Marketing Trends Small Businesses Should Note

What direction is marketing going in 2019? 
According to recent research reports, there are 5 trends that local businesses and professional practices should watch closely in the year ahead:
 
1. The Need for Speed (for Mobile)
Google has made it clear that the time it takes for your site to load on a mobile device is extremely important and will be used as a factor in determining search ranking. This had been driven by more consumers using mobile devices -- they tend to be impatient. Slow pages will lose out!
 
2. The Ever-Growing Importance of Online Reviews and Ratings
Local businesses already know they benefit from having good online reviews and ratings. But these are growing in importance -- these evaluations are not just nice to have but should become an essential part of your marketing strategy. A recent survey found that 86% of US consumers consult online reviews and ratings when evaluating local businesses.
 
3. Customer Reviews Growing Impact on Search Engine Optimization 
Because online reviews and ratings are so highly valued by consumers, they can now impact local search engine optimization (SEO). Google appears to be incorporating high ratings and positive reviews in ranking mapped local business. This means that without a number of good reviews and ratings, your practice may be less easily found in search results.
 
4. Google My Business Increases Importance
After phasing out G+, Google put more emphasis on their Google My Business platform. If you only have time for one marketing activity, update your Google My Business listing!  An analysis by Moz of local search rank factors found that Google My Business elements — the specified address, keywords, categories, etc.— have the most influence on local pack results and the fourth-most influence on organic results overall.
 
5. Facebook Changes and Recommendations Become More Valuable
Facebook has also had a series of recent product changes. These include easier options for highlighting things like special events and sales. In addition, Facebook has emphasized Recommendations, a feature that allows people to suggest firms they like by using text, photos, and tags.
 
If you’d like to discuss how to best use these trends to help your business this year, let me know and we’ll set up a phone chat!