Here at Art-Fx, we specialize in putting your name in front of potential customers in the real world, but business owners should also be conscious to the fact that customers are searching for your business on the internet from search engines like Google every day. Some recent studies (read one here http://bit.ly/a7Givl) show that in ALL age groups, consumers will try to find information about businesses online FIRST, and in staggering numbers. Also in the cited article, 69% percent of consumers say that they are MORE LIKELY to do business with your company if they can find your information on a social networking site (facebook, twitter, etc).

Many business owners will wonder “where should I start?”. Since many consumers will first turn to a search engine like Google to first find businesses, I would suggest starting here. Google has a plethora of tools for businesses to stand out in the search results. Free tools, like Google Places, allow you to claim your business listing in the online Google Places directory (kind of like a supercharged Yellow Pages, with maps and reviews). From here, you can add your business logo, store hours, location/directions, and much more FOR FREE. Your listing will stand out when customers do a local search on Google when your logo and information pops up at them from the embedded Google Map. Every business owner should visit Google Places and take advantage of this free exposure.

Some tools, like Google Adwords, cost money, but can be an incredible value. Adwords is Google’s pay-per-click advertising program for businesses/websites. In a nutshell, you tell Google exactly how much money you are willing to spend for one person to click on a link to your website/promotion. You will also set up a daily/monthly spending limit, and schedule your campaign to start and end on days that you specify. Google provides incredible customization to the placement of your ad, and you can target as small of a market as you would like, down to community-level placement (only people searching Google in your immediate area will see the ad). It couldn’t be any easier, and there are no fears of blowing your budget with the built-in spending limits that you set.

From here, other free tools for businesses, like Facebook pages, and Twitter profiles, allow you to easily put your name in front of hundreds or even thousands of potential clients every day. It should be more evident now, than ever, that the online age is upon us, and if your business is not a part of it, you are losing potential exposure that is free for the taking. Your business image, while crucial in the real world, does not stop there. If you have not yet given your business an online presence, there is no better time to start than NOW.

-Doyle Rogers

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