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118 W. Oak St, Ste 202, Mason, MI 48854

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Digital Enhancements for Our Display Advertisers

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Our Display Advertisers Get Found Online Total Local Community Guides are an effective advertising media for our display advertisers since they are sent to every resident in a community through Every Door Direct Mail. However, since so much of our world has become digital, we also want to help our display advertisers get found online. That’s why we’ve recently launched new digital enhancements for all of our print advertisers. With a display ad, our advertisers also get these items online: A featured listing of each display ad on every community website page in which they advertise. A unique business profile page on our website with their contact information and ad. We also publish each community guide in a flippable format online at ISSUU.com and link display ads back to advertiser websites. 3 posts per year on our Total Local Facebook page for each community in which they advertise. These posts point back to advertiser websites and include their contact information. NEW! We’ve added enhanced Business Profile Pages on our website for any display advertiser that purchases a half page and above for free! Or, if you are a smaller display advertiser or would just like to be an advertiser on the website for a particular guide, you may purchase an Enhanced Business Profile Page. Enhanced Business Profile Pages on Total Local Our website includes a section for each of our communities where we publish a Total Local Community Resource Guide. On the Community Guide Page, we include an image of all of our display advertisers, which is clickable through to their Business Profile Page. Any of our advertisers that purchase the equivalent of a half page or above in display advertising in our books receives an Enhanced Business Profile Page. The enhancements include digitizing their ads by inserting key words of their products and services on the page. We can also add more text information that the advertiser provides. Plus, we link back to the advertiser’s website, google listing, or social media accounts. All of this helps contribute to the advertiser’s overall search engine optimization. We’ve started rolling these improvements out this fall with our summer guides, starting with Mason. Moving forward we will be adding these enhanced pages to each new Community Resource Guide. Total Local Community Facebook Pages For all of the communities where we publish a guide, we also host a community resource page on Facebook. This page not only features each of our display advertisers (for free) three times per year, but we also repost community events, local news, and more. Our pages for each community are not meant to compete with other community Facebook pages and groups. They are simply another way for local businesses and community information to reach more people on Facebook. These days, local information often gets drowned out by well-funded news sources and big-name brands. With Total Local Facebook pages, we focus on the businesses and events in your own community. We know that fostering a community connection helps businesses become more recognized by their customers. Creating a sense of community also encourages people to shop local, building up the community’s economy and creating a win/win situation for both residents and business owners. So, advertising with Total Local covers all your bases. Through our printed guides and our community Facebook pages, we provide you with a multi-faceted approach to reaching your audience. Your display ad in our Total Local Community Resource Guides will reach people in their mailboxes via Every Door Direct Mail. In addition, by giving our advertisers exposure on our community Facebook pages and with our Enhanced Business Profile Pages on our website, we have also provided them with a crucial way to be found online! Contact Us If you’re interested in advertising in Total Local’s Community Resource Guides or in an Enhanced Business Profile on our website, please contact us at 517-663-2405.

Online Reviews

Online Reviews Provide Social Proof for Your Company

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In this day and age, most consumers research about a company online before making a purchase or choosing a service. Whether they are ordering a product over the Internet, researching an in-store purchase, or looking for a service like a doctor’s office, chances are the potential customer will check out a company’s online reviews to see how it measures up. Online reviews are an important way for people to learn about your business, and if your reviews are genuine and mainly positive, they can be a huge asset in attracting customers. Authentic, positive online reviews can be one of the best forms of advertisement available. Research from Bright Local shows that 86% of people read online reviews for local businesses and 91% of consumers ages 18-34 trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. With that in mind, having a collection of mainly positive reviews of your business is essential. There are many different platforms for customer reviews, but since Google and Facebook reviews are the most popular and most visible, those are the focus of this article. Sometimes Satisfied Customers Just Need a Little Nudge Sometimes a satisfied customer will be motivated enough to leave a glowing review of your company on their own, either on Facebook, Google, or another platform. But often, customers need a little reminding or nudging to leave reviews. How can you build up your body of online reviews, while still keeping them authentic? There are several ways. 1. Online Directory Listings: Make sure your company’s profile is listed in the biggest review channels, Facebook and Google. Update your Google My Business Profile and make sure the Facebook page for your business is up-to-date and current. That way potential customers can find your business online, and satisfied customers can leave positive reviews for others to see. 2. Follow the Rules: There are a couple of rules about reviews to keep in mind, to keep your company in good standing with Facebook and Google. While it is okay to ask for reviews, it is not okay to offer customers incentives for positive reviews or to hire third-party services to solicit or create inauthentic reviews. These guidelines are commonsense ways to ensure that the reviews about companies are genuine. 3. Ask for a Review: The most basic way to encourage positive reviews is to consistently provide excellent service. However, sometimes even happy customers need a little reminder. Asking them in person, over the phone, or via email is acceptable, depending on the ways your company typically communicates with its customers. If you are sending an email with a request for a review, it’s helpful to include a link or a badge that goes directly to the review pages to make it easy for the customer to simply click on the link. Add a request for a review on your business card or other printed communications as well. 4. In-Store or In-Office Reminders: Another way to gently remind customers about leaving a review is to post a sign in your store or office. All it takes is a simple sign near the checkout counter or the door, thanking them for being a customer/patient/client, etc., and asking if they would consider leaving a review on Facebook or Google, to help others learn about your company’s services. Responding to Reviews Builds Your Company’s Character In addition to requesting reviews, it is very important to respond to online reviews. If consumers see that you are reading your company’s reviews and creating a dialogue with customers, they will be more likely to see the reviews as genuine and to see your company as one that cares. Of course, once in a while every company, even the best ones, makes mistakes and ends up with an angry customer and a negative review. If you receive a negative review, it’s best to try to rectify the problem and respond to the review as soon as possible. Even if you are annoyed or outraged about a negative review, it’s always wise to remain professional; respond with understanding and compassion, and don’t let revenge or anger get the better of you. According to researchers, if potential customers see that your business is doing its best to address the stated problem, you will show your business to be sincere and caring, which is something consumers appreciate. Online Reviews Help Shoppers Become Loyal Customers With customer testimonials and your company’s responses, online reviews are an important way for consumers to learn about your company and your company’s level of customer service. By building your body of reviews and responding to them, you will create a way for savvy consumers to verify your company’s character, turning those who are shopping around into new customers. If you need help with directory listings or in setting up your Google My Business or Facebook page, Total Local now offers these services. We also provide monthly Facebook page management and can help you design and develop email marketing, business cards, and other print materials. Talk with your sales representative or call us at 517-663-2405 for a free marketing consultation today!

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