A Quick Assessment of Your SMB's Online Presence.
John Ohman • February 20, 2022
How Easy is it for People to Find You Online?
So how do you get a quick assessment of your business presence online? Easy! Google it yourself. But here are a few hints about how to search, and what to look for in the results.
For all the directions below, when you're in your internet browser, open a new "incognito" window. This will ensure that you'll see what others see without delivering "biased" results from your computer's history and cache.
First, just type your SMB's name in the search bar and hit enter.
- Unless there's another business with the same name somewhere else in the country, your search results should be right at the top of the list (but underneath any paid search engine advertisements that may be present).
- If you have a website, it should be in the first 2-3 results (possibly after your social media accounts if they are very active).
- Here's a screenshot of our own results for Doggone Good Technology:
- You should also see a Google Business Listing (previously called a Google My Business or GMB listing) on the right side of the screen. If you don't see such a listing, ask us for free advice. But, hopefully this business listing is one that you either created yourself, or "claimed" it when you saw it for the first time. If not, you don't control it, Google does. If you're in this situation and want to know how to remedy that, just reach out to us for free advice.
Next, do another Google search using the following input - Enter your [business category] the word "near" and your [business location city and state].
Some examples could be:
- "plumbers near Ellijay GA"
- "candle stores near Hiawassee GA"
- "HVAC near Blairsville GA"
You get the idea .. .. .. .. a typical Google search done by someone looking for goods or services near a location.
- Here's a screenshot for the search results from
"breweries near copperhill tn"
- What you're seeing here are two different parts of the search results - the first is what's referred to as "The 3 Pack" and the second is the start of the rest of the listings.
- If your business is included in "The 3 Pack" that's VERY good! The precise order in the 3 pack will vary day-to-day, but merely your inclusion is significant for your online presence.
- Right below "The 3 Pack" is the start of the rest of the search results listings.
- These results are a composite of how Google sees your business . . . and a reasonable barometer of your overall online presence.
A word about the "near me" search. It's pretty common for searchers to use the phrase
"[business category] near me"
It works because search engines can tie the computer of the searcher to a reasonably specific location and the search results and their rank order will reflect primarily how close the computer is to available businesses that meet the business category listing.
If you're trying to assess this type of search, it can be tricky - your results will be based on your computer's location which may be very different than those of your geographical target market. The important thing is to understand what your search results show as determined by the exact search wording and your specific location.
Finally, if you want to discuss your business' online presence - with no sales pitch or obligation - feel free to reach out to us for advice and assessment.
Your success is our benchmark.
