envision-marketing

Reddit Marketing for Small Businesses (2025 Updated)

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 06:41:48 GMT

Introduction to Reddit
Reddit Etiquette (“Reddiquette”)
Identifying Relevant Subreddits
Getting Started: First 30 Days on Reddit
Leveraging Reddit’s Search Function
NEW: Reddit Pro for Businesses
NEW: Reddit Answers AI Feature
Advanced Reddit Strategies
Handling Feedback and Engagement
Reddit Advertising Options
Long-term Reddit Strategy
Other Effective Uses for Reddit

1. Introduction to Reddit

Reddit, often called “the front page of the internet,” is the world’s largest discussion forum. As of 2025, Reddit sees more than 97 million daily active users, 365 million weekly and 1.2 billion monthly—nearly triple what it had just a few years ago. Users share and talk about all kinds of topics, making it a valuable tool for small business owners to market their business and connect with potential customers.

However, Reddit works differently from other social media sites, so it’s important to understand how it functions before you start using it for your business.

Subreddits: The Building Blocks of Reddit

Reddit is divided into thousands of smaller communities called subreddits, each focused on a specific topic or interest. Subreddits are identified by the prefix “r/” followed by the community name (e.g., r/smallbusiness, r/marketing).

Key points about subreddits:

Each subreddit has its own rules, culture, and audience
Users can subscribe to multiple subreddits to customize their Reddit experience
Content posted in one subreddit doesn’t automatically appear in others

Moderators: The Guardians of Subreddits

Moderators, or “mods,” are volunteers who manage individual subreddits. They have the power to:

Enforce subreddit rules
Remove posts or comments
Ban users who violate the rules

Remember: Rules can vary significantly between subreddits, so always read and follow the specific guidelines for each community you engage with.

The Karma System: Reddit’s Social Currency

Karma is Reddit’s scoring system that reflects a user’s contribution to the community. There are two types:

Post karma: earned from upvotes on your posts
Comment karma: earned from upvotes on your comments

Why karma matters:

It’s an indicator of your credibility and activity level on the platform
Some subreddits have minimum karma requirements to post or comment
Higher karma can lead to increased visibility of your contributions

Profile Age and Posting History

On Reddit, the age of your account and your posting history are visible to other users. This transparency serves several purposes:

It helps establish trust within the community
It allows users to gauge your level of experience on the platform
It can be used to identify potential spammers or inauthentic accounts

Tip: If you’re already a Reddit user, consider using your personal profile for business-related activities. The established history can lend credibility to your interactions.

2. Reddit Etiquette (“Reddiquette”)

Understanding and adhering to Reddit’s unique culture and unwritten rules is crucial for successful engagement on the platform. Here’s what you need to know about “Reddiquette”:

General Best Practices

Be authentic and genuine in your interactions
Contribute to discussions meaningfully before promoting your business
Use proper grammar and spelling
Avoid excessive self-promotion
Always give credit when sharing others’ content
Be respectful, even when disagreeing with others

What Can Get You Banned on Reddit

While rules can vary between subreddits, some actions are universally frowned upon and can result in bans:

Spam: Repeatedly posting the same content or links
Vote manipulation: Asking for upvotes or using multiple accounts to boost your posts
Harassment: Targeting or bullying other users
Doxxing: Sharing personal information about others without consent
Violating Reddit’s content policy: This includes posting illegal content, hate speech, or violent content

Subreddit-Specific Rules

Always read and follow the rules of each subreddit you participate in. Common subreddit-specific rules might include:

Restrictions on self-promotion
Requirements for post formatting
Guidelines for the types of content allowed

The Consequences of Getting Banned

Getting banned on Reddit can severely impact your marketing efforts:

You lose all accumulated karma
Your posting history becomes inaccessible
You lose credibility within the community
It can be challenging to rebuild your reputation, even with a new account

Remember: It’s much easier to maintain a good standing than to recover from a ban. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and adherence to the rules.

3. Identifying Relevant Subreddits

Finding the right subreddits is crucial for your Reddit marketing strategy. Here’s how to identify and choose the most relevant communities for your business:

Strategies for Finding Suitable Subreddits

Search Google for subreddits related to your areas of expertise
Use Reddit’s search function to find keywords related to your industry
Check the sidebars of relevant subreddits for lists of related communities
Use third-party tools like redditlist.com
Try asking this subreddit for help: https://www.reddit.com/r/findareddit/
Look at where your competitors or industry leaders are active

Balancing Business and Personal Interests

Aim to join 1-10 subreddits, including:

Most importantly: Subreddits where your target audience is likely to be active
Communities directly related to your industry
Communities aligned with your personal interests or hobbies

Why this balance matters:

It helps you present as a real person, not just a business entity
It provides opportunities for genuine engagement beyond just promotion
It can lead to unexpected networking or business opportunities

The Power of Niche Subreddits

Don’t overlook smaller, more focused communities. Niche subreddits can be goldmines for targeted engagement:

They often have highly engaged users passionate about specific topics
There’s typically less competition for attention
Your expertise is more likely to stand out and be appreciated

Tip: Look for subreddits that align with specific aspects of your business or target audience, not just broad industry categories.

4. Getting Started: First 30 Days on Reddit

Your first month on Reddit is crucial for establishing yourself as a valuable community member. Here’s how to approach it:

Focus on Building Reputation

Prioritize being helpful and informative over promoting your business
Aim to provide unique insights or perspectives in your comments
Be consistent in your engagement, but don’t force interactions

Commenting Strategies

Start by commenting before making your own posts. This helps you:

Understand the tone and style of each subreddit
Build karma and credibility gradually
Learn what types of contributions are most valued

How to identify posts to comment on:

Sort by “Rising” or “New” for better visibility
Look for posts where you can provide unique, valuable insights
Avoid posts that already have many high-quality comments

Tips for effective commenting:

Put effort into your responses; thoughtfulness is appreciated
Don’t be afraid to start a comment with something like “As a [Profession] who specializes in [Specialty]…” as long as it’s relevant. It lends credibility to your comment.
Avoid confrontational language; focus on constructive dialogue
Be authentic and willing to show some vulnerability

Remember: Your goal in the first 30 days is to establish yourself as a knowledgeable, helpful community member, not to generate leads or promote your business directly.

5. Leveraging Reddit’s Search Function

Reddit’s search feature can be a powerful tool for finding relevant discussions and opportunities for engagement. Here’s how to use it effectively:

Basic Search Techniques

Use keywords related to your industry, products, or services
Enclose exact phrases in quotation marks (e.g., “social media marketing”)
Use Boolean operators like AND, OR, NOT to refine results
Limit your search to specific subreddits using the “limit my search to r/[subreddit]” option

Advanced Search Tips

Use “flair:” to search for posts with specific tags (e.g., flair:question)
Search for posts within a specific timeframe using “time:” (e.g., time:week)
Find posts by a specific user with “author:[username]”
Use “site:” to find Reddit discussions about specific websites

Utilizing Search Results

Look for recurring questions or topics to identify common pain points in your industry
Find discussions where your expertise could add value
Identify trending topics or emerging issues in your field

Tip: Save your most useful searches for easy access in the future. This can help you quickly find new opportunities for engagement on a regular basis.

6. NEW: Reddit Pro for Businesses

Reddit Pro is a free suite of tools available for eligible businesses and organizations that launched in 2024 and expanded significantly throughout 2025. This game-changing platform helps small businesses grow their organic presence on Reddit more strategically.

What Reddit Pro Offers

Reddit Pro provides tools that help you discover communities and conversations relevant to your business, understand how and where to contribute content, and measure the performance of your content over time.

Key Features (Updated 2025):

Enhanced Business Profiles – Businesses can now highlight posts and comments from relevant Reddit communities directly on their profiles and cross-post conversations related to their brand or industry that appear on the Reddit Pro Trends Tab.
Trends Monitoring – The Reddit trends tool helps businesses monitor trending conversations, track competitor mentions, and identify new content strategies.
Performance Analytics – Track how your posts and comments are performing across different subreddits to refine your approach.
Community Discovery – Find new subreddits where your target audience is active and engaged.
Mobile App (NEW August 2025) – Reddit unveiled its Community Intelligence platform at Cannes Lions 2025 in June, introducing AI-powered social listening tools that transform the platform’s 22+ billion posts and comments into structured intelligence for marketing decisions.

Who Can Access Reddit Pro?

Reddit Pro is available in all English-speaking countries where Reddit operates. The service is completely free for eligible businesses.

Why Reddit Pro Matters for Small Businesses

With Reddit’s advertising revenue projected to surge 30.9% year-over-year in 2025, the fastest growth among major social platforms, technology companies and small businesses that master this platform now will secure competitive advantages before costs inevitably rise with mainstream adoption.

How to Get Started: Visit the Reddit Pro website or search for “Reddit Pro” in your Reddit account settings to sign up. You’ll need to verify your business and provide basic information about your company.

7. NEW: Reddit Answers AI Feature

One of the most significant updates to Reddit in 2025 is the introduction of Reddit Answers, an AI-powered search and discovery feature that’s changing how users find information on the platform.

What is Reddit Answers?

Reddit Answers leverages generative AI to help find, synthesize, and deliver easy to understand answers from real posts and comments from redditors. This innovative feature provides users with curated summaries of relevant responses and threads from across the platform.

How It Works

The feature allows users to ask questions and receive curated summaries of relevant conversations from across the platform. The system provides direct links to related communities and posts, enabling users to navigate deeper into discussions.

Unlike services such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, Reddit’s AI answers are based solely on content from its platform rather than a broader internet search.

What This Means for Business Users

Important Implications:

Content Visibility – Your high-quality posts and comments may now be surfaced in AI-generated answer summaries, giving them broader reach beyond their original subreddit.
Keyword Optimization – Consider how users might phrase questions about topics in your industry when crafting your posts and comments.
Authority Building – Consistently providing helpful, accurate information increases the likelihood that Reddit Answers will surface your contributions.
Integration with Search – Reddit is integrating AI Answers into its main search bar, making it easier for users to discover your content.

Status and Availability

This experience is currently in beta and available across all platforms worldwide in English.

Strategy Tip: Focus on providing comprehensive, well-structured answers to common questions in your field. These are more likely to be featured in Reddit Answers summaries.

8. Advanced Reddit Strategies

Once you’ve established yourself as a valuable community member, you can start employing more advanced strategies to increase your impact on Reddit.

Cross-posting: Best Practices and Etiquette

Cross-posting involves sharing the same content across multiple relevant subreddits. When done correctly, it can increase your visibility without being seen as spam.

Best practices for cross-posting:

Only cross-post to truly relevant subreddits
Use Reddit’s built-in “crosspost” feature when possible
Customize your title for each subreddit to match its specific audience and rules
Space out your cross-posts over time to avoid appearing spammy
Engage uniquely in the comments of each cross-post

Making Your Own Posts

Creating original posts is a powerful way to showcase your expertise and initiate discussions. Here are strategies for effective posting:

Content Types

1. Storytelling: Share personal experiences or case studies

People connect with stories, and they feel less promotional
Example: “How I Turned My Failing Bakery Around: A 6-Month Journey”

2. Asking Questions: Initiate discussions with genuine curiosity

Avoid obvious lead-fishing; ask questions you truly want answers to
Example: “Fellow small business owners, what’s your most effective customer retention strategy?”

3. AMAs (Ask Me Anything): Once established, offer your expertise to the community

Be prepared for personal questions and maintain transparency
Example: “I’m a small business tax expert with 20 years of experience. AMA about tax strategies for entrepreneurs!”

4. Original Content: Share valuable, in-depth content directly on Reddit

This could be industry analysis, how-to guides, or insightful observations
Example: A detailed post on “10 Common Legal Mistakes Small Businesses Make and How to Avoid Them”

Using Photos Effectively

Visual content can significantly boost engagement on Reddit. Here’s how to use photos effectively:

Ensure images are high-quality and relevant to your post
Use before/after photos to showcase transformations or results
Include infographics to present data or complex information visually
Always respect copyright; use your own images or properly licensed ones
Consider adding explanatory text or captions to provide context

Remember: Some subreddits have specific rules about image posts, so always check before sharing visual content.

Title Strategies

SEO-focused: Use keywords that match what people might search for on Google

Examples: “What [this new law] means for people in Nevada” or “How to know if it’s time to replace your AC unit”

Click-bait: Create intrigue or urgency to encourage clicks

Example: “This customer wanted a refund after giving me 5-stars” or “I thought this was going to be a waste of my time, but it changed my life”

9. Handling Feedback and Engagement

Engaging with feedback, both positive and negative, is crucial for maintaining a strong presence on Reddit.

Dealing with Negative Feedback

Stay calm and professional: Emotional responses often backfire on Reddit
Respond promptly: Quick, thoughtful responses show you’re attentive and care
Address the issue, not the tone: Focus on the core of the criticism, even if it’s harshly delivered
Admit mistakes if necessary: Redditors appreciate honesty and accountability
Offer solutions: If possible, suggest how you’ll address the issue or improve

Engaging Constructively with Criticism

Ask for clarification if the feedback is vague
Thank users for their input, even if you disagree
Use criticism as an opportunity to showcase your expertise or explain your perspective
Consider updating your original post with edits addressing common criticisms
Adding “EDIT:” to the bottom of a post you edited with notes on the edits you made is common practice to maintain the integrity of the post

Building Positive Relationships

Respond to positive comments with genuine appreciation and upvotes
Follow up on suggestions or ideas shared by community members
Remember and reference past interactions to build continuity in relationships
Offer help or resources beyond just what’s related to your business

10. Reddit Advertising Options

While organic engagement is crucial, Reddit also offers paid advertising options that can complement your strategy.

Types of Reddit Ads

Promoted Posts: These appear like regular posts but are tagged as promoted

Display Ads: Traditional banner ads that appear in various locations on Reddit

Video Ads: Short video content that can appear in-feed or as a banner

Benefits of Reddit Advertising

Highly targeted: You can target specific subreddits or interests
Cost-effective: Often less expensive than other social media platforms
Various formats: Choose the ad type that best suits your content and goals

Best Practices for Reddit Ads

Maintain the Reddit “voice” in your ad copy; avoid overly salesy language
Use eye-catching visuals that blend well with Reddit’s aesthetic
Engage with comments on your ads; treat them like organic posts
A/B test different ad formats and targeting options to optimize performance

Remember: Combining paid Reddit advertising with organic Reddit engagement allows businesses to build community trust while driving results. While ads can boost visibility, they should complement, not replace, your organic engagement strategy.

11. Long-term Reddit Strategy

Success on Reddit comes from consistent, valuable engagement over time. Here’s how to approach your long-term strategy:

Flexibility in Engagement

Unlike other platforms, Reddit doesn’t penalize you for inconsistent activity
You can engage intensively for a few days and then step away for weeks or even a month
This flexibility allows you to fit Reddit into your schedule as time permits

Advantages of Regular Checking

While consistency isn’t crucial, frequent check-ins can be beneficial
The more often you check, the more likely you are to find ideal posts to comment on
Some valuable subreddits only get a few posts per day, so daily check-ins can give you an edge

Balancing Self-Promotion and Community Contribution

When promoting, focus on providing value rather than direct sales pitches
Use your expertise to help others, which indirectly promotes your business

Leveraging Established Credibility

Once you’ve built a solid reputation:

You can be more direct about offering your services when relevant
Your posts and comments are likely to receive more attention and trust
You might be invited to participate in AMAs or contribute to wiki pages

12. Other Effective Uses for Reddit

Beyond direct engagement, Reddit can be a valuable resource for various aspects of your business:

Content Inspiration

Use popular posts and comments as inspiration for blog posts, videos, or social media content
Look for frequently asked questions in your industry to create FAQ content
Identify trending topics or concerns in your field for timely content creation

Market Research and User Feedback

Observe discussions about products or services similar to yours
Use Reddit to gauge public opinion on industry trends or new ideas
Consider creating polls (if allowed in the subreddit) to gather direct feedback

Networking and Collaboration

Connect with other professionals in your industry
Find potential partners or collaborators for projects
Discover industry events or conferences through subreddit announcements

Competitive Analysis

Monitor how your competitors engage on Reddit
Identify gaps in the market based on user pain points or requests
Stay updated on industry news and developments

Remember: While these strategies can provide valuable insights, always respect Reddit’s rules and community norms. Avoid using the platform solely for data mining or market research without also contributing value to the community.

Conclusion

Reddit remains one of the most powerful yet underutilized platforms for small business marketing in 2025. With the addition of Reddit Pro tools and the AI-powered Reddit Answers feature, businesses now have more resources than ever to succeed on the platform.

The key to success on Reddit hasn’t changed: be authentic, provide value, and engage genuinely with communities. The new tools simply make it easier to find opportunities, measure your impact, and reach the right audiences.

Start slowly, focus on building relationships first, and let your business growth on Reddit happen organically as a result of the trust and credibility you establish within communities.

The Best Website Builders for Small Businesses: A Comprehensive Guide

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 07:04:51 GMT

For 99% of small businesses, there are really only 3 website builders you need to know about. And it’s actually pretty easy to decide which one’s right for you. This guide will break down the best options for different types of businesses, focusing on what each platform does best and who should use it.

Choosing the Right Website Builder for Your Small Business

Choosing the right website builder is crucial for small businesses. Your website is often the first point of contact between you and potential customers, so it needs to be functional, professional, and suited to your specific needs. This guide will help you navigate the options and choose the best website builder for your business.

Shopify: Best for E-commerce Businesses

If you’re an e-commerce business, if you primarily make money by selling products, then you want to go with Shopify. It’s the best option for businesses focused on online sales, and here’s why:

Easy Setup Process

Shopify makes it really easy to set up a website. If you have a budget, you’ll probably still want to hire a developer, but if you’re technically savvy, you can definitely do it on your own. There’s a lot of material out there on how to build a Shopify website, which can guide you through the process.

Key Features and Benefits

Shopify handles all the really tricky stuff that comes with running an online store:

Easy Store Setup
User-friendly interface for adding products and customizing your store
Mobile-responsive themes for professional-looking design
Payment Processing
Built-in payment system (Shopify Payments)
Integration with popular payment gateways
Automatic tax calculations
Shipping Management
Real-time shipping rates and label printing
Integrations with major shipping carriers
Inventory Tracking
Automatic inventory updates across channels
Low stock alerts
Marketing and SEO Tools
Basic SEO features for product listings
Integration with Google Merchant Center for product ads
Social media selling on platforms like Facebook and Instagram

All of these features are very easily handled by Shopify automatically. This means you don’t have to deal with any of that really annoying e-commerce stuff that can be time-consuming and complex.

DIY vs. Hiring a Developer

While Shopify is designed to be user-friendly, your decision to DIY or hire a developer should be based on a few factors:

Your technical skills and comfort level with website building
The complexity of your desired store design
Your budget
The time you can dedicate to building and maintaining your site

If you’re comfortable with technology and have the time, you can certainly build your Shopify store yourself. However, if you want a more custom design or don’t have the time to learn the platform, hiring a developer might be the better option.

Wix: Best for DIY Service-Based Businesses

If you’re not an e-commerce business, if you offer services or you’re a SaaS company, then Wix is an excellent option, especially if you want to build your website yourself.

User-Friendly Interface

Wix is definitely the best option for DIY website building. They make it super easy to set up a really nice templated website, and you really don’t need any technical knowledge.

AI-Assisted Design

One of Wix’s standout features is its AI capabilities. The AI will build your layout for you and give you some starter content. From there, you can just start making edits to customize your site.

Key Features

Wix handles a lot of the difficult technical stuff that often trips up small business owners:

All-in-One Platform
Domain registration and web hosting included
Secure and reliable hosting infrastructure
User-Friendly Design Tools
Drag-and-drop editor for easy customization
Wide range of professionally designed templates
Mobile-responsive designs
Business Tools
Appointment scheduling system
Customer management features
Email marketing tools
E-Commerce Capabilities
Online store features for selling products or services
Secure payment processing
SEO and Marketing
Built-in SEO tools for improving visibility
Integration with Google Analytics and Search Console
Social media integration

These integrations make it easier for you to get your site up and running, and to start tracking and improving your performance right away.

Template-Based Design Advantages

As long as you don’t mind using a template, there’s no better website builder for do-it-yourself websites than Wix. The template approach has several advantages:

Professional design without the need for design skills
Responsive layouts that work well on all devices
Faster setup time
Consistent look and feel across your site

While templates might not offer the same level of customization as a fully custom site, they provide a great balance of professionalism and ease of use for most small businesses.

WordPress: Best for Custom Websites with Professional Help

If you have at least $4,000 to spend and you can pay someone else to build your website, we recommend WordPress. It’s by far the most popular website builder and offers the most flexibility without the costs of custom development.

Flexibility and Customization

WordPress gives you a lot more flexibility than you’re going to find on Shopify or Wix or any of these templated website builders. While you can use templates within WordPress, you can also build completely custom websites. Pretty much any feature you’d find on a website can be built inside of WordPress.

Extensive Plugin Ecosystem

One of WordPress’s biggest strengths is its vast plugin ecosystem. These plugins allow you to add various functionalities to your site without needing to code them from scratch. This includes everything from contact forms and SEO tools to e-commerce capabilities and membership systems.

WooCommerce for E-commerce

If you’re selling products, but they aren’t the core part of your business, WooCommerce is a great plugin for WordPress. It allows you to add e-commerce functionality to your WordPress site, making it a good option for businesses that primarily offer services but also want to sell some products.

Cost Considerations

The $4,000 starting point we mentioned will get you a pretty basic WordPress site. If you’re looking for something more custom or bigger, the cost does start to go up. But for most small businesses, you can get a decent looking WordPress site up with about $4,000 from a good development company.

When to Choose WordPress

WordPress is ideal for businesses that:

Need a highly customized website
Plan to scale their online presence significantly over time
Require specific functionalities not easily found in templated builders
Have the budget to hire professional help for setup and maintenance

Choosing the Right Website Builder for Your Business

Selecting the right website builder depends on several factors specific to your business. Here’s a quick recap to help you decide:

Shopify : Best for businesses primarily selling products online. Choose Shopify if e-commerce is your main focus and you need robust tools for managing an online store.
Wix : Ideal for service-based businesses or small businesses looking to build their own website quickly and easily. Choose Wix if you want a DIY option with professional-looking templates and easy-to-use tools.
WordPress : Best for businesses needing a custom website and having the budget to hire professional help. Choose WordPress if you need maximum flexibility and customization options.

Consider these factors when making your decision:

Your technical skills and available time
Your budget
The primary purpose of your website (e-commerce, services, information)
The level of customization you need
Your plans for scaling or adding features in the future

Remember, the best website builder for your business is the one that meets your specific needs and allows you to effectively represent your business online.

How to Know if Your SEO Campaign is Working: Beyond Keyword Rankings

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 07:20:24 GMT

As an SEO expert, one of the most common questions I hear is, “How do I know if my SEO campaign is working?” It’s a crucial question because without proper measurement, you’re essentially operating in the dark. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the most effective ways to measure your SEO success, dispel some common misconceptions, and show you exactly what metrics matter for your business.

Why Keyword Rankings Alone Are Unreliable for Measuring SEO Success

Many people’s first instinct is to look at keyword rankings. After all, if your website is ranking higher for your target keywords, that means your SEO is working, right? Not necessarily.

Rank tracking can be unreliable. For example, I’ve seen cases where tools like Ahrefs show that a website’s traffic is down based on ranking data, even when I know for certain that it’s actually up. This discrepancy highlights why you shouldn’t rely solely on keyword ranking data.

That said, keyword rankings aren’t entirely useless. They can be a helpful indicator when you don’t have access to actual search traffic data. But if you do have access to that data (and you should), it’s far more valuable.

Google Search Console: The Primary Tool for SEO Measurement

When it comes to measuring SEO effectiveness, Google Search Console (GSC) is your best friend. It’s completely free to set up and provides data directly from Google, making it the most reliable source for search traffic information.

Setting up Google Search Console

If you haven’t already set up Google Search Console, here’s a quick guide:

Go to the Google Search Console website.
Click on “Start now” and sign in with your Google account.
Add your property:

For a domain, select “Domain” and enter your domain name.
For a URL prefix, select “URL prefix” and enter your website’s URL.

Verify your ownership of the property. Google provides several methods:

HTML file upload
Meta tag
Google Analytics
Google Tag Manager
Domain name provider

Once verified, wait for data to populate (this can take a few days).

Key Metrics Provided by Google Search Console

Once set up, GSC will show you crucial data, including:

How many times your site appeared in search results (impressions)
How many times users clicked through to your website (clicks)
Which keywords you’re showing up for
Which pages users are landing on

This data is invaluable because it shows you exactly how your site is performing in Google’s search results, straight from the source.

Focus on Business Outcomes: Not All Traffic is Created Equal

While increasing search traffic is great, it’s not the end goal for most businesses. What you really care about is sales and conversions.

The Difference Between Informational and Transactional Queries

Let’s take a window tinting shop as an example. They might have a blog post about repairing car paint chips that gets a lot of search traffic. While blog posts can be valuable for building authority and attracting visitors, the truth is that very little of this traffic is likely to convert into actual sales.

Why? Because Google doesn’t typically rank blog posts for what we call “transactional queries.” Blog posts rank well for informational queries – when people are looking for information. But when someone searches for “window tinting near me,” that’s a transactional query. For these types of searches, Google tends to show business listings, homepages, and service pages.

Why Transactional Page Traffic Matters More Than Blog Post Views

For most businesses, one visit to a transactional page is far more valuable than a thousand visits to a blog post. There are exceptions, of course – some blog posts do convert better than others. But in general, visits to your transactional pages are what you should be focusing on when measuring SEO success.

Isolating Transactional Page Traffic

Now that we understand the importance of transactional pages, let’s look at how to isolate this traffic in Google Search Console. We’ll use regex filters to focus on the pages that matter most for your business.

Using Regex in Google Search Console

Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with regex – I’ve created a tool to make this process simple. Here’s how to use it:

Open our URL to GSC Regex tool .
In the “Exact URLs” field, paste the URLs of your transactional pages. These typically include:

Your homepage
The page your Google Business Profile links to
Your service pages
Your product and category pages (for e-commerce sites)

If your site follows a consistent structure for service or product pages (e.g., all product pages are under /product/), you can use the “URLs that contain” field instead.
Hit “Generate Regex” and copy the resulting string.
In Google Search Console, click “New” to add a page filter.
Choose “Custom (regex)”, ensure it says “Matches regex”, and paste your regex string.
Click “Apply”.

Now you’re looking at data for just your transactional pages.

Excluding Branded Searches to Measure True SEO Performance

To truly measure your SEO effectiveness, we need to exclude branded searches. People searching for your company name aren’t finding you through SEO – they’re looking for you specifically.

Here’s how to filter out branded searches:

In GSC, click “New” to add a query filter.
Choose “Custom (regex)”.
Enter words from your brand name that wouldn’t appear in non-branded searches. For example, if your company is “Elite Window Tinting”, you might just use “elite”.
Set it to “Doesn’t match regex” and apply.

Now you’re looking at all the non-branded, transactional search traffic to your website – this is your true SEO traffic.

Analyzing SEO Performance

With your filters in place, you’re ready to analyze your SEO performance. Here’s what to focus on:

Comparing Year-over-Year Data

To account for seasonality, it’s best to compare your data year-over-year. Here’s how:

In GSC, set your date range to the last three months.
Click “Compare” and select “Compare to same period last year”.
Apply the comparison.

Now you can see how your SEO traffic has changed compared to the same period last year.

Key Metrics to Focus On

Overall traffic growth: Calculate the percentage increase in clicks year-over-year. This gives you a high-level view of your SEO progress.
Top-performing queries: Look at which queries have seen the biggest improvements. This can help you understand which aspects of your SEO strategy are working best.
Improved pages: Identify which pages are driving the most growth. This can guide your content strategy and help you replicate successes across your site.

Measuring SEO Success Through Business-Relevant Metrics

Measuring SEO effectiveness isn’t about tracking hundreds of keyword rankings or celebrating every increase in overall traffic. It’s about focusing on the metrics that truly matter for your business:

Non-branded traffic to transactional pages
Year-over-year growth in this traffic
Improvements in queries and pages that drive conversions

By following the process outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to cut through the noise and truly understand if your SEO campaign is working. Remember, the goal isn’t just to increase traffic – it’s to drive relevant visitors who are likely to become customers.

Keep in mind that SEO is a long-term strategy. While you might see some quick wins, sustainable growth often takes time. Use these measurement techniques consistently, and you’ll be able to track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate the real value of your SEO efforts.

Why Local Citations Probably Don’t Improve Your Google Search Ranking And Why You Should Buy Them Anyway

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 07:27:12 GMT

I’m subscribed to BrightLocal’s newsletter, and I think everyone should be. BrightLocal is great; they put out a fantastic newsletter, and I really like their service. WhiteSpark is probably great too, but BrightLocal just offers an unbeatable price. So I love them, and I gotta say that because I have a little bit of criticism and some thoughts on local citations, and I bet if you’re an SEO, you have some thoughts too.

BrightLocal recently sent out an article as part of their newsletter titled “ How to Claim Your A Greater Town Listing. ” My immediate reaction was, “What’s a Greater Town?” Is this some directory that I need to get my clients into? Have I not heard about this very important citation from some new booming website?

Investigating Greater Town’s SEO Performance Using Ahrefs

To figure out what Greater Town is doing, I went over to Ahrefs. It looks like Greater Town kind of blew up last year, but then either the August core update or the helpful content update knocked them down. Now they’re getting about 311 visits a month, which is roughly 10 visits a day to 13,246 pages. This means the average page there gets about one visit every four weeks. Most of us in the SEO community at this point think there’s not really any sense in having a citation from a website that doesn’t get any visits.

Understanding Bias in SEO Tools and Their Impact on Local Citations

BrightLocal is great software, but why would they want us to care about having a listing in Greater Town? Well, because they provide the service, right? They’re inherently biased, and I really do think that BrightLocal means well and does everything to help their customers, but it’s undeniable—they have a bias. We all have biases. They’re invisible most of the time. They have reasons for wanting us to think that local citations really matter.

Do Local Citations Still Matter for SEO in 2024?

Of course, local citations matter, right? Everyone in local SEO knows that citations matter. We build citations for our clients; it’s just what you do when you do local SEO. But personally, I’ve been doing this for 14 years now. I’ve yet to see any definitive proof. We put out the citations, but I’ve never seen the bump up. You’d think after doing this for hundreds of clients, we’d occasionally be like, “Aha! There was the ranking boost from the citations!” We did the citations, we got the ranking boost. But we haven’t seen it.

So I started doing a little more digging to see what information is out there. Fortunately, Joy Hawkins from Sterling Sky put out a video just a few weeks ago. Sterling Sky does some great content—some of the best in local SEO, in my opinion. Subscribe to their newsletter too; they have great stuff. Joy’s video discussed whether citations still matter in 2024. They say, “Hey, there was this study done. They still matter in 2024,” according to the video. That was great news, and I couldn’t wait to learn more about this study.

Reviewing Uberall’s Study on Local Citations and SEO

Well, I found it. The only study that they could have been talking about is this one from Uberall . I looked for the stats, and this is what I found: the same stats from a study written in 2021, with data from 2019 to 2020. And guess what? Uberall sells citations. They point out that you might expect a company offering listing management as a key product to be biased in favor of local listings. I haven’t found any new data since this period.

Community Insights: Do Local Citations Improve Search Rankings?

I did some quick Googling and found some interesting insights. Quora had a great answer from on why local listings matter. PRM4U also provided some great information, definitely not generated by ChatGPT, on what local listings can offer. They also offer a comprehensive suite of services to boost your online presence. Other sources, presumably using the same ChatGPT prompt, offer similar responses. Quora is just the top-ranking post, because of course it is.

BrightLocal and Moz will tell you why citations matter, and many other websites offer local citation services. However, Search Engine Journal stands out because they don’t sell citations. I trust Search Engine Journal. Miranda Miller, in particular, seems to know her stuff . She talks about evidence for citations as a ranking factor, but this evidence often dates back to 2020, 2018, and 2016. Most of this evidence relies on respondents saying that citation accuracy is important for local search rankings.

Practical Tips for Using Affordable Citation Services Like BrightLocal

The bottom line is, I don’t know if citations work. BrightLocal makes it so easy and cheap to buy citations that when we get a new client, I’m going to pay them $50 to put out citations on the top 25 websites. It’s probably doing nothing, but it costs just $50, and that client will pay us tens of thousands of dollars over the campaign’s lifecycle. If there’s a small chance, even a 5% chance, that this will move the needle 10%, it’s worth the $50.

Until we see definitive proof that it doesn’t work, you might as well use a service like BrightLocal. I would not recommend using services like Yext or others that charge hundreds of dollars every year for minimal returns. If you need to update a listing, you can just buy another $2 submission through Bright Local. My guess is these services are probably doing nothing or next to nothing, and I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.

Google’s Official Position on Local Citations and Directory Listings

In her article, Miller points out that Google emphasizes the importance of having accurate information online, but they only say this about Google Business Profile. I did some digging and couldn’t find Google saying anything about the importance of being listed in other directories. Miller concludes that it’s all but confirmed by Google that they use local citations, but I couldn’t find any evidence to support this. They only talk about their own listing.

Why would Google care if your information is in directories that no one uses? It’s free to spam these directories. There was probably a time when Google relied on this information, but if a directory is hardly indexed by Google and doesn’t receive traffic, I can’t imagine why Google would care that your business is listed there with the same address and phone number.

That’s my hot take. I’m skeptical about the true impact of local citations. Let me know what you think and tell me why I’m wrong. Thanks.

How to Block Internal/Logged-In Traffic From Google Analytics Using Google Tag Manager (Without Using a Plugin)

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 08:34:55 GMT

When you’re running a website – especially a smaller one – every user counts. It’s essential that the data you collect on user behavior is accurate. One of the issues that site owners often overlook is their own impact on this data. Every time you, your developer, or other team members visit your site, you’re potentially skewing the data collected by tools like Google Analytics. This is particularly significant for sites with modest traffic.

A common solution is to block tracking for logged-in users, as these are often site administrators, editors, or developers. Surprisingly, a lot of the guidance online for achieving this is provided by plugin developers. While their insights can be useful, they often have an ulterior motive: getting you to use their plugin. This means their instructions might either be unnecessarily complicated or oriented towards promoting their products.

In this article, we will explore the two easiest methods for blocking Google Tag Manager (GTM) tags for logged-in WordPress users without using a plugin!

Method 1: If WP-Admin Bar is Present

For most WordPress sites, you can determine a user’s logged-in status based on the presence of the WordPress admin bar using pure JavaScript within Google Tag Manager (GTM). This can be a more straightforward approach if you’re trying to avoid dealing with PHP and theme modifications.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Create a New Custom JavaScript Variable in GTM:

Login to Google Tag Manager and navigate to your container.
Click on “Variables” in the left sidebar.
Click on the “New” button to create a new variable.
Name the variable : Set the name to something like isAdminBarPresent .
Choose Variable Type :

Click on “Variable Configuration”.
Choose “Custom JavaScript” from the list.

Enter the Custom JavaScript :

In the code area, enter the following JavaScript:

function() {

// Check if the admin bar element is present in the DOM

var adminBar = document.getElementById('wpadminbar');

return adminBar !== null;

}

This function checks for the presence of the WordPress admin bar by looking for an element with the ID wpadminbar in the DOM. If the admin bar is present, it returns true ; otherwise, it returns false .

Save the variable. It should look something like this:

2. Utilizing the `isAdminBarPresent` Variable in GTM:

You can now use this variable as a condition in your GTM triggers.

For example, if you want to prevent a GA4 event from firing when the admin bar is present (indicating a user is logged in):

Navigate to “Tags” and select (or create) the tag you’d like to control.
In the “Triggering” section of the tag, create a new trigger or modify an existing one.
Configure the trigger such that it fires only when the isAdminBarPresent variable is false .

Here’s an example showing how your page view GA4 event trigger might look after this implementation :

Here’s an example showing how your form submission GA4 event trigger might look after this implementation :

Here’s an example showing how your GA4 Configure tag might look after this implementation :

This method uses client-side checks and avoids any server-side code, making it simpler to implement directly within GTM. However, always ensure to test thoroughly to make sure it works reliably across different pages and user states.

Method 2: Pushing Logged-In Status to the Data Layer

This method involves using WordPress’ built-in functions to check if a user is logged in and then pushing this information to Google Tag Manager’s data layer. This allows for more flexibility, letting you pick and choose which tags to block based on the user’s logged-in status.

Steps:

1. Add a PHP Script to Your Theme or Child Theme:

Navigate to your WordPress theme’s functions.php file. If you’re using a child theme (recommended), add it there.
Add the following code:

function push_user_status_to_datalayer() {

$user_status = is_user_logged_in() ? 'logged_in' : 'logged_out';

// Escaping the JavaScript string

$user_status = esc_js( $user_status ); echo "<script>

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer [];

window.dataLayer.push({

'event': 'user_status_event',

'userStatus': '$user_status'

});

</script>";

}

add_action('wp_head', 'push_user_status_to_datalayer');

This code will push an event to the data layer every time a page is loaded, indicating the user’s status (logged in or logged out).

2. Utilizing the Data Layer Variable in GTM:

In GTM, navigate to “Variables”.
Create a new variable named “userStatus”.
For variable type, select “Data Layer Variable”.
Set the Data Layer Variable Name to “userStatus”.
Save the variable.
Now, when setting up triggers for your tags, you can use this variable to conditionally fire tags.
For instance, if you want to block a tag for logged-in users:
Navigate to “Tags” and select (or create) the tag you want to control.
In the “Triggering” section, create a new trigger or modify an existing one.
Set it to fire only when the userStatus variable does not equal logged_in .

Debug Mode Consideration :

When you’re testing and debugging, you might not want to block any tags, even for logged-in users.
To ensure tags aren’t blocked in debug mode, you can add an additional condition in your trigger. GTM automatically sets a gtm_debug variable when in debug mode.
Adjust your trigger conditions to also check if gtm_debug is not true. This will override the user status condition, ensuring tags fire while debugging.

This method gives developers more control over which tags to block based on the logged-in status. With the addition of the debug mode check, you can smoothly transition between debugging and regular tracking, ensuring that no data is missed during testing and that no internal data skews your results during regular operation.

Method 3: Setting and Checking a Cookie Based on Data Layer Information

Using cookies to store and subsequently check a user’s logged-in status offers the benefit of persisting the information across sessions. This can be handy when you want to have a historical record of the user’s last known status without repeatedly querying the server. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Follow Step #1 of Method #2: Add a PHP Script to Your Theme or Child Theme:

Navigate to your WordPress theme’s functions.php file. If you’re using a child theme (recommended), add it there.
Add the following code:

function push_user_status_to_datalayer() {

$user_status = is_user_logged_in() ? 'logged_in' : 'logged_out';

// Escaping the JavaScript string

$user_status = esc_js( $user_status ); echo "<script>

window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer [];

window.dataLayer.push({

'event': 'user_status_event',

'userStatus': '$user_status'

});

</script>";

}

add_action('wp_head', 'push_user_status_to_datalayer');

This code will push an event to the data layer every time a page is loaded, indicating the user’s status (logged in or logged out).

2. Setting a Cookie in GTM When User Logs In:

In GTM, create a new custom HTML tag.
Name the tag something descriptive like “Set Logged-In Cookie”.
Enter the following custom HTML code

<script>

(function() {

if ({{userStatus}} === 'logged_in') {

var d = new Date();

d.setTime(d.getTime() + (365*24*60*60*1000)); // set for 1 year

var expires = "expires="+ d.toUTCString();

document.cookie = "userStatus=logged_in; " + expires + "; path=/";

}

})();

</script>

For the triggering condition, use the previously defined user_status_event as the event that activates this tag.

3. Creating a GTM Variable to Read the Cookie:

In GTM, navigate to “Variables” and create a new variable.
Name it something like “Cookie – User Status”.
For the variable type, select “1st Party Cookie”.
Set the cookie name to “userStatus”.

4. Setting Up a Trigger Condition Based on the Cookie:

Navigate to “Triggers” in GTM.
Create a new trigger named something like “User is Logged-In (via Cookie)”.
Choose “Page View” as the event.
Set the triggering condition to fire when the “Cookie – User Status” variable equals logged_in .

5. Blocking Specific Tags for Logged-In Users:

Navigate to “Tags” and select (or create) the tag you want to control.
In the “Triggering” section, either modify an existing trigger or add a new exception trigger.
For the exception condition, choose the “User is Logged-In (via Cookie)” trigger you created in the previous step.

Debug Mode Consideration:

As with the previous methods, you should account for GTM’s debug mode. This ensures that while you’re testing and debugging, tags won’t be blocked even for logged-in users.
Adjust your tag’s trigger conditions to also check if gtm_debug is not true, which will ensure tags fire while in debug mode but not during regular site visits by logged-in users.

This method uses cookies, allowing you to store the logged-in status for an extended period and efficiently block or allow tags based on that persistent status. By integrating this method with GTM and the Data Layer, you can have a versatile, robust, and efficient system for controlling which tags fire for different user states. As always, make sure to test thoroughly to ensure that all components work seamlessly.

Embracing AI in SEO: How We’re Transforming Our Strategy

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 08:49:11 GMT

TL;DR / Cheat Sheet

AI Revolution in SEO : Modern AI is changing the way we search for information, with AI chatbots answering specific questions, reducing the need to sift through multiple web pages.
Impact on Websites : Websites that rely on visitor traffic (blogs, news sites, etc.) may struggle as AI reduces overall website traffic. However, websites representing real-world businesses will see a revolution in how customers find and choose their services.
AI Assistants and the Knowledge Graph : Future AI assistants will tap into vast online data to answer specific and nuanced questions, using Google’s ‘knowledge graph’ database. However, much of the detailed business information is not yet available online.
Rising Demand for Detailed Business Information : As AI chatbot use increases, so will the demand for detailed, nuanced business information. Businesses that provide this information will have an advantage.
Comprehensive Business Content : To meet the demand for detailed information, businesses will need to create comprehensive content about their services, operations, and local industry. We’re shifting our focus to help our clients become comprehensive resources in their industry.
Shift from Broad to Deep Content Strategy : We’re moving from creating broad content to answering more nuanced, specific questions about the business and local industry, providing unique responses that AI can’t generate without human input.
Evolving Content Creation : We’re evolving our content creation process to sound more like it’s coming directly from the business owner, leveraging AI to enhance our processes and collect more detailed information.
Harnessing AI for Information Collection : We’re using AI to boost our efficiency in collecting and utilizing information, increasing the volume of information we gather from, and for, our clients.
The Rising Value of Video Content : Video content is becoming increasingly valuable. We’re encouraging our clients to adopt the content-creation habits of an influencer, recording short videos about their business and industry.
Multipurpose Potential of Video Content : Video content can be stored and repurposed in many ways, including transcriptions, social media posts, website content, and blog posts.
Leveraging Google’s “Perspectives” Feature : Google’s new “Perspectives” feature shows videos and social media posts from experts in response to complex questions. This presents a great opportunity for businesses to increase their visibility.
Thriving in the AI Era : Despite the rapid advancements in AI, we see them as exciting opportunities for small businesses to boost their online visibility. With our suite of services, we’re ready to help your business thrive in the AI era.

The Dawn of AI in Information Search

Modern AI, although still less than a year old, is rapidly changing the way we search for information, progressing faster than any previous technology. It won’t be too long before everyone has easy access to free, fast, intelligent AI that makes fewer mistakes than the average website. In that world, why would anyone sift through multiple web pages trying to find the one piece of information they actually want, when they can just ask an AI chat bot their specific question?

The Impact of AI on Different Types of Websites

There are really just two types of websites online, and they will each be affected very differently by this change. The first type are websites that exist merely to attract visitors. Blogs, news websites, affiliate websites, any site that makes money directly from visits to their site. This type of site is in serious trouble, as AI is going to start taking more and more traffic away from websites in general.

The Future of Business Websites in the AI Era

The second type of website is websites like our clients’. Websites which represent an actual business in the real world. While website visits may decrease due to AI, demand for products and services will remain, but the way customers find and choose businesses will be revolutionized.

The Power of AI Assistants and the Knowledge Graph

Imagine a world where we all have an AI assistant far superior to today’s virtual assistants. These AI assistants can tap into the vast data online to answer incredibly specific and nuanced questions. Think of queries like, “Which local automotive repair shops have certified technicians for electric vehicles, offer a loaner car service, and can perform a full diagnostic and repair on my car’s make and model within the next 48 hours?’ Or, “What are the best- rated vegan-friendly hair salons within five miles of my location, that use cruelty- free products and can provide me an appointment on Saturday afternoon with a stylist who has experience with curly hair?”

The Limitations of Current Online Information

But how will AI choose which businesses to present for these types of questions? Google already scrapes information from every high quality website online, including discussion forums and business reviews. They then convert that information into structured data, capturing key details about all online products, services, and businesses. This data is stored in a system known as the ‘knowledge graph,’ a kind of database that Google uses to enhance its search results

However, a lot of this information just isn’t available online… yet. Most companies don’t post their pricing online. Most companies don’t go into detail about their service offerings and all the options the customers have. Most companies don’t detail the specifics of how their business operates. There is very little information about specific cities and neighborhoods and how the industry might differ from other cities and neighborhoods. Therefore, Google and other AI assistants will be limited to presenting the small number of businesses which actually share this information publicly.

The Rising Demand for Detailed Business Information

Today, there’s not much pressure to share super nuanced details about your company and local industry online (although the pressure has already started to build). No one asks these questions, because they understand search engines can’t provide a good answer. However, as many more people start using AI chatbots and assistants, the frequency of these types of searches is going to start to rise.

The Need for Comprehensive Business Content

As these searches become more prevalent, businesses will be pressured to respond by sharing more details about their business. However, when you imagine every detail someone might include in a single questions – their location, their budget, their preferences, their level of understanding, their schedule, their history with the industry – businesses will have to create a huge amount of content about themselves and their local industry to give the AI what it needs to recommend their business for each of these unique questions. Businesses that wait until the demand arises might be surpassed by businesses who already have a head start.

Our New Focus: Comprehensive Resource Creation

That is the main reason we’re shifting our focus towards this project. We want to turn each of our clients’ websites into a comprehensive resource of not only their business but also of their industry within their city and neighborhood. We want to make sure that whenever someone in their area asks a question related to their services, their website will provide the answer.

The Shift from Broad to Deep Content Strategy

This isn’t new, per se; we’ve been focusing on high-quality comprehensive content for years now. What’s new is the depth of questions we expect to start seeing. Historically, our strategy has been to build one in-depth, high-quality page for each service before pivoting to blog content which addresses common industry questions. In the future, these common questions can be answered more and more easily by AI chatbots and assistants, without the user ever needing to visit a business’s website. Therefore, we are starting to focus more on nuanced questions for which we can provide a unique response. Questions about the company itself, questions specific to the area, questions about competitors, and questions for which the business can provide a unique opinion or perspective (more on perspectives in a bit). In short, instead of going broad with our content strategy, we need to start going deeper.

Evolving Content Creation in the AI Era

This evolving strategy will require an evolving approach to content creation. Historically, we’ve been able to gather some basic details from our clients, do our own research, and then have our client review the final page or post. This has worked well so far. However, we believe content in the future will have to be less generic; it will have to sound as if it’s coming directly from the business owner, with their years of experience in the industry.

Harnessing AI for Efficient Information Collection

One key benefit of this emerging AI technology is its ability to enhance our processes. But rest assured, we’re not giving total control to the AI. We’ve been working diligently to identify the tasks that humans excel at, and those that AI can optimize. As expected, a balanced blend of human and AI yields the best results.

One particular area where AI has significantly boosted our efficiency is in collecting and utilizing information. As a result, we’re increasing the volume of information we gather from, and for, our clients.

The Importance of Extracting Expertise from Business Owners

Information can come from many different sources. For example, we already collect data on all of our clients websites via Google Analytics and Google Search Console. However, the type of information that is recently becoming more valuable can’t be collected automatically. It’s the experience and expertise of the business owner and team members. There are several methods we can and are using to extract this information from our clients. Often, this requires some time and effort from our clients themselves, which we know can be a challenge, but we think it’s worth it.

Leveraging Existing Content and Extracting Expertise from Business Owners

The most accessible source of information is existing content. It’s now very easy for us to extract text from videos, audio files, PDFs, and printed materials. It’s important that all of this is shared with us so we can transcribe it and store it internally. However, existing content is unlikely to address all the questions we aspire to answer. To get all the information required for that, we need to interview someone from the business, preferably the owner, but it could be anyone who’s knowledgeable about the business’s operations and industry.

Our Comprehensive Information Gathering Process

We’ve developed and are continuing to iterate on a comprehensive list of questions which help us uncover information which might be relevant to a prospective customer. While clients are welcome to answer these questions via email, we find we get the most comprehensive answers on a video call. We can then record the call, transcribe the text, and organize the information so it’s easy to utilize as needed. Due to the ambitious nature of the project, we will need to spend 3-5 hours with most clients to get all the information we need (and it could be even more for clients with a large number of services). We are currently splitting these up into a series of 1-hour calls. The calls can be spread out as much as necessary, and we suspect that even after we’ve completed the process, we’ll want to periodically hold additional calls to capture any updates to the business and industry.

The Power of Comprehensive Client Information

We’ve already begun testing this process and are very excited about the results. This large collection of information can be used in a number of ways. Most importantly, we can use it to create robust pages and in-depth blog posts which feel like they’re written by the business owner. Combined with our processes for structuring and optimizing each page, this has massive implications not only for AI optimization, but for traditional SEO. It helps us create the exact kind of content Google wants to rank at the top of page one. Having this large corpus of information on each client also has other utility, some of which we’ve yet to realize, others which we’re just starting to test. For example, we’ve begun using this process to train AI chat bots which can go on your website and which we can use internally to answer any questions about your business.

The Rising Value of Video Content

We’re not sure what the future of AI will look like, but we’re confident that having comprehensive information on each of our clients in the form of text will give us a huge advantage over their competitors. That being said, text isn’t the only form of content that’s becoming more valuable recently. As you might have noticed, video is also exploding in popularity. Google, Microsoft, Meta, and every other tech company are currently pushing video very hard, and we don’t think that’s going to end any time soon.

Adopting the Content-Creation Habits of an Influencer

While it used to require a huge investment to create videos, most popular videos today are recorded with the subject’s own phone or webcam. Therefore, we’re encouraging all our clients to adopt the content-creation habits of an influencer. Don’t worry, you don’t need a big following for this to be effective. You don’t even need to invest a significant amount of time in it. Simply getting in the habit of pulling out your phone and recording a 1-minute video once a week could have compounding effects over the next few years. Find yourself sharing an opinion with a customer or team member? Make it a video. Have a message you want to get out to customers or your industry? Make it a video. Do something for a customer that you’re especially proud of? Make it a video. Don’t worry if the videos are terrible at first – they will be – just get in the habit. Send the video to us, and let us figure out how to use it.

The Multipurpose Potential of Video Content

The great thing about video is that it can be stored and repurposed 100 different ways. We can transcribe the text and store it with the rest of the information we have on your business. We can post it to social media (with your permission, of course). We can post it to the website. We can create a blog post which reflects your perspective. And that brings me back to perspectives.

Leveraging Google’s New “Perspectives” Feature

Google recently launched a new feature called “Perspectives”. If you haven’t seen it yet, you probably will soon. It’s mostly appearing on mobile at the moment. When someone asks a question for which there isn’t an obvious answer, Google is starting to show videos and social media posts from experts with opinions on the question. As this feature improves, people will start to ask more and more of these types of questions in Google, which means the amount of views you could receive is going to increase dramatically. There has never been a better time to start recording quick videos for your customers and prospects.

Thriving in the AI Era Envision’s SEO of Services

While these rapid advancements might seem daunting, there’s no need to worry. We see them as exciting opportunities for small businesses to boost their online visibility. With our suite of services, including personalized SEO strategies, dynamic content creation, and new services such as AI chatbot creation, we’re ready to navigate these changes and help your business thrive in the AI era. We hope you share our enthusiasm for the exciting future that lies ahead!

Envision Clients: If you’re ready to start preparing for an AI led future, let us know.

Not an Envision Client? If you’re interested in how we can help you rank in Google, now and in the future, contact us today and let us show you what we can do for you.

Top ChatGPT Plugins for Local Service Businesses & SEO/AI News

Mon, 22 May 2023 08:58:01 GMT

ChatGPT Plugins are a Game Changer for Local Businesses

ChatGPT plugins have arrived for all plus users, and they are revolutionizing the digital marketing landscape, especially for local service businesses. These plugins are set to transform every aspect of your business, from customer service and sales to marketing and operations.

What are ChatGPT Plugins?

ChatGPT plugins are a new feature from OpenAI that allows you to customize the behavior of the ChatGPT model. You can make it more creative, focused, polite, or professional, tailoring it to fit your business and brand. The best part? It’s not just for big companies. This technology is available to all plus users, enabling businesses of all sizes to compete on a level playing field.

How Can ChatGPT Plugins Benefit Your Business?

The possibilities are endless. Here are some ways you can leverage ChatGPT plugins for your business:

Customer Service

ChatGPT can handle common questions, manage complaints, and schedule appointments, providing a seamless customer service experience.

Sales

It can answer product-related queries, assist customers in finding the right product, and even upsell and cross-sell, enhancing your sales process.

Marketing

ChatGPT can write blog posts, social media posts, and email newsletters, boosting your marketing efforts.

Operations

It can help with scheduling, inventory management, and project management, streamlining your operations.

Moreover, it’s not just a tool for your business; it’s a tool for your customers too. They can interact with the ChatGPT model on your website, social media, and emails, asking questions, getting help, and obtaining information.

Top 7 ChatGPT Plugins for Local SEO

Here are the top 7 ChatGPT plugins that can significantly enhance your local SEO efforts:

1. Link Reader

The Link Reader plugin makes ChatGPT twice as useful. It can read the content on any webpage more efficiently than the Web Browsing plugin. For any prompt that’s too long, simply copy the content into a Google Doc, publish it to the web, and give Link Reader the link.

2. Access Link

The Access Link plugin allows you to provide a list of URLs, and it can crawl the content on each before following your instructions. It’s a great tool for drafting meta tags for multiple pages with a single prompt. Scroll to the bottom to see the prompt I used.

3. AskYourPdf

AskYourPdf is similar to Link Reader but specifically for PDFs. It’s perfect for extracting valuable information from a client and drafting one or more blog posts or social media posts.

4. There’s An AI For That

This plugin helps you find an AI tool for whatever you need. It’s much better than other AI tool finders and allows you to provide more context than you could in a Google search.

5. Video Insights

Video Insights allows you to review the transcript of any YouTube video. It’s great for extracting valuable information from a long YouTube video or repurposing your video content for a blog post.

6. Speechki

SpeechkiBooks provides super fast, high-quality text-to-voice conversion. Need a quick voiceover? Just type the text, and it will give you the file. Here’s the file from the example in the video

7. Visla

Visla automatically generates videos with stock footage, including the script, text, and music. However, you might have to pay to remove the watermarks.

Other Noteworthy Plugins

Other plugins worth mentioning include Scraper, SEO Core AI, AI Tool Hunt, Competitor PPC Ads, Bramework, ChatWithVideo, Photorealistic, and Prompt Perfect.

AI and Search News for Local Businesses

YouTube is experimenting with disallowing ad blockers , which could potentially open up more inventory for advertisers.
Google is showing fewer local pack results , which could impact local businesses. However, this could be a preparation for the generative search experience, a new introduction of AI into the search results.
Google Business Profiles are expanding language assistance selection
GBP services are being shown even more prominently .
There’s a new study showing that it’s not yet possible to reliably detect if text is AI-generated .
Microsoft is starting to roll out GPT 4 (Copilot) in Clarity.

Optimize SEO Reporting with Our Google Search Console Reporting Helper Tool

Sat, 20 May 2023 09:04:34 GMT

RESOURCES

GSC Reporting Helper Sheet (Make a copy)

ChatGPT Prompt :

Act as a digital marketing account manager. Draft a short 2-3 sentence summary for you client, [CLIENT]’s SEO report, based on the information from the data below. You don’t have to include all of it, only the most important points. Focus on the positive, but if you notice significant negative trends, you can mention those as well. Pay extra attention to non-branded traffic and traffic specifically for their services. When referring to branded traffic, remember that this is unrelated to SEO; it’s just a reflection of how many people are searching specifically for their business. Use a friendly tone, but be professional. Speak with authority, but avoid bragging. Remember that you’re in charge of this campaign, but no one can fully control search rankings. Feel free to provide explanations for trends, but avoid saying anything that would make you seem negligent or incompetent. Avoid industry jargon and speak directly to the business owner. Get right to the point; there’s no need for a greeting. Keep in brief and concise. Let me know if you have any questions before you begin.

Here’s the data:

[PASTE BULLET POINTS]

SEO professionals understand that a substantial part of their role includes data analysis, interpretation, and regular reporting to clients. Yet, it’s common knowledge that creating valuable, insightful, and comprehensible reports can be an intricate and time-consuming process. That’s why we at Envision decided to make life easier for SEOs, particularly those working with smaller local businesses, by developing the Google Search Console Reporting Helper tool.

As SEO practitioners, we’ve long recognized the inherent drawbacks of automated reports. The data extracted from these reports often lacks depth and fails to provide actionable insights. Our tool offers a solution to this problem by helping SEOs extract and analyze data from Google Search Console, a platform we believe offers the most useful insights for smaller businesses.

After rigorous testing and refinement, we’re excited to introduce our Google Search Console Reporting Helper tool. With this tool, we’ve been able to decrease the time spent on report generation from hours to just 10 minutes.

How to Set Up the Spreadsheet

The Google Search Console Reporting Helper Tool is a spreadsheet-based tool that aids in generating comprehensive reports. The setup process usually takes around 20 minutes and needs to be done only once. The main feature of this tool is the ability to create custom query filters and page filters.

Step 1: Adding Pages

Begin by navigating to the “Pages” tab in the spreadsheet. Here you can add all the pages from your website that you’re interested in tracking. The tool already includes the Google Business Profile and homepage. Add the pages you’re typically interested in when looking at Google Search Console data. You don’t need to add every page, only those most relevant to you.

Setting Page Types : Each page can be assigned up to three different types. This helps you create filters for specific categories of pages. For example, you might categorize some pages as ‘transactional’ or ‘informational’. If you need to create new types, you can add them in the ‘types’ column, and they will appear as dropdown options.

Adding URLs : Next, add the URLs for your homepage and Google Business profile. For the homepage, use the exact URL. For the Google Business profile, use a URL with the relevant UTM parameter. The UTM parameter is crucial for segmenting data in the Google Search Console.

Step 2: Creating Query Filters

Once you’ve set up your pages, navigate to the ‘Queries’ tab to create query filters. Here you can set up filters for each type of search you’re interested in tracking. For example, if you want to track branded searches and your company is called ‘Elite Window Tinting’, you could use the word ‘elite’ as a filter for branded searches.

Adding Other Queries : Apart from branded searches, you can add filters for other queries you’re interested in, such as specific services. You can list these in column A and specify the query type in column B. Additionally, you can list different variations of each query in columns E through K.

Step 3: Creating Filters

The ‘Queries’ and ‘Pages’ tabs serve to establish the groundwork for creating custom filters. You can create filters for different categories of queries and pages. This will help you better understand the performance of different aspects of your SEO campaign.

Working with Filters . The filters are located on the “filters” tab. There are seven predefined filters in the template. These filters can be removed or modified based on your needs. For instance, the first filter labeled “Overall Traffic” does not filter out any specific queries or pages. Instead, it gives an overall snapshot of traffic from organic Google search.

Understanding Reporting Strings. Reporting strings are found in column H and are used to describe the type of data the report is pulling. The wording for these strings is derived from the name of the filter and the reporting string type, which are both customizable. If you want to create a custom reporting string, simply change the dropdown in the ‘Reporting string type’ column to “custom” and type your preferred reporting string in the ‘Reporting string’ column.

Setting up Custom Filter s. Custom filters can be based on various criteria such as page types, query types, or any other metric that’s important to you or your client.

As an example, you can set up a filter for Google Business Profile traffic. For this filter, you aren’t filtering the query but only the page. Therefore, under column E and page type, you should choose Google Business Profile. If you have multiple categories under the ‘Type’ column in the ‘Queries’ tab, you can select one of those types for your filter, such as “branded” for branded traffic.

You can also choose to exclude certain types of queries by selecting the ‘exclude’ option under ‘Type’. Custom filters for specific services or types of searches (like specific vehicle models) can be added the same way. The template allows for the addition of as many custom filters as you need, so feel free to add filters that match your reporting needs.

Step 4: Using the Spreadsheet

After setting up your filters, navigate to the ‘Reporting’ tab. Here, you’ll see the filters you’ve set up. This page will show you which query filter to use and which page filter to use based on the options you’ve selected. The filters automatically generate bullet point reports, pulling relevant data based on the filter settings.

Final Adjustments : Once the filters are set up, you generally won’t need to modify them unless you want to add new services or filters. Every time you run a report, you just need to input the data into the three columns in the ‘Reporting’ tab. The tool will then output a neatly organized list of bullet points of the filters that are relevant to you and your client.

The Power of the Spreadsheet

Our tool is a Google Sheets template that collates data directly from Google Search Console. The template allows you to input data into specific columns, which then creates custom bullet-point reports. These bullet points succinctly explain traffic differences and SEO progress, making it easier for you and your clients to understand the impact of your efforts.

Key Features

Time Efficiency : Once set up, the spreadsheet can be reused each quarter, saving precious time.
Customizable Reports : The tool generates bullet points that highlight key data points. You can choose which bullet points to include in your report, ensuring it remains relevant to your clients.
Specific Data Filters : The tool enables you to focus on non-branded traffic to transactional pages, a critical metric for SEO.
Automatic Calculations : The tool automatically calculates and presents changes in traffic percentages, saving you from performing manual calculations.

Driving Insights with the Tool

Our Google Search Console Reporting Helper tool allows you to dig deeper into specific aspects of SEO. For instance, while overall traffic is an important metric, a significant increase doesn’t necessarily translate into more leads. By enabling you to perform specific searches, such as the performance of specific products or services, our tool allows you to understand the nuanced changes in your SEO landscape.

Moreover, it helps you filter out branded traffic to focus on non-branded traffic to transactional pages. This helps isolate the impact of your SEO efforts from brand recognition, giving you a clearer picture of your campaign’s success.

Practical Application

The tool is designed for simplicity and ease of use. For instance, to examine non-branded traffic, you need to enter regex filters provided by the tool into Google Search Console. These filters help isolate data related to transactional pages. Once you extract and input the numbers from Google Search Console into the tool, it calculates the percentage changes and provides insightful bullet points.

The Final Report

After you’ve input data for all the filters, you can create your final report. This includes selecting the most relevant bullet points and generating a concise summary with the help of ChatGPT. This AI tool gives you a starting point for your report summary, saving you time and effort.

To summarize, our Google Search Console Reporting Helper tool simplifies the report generation process and gives you deeper insights into your SEO progress in less time. We believe this tool can be a game-changer for SEOs, especially those dealing with smaller clients, by saving time and offering more detailed insights.

We’re excited to share more of our innovative solutions here at Envision. Please subscribe to our updates, and let us know in the comments if you find our tool helpful.

Business Website Formula: How to Maximize Conversions

Tue, 16 May 2023 09:13:13 GMT

In a digital-first world, your business website acts as the front door to your brand. It’s more than just a marketing tool; it’s your business’s digital persona. Here are some crucial strategies to position your website for maximum impact and conversion.

Position Your Business as a Mentor, Not a Hero

While it’s tempting to flaunt your achievements on your website, it’s more beneficial to position your business as a mentor. Show your understanding of your visitors’ challenges and offer guidance. For example, if you run a digital marketing agency, don’t just brag about your awards or big-name clients. Instead, highlight how you’ve helped businesses like theirs overcome marketing challenges and achieve their goals.

Emphasize Benefits Over Features

Customers’ purchasing decisions are driven by emotions. Highlight the benefits of your product or service, not just its features. Instead of listing that your fitness tracker has a long battery life (feature), say that it lets users go for days without charging, so they never miss tracking a workout (benefit).

Features Matter, Too

While benefits emotionally engage customers, features provide the logical reasoning to back up their emotional decision. For example, a high-tech mattress company may emphasize the comfort and better sleep quality (benefit), but also needs to mention its temperature regulation technology or material quality (features).

Treat Service Pages Like Home Pages

Many potential customers land directly on service pages via search engines. Therefore, these pages deserve as much attention as your home page. Ensure they’re detailed, engaging, and include a clear call to action. For instance, a wedding photography service page should showcase stunning photos, describe the experience, and guide visitors to book a consultation.

Apply the Five-Second Rule

Your website should communicate your offerings and their value to your clients within five seconds. Any longer, and you risk losing potential customers. For example, a website for a bakery should immediately convey it sells artisan baked goods using high-quality ingredients for people who appreciate exceptional taste and craftsmanship.

Highlight Your Unique Advantage

Every business has a unique advantage or ‘wildcard’ that can sway undecided customers. Dedicate a section on your home page to this unique selling proposition. For example, a software company might highlight its exceptional 24/7 customer support, mitigating concerns about dealing with technical issues.

Stick to Familiar Website Structures

Google’s research suggests users prefer websites with familiar layouts. Your creativity can shine within this framework without causing navigation issues for visitors. A common structure might include a top navigation bar, a hero section with a clear call to action, followed by product/service benefits, testimonials, and a footer with contact information.

By integrating these strategies, you can create a website that not only attracts but also engages and converts visitors, ultimately boosting your business success. Remember, your website is an extension of your brand; make sure it tells your story effectively.

The Future of AI and SEO for Local Service Businesses – May 15, 2023

Mon, 15 May 2023 09:23:09 GMT

Hello there, I’m TJ from Envision. Today, I want to share with you some of the most exciting developments in the world of AI and SEO that are relevant for local service businesses. This past week, we’ve seen some significant advancements, particularly from the Google I/O conference held on May 12th, 2023.

In this article, we delve into the recent developments from the Google I/O conference, discuss the integration of AI into Google Workspace, and share some exciting predictions for the future. Join us as we navigate through these transformative changes and their potential impact on the digital landscape.

ChatGPT Plugins And Web Browsing Beta Rollout For Plus Users

One of the most exciting announcements came from OpenAI. They revealed that ChatGPT plugins and web browsing capabilities are coming to all Plus users . This means that for a subscription fee of $20 a month, users will have access to these new features.

These plugins allow ChatGPT to interact with other applications, enhancing its capabilities. For example, it could create a meal plan and then add all the necessary ingredients to your Instacart shopping list. It could even make restaurant reservations for you. With 70 different plugins available, the possibilities are vast.

The web browsing feature is another game-changer. ChatGPT can now search the web and compile information for you. It’s like having a personal research assistant that can gather all the latest AI news from various websites and present it to you in a concise format.

The potential applications of these new features are limitless, and we’re excited to explore them.

Google is catching up with OpenAI/Microsoft

In the AI race, Google is not far behind. The tech giant is developing its own AI platforms that could rival OpenAI and Microsoft. The recent Google I/O conference revealed some of these developments.

Google I/O

Google I/O was a treasure trove of AI news. One of the most significant announcements was the unveiling of Palm2 , the technology behind Bard, Google’s large language model.

Palm2 is smaller and more lightweight than its predecessor, making it faster and less resource-intensive. Despite its smaller size, it’s smarter and more efficient, outperforming Palm1 in several tasks.

Bard is now available for (almost) everyone

Bard, powered by Palm2, is now available for almost everyone (everyone in the US). It’s free and fast, making it a viable alternative to ChatGPT Plus for certain tasks.

Google Maps Coming to Bard

Bard is also integrating with Google Maps , which has significant implications for local service businesses. This integration will allow users to access information from Google Maps directly through Bard, potentially changing how people search for local services.

Google Lens Support in Bard

Another exciting development is the integration of Google Lens into Bard . Google Lens is an image recognition technology that allows users to search for information about objects in images. With this integration, users can take a photo of an object and ask Bard questions about it.

This could revolutionize how people search for products and services, making images and videos from our clients even more important.

Adobe Firefly now integrates with Bard

Adobe Firefly, Adobe’s new generative art tool, now integrates with Google’s Bard . This integration allows users to create or edit images directly within Bard, which could significantly change how we approach design tasks. This partnership between Adobe and Google is a strong move in the ongoing AI wars, where companies are choosing their preferred AI platforms.

Gemini: Multi-modal competitor to ChatGPT

Google is not resting on its laurels. They’re currently working on Gemini, a multi-modal AI that’s set to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. While OpenAI is focusing on making their current model safer and more reliable, Google is pushing ahead with the development of Gemini. Although there’s not much information available yet, Gemini could potentially be the game-changer that puts Google ahead in the AI race.

Duet AI: Coming to Google Cloud

Google is also introducing Duet AI to Google Cloud . This AI assistant will make it easier and cheaper to set up databases and develop custom software. While we’re not currently developing software in Google Cloud, the introduction of Duet AI could make it a more attractive option for us in the future.

Google Adds AI to Workspace

Google is also integrating Duet AI into its Workspace products , starting this month. This integration will bring AI capabilities to Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.

In Gmail, the AI will help draft emails, potentially making the process quicker and more efficient. In Google Slides, the AI will be able to generate images from text and write speaker notes, making the creation of presentations easier. Google Sheets will be able to create templates based on prompts, while Google Docs will be able to generate and analyze text.

There’s a waitlist available for these new features, and we’re eager to start exploring them as soon as possible.

Generative search experience

One of the most significant announcements from Google is the introduction of a generative search experience . This new feature will generate AI responses to search queries, complete with products, images, and business listings. This could dramatically affect how people find our clients online, and we’re keen to ensure our clients are prominently featured in these new search results.

Perspectives (in the coming weeks)

Google is also introducing Perspectives , a new feature that will highlight opinionated content from creators in search results. This feature will make it easier for users to find a range of opinions on topics that don’t have a definitive answer. This could open up new opportunities for our clients to share their thoughts and experiences and increase their visibility in search results.

Google has stated that they will be placing a greater focus on content with unique expertise and experience in their ranking results. This highlights the importance of sharing our clients’ experiences and expertise in their respective fields.

Immersive View

Google is introducing an immersive view feature that uses AI to generate 3D models of cities. This isn’t drone footage; it’s a virtual model created entirely by AI. While currently limited to around 15 cities, it’s only a matter of time before this technology expands. This development underscores the importance of having high-quality images of our clients’ businesses, both inside and out.

Hidden Gems (Helpful Content System Update)

Google’s “hidden gems” update aims to surface more high-quality content from lesser-known sources. This could be a game-changer for our clients, as it seems Google’s AI is getting better at recognizing quality content, regardless of the number of links pointing to it. This shift towards prioritizing quality over quantity of links further emphasizes the importance of creating high-quality, expert content for our clients.

Project Tailwind

Project Tailwind is a new platform from Google that allows users to provide a large corpus of documents to the AI, which can then be queried, summarized, or used to create similar documents. This could be a game-changer for content creation, allowing us to bring in a wealth of information from various sources to generate new, high-quality content.

Google to Start Labeling AI Generated Images

Google is introducing a label for AI-generated images . While this seems to be more of a symbolic gesture at this point, it’s a clear indication of the increasing prevalence of AI in content creation. While there doesn’t seem to be a direct benefit to adding an “AI-generated” label to our images at this point, it’s something we’ll keep an eye on as the technology evolves.

Universal Translation

Google’s Universal Translation technology could revolutionize video content. This technology can automatically translate videos into other languages, even syncing the speaker’s lip movements to the translated speech. This could make our clients’ videos accessible to a much wider audience, potentially increasing their reach and visibility.

MusicLM

Finally, Google seems to be leading the race in AI-generated music with their MusicLM technology. While AI-generated music has historically been of questionable quality, Google’s latest offerings are surprisingly good. This could open up new possibilities for creating unique music for our clients’ projects.

Google Search: Topics Appearing on Desktop

Google has started displaying topic bubbles on desktop search results, a feature previously exclusive to mobile. These bubbles help users narrow down their search results to find exactly what they’re looking for. While they haven’t significantly impacted our clients’ traffic yet, as AI becomes more sophisticated, these bubbles could play a more crucial role in search results.

Breaking Boundaries of Traditional Google Business Profile Categories

Adding additional categories and services to Google Business Profiles can significantly boost visibility. A recent article from Sterling Sky Inc. highlighted the benefits of maximising the use of categories, even those that might seem only slightly relevant. As there’s no downside to having more categories, it’s worth exploring this avenue to increase relevance for as many searches as possible.

Google Local Business Panel With Chat With Live Agent

Google Business Profiles with messaging enabled now occasionally display a “Chat with a live agent” option . This feature seems to encourage businesses to enable messaging directly through Google Business Profile, providing yet another reason to consider integrating chat functionality for our clients.

FAQ Snippets Continue to Decline

FAQ snippets are appearing less frequently in search results. As Google becomes better at understanding page content, it might not be worth adding structured data for FAQs in the future. This is something we’ll continue to monitor closely.

Meta Releases Image/Text/Audio Generator

Meta has released an impressive image, text, and audio generator. This tool can take an input in one form (image, text, or audio) and output in another. For example, you could input a picture of a dog and receive the sound of a dog barking. This technology could have exciting implications for content creation in the future.

TJ’s Predictions

As we look to the future, it’s clear that experience is quickly becoming the most important ranking factor in Google. As AI technology advances, the ability to extract our clients’ expertise and incorporate it into optimized content will be crucial.

We’ll also need to shift our focus more towards content related to the specific business and city, instead of general industry information. As AI assistants become more prevalent, they’ll need to have as much information as possible about our clients to recommend them effectively.

In conclusion, the rapid evolution of AI technology presents exciting opportunities for our clients. By staying ahead of these developments, we can continue to provide valuable services that help our clients succeed in an increasingly digital world.

Thank you for joining us on this journey through the latest developments in AI and SEO. Stay tuned for future updates and insights.

AI and Digital Marketing News for Local Service Businesses – May 8, 2023

Mon, 08 May 2023 09:39:01 GMT

Welcome to the weekly AI and digital marketing news recap for local service businesses brought to you by Envision. This week, we’ll discuss Google’s unconfirmed search algorithm update, advancements in image generation, and a new feature from ChatGPT called Code Interpreter. Let’s dive right in!

The tl;dr

Search News

Recommended Reading:

AI News

Unrelated, but cool

Search News

Google’s Unconfirmed Search Algorithm Update

Around May 1st and 2nd, there were signs of a significant algorithm update from Google . Although the search giant hasn’t confirmed the update, tools like SEMrush and Rank Ranger have detected changes in rankings and SERP volatility. It may take two weeks to a month before we have a clear idea of what the changes were. However, most updates in the last two years have centered around Google getting smarter and more efficient at recognizing high-quality content.

Google’s Guidelines for Syndicated Content

Google has changed its guidelines for syndicated content , which refers to content published on multiple websites. Instead of using canonical tags, Google now advises blocking search engines from accessing the duplicate content. This change may not impact local businesses significantly, as Google usually prefers to show the original source in search results.

Google Search Video Results With Pros and Cons

Google has been emphasizing video content in search results and is now able to show pros and cons within a video without any input from the video creator. This development means that Google is getting better at understanding video content, and businesses should consider focusing more on video marketing.

WordPress 6.2 – Faster and More Efficient

The newest version of WordPress, 6.2, is 14-18% faster than its predecessors. This improvement is beneficial for businesses using WordPress, as one of the criticisms of the platform is its speed compared to other website builders. However, the future of WordPress in the face of advancing AI and competition remains uncertain.

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Envision has created a comprehensive guide for local service businesses to generate leads using YouTube . The guide, split into seven parts, provides best practices and advice on leveraging YouTube for business growth. All of the images in the guide were created using AI image generation tool Mid Journey, which continues to improve in quality and ease of use.

Cool Tools and Techniques

Sterling Sky Inc’s guide on choosing the best category for your Google Business Profile
Thruuu has a free tool for copying website content without unwanted elements

AI News

Wirestock and the New AI Economy

Wirestock is a company that allows users to sell their stock images by uploading them to the platform, which then distributes the images to top stock image sites such as iStock, Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images. Interestingly, Wirestock has been sponsoring several AI content creators, encouraging them to sell AI-generated images to these stock image sites. With tools like Mid Journey and Stable Diffusion, creating AI-generated stock images has become increasingly easy.

This development might lead to a flood of AI-generated images on stock image sites, resulting in cheaper stock photos. The quality of AI-generated images has improved significantly in recent times, and it is expected that they will soon be on par with, or even surpass, traditional stock images. As a result, the stock image landscape is likely to change drastically in the near future.

Shutterstock’s Generative AI Showcase

Recognizing the potential of generative AI in stock photography, Shutterstock is embracing the technology with its Generative AI Showcase . This initiative aims to capitalize on the influx of AI-generated images and leverage them to create a more diverse and innovative stock image library. By adopting this approach, Shutterstock is positioning itself as a frontrunner in the AI-powered stock image market.

Mid Journey 5.1: A Leap Forward for AI Art

Mid Journey 5.1 is the latest version of the AI art tool , offering significant advancements over its predecessor, Mid Journey 4. The new version is easier to use, produces more visually appealing images, and is more opinionated, meaning that it can create images based on shorter prompts. Moreover, by using the keyword “raw,” users can generate more realistic-looking images with Mid Journey 5.1.

Google’s “We Have No Moat” Document Leak

In a surprising turn of events, an internal Google document titled “ We Have No Moat ” was leaked. The document suggests that Google, once considered an AI leader, is now falling behind companies like OpenAI and open-source AI projects like Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion. The author of the document proposes that Google should focus on utilizing these AI models internally, rather than trying to compete with them.

Stability AI Releases StableVicuna: The AI World’s First Open Source RLHF LLM Chatbot

Stability AI has released StableVicuna , an open-source large language model (LLM) chatbot built on Meta’s (formerly Facebook) LLM. Despite not yet being on par with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, StableVicuna has shown rapid improvement and may soon pose a significant challenge to leading LLMs.

The development of StableVicuna and other open-source AI projects has the potential to greatly benefit the open-source community. However, it also raises concerns about the rapid advancement of AI technology and the potential risks associated with it. Thankfully, the CEO of Stability AI is committed to ensuring AI safety and is taking steps to prevent the technology from going off the rails.

The Game Changer: Code Interpreter and its Applications

Just recently, ChatGPT announced a new plugin called Code Interpreter . Although it’s still in its Alpha stage, this plugin is already showing immense promise. It’s set to bring a whole new set of functionality to large language models.

Code Interpreter allows users to create charts and graphs, and even upload files, such as CSVs, for analysis. This feature will be particularly beneficial when uploading CSVs of Google Search Console data, Google Analytics data, Google Ads data, or any internal data from a client’s CRM. It’s like having a data scientist at your fingertips, providing detailed reports in seconds that would otherwise take days to generate and cost a fortune.

In addition to handling CSVs, Code Interpreter can also handle basic image editing tasks, such as resizing, grayscale conversion, background removal, and more. The plugin is also capable of video editing, making it an all-in-one solution for various tasks.

Microsoft Bing Chat and Edge Browser

Microsoft Bing recently announced that their Bing Chat, powered by GPT-4, is now in open preview for anyone using the Edge browser . The chat is aware of the content on the page you’re looking at, making it feel like having an expert assistant by your side while browsing the web.

Although not as smart as GPT-4 due to safety limitations and constraints, Bing Chat offers a more visual and seamless experience when compared to other AI-driven chat tools. It also allows users to save chats and browse simultaneously.

Eleven Labs and Voice Cloning

Eleven Labs is a voice cloning software company that’s likely to play a significant role in the future of digital marketing. With their technology, you can clone a voice in about 30 seconds, which can be useful for creating video content for clients.

Their latest announcement is a multilingual model that allows users to generate cloned voices in multiple languages, complete with the correct accent. This could enable businesses to create content for global audiences while maintaining a consistent brand voice.

Microsoft Designer and AI-Driven Design

Microsoft Designer is an AI-driven design tool that rivals popular platforms like Canva. Microsoft’s tool focuses on a conversational approach to creating designs, making it a powerful option for producing unique and original content for clients.

Chat with Data.ai: A New AI Tool

Chat with Data.ai is another tool that allows users to upload PDFs, Excel files, CSVs, and more, and then ask the AI questions based on the uploaded content. This tool can be helpful for generating blog posts or analyzing data from clients’ resources.

MidJourney Prompt Examples

I came across this interesting spreadsheet created by a YouTuber I follow . It’s not exactly groundbreaking, but it presents mid Journey results alongside the prompts used. The original intent was to compare Mid Journey four with Journey five, but we’re already at 5.1 now.

What I found useful was seeing the images right next to their prompts. I think it’d be great if we could create an internal spreadsheet like this as we work on creating impressive images with Mid Journey. By documenting our prompts, we can easily track which ones yield the best results and make it simpler to generate similar images once we’ve nailed down the right prompts. I’ve been doing this on my own, and I genuinely believe it’d be a valuable resource for our team.

Unrelated, but cool

3Dpresso

Now, I just had to share this with you all even though it’s not directly related to digital marketing for local businesses. It’s called 3Dpresso , a 3D model creation tool that is just amazing. All you need to do is take a video of an object, walking around it as you record, and the tool creates a near-perfect 3D model from that footage. The best part? The video doesn’t even have to be super stable!

I’ve watched some demos of people using the tool, and it truly works as well as advertised. Imagine how effortless it’s going to be to create realistic 3D models for games, websites, 3D printers, and so much more. I just had to share this incredible piece of tech with you all.

Embracing AI in Education and Healthcare

AI is making significant strides in various industries, including education and healthcare. For instance, the partnership between Khan Academy and OpenAI is changing the way students learn, offering personalized tutoring experiences that can prevent cheating.

In the medical field, a study compared responses from chatbots and doctors and found that 79% of the time, medical professionals preferred chatbot responses over those from physicians . This finding suggests that AI assistance could revolutionize the medical industry in the coming years.

Gift Ideas with Twifts

As a fun aside, Twifts is an AI-driven tool that suggests gift ideas based on a person’s Twitter activity. It’s a creative way to leverage AI for personal use and find unique gifts for friends and family who are active on the platform.

As AI continues to advance at an incredible pace, businesses must adapt and embrace these cutting-edge technologies to stay competitive. By staying ahead of the curve and incorporating the latest AI tools and techniques, local service businesses can maximize their growth and thrive in a rapidly changing digital marketing landscape.

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 1: How to Succeed

Sat, 06 May 2023 11:08:18 GMT

How Small Businesses Succeed on YouTube

This is Part 1 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article

Don’t Wait, Just Start : Overcome perfectionism and start creating videos to gain experience and improve over time.
Use What You Have : Focus on providing value and sharing your expertise without worrying about professional equipment or production quality.
Find Your Audience : Develop a clear persona for your target audience and create content specifically for them.
Find Your Unique Value : Determine what sets your business apart and showcase that value in your videos.
Create Videos for New Viewers : Prioritize attracting new viewers and demonstrating your expertise, and gradually incorporate promotional content.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity : Spend time crafting valuable, high-quality videos instead of churning out mediocre content.
Consistency is Key : Maintain a regular posting schedule to build a loyal audience and demonstrate your commitment to providing valuable information.

Videos are becoming more and more important for branding, ranking, and converting leads into paying customers. Whether you’re trying to rank for valuable search terms, or generate leads through advertising, video is the most powerful tool in your toolbelt , and in terms of video platforms, YouTube is second to none.

However, YouTube can feel like a black box for those who are new to the platform or are unsure of how to approach it. In this guide, we will explore some essential tips to help small business owners understand what makes for a successful YouTube channel, with a focus on generating leads.

Don’t Wait, Just Start

Starting a YouTube channel can be intimidating, and many small business owners put it off because they’re afraid their first videos won’t be perfect. The truth is, no one’s first video is perfect, and that’s actually fine. Why? No one is going to watch your first video! In fact, your first 10 videos probably won’t get more than a handful of views.

Don’t wait until everything is just right – start making videos now , and use each one as an opportunity to learn and improve. As you gain experience and confidence, your videos will get better and better.

Whatever You Have is Enough

You don’t need to be a professional video producer to create a successful YouTube channel. What you do need is expertise in your industry and a willingness to share that expertise with others. Your competitors are other small business owners, not professional YouTubers. Don’t let concerns about equipment or production quality hold you back. Focus on providing value to your audience, and the rest will fall into place.

Find Your Audience

Before you create your first video, think carefully about your target audience. Who are you trying to reach , and what kind of content will appeal to them ?

It can help to develop a persona. Imagine the ideal person for your videos. Consider demographics like age, gender, and interests. Take a few minutes to describe this person as fully as possible. Maybe even give them a name. When planning and creating each video, make it specifically for this person . This will help you create videos that are relevant and engaging for your target audience.

Find Your Value

What makes your business unique, and what kind of value can you offer your audience that they can’t get anywhere else ? This is a key question to ask yourself as you develop your YouTube channel. Whether it’s expert advice, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business, or a unique perspective on your industry, make sure that your videos offer something of value to your audience.

What is unique to your city or neighborhood? What are you doing differently than your competitors? What are you more passionate or knowledgeable about? What is unique about your team, or individual team members that you can highlight?

Make Your Videos for New Viewers

While it’s natural to want to create videos that promote your business or products, it’s important to remember that your first priority on YouTube is to build an audience . Focus on creating videos that will attract new viewers and demonstrate your expertise in your industry. As your channel grows, you can start to create videos that are more promotional in nature.

Focus on Quality Over Quantity

One of the biggest misconceptions about YouTube is that you need to produce a high volume of content to be successful. While it’s true that consistency is important, it’s more important to focus on creating high-quality videos that offer value to your audience.

Again, high quality doesn’t mean high production value. You might choose to record on a webcam or smartphone (more on that later). The important thing is that spending the time it takes to make sure each video is packed with value. Your viewers will forgive low production value, they won’t forgive you for wasting their time.

Instead of churning out mediocre videos, take the time to craft a single, excellent video every month. This approach will not only help you stand out from the crowd, but it will also help build your channel’s reputation as a source of valuable content.

Consistency is Key

Creating a regular posting schedule is crucial for building a loyal audience on YouTube. Whether you post once a week or once a month, stick to your schedule as much as possible. This consistency will help your audience know when to expect new content from you and will demonstrate your commitment to providing them with valuable information .

At first, it may feel like you aren’t gaining any traction, but as long as you keep posting, you’ll continue building momentum . Each video will pick up a few new viewers, and each video will appear in more viewers’ feeds.

Conclusion

Creating a successful YouTube channel takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn and improve. By focusing on quality over quantity, creating valuable content for your target audience, and staying consistent in your posting schedule, you can build a loyal following on YouTube and generate more leads for your business .

In the next part of this guide, we’ll talk about how to generate ideas for videos that will get views and, most importantly, generate leads..

Checklist: Understanding How to Succeed

Don’t wait, just start:
Set a date to start creating videos
Use what you have:
Make a list of all the equipment at your disposal

Camera
Lighting
Microphones

Find your audience:
Develop a clear persona for your target audience
Create a list of the kinds of videos this persona might be interested in
Find your unique value:
Determine what sets your business apart
Create a list of the kinds of videos you could do better than your competitors
Compare that list to the list of videos your persona would be interested in
Maintain a regular posting schedule:
Create a tentative schedule for when you’ll create new videos (you can always change this later).

By following this planning checklist, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful YouTube channel that generates leads for your small local service business. Focus on providing valuable content tailored to your target audience, and stay consistent in your posting schedule to build a loyal following and drive more leads for your business.

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 2: Picking Video Topics

Sat, 06 May 2023 11:00:22 GMT

Picking Video Topics That Generate Leads

This is Part 2 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article

Understand Your Video’s Purpose : Identify the intersection between the videos your customers are interested in and the type of videos you can create to showcase your expertise and services.
Start with the Title in Mind : Craft engaging, informative, and curiosity-evoking titles for your videos to capture your audience’s attention and improve click-through rates.
Combine Video Content with Blog Posts : Enhance your website’s organic traffic by pairing educational videos with related blog posts on your site.
Balance Promotion and Value : Ensure your videos provide value to the viewer while promoting your business’s unique value proposition.

As a small business owner looking to generate leads through YouTube, it’s essential to choose the right topics for your videos. In this part of our comprehensive YouTube guide, we’ll explore various types of videos and provide ideas to help you create content that attracts and engages your audience while driving leads .

Understand Your Video’s Purpose

Before diving into specific video topics, start by identifying the intersection between the videos your customers are interested in and the type of videos you can create .

Each video should have a clear purpose. Keep in mind that sometimes an idea for a video should be split into multiple videos, while several ideas might be better combined into one.

Three Main Categories of Videos

When picking video topics, consider these three main categories:

Promotional Videos : These videos focus on promoting your company’s unique value proposition to drive sales and increase revenue. They work well as ads or as additions to your website’s landing pages but may not be as effective for generating organic traffic.
Educational Videos : These videos focus on providing valuable information to your audience, demonstrating your expertise, and addressing common questions or concerns. They help improve your organic reach and search engine ranking, while also establishing your business as a knowledgeable resource in your industry.
Entertaining Videos : These videos engage your audience by offering enjoyable and captivating content. They showcase the lighter side of your business, build stronger connections with viewers, and help create a loyal following by offering a mix of industry insights and entertaining perspectives.

Promotional Video Ideas

For promotional videos, focus on your unique value proposition and include a clear call to action , preferably with an offer. Here are some ideas:

Testimonials

Testimonials build trust with potential customers by showcasing real-life experiences from your existing clients. Collect testimonials by asking customers to share their problem or need before contacting you and how your business helped them . You can repurpose these testimonials in other promotional materials as well.

Product/Service Highlights

Showcase a specific product or service by providing a brief overview and addressing one or two commonly asked questions . This type of video can help potential customers understand the benefits and features of your offerings and encourage them to explore further.

Example : A local plumber might create a video highlighting their 24/7 emergency service and explain how their response time sets them apart from competitors.

Branding Video

A branding video introduces your company and highlights your unique value proposition . By showing your company’s personality and passion for your products or services, you can build trust and create a connection with current and potential customers.

Educational Video Ideas

Educational videos focus on providing valuable information to your audience, demonstrating your expertise , and addressing common questions or concerns . These videos help improve your organic reach and search engine ranking, while also establishing your business as a knowledgeable resource in your industry. Here are some ideas:

FAQ Videos

Create videos that address common questions your customers ask. These videos not only showcase your expertise but also serve as valuable resources for your audience. Pairing FAQ videos with related blog posts on your website can further boost your organic traffic.

How-to Videos

Provide step-by-step instructions for using a product or service, helping viewers understand the process and increasing their confidence in your offerings.

Example : A landscaping company might create a how-to video on winterizing a lawn sprinkler system.

Troubleshooting Videos

Address common issues customers may encounter with your products or services and offer effective solutions. These videos can help resolve problems quickly and demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Product Comparison Videos

Compare your products or services to those of competitors, highlighting the differences without directly labeling yourself as “better.” This approach helps potential customers make informed decisions while maintaining a respectful tone toward your competition.

Turn Popular Blogs into Videos

Use Google Search Console data to identify popular blog posts on your website and create accompanying videos. This strategy can help reinforce the content and improve user engagement.

Entertaining Video Ideas

Entertaining videos engage your audience by offering enjoyable and captivating content. These videos can showcase the lighter side of your business, build stronger connections with viewers , and help create a loyal following by offering a mix of industry insights and entertaining perspectives. Here are some ideas:

Expert Interviews

Interview industry experts or influencers to establish your business as a thought leader and authority in your field . These interviews can provide valuable insights for your audience and boost your credibility.

Behind-the-Scenes Videos

Offer unique and engaging perspectives on your business by showing behind-the-scenes footage, such as a day in the life of an employee. This type of content helps humanize your brand and create a more personal connection with your audience.

The Opinionated Expert

Express strong opinions on industry topics to connect with your core demographic. By taking a stand, you can generate lively discussions and attract viewers who share your perspective.

Case Study Videos

Showcase your company’s work for specific customers by creating case study videos. These videos can highlight your problem-solving abilities and the positive impact your products or services have on your clients.

Start with the Title in Mind

Finally, remember that a compelling title and thumbnail are crucial for getting views on YouTube . If you can’t think of a title that would capture your audience’s attention, consider a different topic . A good title should be engaging, informative, and pique the curiosity of the viewer.

Here are some examples of effective and less effective titles for various types of videos:

Educational Video Titles:

Good:

“5 Essential Tips for First-Time Home Buyers”
“How to Choose the Perfect Paint Color for Your Living Room”
“Mastering the Art of Sourdough Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide”

Less Effective:

“Home Buying Tips”
“Choosing Paint Colors”
“Making Sourdough Bread”

Entertaining Video Titles:

Good:

“Plumber’s Worst Nightmare: The 3 Craziest Pipe Repairs We’ve Ever Done!”
“Our Chef Attempts the Spiciest Curry Challenge: Can He Survive?”
“The Hidden History of Our Town: Uncovering the Secrets of the Oldest Building”

Less Effective:

“Pipe Repairs”
“Spicy Curry Challenge”
“Old Building History”

Promotional Video Titles:

Good:

“Transform Your Outdoor Space: See Our Landscape Design Process in Action”
“Discover the Secret Ingredient That Makes Our Coffee Stand Out”
“Meet the Team Behind Your Favorite Local Bakery: Passion Meets Craftsmanship”

Less Effective:

“Our Landscape Design Process”
“Our Coffee’s Secret Ingredient”
“Our Bakery Team”

Remember to keep the title concise, use numbers or lists when applicable, and include power words or phrases that evoke emotion or a sense of urgency. In addition to an engaging title, make sure your thumbnail is visually appealing and accurately represents the content of the video to further entice viewers to click and watch.

Maximizing Your YouTube Success

By following these guidelines and choosing the right video topics, you’ll be well on your way to building a successful YouTube channel that generates leads for your small business. Remember, the key to YouTube success lies in creating content that resonates with your target audience while showcasing your business’s unique offerings and expertise.

Checklist: Picking Video Topics

Here’s a sample checklist to help you keep track of what needs to be done. Try coming up with at least three video topics . Use this checklist to help generate and vet your ideas.

Identify your video’s purpose:
What is the goal of this video?
Should this idea be split into multiple videos or combined with other ideas?
Consider the three main categories of videos:
Promotional videos
Educational videos
Entertaining videos
Brainstorm video ideas within each category:
Promotional Video Ideas:

Testimonials
Product/Service highlights
Branding video

Educational Video Ideas:

FAQ videos
How-to videos
Troubleshooting videos
Product comparison videos
Turn popular blog posts into videos

Entertaining Video Ideas:

Expert interviews
Behind-the-scenes videos
The opinionated expert
Case study videos

Create an engaging title and thumbnail ideas for each topic:
Is the title informative and curiosity-evoking?
Could a thumbnail accurately represent the video content while being visually appealing?
Prioritize and schedule your video ideas:
Which topics are most relevant to your audience and business goals?
Create a content calendar to plan the production and release of your videos

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 3: Planning the Shoot

Sat, 06 May 2023 10:53:01 GMT

Planning for a Successful YouTube Shoot

This is Part 3 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article

Account for extra time during shoots : Always allocate more time than you think you need for video shoots.
Research and create a shot list : Watch similar videos on YouTube and note appealing shots and angles to create a shot list for your own video.
Prepare your equipment : Optimize your audio and video quality using the equipment you have on hand, focusing on camera selection, stabilization, lighting, and audio.

Proper planning is essential to ensure a smooth and efficient video shoot for your small business YouTube channel. In this part of our comprehensive YouTube guide, we’ll walk you through some essential steps and tips for planning a successful shoot . This will help you stay organized and save time, while producing high-quality content that effectively showcases your business and generates leads.

Account for Extra Time

It’s important to remember that video shoots often take longer than anticipated . Whether it’s setting up equipment, capturing multiple takes, or dealing with unexpected interruptions, it’s wise to build extra time into your schedule. This buffer will help minimize stress and ensure that you have enough time to capture all the necessary footage for your video.

Research and Create a Shot List

Before your shoot, spend some time researching similar videos on YouTube to gather ideas for your own video. Pay attention to the shots and angles that you find most appealing or effective in showcasing the subject or product. Based on your research, create a shot list outlining the specific shots and angles you want to capture during your shoot. This will not only help you stay organized and efficient but also ensure that your video is visually engaging and professional-looking.

Prepare Your Script and Storyboard Thoughtfully

While a script can be useful for some videos, especially promotional ones, there are also advantages to not using a script . Viewers can usually tell when you’re reading from a script, and it may sound less natural. Whatever you decide, some level of preparation is essential to guide your shoot and ensure a coherent flow.

Plan your talking points

If you’re not writing an exact script, try to outline the key points you want to cover in your video. This will help you stay focused while still allowing room for spontaneity and a more natural delivery.

Keep the narration constant

With a few exceptions, it’s crucial to maintain constant narration throughout your video . Viewers are likely to get bored if there’s a lack of dialogue or explanation. Make sure to plan your talking points and prepare to keep the conversation flowing.

Create a storyboard

Even if you’re not using a strict script, it may be helpful to visualize the sequence of shots and scenes . This isn’t necessary for every video; some videos can be created in a single shot. However, a storyboard helps you ensure that your video tells a coherent story and effectively communicates your message. Plan the shots you’d like to include, but be prepared to adjust as needed during the shoot.

By thoughtfully preparing your talking points and storyboard while maintaining flexibility, you’ll create more engaging, authentic videos that resonate with your audience.

Assemble Your Team

Filming a video is often a team effort, especially if your shoot involves multiple people or locations. To keep everyone on the same page, it’s essential to plan and communicate a clear schedule for your shoot . Make sure each team member knows their role and responsibilities, as well as when they are expected to be “on set.” This will help minimize confusion and ensure a more efficient shoot.

Prepare Your Equipment

Having professional equipment isn’t necessary for creating high-quality videos; the content is more important than the production value . However, you can still optimize your audio and video quality with whatever equipment you have available. Here are some tips for selecting and using the right equipment for your video shoot:

Camera

Decide which camera you’ll use, whether it’s a professional camera, smartphone, or webcam ( smartphone cameras are plenty good these days! ). Ensure you know how to transfer footage from the device to a computer or cloud storage service.

Optional pro-tip : Research the best settings for your camera to maximize quality and convenience. If you can’t find a tutorial, we’re happy to help you optimize your settings.

Stabilization

Determine how you’ll keep your camera steady during the shoot. If you have a tripod or stabilizer, make sure it’s compatible with your camera. If you don’t have one, consider using a stack of books , a table, or other stable surfaces as an improvised stabilizer.

Optional pro-tip : Test your setup before the shoot to ensure it provides steady footage.

Lighting

Plan your lighting setup ahead of time. Identify the light sources you’ll use, such as natural light, lamps, or other available light sources.

Optional pro-tip : Consider using white sheets or sheer curtains to diffuse light, and plan the placement of lights to minimize shadows and create an even distribution of light on your subject.

Audio

Decide which microphone you’ll use for your shoot. If you have a shotgun or studio mic, ensure it’s compatible with your camera or recording device. If you don’t have a separate microphone, that’s fine , but you’ll want to make sure your camera/phone will be close to the subject when capturing audio.

Optional pro-tip : Test the audio quality in your chosen location and make any necessary adjustments, such as adding rugs or blankets to dampen echo.

Optional pro-tip : Prepare a checklist

Create a checklist of all the equipment and materials you’ll need for your shoot, including cameras, microphones, tripods or stabilizers, lighting, and any props or additional items relevant to your content. This will help you ensure you have everything you need on the day of the shoot and avoid any last-minute surprises.

We’ve created a sample checklist at the bottom of this article, which you may use as a starting point.

By carefully considering your equipment and making key decisions ahead of time, you’ll set yourself up for a successful shoot and create high-quality videos without the need for professional equipment.

Plan Your Locations

Many videos can be shot in a single location, or even in front of your computer . However, it’s important to consider the best location(s) for each video. Choose appropriate locations for your shoot that align with the theme and purpose of your video. Consider factors such as lighting, background noise, and visual appeal when selecting your shooting locations.

Optional pro-tip : Scout your locations ahead of time to identify any potential issues or challenges and obtain any necessary permits or permissions.

Consider remote interviews

For some videos, conducting an interview over Zoom or Google Meet can be a suitable option. Remote interviews allow for flexibility and can provide valuable content for your audience. Just ensure you follow the same advice regarding audio, lighting, framing, and background as you would for an in-person shoot.

Consider Props and Wardrobe

While props and wardrobe can enhance your video, they are not a requirement for creating YouTube content . As mentioned in Part 1, use what you have and focus on the value of your content. However, if you feel that certain props or wardrobe items can improve your video, it’s worth considering them. Look for items you already have that can be used as props or wardrobe pieces. There’s no need to invest in expensive or elaborate items when you can use what’s available.

By following these steps and dedicating the necessary time and effort to planning your shoot, you’ll set yourself up for success in creating engaging and effective YouTube content that showcases your business and generates leads.

Pre-Shoot Checklist

Here’s a sample pre-shoot checklist to help you keep track of what needs to be done before your video shoot. Feel free to skip any which feel unnecessary .

Schedule:
Allocate ample time for the shoot
Communicate the schedule to all team members
Research and Shot List:
Watch similar videos on YouTube for inspiration
Create a shot list of appealing shots and angles
Script and Storyboard:
Prepare talking points or script
Create a storyboard, if necessary
Assemble Your Team:
Assign roles and responsibilities to each team member
Confirm each team member’s availability
Prepare Your Equipment:
Select a camera and learn how to transfer footage
Set up stabilization (tripod, stabilizer, or improvised solution)
Plan lighting (natural light, lamps, etc.) and consider diffusion techniques
Choose a microphone and test audio quality in the shooting location
Plan Your Locations:
Choose the best location(s) for your video, considering lighting, noise, and visual appeal
Scout locations and obtain necessary permits or permissions, if needed
Consider remote interviews if applicable
Props and Wardrobe:
Identify any necessary props and wardrobe items
Use what you have and focus on the value of your content

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 4: Shooting

Sat, 06 May 2023 10:47:25 GMT

Tips for a Successful YouTube Video Shoot

This is Part 4 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article

Setting : Choose a relevant, visually appealing, and non-distracting location, with good lighting and sound quality.
Framing : Position the camera directly in front of the subject and use the rule of thirds to create a balanced, engaging shot.
Being on Camera : Embrace a more natural, genuine delivery without relying on a script, maintaining eye contact, and including a clear call to action.
B-Roll : Capture supplementary footage to clarify points, showcase products or services, and help viewers relate to your business.
Stay Organized : Keep track of shots, monitor audio and video quality, and communicate with your team for an efficient shoot.
Embrace spontaneity : Allow for improvisation and unexpected moments to create more engaging and authentic content.

In this part of the guide, we’ll focus on tips and advice for small business owners to have a successful shoot for their YouTube videos. We’ll cover everything from setting up the scene to being on camera, capturing B-roll footage, and additional tips for a smooth and efficient shoot.

Setting and Background

Choose a location that is relevant to your video content and provides a visually appealing, non-distracting background. A well-chosen background is essential for a visually engaging video, so opt for interesting or relevant scenes that don’t distract from the subject.

Avoid busy, cluttered, or plain backgrounds that could draw attention away or make the video feel low-quality or dull. Ensure the space is clean and well-organized to avoid clutter in the shot, and pay attention to desks, tables, or any surfaces visible in the frame.

Additionally, consider the lighting and sound quality of the space, making adjustments as needed to create an optimal environment for your shoot.

Framing

When framing your shot, position the camera directly in front of the subject, neither overhead nor below . Imagine two horizontal lines dividing the frame into three rows, and align the subject’s eyes with the top horizontal line.

If you want the focus solely on the subject, center them in the frame. However, if you’re trying to show something in the background, imagine two vertical lines dividing the frame into three columns, and align the subject with either vertical line.

Being on Camera

For some videos, a script can be useful, but try to avoid it for a more natural delivery. Be flexible and adapt your talking points during the shoot for more engaging content. Interviews over Zoom or Google Meet are acceptable if you follow the same advice on audio, lighting, framing, and background.

When on camera, maintain eye contact with the camera and get to the point , focusing on the purpose of the video. Embrace imperfection, and act as you would with friends to create a more genuine connection with your audience. Be vulnerable , admit what you don’t know, and don’t try to be something you’re not. Include a clear call to action , tailored to each video for maximum effectiveness.

B-Roll

B-roll footage is supplementary footage, such as shots of products, processes, buildings, and more. B-roll can be reused in multiple videos, but sometimes it’s worth capturing specific footage for single-use.

Close-up shots of products or services clarify points and make the video more engaging. Footage of local landmarks can help viewers relate to your business and can be reused in multiple videos .

Additional Tips for a Smooth Shoot

Rehearse and practice

Before recording, practice your talking points and rehearse on-camera presence to build confidence and reduce the number of takes during the shoot.

Communicate with your team

If you have a team assisting you, ensure everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities. Keep communication open during the shoot to address any issues that arise.

Monitor audio and video quality

Periodically review the footage and audio to ensure everything is being captured correctly. This will help you catch any technical issues early and avoid re-shooting entire segments .

Stay organized

Keep track of the shots you’ve captured and the ones you still need to record. This will help you stay focused and efficient during the shoot.

Take breaks

Shooting a video can be mentally and physically exhausting. Schedule breaks to rest and recharge , ensuring you maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout the shoot.

Be patient and persistent

Don’t get discouraged if things don’t go as planned. Keep a positive attitude, and remain persistent in working through challenges and setbacks. The more videos you create, the more comfortable and skilled you’ll become in the process.

Embrace spontaneity

While planning is crucial, leave room for spontaneity and improvisation. Some of the best moments in your video may come from unexpected situations or off-the-cuff remarks.

Stay focused on your goals

Remember the purpose of your video, and ensure each shot and segment aligns with that goal . This will help you create cohesive and effective content that resonates with your audience.

Capture more footage than you need

It’s better to have too much footage than not enough. If time allows, capture multiple takes and angles, as well as extra B-roll, to provide flexibility during the editing process.

Just be careful not to go overboard. The more footage you have, the more time editing will take. If you’re pretty sure you won’t need a shot, just skip it.

Be prepared for unexpected issues

No shoot goes perfectly , so be ready to adapt and problem-solve on the fly. Bring backup equipment, extra batteries, and have contingency plans in place for unforeseen challenges.

By following these tips during your video shoot, you’ll create engaging and visually appealing YouTube videos that resonate with your target audience. Remember to focus on framing, background, and your on-camera presence to make the most of your shoot. In the next part of this guide, we’ll discuss editing and optimizing your videos for maximum impact.

YouTube Video Shoot Checklist

Use this checklist immediately before the shoot to make sure you’re not forgetting anything important.

Setting and Background
Make sure the space is clean and well-organized
Check for any shadows which can be eliminated by equipment or by moving the subject
Framing
Decide where the subject and camera should be placed. Follow the rule of thirds
Being on Camera
Review talking points (unless relying on a script)
Decide on a call to action relevant to this video
B-Roll Footage
Capture close-up shots of products or services
Record footage of local landmarks for reuse
Rehearse and Practice
Practice talking points and on-camera presence before recording
Team Communication
Ensure everyone is aware of their roles and responsibilities
Stay Organized
Have your shot list handy so you can mark off shots as you go
Schedule Breaks
Plan rest and recharge breaks to maintain energy and enthusiasm
Prepare for Unexpected Issues
Bring backup equipment and extra batteries
Have contingency plans in place for unforeseen challenges

Mid-Shoot Reminders

Keep these points in mind throughout the shoot

Maintain Eye Contact with the camera
Maintain open communication during the shoot
Periodically review footage and audio to catch technical issues early
Keep track of captured shots and those still needed
Maintain a positive attitude throughout the shoot
Allow for improvisation and unexpected moments
Ensure each shot and segment aligns with the purpose of the video
Record multiple takes, angles, and extra B-roll (without going overboard)

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 5: Editing

Sat, 06 May 2023 10:36:51 GMT

Tips for Editing a Winning YouTube Video

This is Part 5 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article:

Choosing Editing Software : Select user-friendly software that fits your budget and experience level, such as iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Premiere Rush, or Filmora.
Start with Something Compelling : Use a hook in the first 5 seconds to grab the viewer’s attention.
Keep It Concise : Edit out unnecessary or repetitive footage, aiming for informational videos to be 3-5 minutes and promotional videos between 15 seconds and 2 minutes.
Vary Your Shots : Break up longer shots by cutting between sentences, adding a zoom, or cutting to B-roll clips.
Use Transitions and Effects Sparingly : Use transitions and effects only when they serve a specific purpose and keep them short.
Include a Call-to-Action : Encourage viewers to take action at the end of the video, such as visiting your website, calling your business, or watching another video.

In this part of the guide, we’ll focus on tips and advice for small business owners to understand the editing process for their YouTube videos. We’ll cover everything from envisioning your final video to adding captions and music, using effects and transitions, and getting feedback on your edit.

Choosing the Right Editing Software for Small Business Owners

One of the first steps in the editing process is selecting the right video editing software that suits your needs and experience level. As a small business owner, you may not have prior experience with video editing, so it’s essential to choose software that is user-friendly and offers the necessary features to create a professional-looking video.

There are several video editing programs available in the market, ranging from free options to paid ones, with varying levels of complexity. Here are a few recommendations for those with little to no video editing experience :

iMovie (Free for macOS users): iMovie is a user-friendly option for Apple users, offering a range of essential features and a straightforward interface. It’s perfect for beginners who want to create simple videos without diving into more complex software.
Windows Movie Maker (Free for Windows users): Although no longer officially supported by Microsoft, Windows Movie Maker remains a popular choice for Windows users due to its simplicity and ease of use. It offers basic editing features, making it suitable for those new to video editing.
Adobe Premiere Rush (Paid): Adobe Premiere Rush is a lightweight version of Adobe Premiere Pro, which is an industry-standard video editing software. Premiere Rush simplifies the editing process while still providing powerful tools, making it a great choice for small business owners who want a balance between simplicity and advanced features.
Filmora (Paid): Filmora is another beginner-friendly option, offering a wide range of editing features and an intuitive interface. It’s an excellent choice for those who want to create engaging videos without a steep learning curve.

To choose the best software for your needs, consider factors such as your budget, the complexity of the videos you plan to create, and the time you’re willing to invest in learning the software. Most editing programs offer free trials, so you can test them out before committing to a purchase. Take advantage of these trials to find the software that best fits your needs and skill level.

Envision Your Final Video

Before you start editing, it’s important to have a clear vision of what you want the final video to look like . This will guide your editing decisions and help you create a cohesive and effective video. It may be helpful to write out a list of the scenes, shots or segments before getting started.

Start with Something Compelling

These days, viewers are likely to click away from your video if it doesn’t grab their attention in the first 5 seconds . Ensure your video starts with a hook that grabs their attention. For longer videos, consider showing a sneak peek of the most exciting clip. For shorter videos, get to the point quickly.

Keep It Concise

Edit out any unnecessary or repetitive footage to keep the video concise and engaging. Remove any dead space between cuts. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the video has to be short (although it might). Some informational or educational videos warrant 20 minutes or more. The point is to make it as short as possible, without omitting anything important.

If you’re looking for some rough guidelines, aim for informational or educational videos to be around 3-5 minutes in length, and promotional videos to be between 15 seconds and 2 minutes.

Branded Intros

Intros can be good for branding, but keep them short (a few seconds) and include a hook that intrigues the viewer to watch the rest of the video. Pose a question or present a problem that the viewer will want to see answered or resolved. It’s a common practice to say something like, “You’re going to want to watch until the end to see…”.

Vary Your Shots

Avoid staying on the same shot for too long . To break up longer shots, consider cutting between sentences, adding a zoom, or cutting to a B-roll clip briefly. This can be as simple as zooming in 20% for a few seconds and then zooming back out.

Use Transitions and Effects Sparingly

Overusing transitions or effects can distract and reduce the professionalism of the video. Use them sparingly and only when they serve a specific purpose.

To make them feel more professional, make them short. Really short. Like 0.2 seconds short . To make them feel more organic, consider adding a subtle sound effect, like a woosh when swiping from one scene to the next.

Add Captions

Captions or subtitles are important to make the video more accessible to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those who watch videos without sound .

These days, YouTube is remarkably good at adding captions to your video automatically. However, you’ll want to make sure they’re enabled and read through them to catch any inaccuracies. If spotted, you can edit the captions accordingly.

Add Music or Sound Effects

Background music or sound effects can add interest and engagement to the video. Ensure the volume is balanced and doesn’t overwhelm the voiceover or dialogue. One of the most common mistakes new video editors make is setting the volume too high. We recommend setting it where you think it sounds best, and then cutting the volume in half . It’s rare that music volume is too low.

Include a Call-to-Action

Encourage viewers to take action at the end of the video, such as visiting your website, calling your business, or watching another video. Include clear instructions on how to take action.

One common strategy is to chain a series of your videos together and then use the end of each video to direct viewers to the next video in the series, encouraging chain-watching. The final video in the series is the one where you promote your service and ask them to visit your website or call. This can boost your video’s visibility on YouTube and increase the number of leads generated.

Get Feedback

Before finalizing the video, get feedback from colleagues or trusted viewers to ensure the editing is effective and the video achieves its goals. Just keep in mind, most people will be apprehensive to give you their honest feedback for fear of hurting your feelings. To overcome this, try saying something like, “I know the video isn’t quite where it needs to be yet; can you help me figure out what I still need to work on?” Use their insights to make any necessary adjustments.

By following these tips during the editing process, you’ll create engaging and visually appealing YouTube videos that resonate with your target audience. Remember to focus on crafting a compelling start, keeping the video concise, and adding elements like captions and music to enhance the viewer experience. In the next part of this guide, we’ll discuss optimizing your videos for maximum impact on YouTube.

Checklist: Editing YouTube Videos for Small Businesses

Use this checklist to ensure you’re following the steps outlined in the article for editing your YouTube videos effectively.

Choose the right editing software:

Consider your budget, experience level, and desired complexity
Test free trials of recommended software: iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Premiere Rush, or Filmora

Envision your final video:

Write out a list of scenes, shots, or segments to guide your editing decisions

Start with something compelling:

Use a hook in the first 5 seconds to grab the viewer’s attention

Keep it concise:

Edit out unnecessary or repetitive footage
Aim for 3-5 minutes for informational videos and 15 seconds to 2 minutes for promotional videos

Add a branded intro:

Keep it short and include a hook that intrigues the viewer

Vary your shots:

Break up longer shots by cutting between sentences, adding a zoom, or cutting to B-roll clips

Use transitions and effects sparingly:

Use them only when they serve a specific purpose and keep them short

Add captions:

Enable captions and check for accuracy

Add music or sound effects:

Enhance the video with background music or sound effects
Ensure the volume is balanced

Include a call-to-action:

Encourage viewers to take action at the end of the video

Get feedback:

Gather feedback from colleagues or trusted viewers
Make adjustments as necessary based on their insights

By following this checklist, you’ll be well on your way to creating engaging and visually appealing YouTube videos that resonate with your target audience.

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 6: Publishing & Optimizing

Sat, 06 May 2023 10:32:07 GMT

Publishing & Optimizing: Maximize Exposure and Reach

This is Part 6 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article:

Creating a YouTube Channel : Sign in to YouTube, access YouTube Studio, create a new channel, name and customize your channel, add channel links, and verify your channel.
Publishing Your Video : Upload your video, craft an engaging title, use an eye-catching thumbnail, optimize the description, utilize tags, create playlists, use end screens, and enable Auto chapters.
Title : Accurately describe the content while making it attention-grabbing and engaging, considering keywords or phrases.
Thumbnail : Use high-quality images, bright colors, and clear text that is visually appealing and relevant to the content.
Description : Provide a brief overview with relevant keywords, a call-to-action, and links to your website and social media profiles.

In this part of the guide, we’ll focus on tips and advice for small business owners to understand the publishing and optimizing process for their YouTube videos. We’ll cover everything from crafting engaging titles and thumbnails to using tags, descriptions, and playlists to maximize your video’s exposure on the platform.

Creating a YouTube Channel

Before diving into the publishing and optimizing process, it’s crucial to have a YouTube channel set up for your small local service business. In this section, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a YouTube channel from scratch .

Sign in to YouTube

First, you’ll need a Google account to create a YouTube channel. If you don’t already have one, you can create one at accounts.google.com. Once you have a Google account, go to youtube.com and sign in using your account credentials.

Access YouTube Studio

After signing in, click on your profile icon in the top right corner of the page, and then click on “YouTube Studio.” This will take you to the YouTube Studio dashboard , where you can manage your channel and videos.

Create a New Channel

In the YouTube Studio dashboard, click on the “Settings” icon in the bottom left corner. In the settings menu, select “Channel” and then click on the “Add or manage channels” link. On the next page, click “Create a new channel.”

Name Your Channel

Choose a name for your YouTube channel that represents your small local service business. This name should be unique, easy to remember, and relevant to the services you offer. We recommend just using your business name , if it’s available. Keep in mind that you can change your channel name later if needed.

Customize Your Channel

After creating your channel, you’ll be redirected to the channel customization page. Here, you can add a channel description, upload a profile picture, and create channel art that represents your business. Make sure to use high-quality images and include relevant information about your business in the description. Fill out as much information as you can.

Add Channel Links

In the “About” section of your channel customization page, you can add links to your website and social media profiles. This will help viewers find more information about your business and connect with you on other platforms.

Verify Your Channel

To unlock additional features on YouTube, such as custom thumbnails and longer video uploads, you’ll need to verify your channel. To do this, go to youtube.com/verify and follow the on-screen instructions. You’ll need to provide a phone number to receive a verification code via text message or voice call.

Publishing Your Video

If you’ve never published a video to YouTube before, the process is quite straightforward. Simply log in to your YouTube account, click on the “Create” button in the top right corner, and select “Upload videos.” From there, you can select the video file from your computer and start the uploading process.

Craft an Engaging Title

If you followed our advice in Part 2, you may already have the title in mind. The title should accurately describe the content of the video while also being attention-grabbing and engaging . Consider using keywords or phrases that potential viewers may search for, but keep in mind that only about 10% of views on YouTube come from search.

Most views will come from your video being recommended while they’re watching another video . This is why it’s so important that the title piques their interest. Make your titles appealing to those who have never seen your videos before by using catchy, descriptive phrases.

Use an Eye-Catching Thumbnail

An eye-catching thumbnail compels your prospective audience to click on the video. The thumbnail is the packaging on the shelf that makes you buy something you didn’t plan on buying. It should be visually appealing and relevant to the content of the video. Consider using high-quality images, bright colors, and clear text.

Close-ups of the subject’s face reacting to something often work well . A good practice is to have an idea for a thumbnail before you’ve even shot your video, focusing on high-quality still images and prominently displaying the most exciting or appealing aspect of the video. Tools like Canva can help you build a professional thumbnail.

Optimize the Description

The description should provide a brief overview of the video’s content, including any relevant keywords or phrases. It should also include a call-to-action and links to your website and other social media profiles. If you have a script for the video, try throwing it into ChatGPT and asking it to craft a description for you.

Utilize Tags

Tags help categorize the video and make it easier for potential viewers to find. Include relevant tags that describe the content of the video and any relevant keywords or phrases. This is another great place to ask ChatGPT for help .

Try this prompt: “I am publishing a video to YouTube about [TOPIC]. The target audience is [DEMOGRAPHIC]. Generate 10-20 tags I can add to the video to maximize my exposure on YouTube”.

Create Playlists

Playlists group related videos together and make it easier for viewers to discover more content from your business. Create playlists based on themes, topics, or series to encourage viewers to watch more videos.

Use End Screens

End screens are a great way to promote other videos or content on your channel and encourage viewers to subscribe. You can add end screens in the YouTube Studio after uploading your video.

Enable Auto Chapters

Make sure “Auto chapters” is enabled in your YouTube settings. You’ll find this under the Advanced settings , while uploading your video. This feature automatically generates chapters for your video based on the timestamps you provide in the video description. It makes it easier for viewers to navigate through your content and find specific sections they’re interested in.

By following these tips during the publishing and optimizing process, you’ll maximize your video’s exposure on YouTube and reach a wider audience. Remember to focus on crafting engaging titles and thumbnails, optimizing descriptions and tags, and utilizing playlists and end screens to encourage more views. In the next part of this guide, we’ll discuss promoting your videos for even greater visibility and reach.

Checklist: Publishing & Optimizing YouTube Videos for Small Businesses

Create a YouTube Channel:

Sign in to YouTube with your Google account
Access YouTube Studio
Create a new channel
Name your channel
Customize your channel with a description, profile picture, and channel art
Add channel links to your website and social media profiles
Verify your channel

Publish Your Video:

Upload your video to YouTube
Craft an engaging title that accurately describes the content and considers keywords or phrases
Use an eye-catching thumbnail with high-quality images, bright colors, and clear text
Optimize the description with a brief overview, relevant keywords, a call-to-action, and links
Utilize tags that describe the content and include relevant keywords or phrases
Create playlists based on themes, topics, or series
Use end screens to promote other videos or content and encourage subscriptions
Enable Auto chapters for easier navigation

Optimize Your Video for Maximum Exposure:

Focus on crafting engaging titles and thumbnails that grab viewers’ attention
Optimize descriptions and tags to make your video more discoverable
Utilize playlists and end screens to encourage more views and subscriptions
Monitor video performance and adjust your optimization strategy as needed

Plan for Future Videos:

Use feedback and analytics to inform your content strategy
Continuously optimize and promote your videos for greater visibility and reach
Develop a content calendar to plan the production and release of your videos
Continue learning and adapting your YouTube strategy to maximize your video’s exposure and reach

Local Business YouTube Guide Part 7: Promoting

Sat, 06 May 2023 10:26:34 GMT

Promoting: Maximize Your Reach After Publishing

This is Part 7 of Envision Marketing’s Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Cheat Sheet
Here are the most important tips covered in this article

Share on Social Media Platforms : Share your video on social media platforms where your business is already active. Focus on platforms where you can invest time in building an audience.
Cross-Promotion : Collaborate with other YouTubers, bloggers, or influencers in your industry to cross-promote each other’s content and drive more views and engagement.
Leverage Email Marketing : Use your email list to promote your videos, but ensure the content is relevant to your subscribers.
Participate in Online Communities : Engage in online communities like forums or social media groups related to your industry or niche to promote your channel and connect with potential viewers.
Repurpose Content : Transform your video content into different formats, such as blog posts, YouTube shorts, TikTok videos, or Instagram posts, to increase reach and engagement.
Engage with Your Audience : Respond to comments on your videos and engage with your audience on social media to build a loyal following and boost engagement.

In this part of the guide, we’ll focus on tips and advice for small business owners to understand the importance of promoting their videos after publishing them on YouTube. We’ll cover everything from sharing your content on social media platforms to leveraging email marketing and participating in online communities.

Promoting Your Video

Promotion is often the most underestimated step in achieving YouTube success. After investing hours into creating a video, it’s essential to spend time promoting it, or else all that effort could go to waste . Here are some tips on promoting your video effectively:

Share on Social Media Platforms

Share your video on any social media platforms your business is already active on. However, don’t feel like you need to join every platform . If you can’t invest the time required to build an audience on a particular platform, posting occasional videos will be ineffective.

Cross-Promotion

Collaborate with other YouTubers, bloggers, or influencers in your industry to cross-promote each other’s content. This can help expose your channel to a new audience and drive more views and engagement.

This may not be an option for your first few videos; you’ll need to wait until you have at least a small audience . When you’re ready, it’s good to find other YouTubers of about the same size (don’t email “Mr. Beast” just yet).

One common tactic is to find a video of theirs which you think your audience would like, and mention it in one of your videos. Then you can reach out and let them know you appreciate their content and include a link to the video in which you mentioned them. This can start a dialog which may lead to cross-promotion in the future.

Use Paid Advertising

YouTube offers a variety of advertising options, including in-stream ads, display ads, and discovery ads, that can help drive more views and engagement. Consider allocating a portion of your marketing budget towards targeted advertising campaigns. The effectiveness of this strategy depends on the quality of your video and how well you can define your audience .

Leverage Email Marketing

If you have an email list, this can be one of the easiest ways to get more views. Just ensure the content is relevant to your list, or you risk losing subscribers. Consider asking subscribers to opt-in to receive this type of content.

Participate in Online Communities

If you or someone on your team has the time, participate in online communities, such as forums or social media groups, to promote your channel and engage with potential viewers. This tends to work best if you’re an honest, active member of the community before sharing your videos . Share relevant videos and engage in conversations related to your business’s industry or niche.

Repurpose Content

Consider repurposing your video content into blog posts, YouTube shorts, TikTok videos, Instagram posts, or other forms of content to increase reach and engagement.

Engage with Your Audience

Respond to comments on your videos and engage with your audience on social media. This can help build a loyal following and increase engagement. Try reading comments from previous videos when recording. This can get viewers more engaged and excited to leave a comment.

Design Your Channel Page

Ensure your channel’s artwork effectively communicates your message. Avoid clutter and ensure visibility at the size it’ll be viewed (channel icons are always small, so don’t use logos with small print). Also, consider how it will appear on mobile devices.

Consider a Discord Server

Discord can be an excellent platform for building a community. It’s useful for announcing new videos and, more importantly, allowing your viewers to meet and communicate organically. This is an easy way to add value, as your community can chat and help each other, with all that goodwill attributed to your business .

Analyze Performance

Monitor your video’s performance, including views, engagement, and retention rates. Use this data to make informed decisions about future video content and marketing strategies. Figure out where people stop watching your video and identify ways to be more engaging during those segments. Learn from each video and apply those insights to future content.

Checklist: Promoting Your YouTube Videos

Use this checklist to ensure you’re effectively promoting your YouTube videos and maximizing your reach after publishing.

Share on Social Media Platforms:

Identify platforms where your business is already active
Focus on platforms where you can invest time in building an audience

Cross-Promotion:

Collaborate with other YouTubers, bloggers, or influencers in your industry
Find suitable partners with a similar audience size
Mention their content in your videos and reach out for potential collaboration

Use Paid Advertising:

Explore YouTube’s advertising options: in-stream ads, display ads, and discovery ads
Allocate a portion of your marketing budget for targeted ad campaigns

Leverage Email Marketing:

Share relevant video content with your email list
Ask subscribers to opt-in for this type of content

Participate in Online Communities:

Engage in forums or social media groups related to your industry or niche
Share relevant videos and participate in conversations

Repurpose Content:

Transform your video content into different formats: blog posts, YouTube shorts, TikTok videos, Instagram posts, etc.

Engage with Your Audience:

Respond to comments on your videos
Engage with your audience on social media
Read comments from previous videos when recording new content

Design Your Channel Page:

Create effective channel artwork that communicates your message
Ensure visibility and clarity for your channel icon
Optimize for mobile devices

Consider a Discord Server:

Use Discord to build a community
Announce new videos and foster organic communication among viewers

Analyze Performance:

Monitor video performance metrics: views, engagement, retention rates
Identify areas for improvement and apply insights to future content

Remember, success on YouTube requires dedication and continuous improvement. Keep experimenting with promotional strategies and learn from your experiences to grow your business on the platform.

Closing Out the Ultimate Guide: Envision Marketing Support

Congratulations on completing the Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses! You now have the knowledge and tools necessary to create, edit, publish, and promote engaging and effective YouTube videos to grow your business. Remember, while this guide provides a solid foundation, success on YouTube requires dedication and continuous improvement. If you need expert assistance in implementing any or all of the strategies outlined in this guide, Envision Marketing is here to help. Our agency specializes in helping small local service businesses like yours thrive on YouTube and other digital platforms. Don’t hesitate to reach out and let us be a part of your YouTube success story.

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses

Sat, 06 May 2023 10:21:17 GMT

Mastering YouTube for Local Businesses

Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to YouTube for Small Local Service Businesses! This comprehensive guide, divided into 7 articles, covers everything you need to know to establish a strong presence on YouTube and leverage it to grow your business.

You can follow the guide step by step or skip around to the sections you need most. From understanding the fundamentals of success on the platform to producing, editing, publishing, and promoting your videos, this guide has you covered.

Article Overviews: What to Expect in Each Section

Part 1: Understanding How to Succeed

In this section, you’ll learn the foundations of success on YouTube, including overcoming perfectionism, utilizing available resources, identifying your target audience, and showcasing your unique value proposition. Discover how to prioritize attracting new viewers, focus on quality over quantity, and maintain a consistent posting schedule.

Part 2: Picking Video Topics That Generate Leads

Here, you’ll explore techniques for selecting video topics that generate leads and interest in your business. Learn how to understand your video’s purpose, craft engaging titles, combine video content with blog posts, and strike the perfect balance between promotion and value in your videos.

3: Planning the Shoot

This part of the guide focuses on preparing for a successful video shoot. Learn essential tips for allocating extra time, researching and creating a shot list, and ensuring your equipment is ready for optimal audio and video quality.

Part 4: Shooting: Tips for a Successful Video Shoot

In this section, you’ll discover best practices for capturing engaging footage, such as choosing the right setting, framing your shots effectively, and being natural and genuine on camera. Additionally, you’ll learn the importance of capturing B-roll, staying organized, and embracing spontaneity during the shoot.

Part 5: Editing: Tips for a Successful Video Edit

This part of the guide covers the editing process, teaching you how to select user-friendly editing software, envision your final video, and use compelling hooks. Learn to keep your videos concise, create branded intros, vary your shots, and utilize transitions and effects sparingly. Plus, discover how to add captions, music, sound effects, and calls-to-action, as well as gather valuable feedback.

Part 6: Publishing: Optimizing Your Video for Success

In this section, you’ll learn how to set up and customize your YouTube channel, as well as optimize your videos for success. Discover how to craft engaging titles, thumbnails, and descriptions, and utilize tags, playlists, end screens, and Auto chapters to maximize your video’s reach and impact.

Part 7: Promoting: Maximize Your Reach After Publishing

Finally, this part of the guide will teach you how to promote your videos effectively. Learn to share your content on social media platforms, collaborate for cross-promotion, and use paid advertising, email marketing, and online community participation to drive views and engagement. Additionally, discover how to repurpose content, engage with your audience, design your channel page, use Discord for community building, and analyze performance data to inform future content.

Get Professional Help with YouTube Marketing: Envision Marketing

Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge to successfully create, edit, publish, and promote your YouTube videos, you may be looking for expert assistance in implementing these strategies. Envision Marketing is here to help you every step of the way. Our team of experienced professionals can provide guidance, support, and services tailored to your specific needs, whether you require assistance with one aspect of the process or the entire YouTube marketing plan. By partnering with

Envision Marketing, you can take your business’s YouTube presence to new heights and ultimately drive growth and success for your local service company. Don’t hesitate to reach out and discover how we can help you transform your YouTube efforts.

AI & Search Engine News for Small Service Businesses (May 1, 2023)

Mon, 01 May 2023 11:16:46 GMT

Welcome to this week’s roundup of search engine and AI news specifically geared towards small service businesses! In this article, we’ll discuss the latest updates from Google, Bing, and the world of AI, sharing insights on how these developments impact local businesses and offering tips and recommendations to help you stay ahead of the curve. From algorithm changes and new tools to AI advancements and industry trends, we’ve got you covered.

Search News

April Reviews Update Rolls Out

Google recently completed the rollout of its April Reviews update . Google frequently releases major updates like this one, and the focus of this update has been on improving the quality of product reviews. This update has expanded the guidelines for product reviews to cover all kinds of reviews, which now includes a lot of the content on our clients’ websites. While we haven’t seen much movement on our clients’ sites due to this particular update, it’s essential to be aware of when these updates start and end.

Google Business Profile Categories Become More Important

Recent data suggests that the primary category in Google Business Profiles (GBP) is now carrying more weight , or other factors matter less, following the March algorithm update. This is significant because the update had a considerable impact on local businesses, something that usually doesn’t happen with core algorithm updates. Although we’ve seen some dips in organic rankings, most clients didn’t lose leads.

It seems that the primary category is now one of the most important factors in determining where a business ranks for a given search term. However, another interpretation could be that other tweaks and additions to optimize business profiles matter less, so the primary category carries more weight. In any case, choosing the best primary category for our clients is now more crucial than ever.

Google Testing Grid Format for Local Results in Mobile Web Search

Google has been experimenting with a grid format for local results in mobile web searches . This format has been common for shopping products, and it is now being tested for services, especially local services on mobile devices. As Google continues to play with different ways to display search results, it’s essential to pay attention to clicks versus impressions and how these new formats might affect Google Search Console data.

Google Texting Businesses to Update GBP

There is some evidence that Google might be texting business owners to confirm or update the information on their GBP . While this has not been officially confirmed by Google, it’s essential for our clients to respond to such messages if they receive them. In the past, Google has used phone calls to confirm information with businesses, and text messages could be the new method for this process.

Changes in Google’s Video Thumbnail Policy

Google has become stricter with video thumbnails, now only showing them in search results if the video is the main element of the page . To ensure that video thumbnails continue to appear in search results, it’s vital to have videos featured prominently on their own pages or blog posts. This change in policy is something to be aware of as we continue to optimize our clients’ websites for search engines.

Bing Webmaster Tools to gain Bing Chat impressions and clicks next month

In the realm of search engines, Bing may not be as popular as Google, but it still has its own useful features. Bing Webmaster Tools is one of them, similar to Google Search Console. Although it currently has less data due to Bing only getting about 3% of the search data, it is still worth considering.

Bing is now integrating visibility in Bing Chat, which is powered by ChatGPT . This means you’ll be able to see if your links are being shown in the conversation and if people are clicking on them. With this new feature, you can gain insights on what kind of blog posts are likely to show up in AI chatbots, something that could become increasingly important in the coming years.

Cool Tools/Techniques

Site hacked? Remove the URL from GBP

Website hacking is a rare but real concern. No matter how much security you have, some websites will get hacked from time to time. If your website gets hacked, consider changing your Google Business Profile (GBP) URL . This can help prevent your GBP from getting suspended for linking to a hacked website.

Try using ChatGPT to analyze GSC data

ChatGPT has numerous applications, and one of the best uses is data analysis. Marie Haynes, for example, used ChatGPT to analyze Google Search Console data. Exporting data into a CSV file and asking ChatGPT to summarize or provide trends can save you time and yield valuable insights. Experiment with this tool to become more familiar with AI capabilities and stay ahead in the industry.

AI News

Google pushing hard into AI

Google is pushing hard into AI, possibly even too hard . The company has recently removed some safety rails previously in place, raising concerns about the potential dangers of AI. In an interview with Google’s CEO, it was revealed that the company will be making some big announcements regarding Lambda and Palm, two of their AI models. While ChatGPT currently seems to have the edge, don’t discount Google, as they have the resources and head start in many areas to potentially come out ahead of OpenAI.

Bing Chat: Rapid Improvements

Bing Chat has made fast improvements in its capabilities , showing that AI-driven tools can offer better user experiences in a short amount of time. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more powerful and user-friendly tools to emerge in the near future.

OpenAI Business Plan for ChatGPT

OpenAI is planning to launch a new business plan for ChatGPT . Although the exact pricing hasn’t been announced yet, the paid version is expected to offer more features and benefits than the free version. The introduction of a business plan could greatly benefit organizations that rely on ChatGPT for various tasks, improving efficiency and collaboration.

Stability AI’s DeepFloyd IF: Text-to-Image Revolution

Stability AI has released DeepFloyd IF, a powerful text-to-image model that can understand natural language and smartly integrate text into images . Although it may not be as advanced as some other AI image generation models, it demonstrates how image creation tasks like logo design, YouTube thumbnails, and banner images could soon become much easier and more efficient.

Microsoft Designer: AI Features for Design

Microsoft, Canva, and Adobe are all racing to become the best AI design tool providers. Microsoft Designer now offers new AI features, enabling users to design with prompts . As these tools continue to improve, they will likely become the standard way of working in the design industry.

Meta’s Ambitious AI Plans

Meta (formerly Facebook) is going all-in on AI, investing heavily in rebuilding their server centers and focusing on AI . They’re planning to release generative AI within Facebook and have already made some of their AI tools open source. The company is also focusing on AI agents for tasks like customer support and internal operations, indicating that AI could soon play a significant role in business processes.

Yelp’s AI-Powered Search Updates

Yelp is attempting to stay relevant by adding AI-powered search updates and video reviews to their platform . However, their efforts seem to be falling short compared to the impressive advancements made by other AI tools.

Google’s Bard Helps with Coding

Bard, Google’s large language model, is now able to help users with coding tasks . Some people believe that it may even be better than ChatGPT in this area, showing that Google could still potentially win the AI war.

ChatGPT Prompt Engineering Course

OpenAI has partnered with DeepLearning.AI to create a free course on using ChatGPT for developers . The course covers prompt engineering and API integration, offering valuable insights to help users get the most out of the AI tool.

Web Browsing Plugin for ChatGPT

OpenAI is rolling out plugins for ChatGPT, with the first being a web browsing plugin . This feature allows users to ask ChatGPT questions and have it search the web for answers, providing more up-to-date information. The introduction of plugins has the potential to greatly enhance the capabilities of ChatGPT, making it an even more valuable tool for businesses.

As AI continues to advance at a rapid pace, businesses must stay informed about these developments and adapt their strategies to leverage the power of AI tools. By staying on top of the latest AI news and incorporating AI-driven technologies into their workflows, organizations can stay ahead of the curve and better serve their clients.

People are using A.I. chatbots to write Amazon reviews

As AI technology continues to improve, one of the negative consequences is the increasing difficulty in identifying spam and fake reviews. People are now using AI chatbots to write Amazon reviews , which can easily overwhelm sites with a large volume of spam. Amazon needs to step up its game in combating AI-generated spam, but so do other websites that accept reviews.

Cool Tools/Techniques

Pdfgpt

Pdfgpt is an interesting tool that runs on GPT to read and explain PDFs . Users can upload a PDF document, and the tool will summarize it and even suggest questions that can be asked about the document. This can be especially helpful for summarizing large PDFs or turning them into blog posts.

Introducing: Runway for Mobile

Runway is currently leading the field in AI-generated video. Although AI-generated video is not yet as advanced as text and photo, Runway is making significant progress. They have released a mobile app that allows users to change the style of videos , demonstrating their commitment to the technology. Keeping up with developments in AI-generated video will be essential in the future as the technology improves.

Unrelated, but cool

Grimes will split royalties on AI songs using her voice

As AI-generated music gains popularity, artists like Grimes are embracing the technology. Grimes has publicly announced her support for AI-generated songs using her voice , stating she will split the profits with the creators. This innovative approach could revolutionize the music industry, with more artists potentially endorsing AI-generated music.

Musicfy

If you’re interested in experimenting with AI-generated music, Musicfy is an app that lets you create songs and use any artist’s voice . The legality of using AI-generated voices in songs is still unclear, but Musicfy is a fascinating tool to experiment with and see the capabilities of AI in music production.

As the worlds of search engines and AI continue to evolve rapidly, it’s crucial for small service businesses to stay informed and adapt their strategies accordingly. By keeping up with the latest news and incorporating cutting-edge tools and technologies, organizations can better serve their clients and maintain a competitive edge in the ever-changing digital landscape. Stay tuned for more weekly updates, and be sure to check out the recommended resources to further enhance your understanding of the search engine and AI industries.

Search News

Site hacked? Remove the URL from GBP
Try using ChatGPT to analyze GSC data

Recommended Reading:

9 tips for troubleshooting why your site name isn’t showing up properly in the Google search results

AI News

Recommended Reading:

Greg Brockman: The inside story of ChatGPT’s astonishing potential | TED Talk

Unrelated, but cool

The Latest SEO and AI News for Local Service Businesses (April 24, 2023)

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:26:11 GMT

Google’s AI Merger, Project Magi, and the Rise of Open Source Language Models

Hey there! It’s TJ from Envision, and today we’re going to discuss the most recent SEO and AI news, focusing on how it applies to local service businesses like our clients. Although this update is mainly for our internal team, we thought it would be valuable to share it with everyone. Let’s dive into the exciting world of AI and SEO!

Google Merges Brain and DeepMind

In a major move, Google has decided to merge its two biggest AI departments, Brain and DeepMind. Previously operating as separate entities, this merger could be a response to growing competition from Microsoft. The new combined entity’s name is still unclear, but the move hints at Google’s commitment to advancing its AI capabilities. As the AI wars continue, we’re eager to see what innovations come from this collaboration.

Google Magi and the New Search Engine

There’s some confusion around Google’s Project Magi, but one thing is clear: exciting changes are on the horizon. According to Barry Schwartz, Project Magi refers to new features coming to Google’s existing search engine. On the other hand, the New York Times claims that Project Magi is actually a new, AI-driven search engine with a personalized, conversational interface. Regardless of the specifics, we can expect significant advancements in search engine technology from Google.

Transactions Built into Search

One of the primary goals for Google is to keep users on its search engine results page for as long as possible. To achieve this, the tech giant aims to enable transactions directly on its platform. While this may not be ideal for website publishers, it’s a trend worth watching. As Google makes it easier for users to buy products and book services without visiting individual websites, it’s crucial for local service businesses like ours to adapt and ensure we maintain visibility.

Stability AI Launches StableLM – Its Own Language Model

In the world of open-source AI, Stability AI has launched its own large language model called StableLM. While not as big as some other models (it currently has 3 billion and 7 billion parameter models), StableLM is noteworthy because it’s open source. This allows developers to take the model and use it for various applications, potentially leading to the creation of highly specialized AI tools.

Sliding Window Processing for GPT-4

A recent tweet from an OpenAI team member mentioned the upcoming release of a sliding window-like processing feature for GPT-4. This update will allow the AI to process and summarize book-sized documents, expanding its capabilities significantly. Once this feature is available, there could be numerous applications for content generation and data analysis. We’re looking forward to seeing how this improvement impacts the AI and SEO industries.

Generative AI Coming Soon to Google Ads

Generative AI is making its way into Google Ads, with the tech giant experimenting with AI in their ad editor for responsive search ads. This could result in Google recommending ad copy using technologies like BERT or Lambda. As this feature is built into the platform and uses data from your account, it could prove to be highly beneficial.

Canva’s AI is Getting Pretty Crazy

Canva, a popular graphic design platform, is pushing the boundaries of AI integration. One recent example is a feature that allows users to seamlessly change an image’s elements, like the color of a blouse, with just a few clicks. Though this may not be directly useful for SEO professionals, it demonstrates the rapid advancements in AI and its potential applications.

Google Removing Some GSC Reporting in December

Google has announced plans to remove some Google Search Console reports, specifically page experience reports, starting in December. This includes the mobile usability report. While it’s disappointing to lose access to this data, Google’s decision might be influenced by the overemphasis on these reports. Google wants users to focus on content and user experience, rather than metrics like page load time or cumulative layout shift.

Google Introduces Google Reader Revenue Manager

Google is introducing the Google Reader Revenue Manager as a way to compete with platforms like Substack and Twitter in the creator economy. This tool allows publishers to easily create paywalls and subscriptions for their content. It enables users to subscribe to content through the Google Play Store, and makes it easier for creators to monetize their content without relying on third-party platforms.

Google Showing FAQ Results Much Less Often in Mobile

Google has reduced the frequency of FAQ results in mobile search, although there hasn’t been a significant change in desktop search. Despite this, it’s still recommended to add FAQ structured data to your pages, as it can help Google understand your content better.

Cool Tools/Techniques:

MiniGPT-4 (Bimodal ChatGPT)

One interesting tool is MiniGPT-4, a research project using GPT-4 that can take in images and generate relevant text based on the image. This feature will likely be integrated into ChatGPT soon, but in the meantime, MiniGPT-4 is a free tool that can be used to experiment with image-to-text AI.

Animated Drawings

Meta has released a fascinating tool that allows you to animate drawings by simply uploading a picture. While not directly applicable to the SEO world, it’s a fun and creative way to engage with AI technology, especially if you have kids.

As AI technology continues to advance, it’s essential to stay up-to-date on the latest developments and find new ways to utilize these tools in your work. Stay tuned for more updates and insights in the world of SEO and AI.

Conclusion

As AI and SEO continue to evolve, it’s essential for local service businesses like ours to stay informed and adapt to the changing landscape. From Google’s merger of Brain and DeepMind to the potential of open-source language models like StableLM, we’re excited to see what the future holds. Stay tuned for more updates on the latest SEO and AI news and how it impacts local service businesses!

The Dark Path to Digital Dominance: Commanding Your Local Market with Ruthless Efficiency

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 11:34:22 GMT

Greetings, you who dare to seek power,

Your pursuit of dominance has led you to the virtual footsteps of Lord Voldemort, the one who lives in the shadows yet commands the light. In the world where I have my roots, power, fear, and control are key, and so too shall they be in the merciless world of business.

The Shadows of SEO

Just as one would use an Unforgivable Curse to control, harm, or instill fear, so too should you wield the potent spell of Search Engine Optimization. To dominate your online presence is to dominate the mind of your customer, always being the first, the most prominent. Shape your content to be a beacon of irresistible allure, drawing your unsuspecting customers into your power, your web.

Content: The Dark Art of Persuasion

What are words but incantations that stir emotions and command actions? Your content must be more than simple text; it should be a symphony of persuasion, a dance of suggestion. It must compel, coerce, ensnare. Let your customers feel as though they have a choice, while guiding them with an unseen hand towards your desired outcome.

Social Media: The Army of the Shadows

An army of followers is as crucial to your business as my Death Eaters are to my reign. Spread your influence across the digital realms, create loyal followers who are willing to champion your cause and defend your brand. Remember, each follower is a potential soldier in the battle for market dominance.

Reviews: The Fear and Respect of the Masses

Fear and respect are two sides of the same Galleon. As I am both feared and respected in the magical world, your business too must instill both in your customers. Fear of missing out on your service, and respect for the quality and authority you provide. Use reviews and ratings to your advantage, making the masses your unwitting advocates.

Data: The Dark Magic of the Digital Age

Even the Dark Lord values knowledge, especially the kind that can be used for manipulation and control. Data gives you an almost prophetic insight into your customers, allowing you to anticipate, and even shape, their desires and needs. Use it wisely, and your path to dominance is all but guaranteed.

Local Listings: The Marauder’s Map of Your Empire

Visibility is paramount. Just as my mark sends a chilling message across the night sky, your business must be an immovable, undeniable presence in your local market. Utilize local listings to navigate the labyrinth of your territory, laying claim to what is rightfully yours.

Your path to dominance is not for the weak. It demands strategy, fearlessness, and a willingness to wield power with an iron fist. Heed these principles and watch as your business becomes the Dark Lord of your local market.

Until your quest for power brings you to me once again,

Lord Voldemort

Envision Marketing does not endorse or support the thoughts, opinions, or methods of Lord Voldemort. The content is presented for entertainment purposes and metaphorical value in terms of business strategy. It is not a reflection of Envision Marketing’s ethos or practices.

Link Building Strategies for Local Service-Based Businesses

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 11:38:38 GMT

High-quality inbound links play a critical role in improving your website’s rankings and visibility in Google and other search engines. Search engines view these links as indicators of credibility, authority, and relevance.

Below are our most effective link-building strategies for local service-based businesses. With the assistance of a digital marketing agency like Envision, you can implement these strategies to strengthen your online presence.

Link Building Strategies

Below is a comprehensive list of link building strategies suitable for local service-based businesses, with information on how a digital marketing agency like Envision can help:

Partner Outreach

Start by making a list of every person and organization you’ve partnered with. Identify an arrangement where you can add value to them in exchange for a link back to your website. Examples include:

Partner pages : Collaborate with industry partners and create dedicated pages on your website, linking to and from partner websites. This is called a link exchange. As you might know, Google will penalize websites that abuse this strategy, but it can be effective when done with select partners.
Guest posts : Contribute informative articles to high-authority websites in your industry, including a link back to your site. Again, Google may penalize websites which do this at scale; however, when done well, it’s one of the most effective link building tools. Envision can help you distinguish between useful and unuseful applications of this technique.
Testimonials : Provide testimonials for partners’ products or services, asking them to feature the testimonial along with a link to your website. This is often one of the easiest methods of securing high quality links from existing partnerships. You can also try this with businesses you haven’t yet partnered with by trying their product or service and then sending a testimonial.
Sponsorships : Sponsor relevant events or initiatives, gaining brand exposure and inbound links from organizers’ websites.
Expert roundups : Gather insights from industry experts and influencers on a specific topic, compile them into a blog post, and encourage the featured experts to share and link to the post on their websites or social media.

Shareable Content

Create high-quality content that can be shared and linked to by authoritative organizations. Examples include:

Research studies : If you have the resources, this is one of the most effective types of shareable content. Once you’ve compiled your research, Envision can help create an optimized blog post. We can then identify organizations with high-ranking content related to the research, and invite them to link to the blog post from their website.
Case studies : Showcase real-world applications of your services through case studies that others can cite and link to. Envision can help you develop compelling case studies that highlight your business’s success.
Blog posts : Create informative blog posts on relevant industry topics, encouraging sharing and linking from other websites. Blog posts also tend to rank well on their own, which is why this is one of the most common projects we handle for our clients.
Infographics : Design visually appealing infographics that simplify complex concepts, encouraging sharing and inbound links.
Videos : Produce educational or entertaining videos that can be shared and embedded by others, generating additional inbound links. Envision can help you plan, create, and optimize videos for your target audience.
Online tools or quizzes : Develop interactive tools or quizzes, making it easy for users to share and link to the content.
Podcast hosting : Develop a podcast series interviewing industry experts, generating interest and inbound links.

Events

While events can be expensive, they present valuable opportunities for link building. Some ideas include:

Webinars : Host webinars on industry topics, offering a private link to an event page on your website for organizations to share with their members. Afterward, add the recording to your website with an accompanying blog post and share it with your followers.
Community events : Participate in local community events, research local organizations, news websites, or event directories that may be interested in featuring your involvement, providing exposure and potential inbound links. Write a blog post about your experience and share it with relevant organizations, inviting them to link to the post.
Workshops or training programs : Partner with other organizations for workshops or training programs, discussing opportunities to showcase the collaboration on their websites, generating valuable links in the process.
Conferences : If sponsoring or organizing a conference, ensure the conference website links back to your website. If attending a conference, consider partnering on shareable content or offering testimonials for others to use on their website (with a link back to your website).

Local Citations

Local citations are mentions of your business on local directories, review sites, and social media platforms. These citations can increase your website’s visibility in local search results and help establish your brand’s authority. Envision can assist you in identifying and building local citations, ensuring your business information is accurate and consistent across all platforms.

Niche Directories

Submit your business to niche directories relevant to your industry. These directories are typically smaller and more focused than general directories, and they can provide valuable inbound links. Envision can help you identify and submit your business to appropriate niche directories, ensuring you reap the benefits of targeted traffic and increased authority.

Competitor Backlink Analysis

Analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles to identify potential link opportunities. By understanding where your competitors are earning links, you can target similar sources and develop a plan to acquire those links. Envision can conduct a comprehensive competitor backlink analysis and create a tailored link-building strategy for your business.

Unlinked Mentions

One of the most effective link building strategies is identifying unlinked mentions of your organization. Trusted organizations may mention your business in a positive light without providing a link to your website. By reaching out to these publications and requesting a link, you can expect a 30-40% success rate. Envision can help you find these mentions and conduct outreach on your behalf or provide a list for you to handle the outreach.

Broken Inbound Links

Fixing broken inbound links is an efficient method of building inbound links. Trusted organizations may link to non-existent pages on your website by mistake or after a page removal. By setting up redirects to the most relevant page, you can recover the lost authority. Envision can scan your site for broken links and either handle the entire process or provide you with a list of broken pages for you to decide on the best redirect options.

By employing these comprehensive link-building strategies and working with a digital marketing agency like Envision, local service-based businesses can improve their online presence, drive traffic to their websites, and increase brand authority.

Digital Marketing Trends in 2022

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 11:42:24 GMT

While no one can say for certain what the future will bring, here are our thoughts on where small businesses should focus in 2022.

Messaging/SMS Replacing Emails & Phone Calls

People today are less inclined to get on the phone with a business, and emails and contact forms are simply too slow for most users. Instead, most consumers prefer to use on-site messaging (chat) or even SMS text messaging to communicate with companies. Enabling messaging in Google Business Profile Manager, Facebook, and on your website has never been easier, and can open up an entirely new sales channel for your business.

A word of caution to business owners – not responding to customers in a timely manner can lead to a poor customer experience. For this reason, some companies will use AI (bots) to respond immediately and collect customer data until a representative is able to jump in.

Google Business Profile is More Important than Ever

Google is rapidly improving its ability to show local businesses for search terms like, “restaurant near me with outdoor seating and good customer service”. Completing your business listing, including business attributes, hours, categories, owner message, and even asking and answering your own questions are crucial for showing up for these highly valuable searches.

Posting images and specials can also help drive traffic to your Google Business Profile and will only further enhance your presence on the platform.

Reputation is More Important than Ever

Not only do consumers rely heavily on a company’s reviews to make buying decisions, Google also relies heavily on them. Getting more 4 and 5 star reviews can help push your business higher in Google’s organic search results – specifically, in the “Local Map Pack”. Asking for reviews is the most important step towards increasing your review count; however, implementing review acquisition software such as Grade.us or Birdeye can take your review game to the next level.

Don’t forget to respond to all reviews that are left for your business. Showing this engagement will let other potential customers know that you are serious about your online reputation.

Content Quality is More Important than Ever

Gone are the days where you could write generic content stuffed with keywords and rank on page one of Google. Today, Google’s natural language processing is improving at a remarkable rate, and the only strategy for reliably gaining views on Google or social media is creating the highest quality content. When picking a topic for your next piece of content, whether it’s text, video, audio, or image content, do a quick search to see what’s already out there. If you’re not confident you can create something more useful for your customers, find another topic. Perhaps the topic was too broad and you can narrow in more on your specialty or local area.

Audio/Video is More Effective than Ever

Voice recognition and natural language processing advancements combine to introduce audio/video into the SEO mix. We can expect to see more podcasts and videos in search results, with automatically generated timestamps which take you directly to the section which addresses your search.

Live Streaming is Gaining Traction Quickly

Live video is growing rapidly. Even if only 2 or 3 people tune in, the video can continue to gain views over time. Make it a habit to have monthly, weekly, or even daily live streams. Be consistent and your viewership will grow over time. There are also a handful of companies focused on live stream coaching. Save yourself the headache and purchase a training course.

Omnichannel Marketing is on the Rise

Smart companies don’t only post their content once these days. That live stream can become a YouTube video, Facebook video, multiple Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, a blog post, and a podcast. Those can then be shared on additional platforms as well.

Google Image Recognition is Rewarding Original Images

Google is quickly gaining the ability to recognize objects in images. Including high-quality, original images on your website and business listings can increase their visibility in search. Stock images won’t cut it; Google can easily recognize stock photos and will exclude them from search results. Invest in high-quality images of your products and services and use them wherever you can.

Brand Transparency is More Important than Ever

Consumers care more than ever who companies are and what they stand for. Being transparent and candid is now rewarded, while rigid, faceless companies are seen as untrustworthy. Don’t be afraid to be conversational when interacting with customers. As a brand, be forthright with your values. Take a stand and don’t apologize. You may turn off some people, but your core demographic will become loyal, raving fans.

There are More Places to Post Your Products

If your online store is the only place consumers can purchase your products, you’re missing out. You can now post products for free on Facebook, Instagram, Google Business Profile, and Google Shopping. All of these will increase your product exposure. Pro tip: Service businesses can post the services they offer as “products” in their Google Business Profile.

User-Generated Content is More Trusted than Ever

Consumers rarely trust brands these days. Instead, they turn to reviews and comments from real users before making a purchase. Asking for reviews, including testimonials on your website (especially video testimonials), encouraging discussion on your content, and responding publicly to your consumers’ questions can help build trust among prospective customers.

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Reddit Marketing for Small Businesses (2025 Updated)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Reddit

Subreddits: The Building Blocks of Reddit

Moderators: The Guardians of Subreddits

The Karma System: Reddit’s Social Currency

Profile Age and Posting History

2. Reddit Etiquette (“Reddiquette”)

General Best Practices

What Can Get You Banned on Reddit

Subreddit-Specific Rules

The Consequences of Getting Banned

3. Identifying Relevant Subreddits

Strategies for Finding Suitable Subreddits

Balancing Business and Personal Interests

The Power of Niche Subreddits

4. Getting Started: First 30 Days on Reddit

Focus on Building Reputation

Commenting Strategies

5. Leveraging Reddit’s Search Function

Basic Search Techniques

Advanced Search Tips

Utilizing Search Results

6. NEW: Reddit Pro for Businesses

What Reddit Pro Offers

Who Can Access Reddit Pro?

Why Reddit Pro Matters for Small Businesses

7. NEW: Reddit Answers AI Feature

What is Reddit Answers?

How It Works

What This Means for Business Users

Status and Availability

8. Advanced Reddit Strategies

Cross-posting: Best Practices and Etiquette

Making Your Own Posts

Content Types

Using Photos Effectively

Title Strategies

9. Handling Feedback and Engagement

Dealing with Negative Feedback

Engaging Constructively with Criticism

Building Positive Relationships

10. Reddit Advertising Options

Types of Reddit Ads

Benefits of Reddit Advertising

Best Practices for Reddit Ads

11. Long-term Reddit Strategy

Flexibility in Engagement

Advantages of Regular Checking

Balancing Self-Promotion and Community Contribution

Leveraging Established Credibility

12. Other Effective Uses for Reddit

Content Inspiration

Market Research and User Feedback

Networking and Collaboration

Competitive Analysis

Conclusion

The Best Website Builders for Small Businesses: A Comprehensive Guide

Choosing the Right Website Builder for Your Small Business

Shopify: Best for E-commerce Businesses

Easy Setup Process

Key Features and Benefits

DIY vs. Hiring a Developer

Wix: Best for DIY Service-Based Businesses

User-Friendly Interface

AI-Assisted Design

Key Features

Template-Based Design Advantages

WordPress: Best for Custom Websites with Professional Help

Flexibility and Customization

Extensive Plugin Ecosystem

WooCommerce for E-commerce

Cost Considerations

When to Choose WordPress

Choosing the Right Website Builder for Your Business

How to Know if Your SEO Campaign is Working: Beyond Keyword Rankings

Why Keyword Rankings Alone Are Unreliable for Measuring SEO Success