I recently got a haircut and style from a small salon here in Las Vegas. I loved the way it looked, but I also walked away with some interesting insights about how small businesses handle marketing.
The owner and stylist was unknown to me before this particular trip. I was wanting to try something new for an upcoming trip and poked around online to find a new spot.
We’ve all been there, right? We could go with the tried-and-true, but we want to switch it up. Or maybe our old stylist has raised her rates, and now we’re looking for a cheaper option. Or maybe our go-to pro doesn’t have any openings, and we really need to get it done.
So how did I find what I needed to get my groove back? I used a combo of Google, Instagram, Facebook and the salon’s website.
The Client’s Perspective
Here’s my process:
- A quick google search pointed me to a few names of places in my part of town.
- Then I scoured the businesses’ Instagram and Facebook feeds to look them over
- Once I narrowed the list, I looked for the presence of a website to confirm my choice.
When it comes to social media, for me, one site or the other is usually helpful enough. But as a small business owner, you never know which site members of your target audience are going to prefer. Since that’s the case you need to be posting regularly on all of them. I know the list can get long if you throw in Pinterest, Tik Tok, Youtube and whatever else is coming along next, but the content can be repeated on each so it doesn’t get too daunting to keep up with.
The Small Business Owner’s Perspective
Here’s where the lightbulb went off. While I was chatting with the hair stylist she asked me how I found her. When I told her it was mostly Instagram she was a little surprised because she had recently been focusing her marketing efforts on Google.
Google offers potential customers useful information in a couple of ways. Here’s how your small business could appear more or less from top to bottom when your potential customers perform a search.
1 – As a source cited in the artificial intelligence answer
2 – In a paid ad/sponsored listing
3 – Mapped locations nearby
4 – Organic search results
Then once they choose a business to learn more about, or search specifically for your company’s name, they’ll have the option (in a small corner of the screen) to click on number 5.
5 – Reviews
The easiest one to have some measure of control over is the reviews. By peppering your clients with requests for reviews you can boost the number and quality of reviews. The star rating system can help or hurt you depending on how positive or negative your user generated feedback trends.
The good thing about this is asking for reviews is free, and relatively painless.
The rest of those options will cost you time or money or both. Winning the SEO game can be time consuming. Ads are getting more expensive. And the algorithm is constantly changing the factors that get a high-ranking search result.
Solutions
Aside from hiring an SEO expert, (here’s the SEO expert I use in case you want to go that route) here’s what you can do.
Look for questions people are asking but not many people are answering. Then answer them in your content. This will help you score some placements in the AI answers.
Post regularly. The more you post the more you become recognized as an expert. Conversely, long breaks show your audience that you aren’t really serious about your work. And not having a new post could indicate you’re not in business anymore. That’s because companies don’t always make a post updating their “permanently closed” status before signing off. Instead they just abruptly stop posting. So, if you haven’t posted in a long time people assume the worst about your company.
Use all the social sites. As my experience finding a hair dresser shows, you never know how a new client will find you. I thought I was searching for someone in the right place by relying heavily on instagram, but the business owner was thinking I’d be using google. The lesson for small business owners is you have to appear everywhere.
How to Get Client-Attracting Content for Your Socials
If you’re the only employee of your small business, or, frankly, none of the people you have on the payroll are any good at photography and videography, then getting the brand photos and usable content you need could feel impossible. But it’s not. My team and I have the answer.
Content Happy Hour
This is the perfect content creation solution for busy Las Vegas professionals. All it takes is an hour to get a month’s worth of fresh postable content.
At Content Happy Hour, we value efficiency, not stress, guesswork or missed posting days. From professional headshots and brand video to lifestyle photos and B-roll, we capture polished, usable assets that keep you visible online. It’s all about the streamlined content for realtors, entrepreneurs and busy professionals. Sign up for an upcoming session, meet our friendly photo and video team and work alongside fellow small business owners who have the same goals and passion as you.
Content Membership
Spending hours making content was never what you signed up for. But here’s the thing – visibility doesn’t happen without carving out time to create content with intention. We took the best parts of brand photoshoots and made them more accessible. Think quick, streamlined sessions designed for entrepreneurs who need fresh photos and reels for social, month after month. It’s a budget-friendly way to keep your content fresh. While full branding shoots are great for big-picture moments, this option makes showing up consistently each month totally doable.
Personal Brand Photo Session
Capture your hard work and get ready to share it with your audience by having personal brand photography photos taken. Getting them and using them lets your potential customers know that you’re serious about your business and are the right choice for them. The impact of strong personal brand photography is undeniable. Stop using stock photos, or screen grabs you “borrowed” from someone else’s feed. Get the shots you need to look your best.
Social Media Management
Our content creation and social media support is built for local businesses that know social media matters but don’t have the bandwidth or staff to handle it internally. We can help you achieve your social goals, refine your brand message, and elevate your online presence with our social media management packages. Social growth is a marathon, not a sprint, so all partnerships begin with a 90-day ‘Foundation Phase’ to dial in your voice. It’ll be the most attentive 90 days your social feeds have ever seen, and then we’ll really go to work making it special.
Give Your Marketing a Fresh Look
I hope my a-ha moment inspires you to take a serious look at what’s lacking in your small business marketing efforts. If my team and I can help you give your small business’s online presence a new look, please get in touch.