Blog Archives

Google places and search optimisation helps provide a generic (free) listing. But with the technology upgrades of Google Maps, Adwords gets better too. Adwords is often referred to as ‘pay-per-click‘ (PPC). We know that poor Yellow Pages are buying huge amounts of Adwords to get their various categories listed. But buying categories isn’t very effective. Below is an example of how Adwords works best, showing a local furniture store running an Adwords promotion. Note they have several stores and
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Social media, primarily Facebook, is where many people now ‘reside’ when they go on the net. Activity within Facebook is now similar to Google search! From a business perspective, you need to be where your customers are. Although online search and your website are major drivers of new sales for small business, close behind are Facebook and Youtube… For those businesses with walk-in traffic, looking to build a community and get interaction with their customers, Facebook is the clear leader.
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As of 2nd February 2011 you can now buy Adwords on a city by city, region by region basis, including multiples of each.  (Read Google announcement) This is very handy, since it allows you, the retailer or business owner, to target your local area, not waste money showing people your offering in a town thousands of miles away. Google is obviously using this to only serve up the right ads of suppliers, in the very targeted region requested.  This upgrade has
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Of this there’s NO doubt. When WAS the last time you glanced at the Yellow Pages? If you are like me, you probably threw them in the trash when they came. This hasn’t helped Yellows status or finances, with them recently announcing one of the biggest corporate losses in New Zealand history. (Story below). Some doubt they’ll survive the year… But how cost-effective is Yellow for business? For the last few years, the only place most of
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Yes. At least as far as Google is concerned… I don’t believe it’s a deliberate policy by Google and is likely fixable, but looking at a Google Search these days often brings up a map, gives a distinct benefit to those businesses that have their own street access and storefront. Below is a Google Map displaying the businesses around the Manukau shopping centre. If I had a shop in the main mall, I’d be concerned. Zooming in
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Google is constantly changing and tweaking its code to better serve its key ‘clients’ being the consumer or those doing a search. It constantly wants to ‘serve up’ the most RELEVANT and REPUTABLE companies when someone goes looking for a product or service provider. Sometimes this works out good for some companies, bad for many others… The most recent changes this month were summarised very well in recent articles (below) in the CNN Money website. It’s not always good
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Just having a pretty website today isn’t enough.  Branding and good looks doesn’t get you much traffic, sales or help pay the bills. Websites need a reason to exist and should have a strong payback. Online shops are superb for selling both popular as well as those niche products. Every day people are using Google to search for very specific items. There’s an immense opportunity here for savvy retailers. But the trick is to list ALL your
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