TALL BOY’S TALL 10

Google Business Profiles (formerly Google My Business) remain the most important tool for local visibility. Claim your profile at business.google.com and verify your business via mail, phone, or email. Verification is critical—don’t lose that postcard in the mail! These days, though, they want to verify via phone or video. The video is a pain, but doable.

Tips & Trends:

• Post updates weekly as well as events and offers as they happen.

• Upload high-quality photos, naming each with relevant keywords, your business name, and location (e.g., nashville_cafe_breakfast.jpg).

• Respond to every review, positive or negative. Google rewards active, engaged businesses with better local rankings. As you respond, be sure to mention your name and a few focus keywords.

• Use Google’s Q&A feature to answer frequently asked questions for better voice-search optimization.

Bing Places for Business can be synced with Google to ensure your listing is accurate across both platforms. This keeps hours, contact info, and website links consistent.

Tips & Trends:

• Set the sync frequency to automatically update changes from Google.

• Upload unique photos to Bing to optimize visibility—Bing still favors visual content.

• Be patient: Bing’s platform can be slower, so allow extra time for changes to appear.

Facebook:

• Ensure your page is complete, with accurate info and profile visuals.

• Use Business Suite to schedule posts, cross-post to Instagram, and monitor engagement.

• Focus on engagement over likes—start following users, other businesses, and community pages. Respond to their comments. Invite non-followers who like your post to your page. Comment on local community/business pages that are already getting traction. Be friendly and engage!

• Start your own Business Portfolio to keep your pages managed together and grant access to users who will help manage them and run ads.

• Create your own ad account within your Business Portfolio, too.

Instagram:

• Connect with Facebook for seamless posting.

• Include location tags, relevant hashtags, and respond to tags or mentions.

• Stories and Reels are crucial for local discovery and algorithm favorability.

• And don’t post and walk away! Stay active on Instagram for at least 10 minutes after you post. Watch reels that are in your niche and not silly cat videos.

Twitter/X & TikTok:

• Post regularly; these platforms reach niche audiences you may not find elsewhere.

• TikTok trends can be powerful for local discovery if your business creates engaging short-form content.

Visit biz.yelp.com to claim and verify your listing. Ensure information matches all other platforms.

Tips & Trends:

• Upload high-quality photos with descriptive filenames and keywords.

• Respond promptly to reviews — Yelp analytics now show which responses increase engagement and trust.

• Yelp reviews feed Apple Maps, making your listing visible across iOS devices.

If your business is travel-related or a local attraction, claim your TripAdvisor listing. Manage multiple locations under a single account.

Tips & Trends:

• Encourage happy customers to leave reviews.

• Upload 360° photos or videos to increase engagement.

• Keep hours, photos, and promotions up to date—TripAdvisor frequently features businesses with fresh content.

Develop a robust FAQ covering common customer questions. Use this list on Google Business Profile, your website, and social media.

Tips & Trends:

• Include local keywords like “Nashville” or “Monument, CO” (or wherever you live) in answers.

• Use questions from past reviews to create authentic content.

• Add an FAQ page to your website to boost featured snippets in search results.

Use register.apple.com/placesonmaps to add or verify your listing.

Tips & Trends:

• Keep your NAP (name, address, phone) consistent with other platforms.

• Encourage customers to leave thumbs-up reviews or photos on Apple Maps.

• Siri queries now rely heavily on Apple Maps, so accurate info increases voice-search visibility.

Consistency is crucial for SEO and local rankings.

Tips & Trends:

• Use the same spelling, punctuation, and abbreviations everywhere.

• Ensure suite numbers, area codes, and formatting match exactly.

• Regularly audit listings to prevent duplicate or outdated information.

Before uploading images to your website, Google Business Profile, Yelp, or social media, rename files with descriptive keywords.

Tips & Trends:

• Include business name, location, and relevant category (e.g., monument_co_pizza_margherita.jpg).

• Avoid keyword stuffing—use natural descriptions.

• Update website images seasonally or with promotions to keep content fresh.

Engage with customers by responding to both positive and negative reviews.

Tips & Trends:

• Negative reviews: Acknowledge concerns, offer solutions, and show professionalism. This can turn a negative into a positive.

• Positive reviews: Thank customers personally—this increases trust and repeat business.

• Track review trends to identify opportunities for operational improvements.