This past year has been a year of great change. As businesses reopen to the public after long closures, many are realizing their marketing strategies need to be updated for our next stage of “normal”. Because so many businesses have been closed for a while, it is important to let the public know that you are back and ready to safely reopen. 

Though we are emerging from some hard times, this could be the perfect opportunity to try a new approach and net even more customers than ever. Luckily, one of the top Pittsburgh marketing agencies has you covered with advice on how to push your marketing efforts above and beyond as the world moves to the next phase. We’ll help you create a plan to bounce back even stronger than before using these strategies:

1. Utilizing Pop Ups & Banners
2. Optimize Your Google Business Listing
3. Take Advantage of Paid Ads
4. Let The World Know You’re Open for Business

1. Utilizing Popups & Banners

Create a popup or banner on your website so consumers are up to date

With all of the changes and restrictions put in place over the last year, it is super difficult to keep track of modified hours and protocol when it comes to in-person business. For example, local restaurants have had to adjust their policies several times, making it difficult or even frustrating for guests to know when and how they can enjoy their favorite meal in town. As we move toward reopening, one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to update your customer base is to use a banner or a popup on your site. 

When you are constructing your banner for your site, it is important to make sure that your banner is welcoming, easily readable and informative for consumers. Your banner will include a message stating you are now open for business and list your new hours of operation. Depending on your industry, you can link your website banner to the next most important page of information for customers. For example, you could link your banner to an updated menu or a list of rules to safely visit your business in person. Our Pittsburgh marketing agency provides web design assistance if you are not sure how to make a banner appealing to website visitors.

Once you have created your popup, it will be the first thing each visitor sees when they enter your site. The popup is a low cost and extremely effective way to influence a potential customer who may be interested in visiting your newly reopened business.

2. Optimize your Google Business Listing

Inform potential customers and boost your SEO 

Just like putting up a popup banner on your website, updating your Google business listing is one of the most effective ways of communicating with your customers. If your Google listing is out of date or hasn’t been updated as restrictions or lifted, Google’s algorithm and the public will be confused. An outdated Google listing will lead to lower ranking SEO and disappointed customers who arrive expecting your old hours of operation. Google businesses listings are not just one source of information for your business, it is often the only source of information people use to assess whether or not to pay a visit. As businesses are in the reopening stages, many customers are looking for information like updated hours, information about ordering online or visiting in person, and any rules to follow for visiting in person.

If you maintain your Google business listing, you will have a much higher chance of getting those potential customers through the front doors. If you are not experienced using Google business listings, our leading Pittsburgh marketing agency can help maximize your Google SEO.

One way to help increase the amount of people that will see your business is to categorize your services, so Google knows when to display your business as a search result. For example, if you own a hair salon by the name of “Beauty Boutique” you want to specify your business caters to hair and not other aspects of beauty. That way, when someone searches, “hair salon near me” Beauty Boutique will be one of the first results to come up.

3. Use Paid Ads Focused on Your Local Area

At our top Pittsburgh marketing agency, we’ve mastered paid advertisements and online marketing

Using paid ads is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to advertise your business as the world reopens. Paid ads allow you to reach targeted audiences, in this case, local customers, so you are able to maximize your intended reach. If you are considering using paid ads to promote your company, there are a few things to consider before launching your campaign.

The first step is to determine your target audience. We already know we want to appeal to the local area, but what age demographic is your company trying to reach? It is likely that your ads will be greatly influenced at all stages by the age demographic you are marketing to. It is also important to mention that the best paid ad campaigns use several different advertising angles. So, you’ll want to produce a few different ads and see which one garners the most online attention according to your analytics. 

For example, maybe a popular restaurant in Pittsburgh that had to close for a long period of time has just reopened for business, but no one is coming in. That restaurant would benefit from an awareness campaign on Instagram using text that says “Now Open for Dine-In Service!” with an image of their staff smiling in the background. An Instagram ad like this sends a clear message to consumers that their favorite spot in town is back in action.

4. Let the World Know You’re Open for Business with Social Media

Establish a close relationship with your customer base through social media engagement

It is likely that you have been waiting a long time to get your businesses up and running again. It may be time to reconsider your social media strategy as we turn the corner into the new normal. Over the last year, many businesses have let their social media accounts grow out of date with months in between posts. If a potential consumer notices your Instagram is nearly abandoned, they may assume your location has closed permanently. However, there is still time to turn it around. As businesses reopen, many individuals are checking back to see if their favorite restaurants, venues, and hair salons are still updating their socials. This is the time to push a stronger social media presence than ever before.

To let everyone know that you are open, you want to communicate with your customer base as much as possible. You can try using methods such as, providing regular updates on all social channels or chatting via Facebook Messenger with your customers if they have any questions. You can also start a blog for your business, giving your customers updates about the latest happenings and upcoming events. If you are in search of a leading Pittsburgh marketing agency to help you get connected, you can always contact Responsival for assistance.

These tips are a great starting point for any small business reopening after a long closure. If you are looking for a Pittsburgh marketing agency to help maximize your SEO and get the word out about your grand reopening, look no further than Responsival. At Responsival, we leverage the latest and most effective marketing strategies to help your company increase its brand awareness as business resumes again. You can schedule a quick phone call with our team today to get started!