By Kelsey Roth

Kelsey Roth of local marketing consultant group, The Management, will be bringing you handy marketing tips monthly specifically for small businesses. These guys know what it’s like to run a local business because they ARE a local business!

Most small business owners have enough to deal with on a day-to-day basis that marketing and self promotion usually take a back seat to things like serving customers, training employees, and managing the books. Focusing a few hours each week on marketing can make a big difference in the long term. Having a web site and creating a page on Facebook are simple tasks that many small business owners can accomplish. But for many businesses, that’s where their online presence stops.

Here are 3 easy things you can do today to help you get more from your Internet presence.

1. Make sure your web site’s text is highlighting your business.
Are you a hobby store in Somerville that specializes in model airplanes? Your front page should say something like “We are a hobby store that specializes in model airplanes located in Somerville, MA.” Google reads these keywords to help figure out how to categorize your web site when providing search results. If someone is searching for model airplanes in Somerville, you want to make sure your store shows up at the top of the list.

2. Claim your business.
Claiming your business on sites like Google Places, Yelp and Facebook allow you to control the information and increase your online visibility. By claiming your business on Google Places and completing the profile information, you increase your visibility on Google Maps, your rankings in Google Search and make it easier for people to locate your business through many mobile apps. By claiming your business on sites like Facebook and Yelp, you gain the ability to respond to reviews, add content and make announcements. Another reason to claim your business is that many of these sites provide valuable statistics about interest in your business such as page views and interactions.

3. Use the tools you have.
Simply having a Facebook page or Twitter account is not enough. People will forget about you if you never post anything. But what should you post? That answer is going to be different for every business but it should begin by asking the same question. Why would someone want to “Like” my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter? You can use these tools to promote announcements about sales, specials and events. Think of other ways that you can provide information that your followers can use. Are you a gardening store? Then post a weekly tip from your expert gardener. These posts can be linked directly back to your website, generating visitors to that as well!

These are just a few ideas to give your business an online boost. The Internet connects us in many ways. Take advantage! Small improvements here and there can go a long way to increasing your online presence, which ultimately leads to more customers and increased profits.