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5 Secret Ingredients: A Recipe for Social Media Marketing Success in 2023

In the fast-moving world of the internet, social media marketing has grown into a crucial tool for businesses to connect with their audiences. It wasn’t too long ago when these platforms were just for talking to friends and family. But things have changed a lot. In a recent survey, over 90% of marketers said that social media has greatly boosted their brand’s visibility. This means that if you’re not using social media for your business, you’re missing out on a big opportunity.

In this article, we’ll uncover the hidden treasures of social media marketing, just like a chef reveals the secret sauce that makes a dish extraordinary. 

1. Social Media and SEO: Serving Up Important Content

You might wonder what social media has to do with making your website show up on search engines.

The idea is simple: search engines know which pages on your website get visitors. When your content gets shared on social media, it sends people to your website. This tells search engines that your website is still important, and it helps your site stay high up in search results. Obviously, more individuals are exposed to your content when more individuals share it.

It’s like having a secret spice that makes your dish unforgettable. When your website consistently receives traffic from social media referrals, search engines interpret it as a signal of relevance and credibility. Consequently, they prioritize displaying your website in search results, increasing its visibility to a wider audience.

This effect can make your website’s online presence much stronger and bring in even more free traffic. 

2. Know Your Audience's Taste

Social media is a bit like a detective tool. By paying attention to the people who follow you, you can learn a lot about your target audience. Just by checking out their profiles and the other pages they like, you can figure out what they like to buy, what they enjoy doing, and which brands they prefer.

Understanding your audience’s preferences and interests allows you to tailor your content and marketing strategies to effectively engage with them. By leveraging this knowledge, you can create personalized experiences that resonate with your target audience, fostering stronger connections and increasing customer loyalty.

Ultimately, this invaluable insight enables you to stay ahead of the competition and deliver exceptional value to your customers. The more you know about your audience, the better you can make your products or services fit their tastes. 

3. Creating the Best Flavor for a Strong Brand and Relationships

People don’t visit social media to look at ads. They go there to chat and have fun. So, when you talk to your audience and make friends with them, it helps you build a strong brand and connections.

Social media is not just about keeping your old customers happy but also about finding new ones. By engaging with your audience on social media, you can be the one who brings the best dish to the party.

Showcase your brand’s personality and values, and make it easier for potential customers to connect with you. Additionally, by actively participating in conversations and sharing valuable content, you can attract new customers who may not have been aware of your business before. 

4. Stirring Up Your Message for a Second Chance

What if you could cook up a winning meal that hits the spot every time?

On social media, you can! You can choose who gets to see your ads, making sure they’re the right people. 

And here’s the fun part – if someone almost became your customer but didn’t quite make it, you can give them a second chance. It’s like having a secret cooking technique that never fails. 

By targeting specific demographics and interests, you can ensure that your message reaches the right audience, which is more likely to be interested in your products or services. Additionally, by retargeting those who have shown interest but didn’t convert, you can remind them of what they missed out on and entice them to give your business another try.

5. Affordably Appetizing

You might have thought that you needed a lot of money to do marketing on social media. But it’s not true! Making a business profile is free, and so is chatting with your fans. 

If you decide to advertise on social media, you can start small if you want. The great thing about social media is that it’s fair. Big brands might have more money for ads, but anyone can make a social media account for free and talk to their audience. Social media platforms also offer affordable advertising options, allowing you to reach a wider audience without breaking the bank. 

With targeted ads and analytics, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are reaching the right people and generating a positive return on investment. 

So don’t let budget constraints hold you back from leveraging the power of social media for your business. You can have your marketing cake and eat it, too!

In a nutshell, social media marketing is no longer just a choice for businesses; it’s a necessity. 

This smorgasbord of hidden secrets about social media marketing shows how it can boost your SEO, help you understand your audience, create strong brand connections, allow for targeting the right people, and not cost a fortune. 

If you need help with your social media journey or want professionals to assist you, feel free to contact us at IFTS! 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for House Painting Companies in 2023: Help Your Brand Stand Out In The Search Results (SERPs) Part 2

Last time, we talked about how to get your local SEO and business listings right.

In this post, we will discuss blogging for SEO, link building and citations and the importance of reviews.

Strategy 3 – Blogging for SEO: Engaging Audiences through Intelligent Content Marketing Approaches

For local painting businesses looking to increase their online presence and attract new customers, blogging can be a very effective tool. 

By creating informative content that aligns with your industry expertise, you’ll position yourself as a thought leader in the eyes of potential clients. With proper execution, this strategy will improve both your search engine rankings and overall digital marketing efforts.

SEO Blogging Tips and Tricks

As a painting business owner, you understand the importance of staying up to date with current events in your area and industry trends.  You will want to create specific content that targets local areas and is still engaging for readers.

How can you do this?

  • Use relevant keywords targeted at your location
  • Solve a problem that your potential client may have

Here are a few examples of good blog ideas for painting companies:

  1. From Start to Finish – A Complete Walkthrough of Painting Your House Exterior in [Your Town Name]
  2. What Color Should I Choose for the Best Resale Value? A Guide to the Most Popular Colors in [Your Town Name] for [Year]
  3. Paint Finishes – Which Finish to Choose for Your Room and Why
  4. Choosing a House Painter in [You Town Name] – What Should You Look For & What Are the Red Flags?
  5. Remodeling Your Kitchen? A Complete Timeline of What to Expect

Blogging for Brand Awareness

Blogging extends beyond mere search engine optimization for your website. Through crafting content on industry-relevant subjects, you can connect with a broader audience in your target market and cultivate credibility for your brand. 

By offering valuable and insightful articles, you foster customer loyalty and amplify recognition of your corporate identity.  This way, when someone in your area is ready to paint, they already know who to choose – YOU!

Strategy 4 – Link Building and Secondary Citations

Google’s ranking algorithm considers numerous factors to determine the order in which websites appear in search results. While the exact details of the algorithm are closely guarded, one key element when determining rankings is backlinks and citations.

Building Backlinks

The number and quality of links from other reputable websites to your site, known as backlinks, plays a crucial role. Google views these as a vote of confidence in your content’s credibility and authority. The more quality backlinks your website has, the more relevant it will be seen by the search engines.

Some easy ways to get backlinks to your website:

  • Join your local Chamber of Commerce (make sure your profile is filled out completely)
  • Join a BNI group (make sure your profile is filled out completely)
  • Activate “Creator Mode” in LinkedIn and add a link to your website in the profile
  • Add a link to your website in your YouTube Channel’s profile
  • Check to see if your college alumni association allows links in your alumni profile and link to your business from there

Building Citations

Citations are an essential component of local search optimization. They involve mentioning your business name, address or phone number on third party websites without linking directly to it. 

While citations may not have the same impact as links, they still play a crucial role in improving rankings by increasing brand awareness and credibility among customers and other businesses alike. 

One tool that can help you build your citations is called Yext.  You input your information once and it distributes this information to over 75 different directories.  IFTS is currently running a special on this service for $50/month. 

Interested?  Contact si@iftsdesign.com to get started.

Strategy 5 – Reviews: Improve Your Reputation By Getting More Positive Reviews

Though the exact number is not known, reviews are estimated to account for about 40% of Google’s local ranking algorithm.  This makes reviews extremely important to your painting company, or any local service business!

The more positive reviews that you have, the more favorably Google should look upon your Google Business Profile listing.  Typically, people like to see a company have a 4-star reputation or higher.

Obviously, the best way to get reviews is to do the best job for your clients, so they are positively bursting to tell others how amazing you are.

Sometimes, it’s not that easy.  So, setting up processes to get reviews is a good idea.

A few processes that you can put in place:

  • Create review links in your email signatures
  • Have a review email sequence that goes out after the final walk through
  • Use a QR code on a business card that your employees use to ask for reviews
  • Offer an incentive (which they must disclose) to get a review
  • Create a page on your site that allows them to submit reviews

To see a step-by-step guide of how to set up a review process, check out this blog post from IFTS.

Conclusion – Start Putting SEO into Place Today For Your Painting Business

The rise in internet usage has made it crucial for local businesses to invest in quality SEO services and market their brand within their area. 

With more people turning online when searching for products or services, this is no longer an option but a necessity if you want your house painting company to thrive.

To remain competitive in today’s digital landscape, implementing an effective local SEO strategy is crucial for businesses. This approach will attract more customers and give you the edge over your competition. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grow, so start today!

Need help getting started with this?

Let us handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on running a successful painting company! Email si@iftsdesign.com to find out more!

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile Listing

Is your Google Business Profile optimized to the fullest extent?

If not, you could be missing out on amazing clients!

You can build a Google Business Profile listing, but it might not be as potent and dynamic as it could be. That’s because it takes more than just putting up a sign with your company’s name, address, and phone number for people to know who you are.

To be shown in the “Google Map Pack”, which is the set of 3 results that Google shows with the local map, you have to be what Google considers one of the best results for the searcher.

There probably are more than three other companies in your field operating in the immediate area. So, you’ll need to know what to include and how to fully optimize your listing if you want it to appear in the top three slots. The result will be the highest possible placement in relevant searches.

Use the advice below as a guide.

Don’t Forget the Details

Listing information, such as the company’s name, address, and phone number, should be consistent and include all necessary information. Use the full street name, not the abbreviation “Main St.” if your website states that your company is located on Main Street. If you want the same high search engine rankings across the board, it’s important that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent throughout all directories, including Google.

Don’t lose sight of the big picture when you’re making progress on the little things. The category “Italian Food” will boost the visibility of a restaurant more than the generic “Restaurant” would.  Be specific to attract the right people.

After you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you may shift your attention to the finer points of your profile. Upload your company’s logo, a profile background and a short slogan or tagline. You may increase your internet visibility, your audience, and the likelihood that they’ll become paying customers by maintaining this kind of consistency.

Don’t forget to include a description of your company; doing so will reassure potential clients that you are who they think you are. Don’t forget to use relevant keywords when creating that description; Google will appreciate it and you might even move up in the rankings as a result.  Make sure to use location words, such as the name of your city, as well.

Make Sure Your Website is Worth Visiting

There is more to your Google Business Profile than just the listing itself. Your website is also a part of this.

Listings get a boost when you have a website that is engaging and informative for visitors. Having an interesting website that provides value to readers and has helpful and useful information helps your listing, too. Google prioritizes readability and usefulness above all other ranking elements.

However, Google’s internal algorithm and rankings are also important considerations. To help Google find your site, it is crucial that you make extensive use of keywords and metadata.  Be sure to follow their SEO rules.

You should also work to increase the number of inbound links to your site; Google sees each link as a vote in favor of your site, and a higher number of links improves your position in the search engine results.

Make Sure You’re Mobile and Know How to Use it

Mobile internet search is quickly becoming the norm, and this development cannot be reversed. Today, mobile device usage far outstrips that of desktops, laptops, and tablets combined. Google’s algorithm takes this into account, giving preference in search results to sites that are optimized for mobile use. This highlights the significance of not only making your website mobile-friendly, but also understanding the differences between the search habits of desktop and mobile consumers.

In-the-moment mobile users are more likely to look up practical information like a store’s opening hours and physical location. Desktop and laptop users, on the other hand, are more likely to be looking for detailed product or service information.

Include Images and Videos

Nowadays, people who spend time on the internet prefer to look at video and photos rather than read walls of text. Not only does this visual component apply to your Google Business Profile, but it also has to do with the listing itself.

Your listing will stand out more and attract more attention if you include videos and photos.

At least three videos and six photos should be uploaded to your listing; they don’t need to be professional quality, but they should be of high enough resolution and not too grainy to be easily discerned. This second variety will not only put off potential customers, but will also make your company appear incompetent.

Make sure to add new images on a regular basis.

Use Google Business Profile Posts

Google began including posts in Google Business Profile listings last year, and every business owner should take use of them. Posts to a Google My Business profile are distinct from blog entries. These are miniature advertising that appear directly in your Google Business Profile listing, taking the place of lengthy descriptions. Moreover, they are an excellent method of maximizing the promotional value of these postings.

You can provide information about a corporate event, a sale, a new blog post, freshly arrived products, or seasonal greetings.

This type of article can be used for more than just “talking at” your target audience. There is room for graphics, calls to action, and even external links.

Use the Booking Button Feature

Adding a “book now” button is yet another innovation from Google. This is especially helpful for any business that relies on scheduled client visits, like house painting businesses. Customers can make appointments online with the booking button function, increasing business.

Messaging Feature

Customers can now send you messages right from your Google Business Profile, another new addition. Customers can send you messages whenever they like by clicking the “Chat” icon on your Google Profile.

If someone leaves you a message, you’ll be notified immediately so you may reply. If you choose, you can even set up a pre-recorded message that will be sent to anyone who messages your company.

Questions and Answers

Another Google addition lets clients ask you questions directly from the listing.  Using this function benefits both you and your clientele because of the increased communication it enables.

Remember that if one consumer has a query, there is a strong probability that another customer has the same query.

Be sure to answer these questions quickly and with detail.

Want Some Help?

IFTS specializes in helping companies get found on Google.  For a free consultation on how we can optimize your profile, call us at 412.715.6266.