Want your Woman-Owned Business Found in Local Searches Online? Use These 10 Solopreneur Tips!
Hey there, creative entrepreneur or woman solopreneur! You go by momboss names like an event planner, realtor, flower expert, designer, copywriter, or brand coach; we know you're juggling a lot! Today I will show you 10 simple ways that you can reach your target audience, locally.
1. Mom Boss, Use Branding Photography for Dream Client Attraction
Local women-owned businesses can increase profits by leveraging their online presence with this secret weapon.
*Top Tip: This is the foundation of your marketing! Many women-owned businesses may want to skip this step and not create a strategic plan for their imagery. But, YOU are different! You want to stand out and do what 90% of mom bosses aren’t doing! You’re my kind of girl!
Branding photography is like the superhero of marketing for your business. It's not just about pretty photos; it's about telling your unique story, strategically.
Imagine your business as a magazine, and the brand photography walks your audience neatly through the order in which they should travel. Visually, of course.
Here is a great content creation rule of thumb to live by:
Identify your audience, or get even clearer on who they are. Like, get a pen and paper and write details down, kind of clear.
What style of content would they like to see? What are the struggles that you help them overcome? How old are they? Don’t know these things. Use Pinterest and Instagram to do research. Just type in keywords and hashtags that fit your ideal client and follow the breadcrumbs.
Craft a Content Creation Plan with Trello. It is my favorite to plan out content! Here, I create a content topic board. Make a list: 1. Inspire 2. Educate 3. Sell 4. Tips 5. A product or service spotlight post
Choose one! Create your own branded photography for your socials, website, and email marketing to name a few. OR, buy a monthly image library from my favorite, Elevae Visuals. OR, enlist us to create a custom, branded image bank that hits all of your content topic needs, and lifts the DIY stress off of you.
2. Next Step: Embracing the Power of Local Connections
Why care about being a local expert in your niche?
When people around your neighborhood know and trust you, they're more likely to choose YOU for their needs. Local love is like a secret superpower for your business.
The best way to do this is to write blog posts and include keywords that identify your city and even county. I know it seems like a huge ask, but there is a reward: you will easily show up in online searches ahead of your local competitors!
Since I added blogging to my website and used keywords for my local area of Fresno and Clovis, California, my website traffic has increased by at least 60%!
Use these resources to get started:
For local SEO strategies, it is Ubersuggest.
To access your very own free copywriter, use ChatGPT
Want done-for-you blog posts, written by an SEO and copywriting expert? Nicole Kepic has your back! Her services help women course creators, coaches, and creative entrepreneurs solve their copywriting problems in just 1 to 2 days because they are tailored to be fast-acting VIP days. Get her undivided attention on your email copy, sales page, or website copy to name a few, and start seeing the benefits ASAP. It is an understatement to say that she is an amazing copywriting partner for women-owned businesses hungry for client attraction strategies, with the dial set to auto-pilot. She is also a joy to work with and will leave you feeling 100% better about your brand’s voice and the future of your legacy.
Yes, please!
3. Google My Business:
Your Digital Storefront:
Think of Google My Business (GMB) as your online storefront. When someone in your town searches for what you offer, having awesome brand photos on GMB makes you pop up and say, "Hello, I'm here!"
What you’ll need:
Professional headshots with plain backgrounds. We like having at least 3-5 headshots for variety.
Shots of your team at work. Lifestyle photos and short behind-the-scenes videos create the emotional connections needed to gain momentum online.
Imagery that captures your brand in pictures. Tell a story. Think magazine. Think of one of the most famous mombosses, Joanna Gaines. Her brand Magnolia checks all of the boxes. The bad news? You aren’t Joanna Gaines. The good news? You can use brand photography with a feminine and hospitable twist, similar to Magnolia Magazine, their socials, and beyond. Show your own final results, products, and locations, if applicable.
(See our brand photos on our “Google My Business” here.)
4. Navigating Local Directories - Let's Get Listed
Local directories are like your business's online friends.
Choose from our favorite local directories. Apply for a listing to get more reach and SEO gold!
*Tip: Don’t skip the BBB if you aren’t a member. You can still apply for a listing.
Chamber of Commerce
Yelp
BBB: The Better Business Bureau
Upwork: Perfect for freelance service providers
5. Social Media - Your Business's Social Playground
Social media is where you hang out with your friends, right?
Well, it's also where your business makes valuable connections!
According to Sprout Social:
In 2023, an estimated 4.89 billion people use social media WORLDWIDE.
The average person bounces between up to 7 social media platforms per month.
Internet users are spending at least 151 minutes on social media per day.
(Click the Instagram 9 Grid below to see ours and follow along.)
6. Guest Podcast Interviews
Podcasts are one of the most overlooked tools for claiming a stake in the local world of SEO.
Find your favorite local podcasts and start the conversation with the hosts via email, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and Instagram.
Use this formula:
Keep it conversational, not salesy. Before reaching out, become more familiar with the podcast (if you’re not) and if you are both a good fit for each other.
Customize this email copy to pitch your next local podcast guest spot: Hello (host name), You probably get a ton of emails about securing a podcast interview, but I am a fan and enjoyed your show about __________. I started following along (__________state when you started listening/watching) and would like to help your audience understand how to _____________ without feeling ______________. If you are interested in learning more, follow me on ________, ___________, and _______________ to see if you think I would be a good fit for your show. You can also visit my website at www.___________________________.com.
If you are interested in an interview, send me your podcast guest sign-up link. Thank you for your consideration! All the best, ___________________
LinkedIn is great to use for introductions to Podcast hosts from connections. Quick example: We have always wanted to photograph Sugar Paper’s products and were able to get an introduction with one of the owners through a common connection. To be announced…
Follow your top podcast hosts on Instagram, like, comment, and lastly DM something conversational.
Story: The other day, I followed an organic, herbal tea company that we would like to work with, and I asked for a recommendation for a tea that would help me with a specific need. I sent a reply that had a typo in it, we laughed about it, THENNNN she started following our account and watched my stories.
I genuinely love their tea and their branding. It was a no-brainer to reach out in a non-salesy way.Authentic connections start by giving, not getting!
7. Shine Bright in Local Blogs
Find local blogs and become the go-to problem solver your niche needs, in your own town.
To find local blogs in your area, use Google to search for the business niche that would be a perfect fit for your content.
8. Start a YouTube Channel
Do you want to know one of the fastest ways to grow your business online?
Yep. I am going to say it!
VIDEOS!
These are the best-performing types of content and when your videos are posted on YouTube, Google gives you a lot more air time because they own YouTube. Brand photography is also needed here and is used to create your banner design, thumbnails, and covers. Once you have your beautiful brand photography, head over to Canva and start customizing their YouTube Templates. Just upload your images into Canva’s image library and you are set!
HERE’S HOW:
Upload your own brand photography for styled stock photos here…
9. Finding Your Unique Platform: Where You Belong Online
Every business has a special place online. That special place is where your ideal client likes to hang out and consume content!
It isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. To do a little digging, look at the analytics in the social media platforms that you use the most. Besides learning what social platform your audience loves using, you can see the times that your audience is visiting your account. On Instagram, my audience is most active at 12 PM.
To find yours on Instagram, click VIEW INSIGHTS. This is what mine looks like right now, January 25, 2024.
10. Happy Customers = a Growing Business…
…When Reviews Are Leveraged By Savvy Mom Bosses Like You
Your customers are your business's biggest cheerleaders. Take the time this week to request reviews.
To do that, you can:
Email them. Make it short and sweet. My rule of thumb for most of my emails is to make them 5 lines or less. It shows respect for the recipient’s time and gets right to the point.
Send a REVIEW LINK from Google My Business to past clients.
Collect any reviews that are on Yelp, Bing, Yahoo, Safari, or any other platform, including any compliments received in DM’s on social media. Create graphics out of kind words from clients and use them on all of your socials, websites, and emails. Blast out your social proof for more trust and more sales and don’t forget to include a headshot or branded image of you and your business on all of your testimonial graphics.
Do you want to discover your own signature style? Read our blog post: The 5 Ways We Find Your Brand’s Signature Style For Your Next Branding Photo Shoot
Congratulations, superhero entrepreneurs! You've just unlocked the power of branding photography to boost your local presence. Now, go out there, snap some awesome pics, and watch your business shine online. Remember, you're not just a business owner; you're a local superhero! Keep rocking it!