The L.E.A.D Method (Part 2)

Exposure

Exposure

In Part 1 of this series, we examined how business’ websites are fast-becoming their primary “locations.” And why that means a business’ website must be professional and persuasive.

Now, we’ll examine Step 2: Exposure.

After all, once your location is ready for business, it’s time to get the word out. Before the internet, businesses announced their presence in three main ways:

• They listed their details in the Yellow Pages (YP)
• They leased space on a busy high-street
• They ran ads on TV, radio, billboards, etc.

Today, the goals are the same — but the methods are different. Instead of Yellow Pages, businesses create “listings” on online directories like Yelp and TripAdvisor. Instead of renting space on a busy thoroughfare, they use SEO to earn prime digital real-estate. And, instead of TV or radio, Google and Facebook ads are the weapon of choice.

Listings

Like the old Yellow Pages book, online directories help people find businesses they’re already looking for. For example, if my car needs a wash, I don’t drive around hoping to stumble up a car wash. I type “car wash” into Yelp, Google, or Apple Maps and select one from the results.

The biggest difference is that now there’s 1000s more business directories. So, it’s a much harder to get your business listed on every single one. After all, who wants to make accounts on dozens of sites and enter their business info?

Even so, listings are the most basic form of exposure. They may also be the most important, since prospects who come to you through listings are ready to buy.

SEO

Like having a shop on Rodeo Dr., Google’s Page One gives a business prestige and free traffic. Tons of it. Yet, like Rodeo Drive, space is limited. The good news is: digital real-estate isn’t only about who can afford it. It’s also about whose the right candidate for the spot.

Search engines consider many factors when deciding how to rank search results. And businesses can tweak their websites to suit those standards. That’s what SEO is: optimizing your site to rank higher according to Google’s algorithm.

Mastering SEO is hard, and keeping up with the constant changes is near-impossible. But the effort is worth it. Google processes 40,000+ search queries per second, which is 3.5 billion+ searches per day. That’s a lot of exposure.

Digital Ads

Finally, the most ancient form of exposure of all: Advertising. Ever since the first blacksmith hammered his logo into a shield, it’s been around in one form or another.

In the digital world, the three most powerful platforms are:

• Google AdWords
• Facebook Ads
• Display Ads

If Listings are a snare and SEO is a grenade, then Digital Ads are a sniper’s bullet. Unlike Listings and SEO, Digital Ads allow businesses to target consumers (almost) individually. It’s powerful stuff, and it’s getting better every day.

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