Shelfies, Instagram & Foot Traffic, Website Content Review
Issue #10
Warmest greetings, dear reader! 👋
Thank you for joining me.
A hearty welcome to the new people joining this week. Let me know what you think of your first issue. Replying helps Google realize it’s not spam.
Now let’s get on with the show.
Add Shelfies to the Mix 🤳
In local search the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” is more true than ever. Beyond photos of the owner, staff, and single products, local businesses are encouraged to post shelfies. This is a photo of product shelves and displays to give a sense of the abundance and style of what is offered. (Not to be confused with the BedShelfie, of which we are a proud owner.)
Potential customers more quickly connect with great photos on a local business listing than they will connect with great text. Customers can quickly see what is offered and the wide selection. Bonus points: Google is getting better at parsing photos so items included in shelfies can be referenced via search.
Now, where to post these big, beautiful, bountiful shelfies?
Google Business Profile: Post new shelfies two or three times a month, as recommended by Miriam Ellis, to the main photos and Products section. A steady drip is seen as more effective than a flood of new photos.
Apple Business Connect: A new service on the scene. It is similar to what Google offers. Its a free space with Apple that will tie into Maps, Siri, etc.
Yelp and other local business listings that support photos
Website
Social media: Post up-to-the minute shelfies of hard-to-find items in short supply, holiday-related offers, and new product lines
Instagram & Foot Traffic 🦶
Perhaps your business is all in on Instagram. You’re down with the IG, Insta, and the Gram. If so, there are simple steps that will make it as easy as possible for local customers to do business with you.
Add location details to your bio
Complete physical address (customers can tap the address to open Google or Apple Maps)
Daily hours of operation
Set up an action button
Make a restaurant reservation
Order food
Book an appointment
Geotag feed content
Content can appear in two different feeds - profile (posts and Stories) and business location page (geotagged content); twice the chance to connect
Research and use local hashtags
Use hashtags that are relevant to your area
Visit the full run-down by Anna Sonnenberg with Social Media Examiner.
Website Content Review 🕵️
With the pandemic hopefully in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to remove the outdated information no longer applicable from your website. AND a great time to review the basic info on your site. Take out those pandemic-related changes, limited hours, and service modifications. Then insure your site has clear and specific location information, contact information, hours of operation, and listings of available products and services. Thank you to Becky McCray of Small Biz Survival.
Talk to me, Goose! 🗣️
Got feedback? Use the Comment button below (or reply to this email). I’d love to hear from you. Which tech tool is your favorite? What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know. Leave a comment with all the juicy details.
Share with a friend 💌
If you enjoyed reading this issue, please share with a friend.
In case you missed recent posts 📰
🔖 Increase Revenue, Loyalty and Connection Through Customer Subscriptions
📲 Local Search: You Control 91% of Post-Review Customer Journeys
📧 Email: Past, Present, and Future/Writing/Organizing & Optimizing
🤖 Google Business Profile, Delete Online Accounts, AI and ChatGPT
🗄️ Visit the archive
Mission 🧾
To provide valuable, actionable tech and business information for small business owners and leaders. I’ll share the tastiest morsels of useful news and notes while you focus on your success and your organization.
Until next time.
Take care and be well,
Rob
Tools used to create this post
Notion (information gathering)
Substack (newsletter publishing)
Emojipedia (yes, emojis)
Google Chrome (Internet browser)
Feedly (news reader)