Google My Business

9 Online Marketing Strategies You Can Use Right Now To Get Your Business Found In More Searches

Online marketing is constantly changing, and things won’t slow down in 2021. As you plan for a new year, it’s necessary to know what works and what doesn’t. While some strategies are essentially timeless, some current trends are important to understand and implement right now.

The following is a guide to help you develop a 2021 online marketing strategy to get your business found in more searches.

1. Develop Content That’s Rich and Fresh

develop strong website content
Image via HalGatewood.com via Unsplash.

Content is still just as important as it’s ever been if you want to rank in search engines. However, it’s all about the quality over the quantity of content and keywords. Google appreciates readable content that people find easy to digest. It won’t matter how many keywords you add or the number of H tags, links, images, and videos you embed within – Google won’t reward old-school Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices.

Keywords are still important, but they aren’t the basis for your content the way they used to be. First and foremost, write for readers, not Google. If you can write engaging content that people actively read and are willing to share, this could signal to Google that the content is worth ranking over competitors.


Suds and Search 53 | Joy Hawkins, Owner of Sterling Sky, LocalU, and the Local Search Forum

Also available as a Podcast:

My guest on this episode of Suds & Search is Joy Hawkins. Joy is the Owner and Founder of Sterling Sky. She is one of, if not the, most recognizable Local SEO personalities in the world. It’s hard for me to think of anything in Local SEO that Joy isn’t at least somewhat involved in.

She has spoken at every major Local SEO conference… most of them multiple times. A shortlist of places you might’ve heard Joy present includes Mozcon Local, SMX, Pubcon, and Whitespark’s Local Search Summit.


Check it out, I did a Whiteboard Friday video!

In this week’s video, I’m sharing an update about another video. Just a few weeks ago, Moz released an episode of its highly popular Whiteboard Friday series, and I was the host! I rocked a killer whiteboard and talked all about Google Posts and how to use them to help your business stand out from competitors. And for all the people out there who thought I cheated and used a Photoshopped background and a green screen, I show proof it was a real whiteboard…


Suds and Search 48 | George Nenni, Founder of Generations Digital

Also available as a Podcast:

My guest on this episode of Suds & Search is George Nenni. George is the Founder of Generations Digital, a digital marketing consultancy for auto dealerships.

George has over 3 decades of experience helping automotive dealerships overcome an array of digital marketing challenges. He is the author of two essential books. His first is titled, A Car Dealer’s Guide to Google My Business which explores all the unique opportunities for car dealerships within Google My Business. Just before this episode launched, George released his second book, A Car Dealer’s Guide to Digital Marketing.


Just released: The 2020 Local Search Ranking Factors

In this week’s video, I share the details on the recently-released 2020 Local Search Ranking Factors. Basically the bible of Local Search, the 2020 LSRF is the best guide for your Local SEO strategy in 2021. The top minds in Local SEO all contributed, and it breaks down the signals that Google’s local algorithm uses to decide which sites to show at the top of local search results.


Hannah Borchik Joins SearchLab as Director of SEO

Hannah Borchik - SearchLab Director of SEO

I am excited to announce that Hannah Borchik is the newest member of the fast-growing SEO team at SearchLab. Hannah is an extremely accomplished Local SEO with over six years of experience, and today is her first day as our new Director of SEO. During the hiring process, her deep understanding of SEO, a proven track record of managerial-level success, and her sterling reputation within the SEO community made her the obvious choice to lead SearchLab’s SEO team.

Hannah is a Google My Business Product Expert and a Google Maps Product Expert. Only a small group of highly respected industry experts are included in the Product Expert program. As a PE, Hannah volunteers time to answer questions from users who are experiencing problems or bugs. Hannah and other PEs often hear about bugs and problems – and even new updates – before the rest of us mortals in the general public.

Hannah has held multiple leadership-level positions in the past. She is considered one of the leading SEO experts in the healthcare space, having overseen numerous projects for some of the largest and most complex hospital and healthcare groups in the country.

In her role at SearchLab, Hannah will operate as our SEO program leader. She is responsible for helping our SEO team reach their full potential through support and mentorship. She will work closely with Greg Gifford, Vice President of Search, to identify areas for improvements and lead ongoing training across the entire department. She will oversee professional development, optimize, manage, and maintain internal processes, and improve the overall effectiveness of our Local SEO service offering.

SearchLab is excited to add this industry leader to our rapidly growing team of digital marketers. Our clients will benefit from Hannah’s deep knowledge and impressive leadership abilities, and our team will flourish under her expert leadership.


Problems with Google My Business? Use the GMB Forum

In this week’s video, I share a simple yet not commonly known tip to help with any problems you might have with your Google My Business listing. Google has Community Help forums for each of its products, so whenever you have a problem with your GMB listing that you can’t solve, you should create a forum post. Watch the video for all the details…


How to add More Hours to your Google My Business listing

In this week’s episode, I explain how to add additional hours to your Google My Business listing for modified services such as curbside pickup, delivery, or senior hours. If you offer additional services, the “more hours” feature lets you display different hours of operation on your GMB profile to attract more customers. Watch and learn how easy it is to add to your listing!