ATLANTA — “Who you are online is just as important as who you are in person,” says Jamie Sewell, marketing consultant and former marketing director for the Coin Laundry Association (CLA).
Sewell stressed this point in an educational session at Clean 2015 titled All Things Google: Tips and Secrets to Your Best Marketing Resource.
Sewell explained that operators are marketing their store just by its very existence—from the way they maintain their store’s equipment and overall appearance to the way they interact with customers.
“[There are] lots of little things that you’re doing day-to-day [that] you’re communicating [to show] you care about your business and that you care about your customers,” she says.
But how do you translate and promote that experience online?
THE POWER OF GOOGLE
Sewell touted the power of Google in the decision-making process of today’s consumer, explaining that 68% use it as their go-to online search engine.
How important is it to be listed on Google?
According to Sewell, four out of five consumers use search engines to find local information, and 88% are now using smartphones to perform their search.
She adds that 84% of consumers visit a business on the same day that they perform their online research. For many industries, there’s a 30% immediate conversion of these consumers into customers.
But Google is more than a search engine, Sewell says.
There are approximately 181 Google Tools available that can help small-business owners such as self-service laundry operators market their business online.
“The nice thing is that they’re pretty much free or low-cost, and it’s a really great way to get your business out there and get your business online,” says Sewell.
A BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
One Google Tool that Sewell says operators should take advantage of is Google My Business.
The tool combines a business’ map location and Google Places listing and plugs it into a Google+ local listing.
“Basically [it creates] a snapshot of your business listing all across Google,” says Sewell.
When a consumer conducts a general search such as “Laundromats near me” on Google, the site will display your company’s Google My Business information in a list of similar businesses.
But how do you ensure that your listing is the cream of the crop?
Components of a good Google My Business listing include photos, business hours, phone numbers, a list of services/business info and, chief among them, good customer reviews, according to Sewell.
“Google really puts a high emphasis on those online reviews,” she says. “This is going to continue to play a really, really important part of a local search.”
Because of this, Sewell stresses that operators should be active in asking customers to review their business online, then stay on top of monitoring these reviews, both good and bad.
“If you do get a bad review, you can flag it for removal … but respond publicly,” she says. “People want to see how you respond. So the most important thing that you can do when you get a bad review is to make sure that you are responding online.”
PAY-PER-CLICK ADS
A supplement to a Google My Business listing is Google’s AdWords Express, the company’s advertising tool for small or local businesses.
Once an operator sets up a Google My Business listing for his/her Laundromat, he/she can advertise the store using AdWords Express, which Sewell explains takes only 15 minutes to complete.
The ads are generated by Google, and are displayed in a highlighted text box, embedded in a search result. They can appear on the web, in Google maps, on a mobile search and in relevant partner sites, according to Sewell.
To set up an online ad using AdWords Express, operators must specify the local area they want to target, select their business category, detail their laundry’s services, and establish their budget for the online ad.
The ad’s cost is manageable, says Sewell, as AdWords Express has a pay-per-click setup, so operators only pay for the ads the consumer clicks on.
The feature allows for operators to “experiment with incentives,” she adds, as they can use the ad to promote specials and deals online.
“People choose to go to places based on incentives,” says Sewell. “AdWords Express is a good opportunity to experiment with [them].”
Check back Wednesday for the conclusion!
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].