownership of information and a professional appearance.
You have to know how to wield your website, too. One way to use it to your advantage is to add new content, and to do so frequently. Forbes has a good analogy: in terms of search engine rankings, they liken adding new content to fishing: the more hooks you have in the water, the more likely you are to catch a fish. The statistics don’t lie: Companies that actively add new content generate 55% more site visits, 97% more links to sites, and pages are indexed 434% more often. It’s recommended you add new content four times a week if you want to significantly increase your website traffic, build website authority, and make it easy for your readers to engage with your business.
Furthermore, building your website correctly will form the foundation for a solid online presence. Your site should be mobile-responsive, as more and more of your users are browsing the web on smartphones rather than desktops. Your clientele (typically middle age to older adults searching for care for their elderly parents) don’t have time to sit down and research. They’re busy with work and raising their own families. Make sure they can find you with a fully optimized mobile-responsive website.
Google My Business
In the past few years, Google My Business (“GMB”) profiles have become increasingly important in how people find you. GMB listings can be very beneficial tools for discovery, so if you’re a small business and you’re not using Google My Business as of yet, you should make it a priority. Four out of five people use search engines for local business information, says Social Media Today. If your information is missing, incorrect or inconsistent, you could be turning away clients and you don’t even realize it.
Healthcare businesses consistently rank as one of the top five most commonly searched-for businesses online. Aside from the business’ own website, consumers cite Google My Business as the next most-trusted source of information they rely on.
With a GMB profile, clients can search for:
- Opening hours
- Directions
- Reviews
- Photos
Despite all of this, many businesses aren’t on Google My Business yet! This free Business Profile lets you easily connect with customers across Google Search and Maps, so why wouldn’t you do it?
We believe that your GMB profile, along with your website, is one of the more important online marketing tools we have access to today. One of the main reasons why Google My Business is so important and easy to use is because it is so passive. Its actions don’t involve customers having to interact directly with your business. Instead, they use it to check your operating hours, directions, phone number, etc. It’s easy and it’s free.
Your GMB listing should have as much information as possible, with up-to-date contact information, hours, images, and responses to customers. Not taking advantage of this resource is foolish, as you don’t really have to do anything except create one in the first place and update it as needed.
Contact a Servant’s Heart Web Design and Marketing
Our professionals can help you achieve both: a stunning website and management of your Google My Business listings. Contact us today to learn how we can help you boost exposure to your healthcare or in-home care-related business.
