After attending all the training and innovations sessions at SES in San Francisco last week, one of the most relevant sessions was the Google Innovations one. The way Google is integrating most of its properties and innovations, such as the Google +1 button and their new Social Network – Google Plus, will prove to be a windfall on expanding your Auto Repair Shop’s Internet presence and help you attract new customers.
When you consider that a May 2011 Pew Internet survey finds that 92% of online adults use search engines to find information on the Web, it would be a real waste not to take advantage of all the FREE resources that Google offers for Auto Repair Shop owners. Needless to say, a professionally designed website, fully optimized for the search engines, is essential to have these days. Having said that, if you, or your web designer, have not registered your website with Google’s Webmaster Central it is imperative that you do it a.s.a.p.! Using all the tools and guidelines available there, can definitely help your website stand out from your competition.
The Google +1 Button
Providing you have access to your website and have some basic HTML knowledge, the +1 button can easily be installed by going to the Google +1 site and follow the instructions to customize it and get the code. If you are not able to do it yourself, ask your web designer to do it. If your web designer is no longer available, shoot me an email and I’ll be glad to help.
Why is the Google +1 Button so important?
Think of it as a seal of approval, or an instant positive review. As Google states on the site; Recommendations when you want them. The +1 button is shorthand for “this is pretty cool” or “you should check this out.” Besides the obvious popularity factor, the more people that click on it, the more it will help you obtain a higher ranking on the search results. Once it is installed, you might want to email the link to your website to all your customers and friends to please go to it and click on the +1 button.
What about the reviews in your Google Places – Map Directory?
According to recent surveys a high number of people tend to click on the 7 listings (the ones with the big exclamation point and a, b, c, d, etc.) that now appear at the top of the search results. The main reason, to read the reviews about the business. Your Google Places listing is another free resource that is extremely valuable. Once you claim your listing as the business owner, you proceed to enter all the pertinent information about your shop. What do you specialize in, hours of operation, methods of payment, etc. You can also add up to 10 pictures of your shop to create a virtual tour. If you have a video, the link can also be added. Once the listing page is finished, Google will give you the option to verify it, either by phone or mail. Having a well optimized Google Places page listing will bring more new customers to your shop, than any Yellow Pages, or any other print advertising. Especially now that they have redesigned the Google Places page listings to show the reviews posted by Google users, right at the top, and most others like Yelp, DemandForce, etc., at the bottom of the Google Places listings.
Image by Bruce Clay, Inc via Flickr
If you thought Facebook was hot, Google Plus will surpass it for Customer Communications and Marketing!
All the services you are presently paying for communicating with your customers, most of them you will able to do for FREE with Google Plus Social. Whether it’s service reminders, specials, or anything else related, it can be done with Google Plus for FREE. In my next article I will be writing about the many ways your shop can benefit from it, without any knowledge of Social Networking and in minutes a day. We are also creating some easy to follow training videos that will help you reap the rewards of Google Plus.
Until then, I leave you with one thought:
Recessions affect the weak of stomach, you cannot sit waiting for customers to come. Many millionaires have been created out of recessions and even the depression of the 30′s. All you have to do is act against it!
About Ed Burckhardt
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