The right tools make any Internet marketing you do easier and more effective. These are “must haves” and they are all free from Google.
I believe at this time that all of these free tools require that you have a Google Account (i.e. ****@gmail.com).
(1) Google Analytics
Google Analytics will tell you a lot about how people are using your website. What are your most visited pages (they might not be what you think they are!), how many REAL people are visiting your website (visitor sessions), where they are coming from, how many of those people are repeat visitors, how many people visit your website and leave before clicking to another page (“bounce rate” and a high bounce rate is not a good thing!), and a lot more. It’s free from Google. Personally, I think the more Google knows about your website the better. Don’t forget to set-up reports to automatically be sent to you via email on a weekly or monthly basis.
(2) Google Search Console
Google knows a lot about your website already and it will gladly share that information with you through the Google Search Console. Formerly called Google Webmaster Tools, the Google Search Console will tell you if there are issues at your website that will adversely impact your indexing, visibility, and rankings at Google. Google will also alert you if your website gets infected with malware and also gives you the tools to remove malware warnings that may appear with your listing at Google if it is is infected.
https://www.google.com/webmasters/
(3) Gmail (or G-Suite)
Gmail is a powerful email client that is a very popular alternative to Microsoft Outlook (and other email clients). You can configure Gmail to send and receive email with your business email address. I’ve used it for years and it makes managing all of your email communications much easier! I think at this point all of the Google Tools I’m talking about here require using a Gmail account.
(4) Google Alerts
If you sign-up for Google Alerts you will get a notification anytime Google finds the targeted keywords or phrases you want to watch for. It’s a good way to monitor what people are saying about your business (if you use your business name as a targeted phrase). It’s also a good way to keep your eyes on your competition or the “wedding industry.”
(5) Google My Business
Google My Business, formerly Google Places, is basically a snap-shot of your business at Google. In a lot of ways it’s kind of a mini-website Google creates for your business. It often shows up on a search engine results page if someone searches for your company name. It’s important to claim / verify and properly configure your Google My Business listing. It’s also an important factor in your business showing up in Google Maps. I believe it also plays an important part in your overall search engine optimization strategy at Google. It’s another free service from Google.
https://www.google.com/business/
ACTION: If you haven’t already, verify your business with Google My Business. Make sure Google Analytics is in place at your website and properly tracking visitors. Set-up automated weekly Google Analytics reports to be sent to you via email. Claim the Google Search Console for your domain and verify it. Spend 30 minutes looking around and looking for any warning messages that may be adversely impacting your listing at Google.
"Working with Chris Jaeger has helped us to sharpen and refine our Internet marketing strategy. We signed up for one of his monthly programs and are delighted with the results. Our presence on the Internet has really increased, as have our sales! That is precisely what we wanted. - Norma Moutal & Mark Giller, Owners of One Heart Personalized Ceremonies
"I asked Chris to review our website and Internet marketing and his analysis and recommendations were exactly what I was looking for. He didn't just give us broad recommendations, rather detailed notes, and detailed recommendations. The annotated screen-shots were very helpful. Now, it's time to get to work!" - Alex Karas, Owner, Enchanted Celebrations
“Using Chris’s recommendations we saw a 30% increase in inquiries in the first 90 days. I can close about 80% of our inquiries, so needless to say this has been a big bump in sales for our business. Hire Chris to do a website review for your wedding business as I did, you’ll be glad you did, I’m sure of it!" - Carol Clarke, Owner, Bridal Gown Care
Greetings! My name is Chris Jaeger and I produce the Book More Weddings website. I am also the Founder of the International Association of Wedding Industry Professionals.
If you are not getting the results you expect from your website and internet marketing, or you are getting good results but would like BETTER results, follow this link.
I offer anyone in the wedding industry a complimentary no-obligation Discovery Session.
You can learn more about me here. You can reach me anytime by phone at (978) 325-2983.
