Announcing Google AdWords Express!
Google AdWords Express is a new way to use Google to provide local
consumers with what they’re looking for and creating fresh custom for
your business. With 97% of consumers researching products online before
buying locally*, a local business has an opportunity to attract a huge
volume of potential customers that are already looking for them online.
Relevant to customers
Google AdWords Express is tailored for local businesses to create relevant ads for local customers. By
setting up a Google Adwords Express account your business listing will
appear in a prominent position for customers in your locality in the
results of their Google search.
It works with keywords to appear in relevant searches and increase the
number of people finding your business, and this is all managed by
Google automatically.
Integrated and user-friendly
Your Google AdWords Express account is integrated with other Google services. It functions alongside a Google Places page so that it is specifically targeting local customers.
Your business also becomes highlighted and stands out from the crowd on
searches in Google Maps. If your business has a website then you can
provide a link for customers to follow. If not, then your Google Places
page is linked allowing you to provide all of the business details a
potential customer might need.
Customisable
Once you have set up the service you only pay when your ad is clicked by a potential customer, you also set your specific budget and will never be charged more than that amount for the service.
Self-sufficient
Once you are set up, Google AdWords Express automatically does
everything for you with no need for any further input should you not
want to, leaving you to concentrate on other aspects of your business.
Follow these 3 basic steps to set up your Google AdWords Express account:
-
Find and claim your place of business at Google AdWords Express.
-
Insert relevant details for your ad
-
Choose your campaign and budget
Or make an appointment at the Google Juice Bar and they will go through the process with you.
* Source: BIA Kelsey
Customers
aren’t just a cog in your business’ machine, they are the lifeblood. So it
is essential that your website goes that extra mile and ensures that
your customers’ experience on the site is enjoyable and productive. If you would like some advice on how to improve your website, then why not book a Google Juice Bar appointment? You will get a one-to-one meeting with a member of the Google team, where they can guide you through any questions you may have. You can book an appointment by visiting www.gbbo.co.uk/liverpooljuicebar
In the meantime here
are a few tips on how you can add value to your
website:
1. Make it easy to get help
It
is crucial that customers can quickly access answers to
any questions they have whilst browsing your website. You can make this happen by sharing Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs), links to additional resources and by placing your company’s
contact details in a prominent position on the site.
Making this information easy to access will improve your customers' experience of the site, as well as helping you to ensure that any problem with the website, a product or a service is rectified quickly.
2. Know who is visiting your site
In
order to create relevant and up-to-date information for your website,
you need to understand who is visiting, how they found you and how
long they stay. The best tool for this is Google Analytics, as it
tracks the conversion rate of visitors on your website and can accurately
measure click-through rates, and tell you whether that has come from direct searches,
search engines, social media etc. If you would like more information on
Google Analytics visit www.google.com/analytics
3. Put yourself on the map
Literally.
If you have a shop, restaurant, or any business where customers need to find your premises, then why not register on Google Places? It’s a simple process which allows you
to embed the exact location of your business onto your website. Also, if
a potential or existing customer searches for you on Google, your
business will be shown as a map reference as well as a website link. This connects you with local customers
Google
Places is a really nifty tool that doesn’t cost you anything to
register. You can add your business logo, contact details and a short
outline of your business. For more information head to www.google.com/places
4. Social media accounts
Are you on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Picassa, LinkedIn or any other social media channels? All of
these can be used on your website. Include links on
your home page and contact page to encourage your
website’s visitors to follow you, become a fan and engage with your
company as a whole.
5. Remember to keep it simple
With
all the added extras that have been suggested for your website, it
could quickly get out of hand. It’s important to remember to keep your
site clutter-free and that customers or browsers don’t receive an
overdose of information. Make sure you keep things accessible and
easy to navigate.
Google are helping Liverpool businesses to get online and maximise their potential, you can get a one-to-one meeting with an expert advisor, who'll help you with everything you need to know about making your business an online success. Book an appointment at www.gbbo.co.uk/liverpooljuicebar In the meantime, in the second of our weekly newsletters there's some advice for people who are just starting out in business, send us your business tips via Twitter using the #GLBO tag.
Top tips starting out in business
When starting your own business you'll be bombarded with advice; some of it helpful and some of it not so much. We’ve pulled together some top tips which will hopefully help you with your first venture.
1. It’s all about focus
Starting a business is an exciting prospect and you're likely to be brimming with ideas, but be wary of jumping on every idea you have for your fledgling business, as this could divert you from the core element of your venture. Trying to juggle too many ideas will impact on your effectiveness and productivity; remember that it's better to do one thing brilliantly, than five things badly.
2. Know what you do, do what you know
When you look at successful entreprenures they all become successful doing something that you understand and ideally love doing. If you build a business around your strengths, then you are more likely to succeed in the long term. Don’t just think about making money, you have to live and breathe your business, so you have to be happy working on it every day.
3. If you can’t say it in 30 seconds, don’t bother
If you're invited to any networking opportunity; whether it’s with potential investors or a potential customer, you must be able to quickly and concisely pitch your business. See it as an ‘elevator pitch’. You have 30 seconds with which to state your mission, service and goals. Make sure that you don’t reel off the same thing each time; tailor it to who you’re speaking to, an investor will want to know something completely different to a customer.
4. Get online
A website is essential to any business selling products or offering a service, but getting a web developer on board can be costly. You can get a free website and domain name for a year through Google’s Getting British Business Online campaign. Head towww.gbbo.co.uk for more information.
5. No one will just give you money
In today’s economic climate it's going to be very difficult to get hold of large sums of capital to launch your business. When looking for investment think about your starting point. It’s not about your end point, you need to demonstrate your worth first.
6. Know when to quit
It’s OK to admit if your idea doesn't go exactly as you planned, so don’t keep ploughing ahead for the sake of pride. If it isn’t working, then it is time to look at what went wrong and learn from the mistakes. Don’t be put off because you didn’t get it right first time, it happens to most successful entrepreneurs.
In its first initiative of this kind, Google UK will kick off three months of free business workshops and events across Liverpool, starting in September. We aim to boost the area’s online economy, with the goal of providing face to face help for 1,500 local businesses.
As part of this new initiative, Google is partnering with a series of Liverpool organisations dedicated to supporting small business in the city, including:
- Liverpool Vision
- Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
- Downtown Liverpool in Business
- Liverpool’s Federation for Small Businesses
- Women in Business
- Business Link North West.
Together Google and our partners will run a three month programme of free events and workshops in and around the city, designed to help local businesses regardless of technical expertise - from getting online and creating their first business website, through to improving their existing online presence.
As well as large scale events, our Google Juice Bar will spend three months travelling to various locations across Liverpool, with capacity to give 1,500 business people free one-on-one 40 minute digital health-checks.
As many as 1.5 million businesses in the UK are not online, perceiving that websites as too costly, too complicated or not necessary. Through ‘Getting British Business Online’ Google wants to show just how easy it is to get online and reap the benefits!
Liverpool businesses can register for these events on the Getting British Business Online website, at www.gbbo.co.uk/Liverpool. The website also offers small business owners and entrepreneurs a free tool to build a website in as little as 15 minutes, as well as information and advice on how to make the most of their website.
You can get involved with us on Twitter and Facebook and we hope to see you in Liverpool!
