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Getting Started with Google My Business

November 20, 2020 by admin Leave a Comment
Xponex Media - Marketing Help

Xponex Media - Marketing Help

About Google My Business

Google My Business (or GMB) is a tool that lets you control how your business appears when potential customers search for your products or services on Google Search and Maps. You’ll be able to add your business name, location, hours, and even photos. Once you’ve successfully created your GMB account, you’ll be able to monitor and reply to customer reviews and have access to free analytics.

About Local SEO

If you know about Local Search Engine Optimization, then you might be a small to medium business owner (SMB). We recommend that every SMB have a Google My Business (GMB) listing — from store, office, to place of service.

Local SEO is all about increasing search visibility for businesses that serve their communities face-to-face. — Moz.com

If you’re new to local SEO, GMB is a great place to start marketing. Your business listing on Google is the first thing potential customers see when they conduct a local search, so it’s important to have accurate, up-to-date, optimized information about your business on the world’s most popular search engine.

Do you need help creating a Google My Business account? Follow these steps for success.

Getting Started with GMB

Step 1: Create a Google My Business Listing

  • Log into the account you want to be associated with your business
  • Go to google.com/business and select “Start Now” in the top right corner.
  • Enter your business name
  • Hit Next

Google my business for small to medium businesses

  • Choose the category that fits your business best. For example: News Service
  • Decide if you want to add your physical location to Google Search and Maps. If you have a physical location or don’t mind sharing your storefront with the world, you’ll receive more traffic with an address.
  • Click Next

Marketing your business with Xponex

  • Do you offer your services regionally, nationally, or globally? Then select Yes, I also serve outside my location. If not, select No, I don’t.
  • If you selected yes, now you can add the areas in which you serve. For example, New York City, New York or USA (continental). You have the option to create multiple service areas if you want to define your regions of service.

About web design with Xponex

  • Add your contact details. This is how customers will contact you, so include your phone number and website if possible.
    • You also have the option of creating a free website based on your information.
    • Select “Get a free website based on your info” to get an automatically built and updated web page based on your GMB listing.

Contact Xponex for help with Google My Business

  • Once you’ve completed all of these steps, you’re ready to select Finish. Now you’ll have access to:
    • Promote your business with photos and posts
    • Track business analytics to understand your customers better
    • Respond to any customer reviews
  • But wait. There’s more to do. Verification is the next step. Are you able to take calls from your listed phone number in order to prove verification? If yes, select this method.
    • If you can’t take calls right now, select Postcard by mail. Google will send you a postcard by mail with a verification code.

Engage with customers on Google for free

  • Now that your account is set up, you can add your business hours. Then click Save.

Xponex Web Design

  • Add a business description of up to 750 words. This is where you can tell the world how your business stands out from your competitors and offers a unique service.

SMBNow.com

  • Add relevant photos of your products and services to your GMB page. Real photos are often better than stock photos.

You are now listed on Google my Business.

Congratulations. Although technically, your profile is now complete, you’ve got more work to do. Stay tuned for our next article about advertising with Google Ads!

Why businesses need to have a Google My Business Listing

Your listing on Google is the first thing people see when they search for your product or service, with the apparent exception of pay-per-click ads. When someone searches for a product or service you offer, they are more likely to choose yours if your GMB page is fully optimized.

Google is one of the most trusted resources available today, and you want to be found! Google My Business offers you brand awareness, great referrals, sales leads, and even more if you learn how to use GMB properly.

Comprehensive Marketing for Guaranteed Results

Now that you’ve created your Google My Business account, you might be looking for ways to get even more results. The recommended next step is developing a website with responsive and mobile web designs, strong search engine optimization (SEO), fast website speed, and other important methods in mind.

While developing a Google My Business account is something you can do on your own, you’ll need some help developing your business website or refreshing your existing site, from an experienced, trusted web developer. That’s why SMBNow.com recommends Xponex Web Design. With Xponex, you’ll be able to expand your marketing, reach new customers, increase conversion rates, grow profits, and develop a solid brand. Xponex Media even offers free consultations for all of their clients.

See what others have said about Xponex and a portfolio of their past customers.

Posted in: Google My Business, Medium Business, SEO, Small Business Tagged: GMB, google business, Google My Business, Local SEO, Search Engine Optimization, small and medium business, SMB, SMO, Web Design, Xponex

Celebrate National Small Business Week with Us

May 5, 2019 by Ella Baker Leave a Comment

Small Business Week 2019

For more than 50 years, National Small Business Week has celebrated the hard work and dedication of small and mid-size business owners across the country. SMBs are not only the backbone of the American workforce and economy, but they are often the drivers of innovation in their industries. Rentacomputer.com, CameraSecurityNow.com, ComputerServiceNow.com, and Xponex.com are proud to count ourselves among the 30+ million small and mid-size businesses that strive to improve and grow every day. Join us as we celebrate National Small Business Week and tell the stories of our own family of small businesses.

Rent A Computer

Rentacomputer 1991

For more than 30 years, Rentacomputer.com has specialized in procuring technology for temporary business and event needs. From computers to AV equipment and iPads to iPhones, our agents can obtain the equipment you need and coordinate the delivery and setup of your rentals. No matter where in the world you are, Rentacomputer.com is proud to be your one-stop shop for all of your office, event, and technology rental needs.

Planning a large-scale event? We’re more than just computer rentals – we’re also in the event production industry. As your full-service event production partner, we help make your event a success while giving you the opportunity to focus on the rest of your event. No matter your industry or event needs, we have the expertise and experience needed to handle the production and technical side of your event helping make your event a success.

Whether you’re planning an event or setting up a temporary office, you’re too busy to deal with any extra hassle. Our installation specialists work with your venue and IT professionals to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that all of your rentals are compatible with any existing equipment or technology at your location.

Our customer service experts understand that a quality customer service experience begins with being prompt. We guarantee that we will respond within 15 minutes of your quote request to find out more about your technology rental needs. Responding quickly to your initial request allows us to confirm your rental requirements and deliver an accurate quote. Need even faster service? Give us a call or chat with us on our website.

Subscribe to our blog today to stay up-to-date with Rentacomputer.com and be sure to follow us on social media.

Camera Security Now

Camera Security Now van on an installation

Headquartered in Middletown, Ohio, CameraSecurityNow.com offered high-quality security camera systems to businesses, municipalities, schools, and local community members for more than 20 years. Our wide network of installers and technicians throughout the country allows us to offer a nationwide service with a local, personal touch.

While we recognize that every job is different, our focus on customer service and satisfaction is founded on a basic set of rules. We always listen to our customers to understand their needs and concerns and provide straightforward pricing with no hidden charges or fees. Our professional recommendations are based on the best interests of our clients and we perform every installation quickly without sacrificing quality. Our commitment to maintaining a good customer relationship includes providing detailed service reports and helping to prevent future problems.

If you’re looking a one-stop shop for your security camera needs, look no further than the experienced professionals at Camera Security Now. Our camera service installation professionals deliver the camera solutions that your company needs while keeping you on budget and ensuring the security of your business, employees, and customers. To find out how easy it is to ensure the safety of your workplace, request a quote today.

Follow our blog to stay up-to-date with CameraSecurityNow.com and connect with us on social media.

Computer Service Now

Computer Service Now custom desktop computer

Whether you need general IT support, temporary rentals, webpage design, or applications engineering, Computer Service Now offers a comprehensive suite of solutions for any IT project or problem. We work every day to provide the best customer service possible through rapid issue resolution, timely communication, and a promise that our representatives will always be polite and courteous. Our hands-on approach to IT services means that we don’t believe in just fixing a problem – we strive to offer proactive solutions that prevent problems in the first place and attack problems at their root cause when they do occur.

With our high level of customer service and satisfaction, Computer Service Now works hard to be the premier IT firm in the Cincinnati and Dayton region. We offer a wide variety of IT solutions that stay within your budget. For IT-related projects big and small, our experience, expertise, and variety of services allow us to provide the support you need to meet your business needs. Contact us today and let us solve all of your IT needs!

Subscribe to our blog today to stay up-to-date with Computer Service Now and follow us on social media.

Xponex

Xponex Marketing and Web Design

For more than 20 years, Xponex Marketings’ comprehensive web and marketing services experts have been providing businesses large and small with technical services, marketing consultations, and social media services. Our goal is to provide our customers with the customized websites and tools that suit their business or organizational needs. We work closely with our clients to create personalized solutions that help them grow their businesses, including web design, SEO, content development, and marketing analysis.

Get your free website audit and 30-minute consultation from Xponex Marketing to help you identify some of the most effective solutions to help you improve your digital marketing, build a better website, and grow your business.

Subscribe to our blog today to stay up-to-date with Xponex Marketing and follow us on social media.

From our SMBs to yours

As SMBs, we understand the unique daily demands and stresses of running a small or mid-size business. Though the specific function of each member of our family of businesses is unique, they all have one thing in common: a commitment to helping your SMB succeed. Whether you’re bringing on seasonal staff and need to rent some additional office equipment, expanding and need to install a security camera system to keep an eye on your store, need a comprehensive IT solution so that you don’t have to hire another staff member, or need to revamp your website to help drive traffic to your site, we’re here to help you – whenever and wherever you need us. Happy National Small Business Week!

Posted in: Marketing, SMB, SMB Advice Tagged: applications engineering, camera security, CameraSecurityNow.com, ComputerServiceNow.com, event production, free consultation, IT projects, IT support, marketing services, National Small Business Week, Nationwide, Rentacomputer.com, SMB, temporary rentals, web services, webpage design

Service and Etiquette Tips for SMBs

April 25, 2019 by Robert Beagle Leave a Comment

small business owner and team

If your small or medium-size business does service or sales calls to customer locations, everything the customer sees, hears, or smells is an integral part of your marketing efforts. Your field employees and contractors are the face of your company, and it is impossible to overestimate their role in marketing your company. The Tech Army offers these tips to help make sure that you and your team are presenting the highest level of service and etiquette.

No smoking

It should go without saying but smoking while on a sales or service call is always unprofessional. Many business sites are smoke-free zones, but even if they aren’t you and your technicians should still act as though smoking is prohibited at all customer facilities. Vaporizers and smokeless tobacco products should also be avoided, along with never going to a job site while under the influence of alcohol or any other drugs.

When you are on a job at the customer’s location, you are there to work (and you’re probably billing them at a high rate). Don’t insult your customers by taking time out to smoke. Whether you’re in your company vehicle or a designated smoking area, smoking while on a call at a customer’s location is unacceptable. If you must smoke, do it between calls – preferably in the open air outside the vehicle so that you don’t smell like smoke when talking to the next client.

No Smoking Or Vaping Sign

Be attentive

Your attention while on a sales or service call should always be on the customer and the task at hand. Believe it or not, we have heard stories about contractors falling asleep at a customer’s facility – dozing in their company vehicle in the parking lot or while inside the building! When you are at a customer’s facility, you need to be working and ready to address any concerns that your client may have. If you find that being tired in the middle of the day is a concern, consider building in a short nap during scheduled breaks or during your lunch period.

Always be courteous

Always be courteous and professional when working with clients. If you’re visiting a client or making a service call, dress appropriately and display your company’s logo. If your company provides polo shirts, dress shirts, or t-shirts for contractors to wear, be sure that they wear them when meeting with every customer. Make sure that all of your employees or contractors have business cards or identity badges that let the customer know that they’re with your company.

Customers can sometimes be chatty or, worse, combative. Even when a customer is rude, you and your employees have a job to do. Being rude in response only hurts you and your brand. If the actions of a customer impact your ability to perform the work requested, just do your best to complete the task. Take notes on the situation immediately afterward and address the issues with your primary contact at the business at the appropriate time.

Mind the Mess

Just as you would be upset if someone came into your office and made a mess without cleaning up, customers understandably get upset when contractors leave a mess behind. You should always leave the work site exactly as you found it. Always wear shoe covers when entering the customer’s premises to avoid tracking in mud, dirt, or other debris. All of the trash or packaging from items you’ve installed or brought into the site are your responsibility to dispose of – never leave boxes or other packaging for the customer to clean up.

If the space you’re working in was seemingly messy or cluttered when you arrived, resist the urge to clean up. While you may think that you’re doing the customer a favor or helping out, you should never do anything outside of your scope of work.

Professionalism at its best

From competing with bigger companies to trying to match the prices of larger businesses and attempting to win larger customers, small and medium-size businesses have enough to worry about. The best way for SMBs to differentiate themselves from their larger competitors is to provide the best customer service possible – make sure that your employees in the field and your contractors share that same commitment.

small and medium sized business

Running an SMB can be a challenge. SMB Now provides tips, expert advice, and information about the services that you need to help make running your business easier. Visit us often to stay up-to-date with SMB Now and follow us on social media. Join in the discussion by commenting below.

Posted in: SMB, SMB Advice Tagged: client interactions, Customer Service, etiquette, medium business, small business, small enterprise, SMB, SME

New Year’s Resolutions for Small Businesses

December 20, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment
New Years Resolutions 2019

Running your own business brings with it a lot of pride and the ability to set your own course – but it also brings a lot of stress and anxiety. Your own financial well-being and that of your employees is on your shoulders at all times. As we head into the new year, here are three New Year’s resolutions you can make to help your small business grow and succeed in the new year.

Managed antivirus solutions

Do you need a managed antivirus solution? Yes.

 

Considering that more than 60 percent of small businesses that have been hacked or the victims of viruses go out of business within six months, topping your list of New Year’s resolutions for your small business should be protecting your computers and servers from viruses and malicious activity that can seriously impact your ability to do business.

An agile and reliable antivirus program can protect your business from intrusions, alerting you to potential threats, and preventing your computers and network from receiving malicious software, viruses, malware, and ransomware. Unlike unmanaged software-based antivirus programs, a managed solution makes sure that your system is free from risks.

Instead of leaving the vital protection of your network to a random staff member, our IT security professionals are able to focus on keeping your business secure. Computer Service Now provides industry-leading virus and malware protection, making sure that your antivirus solutions are active and that your subscriptions remain current.

Make education a priority

Staying up to date with the latest industry knowledge and trends is key to remaining on top of your game. Take advantage of online educational opportunities, conferences, and seminars to help keep yourself and your team competitive. No matter your industry, a quick Google search is sure to return a plethora of training and educational events across the country.

Save money and rent your technology for training classes

Want to conduct a company-wide training off-site? Rentacomputer.com’s experts can help you with all of your computer, tablet, iPad, and other business meeting needs. No matter where your event is, Rentacomputer.com can help. Get a quote for all your equipment needs today!

Install or upgrade your security cameras

Security cameras can help you identify everyday lapses in protocols that undermine the integrity of your safety program. Catching these slips allows you to prevent injuries and helps remind employees that safety is a priority for your company. Additionally, security cameras can help you identify areas where additional precautions are needed or specific groups of employees that could benefit from additional safety training. Not only will you be more compliant with OSHA and industry regulatory standards, but you’ll also be able to minimize injuries to employees that can lead to lost productivity for your company.

Upgrade your surveillance system

Camera Security Now is a leader in the workplace security camera industry and can provide long-term storage for all of your workplace security video for reference, training, and compliance purposes. We offer motion detecting, infrared, fisheye 360º, and Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras and cameras with audio recording abilities. Our expert technicians will install all of your equipment and can answer any questions your IT department may have. Get a quote for all of your workplace safety and security camera needs.

Make the most of your new year

New Years Resolutions 2019

Running an SMB can be a challenge. SMB Now provides tips, expert advice, and information about the services you need to help make running your business easier. Visit us often to stay up-to-date with SMB Now and follow us on social media. Join the discussion by commenting below.

Posted in: Medium Business, New Years Resolutions, Small Business, SMB Tagged: 2019, conferences, Managed antivirus, medium business, New Years, online education, OSHA, safety, Security Cameras, seminars, small business, SMB, SME

Blog Need a “Bluch” Extraction? Please, Allow Me :)

May 17, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

copywriter of business articlesSMBNow blog invited me to write an article about myself, and my services. Where do I begin? Where do I begin?

Hands clasped together, face reddening with delight.

Here’s the Short Version about Me

I was born in Washington DC and graduated from University of Maryland. My husband loves to fish. Working in tech for 8 years, I’ve become very unafraid of dry subjects and the universe of high-gadgetry.

Here’s the Short Version from Wendy, My Editor

I’m a NoCal girl—born in the city of Fairfield, an hour’s drive from the ancient Redwoods. My husband, son, and I live in America’s Finest City—that’s San Diego, CA, in case you’re not up on your city slogans—where I sit at my desk each day and tap away at my computer. I edit business copy by day, but write detective noir under cloak of night. In terms of business background spent many a long year as a trainer in the mortgage banking industry.

Here’s What We Do

We write articles.

Aaannd, in the six years that I’ve been blogging, I’ve learned one thing:

People don’t give a sh*t about what you have to say until they know you care about them—their wellbeing, their interests and by extension, their clients.

You have to give people a personal reason to come back to your website. That takes passion and putting yourself in their shoes.

And all caring begins with listening.

True. Copywriting is definitely about tight, clean messaging. Copywriters like me keep an editor in the wings, and a software program for just such a purpose. There’s no doubt copy’s got to be easy to read.

But grammar ain’t everything.

Beyond the artistic, beyond the poetic turn of phrase, and the ten-dollar word section of the library—you come to the skunks-den of all copywriting failure.

The failure to listen.

When a writer doesn’t listen to the reader, her copy comes off like an end-of-the-night shout-down in a bar.

Nobody cares.

Boom.

So that’s what we do… me and my editor. We look for ways to help people. We dig until we find their honest pressing needs and write something they can use. That’s why we’re in business.

Greater than I have said it:

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”

~ Albert Einstein

And the way that we do it—my editor and me—is to produce articles about things people want to read.

That’s it!

Nothing complicated. We have no aspirations to climb Mt. Everest or cross the Pacific on a Kon Tiki raft.

If you’d like to know more, please reach out. We’d love to hear from you!


Rita Mailheau, a copywriter of business articles, specializes in the Information Security Industry. She loves to walk the many parks found in her home city of San Diego, CA.

Posted in: SMB Tagged: business articles, CA, copywriter, Rita Mailheau, San Diego, SMB

Should You Worry That Windows 10 Is Spying On Your SMB?

February 25, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Have you been putting off that free Windows 10 upgrade out of concerns over privacy? In the article below we will examine the facts so you can make the right choice for your business:

What’s the common factor between Windows 10 and some of the most prominent actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood? They are both accused of being spies! Just like Charlie Chaplin and Helen Keller (yes, that’s real), Windows 10 has been accused of spying. Specifically, Windows 10 has been accused of spying on literally everything you do.

What’s the common factor between Windows 10 and some of the most prominent actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood? They are both accused of being spies! Just like Charlie Chaplin and Helen Keller (yes, that’s real), Windows 10 has been accused of spying. Specifically, Windows 10 has been accused of spying on literally everything you do.

The operating system launched about 8 months ago and immediately reports started coming in about the alleged spying. The articles about Windows 10 spying were extreme with some making jokes that Microsoft had the “right to your first-born child” hidden away in its ToS. While that assumption is a bit extreme, other allegations were a little more realistic. But is the threat still there 8 months later?

Continued

Posted in: SMB Advice Tagged: Microsoft, Privacy, SMB, Spying, Windows 10

How To Use Twitter Cards For Your Business

November 20, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

One of the major faults of Twitter is its 140 character per tweet limit. Despite it, creative small business marketers have been able to use the social media platform for years, successfully.

The latest feature Twitter has launched is its Twitter Cards, which have opened a whole new window of opportunities. I will go through the process of what Twitter Cards are and how you can use them.

The first question you may be asking yourself is “What are Twitter Cards?” Well, Twitter Cards are basically tweets on steroids. Along with your 140-character-message, you are able to attach videos, audio, download links, and images. These Twitter Cards are more appealing to users than your boring old text tweets. There are four types of Twitter Cards that are currently available.

Summary Card: The summary card is made to give your audience a preview of your content before clicking on it. The content above the card is your original tweet and in the card is a small preview of what the blog, that you linked, is.

Summary Card With Large Image: Just like before, your original tweet is shown above the card, but what gives this that special oomph is its large image. With great images comes more potential customers.

Player Card: This card is particularly cool because it allows you to upload a video and audio from within a tweet. It’s very handy and very engaging!

App Card: This last card is known as the app card, obviously aimed more towards mobile app vendors. You attach your app to your tweet and it allows users to download your app right from Twitter!

Another question you may be asking is “How do I use Twitter Cards?”

When it comes to using Twitter Cards, there are two challenges to overcome. First, they aren’t too easy to set up. Don’t let this fool you! Once you figure out how to use it and have everything in place, it will be super easy for you. Getting everything in place is just the tricky part.

Twitter provides useful documentation that can help get you started using their Cards, a simple overview for you to follow. If that isn’t helpful, then the best way to use Twitter Cards is via plugins and extensions. An example, if your website was built in WordPress, you can use the Jetpack or JM Twitter Cards plugins to start off your Twitter Cards. If this just sounds all too confusing for you, Twitter provides how-to docs, to help get you up and running using plugins and extensions.

The other challenge is, if you do not pin the tweet to the top of your Twitter newsfeed, then the card won’t be shown automatically. You want your audience to click “View Summary” on the right side of your tweet, to get the full effect. You can also guide them to click it by tweeting clever things, such as “Click the View Summary link to see what prizes we have in our giveaway!

Twitter Card Approval: Through all of those obstacles, you have one more until you are done, which is validation. According to the steps provided for you at the bottom of the page, you need to, “Run your URL against the validator tool to test. If you are working with a Player Card, request approval for whitelisting. All other Cards do not need whitelisting.”

The only way validation will be hard for you, is if you made a misstep while setting up your Twitter Card. Since Player Cards have more rules, validating them can be a bit more challenging.

If you think you can handle all of that, then you’ll be surprised at what value Twitter Cards can add to your social media efforts. Like I mentioned before, Twitter Cards can be appealing and engaging and that’s what helps boost your traffic to lead them to your marketing offers and messages.

Content originally published here


Sharing this story on social media? Use these hashtags! #SMB #Twitter #TwitterCards

Posted in: SMB, SMB Advice Tagged: small business tips, SMB, social media, Twitter, Twitter Cards

The Importance Of Local SEO To Your Small Business

August 20, 2015 by Zack Duncan Leave a Comment

Local Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is an important benefit that a lot of marketers and businesses take extreme advantage of. While SEO, in general, is important, local SEO will continually be significant for enterprise companies for the following reasonings:

It’s a Way to Generate Profits
If you follow these processes and steps correctly, local SEO will not only expose your business online but will also make you more profit. If you get the top spot of search engine results, then this will dramatically and immediately increase traffic for your website.

A recent study showed that 78% of local mobile searches and 61% of local laptop searches resulted in offline purchases. In just the U.S., there are 7 billion different and unique local searches monthly. So if you use local SEO, make sure you’re posting the right content to the right client base, so it drives online searches to your business.

Mobile and Wearable Tech is Growing
Showing in 10 countries, including the U.S. and Japan, there are more Google searches that take place on a mobile device rather than a PC. Now that there are more and more wearable devices coming out these days, like smartwatches, then realistically there will be more searches made on the go. Therefore, using local SEO will only benefit you since local searches will become more frequent.

CEO of HostGator Adam Farra says, “Society today is already transitioning from PCs to mobile Internet usage, so local SEO will be a necessity, not a ‘nice to have’ in the very near future.”

It’s a Way to Build Links and Share Social Media
Another major reason for using local SEO is the opportunity to connect two business firms together. It creates a potential partnership between the two and helps with social sharing as well.

Marketers can build and share their links with local search engines like Yahoo Local, YP, Google Places, Foursquare, Yelp and Bing Places. By doing this, it could help your business, as well as another business, grow and meet new clients. Meeting with local bloggers or other website owners could change your way of thinking in your business in a more positive manner. You could even plan an event or new business idea with them for new, different profit-making strategies.

It’s a Way to Extend Your Business

Your website is actually another location for your business and with the help of local SEO, you’re basically helping users connect with your business. It helps easily locate and study your website and also helps update it with info and more content which is important in growing your business in the future.

TouchBistro, an iPad POS app for restaurants, used its website to show its partnership with Uber and also provided a $20 promotional credit to customers who ate at TouchBistro affiliated restaurants in Toronto. Restaurants that participated were given promotional cards with codes to give to customers, who then had to download the Uber app to receive their $20 credit.

You Expose Yourself to Local People
The absolute main reasoning for using local SEO is that it targets the people within the area of your established business. This helps small business owners who just started their enterprises if they use SEO.

Smaller businesses can use online resources to advertise in local classifieds, such as using Angie’s List, Craigslist, or Yelp. If you use sites like these, make sure you use high-quality videos and images or other important items that advertise your business.

Using these steps and processes with local SEO will benefit you and your business or new business. Constantly adding or changing the content on your webpage will help keep it up to date as well as help provide your clients with a better understanding of what your services, products and promotions provide.

Content originally published here


Sharing this story on social media? Use these hashtags! #SMB #SEO #LocalSEO #Marketing

Posted in: SMB Advice Tagged: Local SEO, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, small business news, SMB

Small Business Owners Have Smartphone Addiction

August 3, 2015 by Zack Duncan Leave a Comment

Small businesses may not be the only ones marketing via mobile or fighting with how programmatic advertising works, they still need mobile to do business. Small business owners, or SBOs, seem to literally have their smartphones attached to their hips.

About 80.5% of U.S. SBOs use their mobile devices for business at least once a day, sometimes even more, according to the latest research from Manta. Almost 25.3% of those SBOs use their smartphone once an hour, 11% use them between 3 to 5 times a day, and 17.3% us their mobile devices almost 10 times a day!

eMarketer says that nearly 80% of SBOs use their mobile devices while at work right in front of their own desktops. They say that 48% of respondents claim the main reasoning for doing this is to check personal messages. Another 25% said that their email actually comes in faster on their mobile devices.

With other statistics, only 12% actually admitted to being addicted and 8% multiscreened because they claimed to prefer using their mobiles over their PCs. Finally, 7% said they were frequently distracted by their social media or gaming app alerts that came through on their mobile devices.

A good reason for why SBOs use their phones for business is to schedule appointments and communicate with customers. 55% claimed this as being why they use their phones.

Nearly 3 in 10 people used their phones for notes and to-do lists, along with monitoring their social media and participation. A quarter of people use theirs to conduct business related banking, eMarketer says. As well as saying that inventory management and expense were a lot less common, as were drafting large documents and presentations, and accounting.

Along with this, Manta’s research indicated that SBOs are frequent app users. Almost half of SBOs use mobile apps for business between 2 and 3 times daily.

It’s clear to see how important mobile devices are to small business owners. With such high percentages of SBOs on their phones constantly, mobile is quickly becoming a key facet of small business.

Content originally published here

Posted in: SMB Tagged: mobile, SBO, small business, small business owners, Smartphones, SMB

The 2015 Boston Small Business Expo At A Glance!

July 13, 2015 by mluciano Leave a Comment

small business growthWhether you’re in the startup phase or a long-established company, the Small Business Expo has the right resources for you. They’re the nation’s largest business-to-business expo, and they’ve made it their mission to help small business owners and entrepreneurs achieve their business dreams. Their free, one-day expo offers invaluable insights and exclusive networking opportunities with a wide range of business-critical workshops, seminars, and presentations from top industry experts. If you’re looking to drive your business forward and take the next step to success, join them this year at their Boston expo location for this can’t miss event!

  • Develop business leads &new customers!
  • Network with peers in your industry!
  • Shop for new innovative products and & services!
  • Gain invaluable industry insights!

Are you looking for a display or monitor rental for the 2015 Boston Small Business Expo?

Get Your Monitor Or Display Rental For The 2015 Boston Small Business Expo

Why Should You Attend?

Every year, over 50,000 small business professionals and entrepreneurs across the country attend Small Business Expo to take their business to the next level. Join us in learning from the best and the brightest in the industry as you network with like-minded business professionals and learn strategies to advance your business.

WHERE:

Hynes Convention Center | Halls A & B
900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02115

WHEN:

Thursday, October 8, 2015, from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (PDT)

Are you looking attend this year’s event and searching for hotels in the Boston area? The Small Business Expo site has a list of travel accommodations, including parking options for the event. The site does offer discounts as well!

If you’re looking to register for this year’s event, registration is still FREE for the Boston location!

This content was originally published here.

*Rentacomputer.com is not affiliated with or in any way authorized by the 2015 Boston Small Business Expo. Rentacomputer.com is an independent nationwide technology rental provider and this information in no way implies affiliation to the event or venue described above.

Posted in: SMB Tagged: Boston, Boston Massachusetts, Business, Company, marketing, Massachusetts, Online Business, small business, SMB
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