Right now, we are dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Many business owners are timid about spending money and a lot have pulled back their marketing spend. This is an understandable reaction.
However, I can make the argument that right now is the perfect time to preserve your marketing presence. Think about how many business owners are currently tapering back or eliminating their marketing. On the same token, social media and internet usage has increased exponentially.
Instagram advertising impressions are up 22% from Q4 and there was a 76 percent increase in daily accumulated likes on #ad posts in March (According to Obvious.ly). Facebook news feed impressions are dramatically up. People are still scrolling through their news feeds, meaning the visibility is up and the ad competition is down. You have a real opportunity to get in front of your target audience while your competitors have gone silent.
And when things go back to normal, people will remember who was out front and center marketing their product or services. You can attain a better bang for your buck currently and ultimately build brand trust over these next few months so you will be remembered when other business owners start advertising again.
However, if you can’t spend any extra money right now, there is one thing you can be doing for free: Taking advantage of your Google My Business Listing.
If you don’t have a Google My Business (GMB), register for your free listing ASAP. Visit google.com/business and fill out all the pertinent information. All you need is a physical address and phone number. Google will then send you a postcard in the mail with a code to verify your address.
Assuming you already have a GMB, now is the time to take advantage of it. Here are some immediate actions you can take:
- Create a GMB post that notifies your customers about any updates in your business. There is even a special “COVID-19” update section separate from the posts where you can give a text-only update on your business.
- Update your hours: If your hours have changed due to COVID-19, then make sure to reflect that on your GMB. Also, Google has added a feature to let people know if you are temporarily closed. For example, most fitness centers are temporarily closed and you can show that to people on your listing.
- Update Contact Info: Maybe your business phone is not currently connected to your cell phone or is not up to date. Make sure you list a phone number/contact info that is correct and it is a number where you will answer.
- Do Weekly Posts: A normal GMB post expires after 7 days. So continually update your clients/potential customers with what’s going in your business. Use it as a way to show compassion as well. Maybe you are offering a discount, running a program for charities that are helping people in this situation, or just want to show kindness, the GMB post update is a great way to do this.
This is a crazy time for all of us. Marketing strategy has to be revised during this time to reflect what’s going on. If you can’t advertise right now, make sure to utilize Google My Business and all it’s great features. Remember, this is where your reviews live, your contact info is listed, you can create posts, you can put product pictures in the “product section,” you can add company photos and do much more.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me:
- Website
- Email: allen@smartypantzmarketing.com
- Phone: 954-406-7160
