Posts By: Geoff Braught
Unspoken Rules of Mediocrity (and How to Break Them)
I’ve always been kind of a rule-breaker. It’s gotten me into trouble from time to time.
But more so, breaking the rules has allowed me to shift from mediocre living to a meaningful and super fulfilling existence. No matter the endeavor (from small business digital marketing to improving your life experience), there are a few “rules” that are outdated and counter to the limitless possibilities available to us as community leaders.
Rules Were Made to be Broken
If you’re into figuring out how to maximize your life, I have three rules you’ve probably heard of that you might be interested in BREAKING.
1. Don’t make waves. I’m not advocating for being a bull in a china shop (and certainly try not to be an a$$hole), but make the waves. Have a purpose. Find your team. Get clear on your vision and take action from a place of integrity.
2. Listen to your friends and family. They mean well, but unconscious fears from friends and family can block your success and direction. Consider any input from your loved ones while using your own compass (and ideally strong data sets) to guide you. They’ll respect you for it.
3. Don’t push yourself too hard. I’m not telling you to burn yourself out, but I am here to encourage you to find your edge. Push yourself to work smarter, not harder. Study the people you admire, emulate new business models, and take action in areas of your life where you might not be challenging your growth.
Resources for Creating Your Own Rules
Review some of the cognitive biases and rules you typically follow that could be holding you back. To help you out with this, here are a few resources I love.
Read: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Listen: Impact Theory: How to Master Your Negative Thoughts and Use Them for Good
Life Hack: “The Two-Minute Rule” – If a task comes to your plate that will take less than two minutes (start to finish), just do it. This keeps your list of ‘“I’ll do it later” tasks from piling up.
Cheers,
Danny Braught
CEO, Lokal Media House
P.S. If you enjoyed this and would like to connect sometime, here’s a link to my calendar.
Integrity: The Intangible Key to Small Business Success
For me, the most meaningful part of running a digital marketing agency for local businesses is not the day-to-day strategy.
It’s actually in the coaching relationships we have with our clients. Not only does it help them grow through localized search engine optimization, it often leads to profound personal growth as well.
The Art of Integrity
A topic that comes up a lot is integrity. It’s a moral imperative and a highly lucrative one in so many ways. I read a quote recently that I really loved: “Integrity is the cure for unhappiness.”
It really got me thinking. Because it’s something we really encourage and practice around here—integrity, authenticity, quality, and serving our community.
Leading with these values in mind can make a big difference in the way we approach our work and lives.
And really…they allow you to have way more fun in the process. Just some food for thought as you pave the path to sustainable business growth and more predictable income.
A few great quotes to keep you motivated:
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
– Simon Sinek
“Identify your problems, but give your power and energy to solutions.”
– Tony Robbins
“Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is. Know your business and industry better than anyone else in the world. Love what you do or don’t do it.”
– Marc Cuban
I’m also loving this podcast episode from Ed Mylet: Success Requires No Apologies, Failure Permits No Alibis
Cheers,
Danny Braught
CEO, Lokal Media House
P.S. If you enjoyed this and would like to connect sometime, here’s a link to my calendar.
How to Get Lucky in Business (and Life)
Luck is an interesting concept. When you’re playing the Google algorithms to quickstart your growth, it may feel like local digital marketing for your small business is a bit of a gamble.
I also think there’s another perspective to consider.
So much of what we come to call “luck” in marketing is actually the result of thousands of micro-actions that add up to what’s possible in both your business and your life.
Simply put—your daily efforts put you in a position where “luck” is more likely to find you. It’s about slowing down and optimizing the little things.
3 Tips to Improve Your Odds
Here are the top three lessons I’ve personally learned about luck that have changed my life (and might change yours too):
Be here now.
Distractions take us out of the present with our clients, family, or friends and can have us missing out on the golden moments of our lives. Limit them. Tap in. You’ll be surprised how much you can find.
Take action on small opportunities.
Such a simple concept that it’s easy to miss. When you’ve checked into what’s happening here and now in relation to your goals, moments of opportunities come up again and again. Pay attention and act when they arise so you don’t get left behind.
Visualize success.
Focus on what you want and, more importantly, why you want it. Visualizing where you want to go and your personal path to success can give you unshakeable optimism so you can find the right idea, avenue, or team and easily crush your goals.
Get Even Luckier
Here are a few of my favorite tools that might help bring you more luck and success:
The Finimize App – This is my absolute favorite finance app that gives you tools and insights to make smarter financial decisions.
Maximize Business Value Podcast: Things Business Owners Need to Know Pt 1
GasBuddy – Find the lowest gas prices in your area and save tons of money (seriously, you’ll thank me later).
Cheers,
Danny Braught
CEO, Lokal Media House
P.S. If you enjoyed this and would like to connect sometime, here’s a link to my calendar.
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Why You Still Need SEO (Even If You Don’t Sell Anything Online)
A major misconception is that you don’t necessarily need local SEO if you don’t sell products online. Nothing could be further from the truth!
A foundational component of a healthy digital marketing strategy is Search Engine Optimization or SEO. It is essential for service-based businesses because it helps make sure that people who are looking for your services can actually find you.
If your business has a website, which it most definitely should, understanding how to build it out so that you show up first when someone searches for you is key to your success.
With that said, here’s a deeper look into SEO benefits, why they matter, and how you can embrace them to get better leads in your local area.
Prioritize Local Rankings and SEO
Simply put, your search engine ranking is how close you are to the top of the Google search results (or other platforms) when people search for your services.
For example, if someone searches “Plumber near me”, you want to make sure you’re positioned to show up right away so you’re the first one they call. Even better if you have a steady stream of positive customer reviews on your Google My Business page.
You do this by creating content with well-researched and cleverly placed keywords that put you ahead of your local competition in your local area. Being at the top of the list leads to more clicks and, ultimately, more customers.
If you have a home services company, you might consider creating content that relates to the region you serve and provides valuable information to your potential clients. When they find you to be a local, trusted advisor and helpful in answering their question, they naturally feel comfortable working with you.
This sequence of events happens because you used SEO and improved your search engine ranking.
Boost Your Professionalism and Credibility
A solid SEO keyword strategy can help make sure you’re using the verbiage and tone your visitors will immediately resonate with, boosting your professionalism and credibility right off the bat.
To go a step further, it helps tremendously to have a modern, intentional website with clear calls to action and simple, effective language so qualified prospects know exactly how they can work with you. And none of this matters if they can’t find you when they’re searching for you!
Ensuring your SEO helps you rank highly on search engines means more business for you.
Improve Customer Experience
A proper SEO schema can help ensure that your customers and clients can easily find your services, helpful articles, and contact information so they can get in touch with you.
We’re in an increasingly digital world, and an optimized website helps your company provide the best experience throughout your customer’s journey.
What’s more, you can improve your brand reputation and search engine ranking with the help of an automated review tool that immediately follows up with your customers to ask for (and publish) 4-5 star reviews. Google crawls your reviews to make sure you’re a credible source, so having as much great feedback as you can on your listings can both improve your current customer experience and get you more leads.
Are you a home service professional needing help creating a website or a local SEO strategy so you can get more leads and reach?
Everyone on our team at Lokal Media House is passionate about supporting the trades and making sure you’re able to gain the traction and predictable income you deserve for everything you do for the community. Give us a call today or get in touch with us, we’d love to help you!
How to Get Started with Law Firm Marketing
Effective law firm marketing requires an active online presence and thoughtfully designed campaigns.
Lawyers must carefully balance their ethical and legal responsibilities with effective advertising to maintain profitability and growth. A well-designed website, carefully researched SEO, and an active social media presence set the stage for powerful organic outreach.
Complement these with strategic paid advertisements and positive testimonials for a well-rounded approach to your law firm’s marketing goals.
Create a Clean Website
Your law firm’s website is like its virtual office. Visitors want to find a clean, organized space and will generally turn away from anything gaudy, confusing, or poorly maintained. Create a clean website by addressing:
Usability: Keep your law firm’s phone number at the top of the page at all times and include a CTA above the fold.
Organization: Build content silos around different topics, such as areas of practice.
Minimalism: Keep each page simple with a neat navigation bar rather than a plethora of banners and links.
Branding: Select a three-color palette, two typefaces, and a logo to represent the law firm. Use these consistently through all marketing materials.
Optimization: Work with a team who understands local SEO optimization to ensure you’re making the most of your website
Incorporate Local SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of building a website that will rank highly on search engine results pages (SERPs).
This involves strategies like using the right keywords and providing informative content. For a law firm, it’s best to target keywords that identify both the specific legal services and the service area. This means thoughtfully crafting content throughout the site so it naturally uses phrases like “personal injury lawyer in Orlando” or “bankruptcy lawyer in Chicago.” Creating and maintaining a Google Business Profile will help with SEO as well.
The law industry presents some unique challenges when it comes to creating content. Lawyers must adhere to legal and ethical standards. There are strict rules on what a law firm can and can’t say.
Working with an experienced marketing agency familiar with legal SEO can help your business safely navigate these potential hazards.
Create a Social Media Presence
Facebook alone has over 2.9 billion monthly active users. Maintaining an active presence on social sites can help law firms engage with the community and reach new potential clients.
This is an effective platform for forming connections and building awareness of your firm’s legal services. Through social media marketing, you can offer ongoing support using informative posts, thoughtful answers, and helpful referrals to the services that will help your clients most.
Use Paid Ads
Paid ads can boost your law firm’s website to the top of relevant search results. Companies can bid for prime ad placement and pay-per-click or per-thousand impressions.
This is a helpful complement to organic SEO. As with all search engine strategies, it’s important to research and target the right keywords. Your law firms may also invest in paid ads on social media.Having a knowledgeable legal marketing agency on hand can make it much easier for your law firm to launch its advertising campaign. Lokal Media House offers custom marketing services tailored to suit the legal industry and its strict standards.
Key Automotive Marketing Strategies for Success
Competition is stiff in automotive marketing, with companies eagerly vying for each precious dollar that consumers will spend.
It’s crucial for businesses in this space to practice thoughtful marketing strategies. They need to be sure to use the right keywords, service locations, and communication features. Successful automotive marketing requires both solid search engine rankings and intuitive website navigation so customers not only click but also convert.
Search Engine Optimization
Proper SEO helps land automotive businesses at the top of SERPs (search engine results pages).
Results on page one garner 95% of search traffic and an average CTR of 208%. This means that users click not once but twice on these links.
Target the most relevant keywords for the industry and locale to earn these coveted rankings. Successful keywords are typically phrases that combine services and locations like “used cars in Spokane” or “Chicago transmission repair.” Maintaining an accurate and detailed Google Business Profile will help improve your local SEO as well.
Paid Advertising
A properly managed paid advertising campaigns can boost your automotive website into coveted paid spots at the top of SERPs.
When purchasing paid advertising, it’s crucial to select the right keywords. You need to consider both the keywords you want to target and those that you want to avoid. Known as negative keywords, the terms and phrases that a company excludes from advertising are more important than many people realize.
Negative keywords are those that are similar but irrelevant. For example, an automotive company that doesn’t handle auto body repair may want to exclude “auto body repairs” so as not to waste money on clicks that won’t convert. You must specify this type of exclusion since “auto” and “repairs” may both be relevant and therefore trigger your company’s advertising.
Web Design
Proper web design ensures that prospective customers can find everything they need quickly and easily upon visiting your automotive company’s page. Clean and effective web design includes:
- SEO optimization
- Contact information at the top of every page
- Details on all services provided
- Consistent branding including the appropriate logo, colors, and typography
- Engaging photos, particularly for vehicles that are on sale
- Clear and actionable CTAs on each page
- Live chat or call features so visitors can immediately get in contact with the company
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are a valuable feature on your company’s website as well as third-party sites like Google Business Profiles and Facebook.
Positive reviews are especially useful for automotive marketing due to the industry’s undeserved reputation for providing pushy or untrustworthy service.
Reviews can go a long way toward establishing your business’ legitimacy. Consider sending a thank you postcard with a QR code for submitting a review or delivering follow-up emails with the appropriate review link after the customer makes a purchase.
Expert assistance can help automotive companies climb above the pack and stand out in this crowded space. Lokal Media House offers tailored marketing solutions including SEO, paid advertising, social media marketing, website design, and automated review management.
With the right marketing strategies, your automotive business can more effectively reach those valuable leads that will convert to paying customers.
Marketing Essentials for Plumbers and Contractors
As plumbers and contractors, you’re in a competitive industry where homeowners often have a plethora of local service providers to choose from. That’s why it’s essential for you to stand out, and we’re here to help.
Smart marketing strategies can make the difference between rapid growth and lackluster results when your business is in this industry. Make sure these essentials are in place to give your company the best chance of success.
Effective Website Design
A well-designed website lends legitimacy to any company. In the United States, a whopping 99% of people report searching online for local businesses.
Thirty-five percent conduct these types of searches multiple times a week, and 21% search for local businesses daily.
A website optimized for SEO helps to ensure that you can get your business in front of homeowners who are actively seeking your services.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is the process of incorporating appropriate keywords and content into your website to increase its search rankings on results pages. As plumbers and contractors, SEO will include words related to the specific services offered as well as the area that the company serves.
Phrases like “plumbing repairs in Nashville” or “Louisville faucet installation” are important when marketing a plumber or contractor, as these are the terms customers are most likely to use when they’re actively looking for someone to hire.
Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is a powerful tool that will increase SEO while giving your plumbing company even more legitimacy. You should always create or claim your Google Business Profile. After establishing ownership, you can update details such as services offered, service area, location, and hours. The business profile also provides a place for customer reviews so you can begin collecting testimonials.
Social Media Presence
A social media presence can provide access to billions of active daily users. Social sites offer the perfect platform for communicating with your customers. This is the ideal spot for sharing promotions, hosting contests, and answering questions. Companies that support community events or fundraisers can use social media to increase awareness of these activities as well. Social sites require ongoing attention to perform effectively, so you must make sure that someone is posting and responding to comments daily.
Paid Advertising
Paid advertising gives a little boost to the organic marketing efforts that form the core of your promotional efforts. This form of advertising is one of the most popular models for plumbers and contractors. By carefully conducting A/B tests and analyzing results, you can identify the tactics that yield the greatest ROI. It’s important to track not just clicks, but also conversions. Seek the campaigns that lead to the most actual sales and push these harder in the future.
These basics will form the core of any plumber’s marketing strategy. With a website, social media presence, SEO, Google Business Profile, and paid advertising in place, you can position your local company for success. Contact LMH for assistance with these strategies and more. We’ll be more than happy to support you.
How to Create Incredible Niche Paid Campaigns
A niche marketing campaign is not simply a scaled-down version of a broader campaign. Niche marketing relies on targeted paid ads to reach a specific customer base. Advertising in a niche can benefit your business by attracting customers who need what you offer. Find out how to get started creating a niche campaign for your business.
Identify Your Target Audience
When identifying your target customer, get granular. Learn about your customers past the usual demographic information. What interests them? Which social media sites do they populate most? Use this information to create a customer persona that represents your ideal customer.
Now that you know your customers, how does your business solve their pain points? Your product or service fills a missing corner of the market, and your niche advertising should point out how. Think about the specificity in legal services, whether for real estate law or wills and trusts and how they advertise.
Set Media Goals
Before investing in a paid advertising campaign, set the media goals you want to reach. Be as granular as you were when researching your customer. How many conversions do you want to see? How much time will you spend crafting each ad? Is there a time of day you should focus your advertising because your audience is most active? Set short- and long-term goals, and use the analytics attached to your ad platform to measure your success.
Create an Advertising Budget
Many niche campaigns rely on pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. With the right keywords and on the right platforms, your ad ends up in front of your target audience, and you only pay if someone clicks on the ad. Your budget will revolve around the number of clicks you’re looking for and will change as you analyze your conversion rate and streamline your approach. Set a starting budget and revisit it frequently to help you maximize your investment.
Go Granular With Targeting
A successful niche campaign relies on your material ending up in front of the right people. Advertising platforms give you many demographic, location, interest, and activity options, which you can map onto your customer persona. Targeted market research is so important. Platforms also offer the ability to exclude specific criteria. For example, if you’re marketing home services, you’ll want to exclude tourists and visitors to an area.
Remember to Include Keywords
Your keywords matter, too. Choose high-intent keywords such as “buy” that indicate a customer wants to take action. Long-tail keywords help niche campaigns because they are specific. A shorter keyword might capture more people, but not all of these people are looking for your niche. Consider “buy aftermarket automotive parts in Dallas” instead of using a word such as “automotive.”Crafting a niche campaign is ideal for your business and is better with professional help. LMH wants to push your brand into new territory. Our extensive experience with niche campaigns, paid advertising, SEO, and social media means we’re ready to create a campaign for your business. We’re excited to get started, so contact us today for more information.
Beyond Basic: 15 Fresh Social Media Tips for 2022
The digital landscape continues to change, with new social media platforms and recommendations popping up regularly. You can grow your social media accounts by following some fresh tips and turning followers into leads.
Tailor Your Content
It’s essential to tailor the content you share to your target audience. Increase engagement by encouraging people to share and respond to tailored posts.
Understand Instagram Saves
Instagram now allows users to save content they like and come back to it later, so make sure you understand the benefit of saving and encourage users to save what you share. Don’t forget to look into the value of Instagram guides as well.
Try Different Content Styles
Although high-quality, curated content is vital, that’s not the only thing you can share. Experiment with different types of content, from engaging videos to memes and GIFs, to see what your audience likes best.
Work with Micro-Influencers
Micro-influencers have loyal fan bases, typically between 10,000 and 50,000 followers. Working with a micro-influencer can increase your reach while fitting into your marketing budget.
Test Ad Options
Most social media platforms have ads, and you can and should make paid ads part of your social media strategy. When placing ads, test different styles and platforms to see what works best.
Avoid the Hard Sell
Whether you manage a social media account for a business in the legal, automotive, or home services industry, it’s best to stay away from hard-selling on this platform. Focus on building relationships and instilling trust rather than always selling.
Establish a Brand Voice
Authenticity and consistency are fundamental to social media users, so establish your brand voice and adhere to it.
Ask for Feedback
Encouraging followers to engage with your content boosts your social media rankings and gives you helpful information to adjust your strategy. Ask for feedback on at least some of the content you post to find out what resonates.
Optimize Visuals for Mobile
Most social media users are on mobile devices. Optimize your visual content accordingly.
Go Live
Research suggests that live video will make up 17% of all internet traffic by the end of 2023. Be part of this growth by regularly going live on your social media platforms.
Join Groups
Engaging with the community on social media helps you reach a wider audience. Join relevant groups on various platforms and be part of discussions within them.
Offer Customer Support
Social media has become a valuable customer support tool, minimizing the need for customers to call or email a business. Make your brand more enticing to those who don’t want to make a phone call.
Always Listen
Social listening involves staying current on how your target audience is communicating and what topics are most important. Use the information you glean to improve and adjust your strategy.
Use Short Videos
Short-form videos are popular among users of all ages. Keep your video content brief and engaging.
Request User-Generated Content
Creating and using hashtags can help your social media presence grow, especially since they encourage user-generated content. When real people post about a business positively, it helps build credibility and support.
Apply these simple social media tips to your strategy and watch your presence and engagement levels grow. You can solve your digital marketing struggles by implementing a few changes, regardless of what platforms you use.
