The other day I was updating my Google Business profile. It was loooonnggg overdue—my services and prices were out of date as was my branding and photos.
While I was updating my profile, it got me thinking about how my free Google Business profile works for me without much maintenance. I’ve had local clients find me through a Google search and thus coming across my Google Business profile. It has helped other clients get a sense of what it’s like to work with me by reading reviews from past clients.
Do you have a Google Business profile?
A lot of times I hear clients say they think it’s just for brick and mortar locations, but I disagree. It’s free to set up, helps with SEO, and builds credibility. You can connect it to your website and social profiles, collect reviews, highlight your products and services and even book appointments.
Plus, if you’re a service-based business, you can set it up without a physical address. Here’s how:
- Choose “Service Area Business” when setting up your profile.
- Use your city or region instead of a street address.
- Select relevant service areas to attract the right audience.
A Google Business Profile is free and one of the easiest ways to improve your visibility and credibility as an entrepreneur. If you haven’t set one up yet, now is the time! If you need help, you know I’m here for you.
But let’s not stop at your Google Business profile…
Updating my Google Business profile got me thinking about other “set it and forget it” marketing tools that help support your business and brand without constant attention. Of course, it’s important to check in on these efforts to make sure they are working properly and are accurate and up-to-date, but they don’t take as much effort as constantly churning out social media content. Here are some ideas:
Set It And Forget It Marketing Tactics
Automated email sequences
Create a welcome sequence for new subscribers, nurture leads, and follow up automatically. If you have an ecommerce store, set up abandoned cart emails, re-engagement emails, or upsell sequences.
Website & Blog
When you write evergreen content that ranks on Google and drives organic traffic over time that content continues to work for you long after you hit publish. I still get traffic to my site through searches that lead people to one of my blog articles.
And once they are on your site, you can add a lead magnet to collect emails and continue to nurture those visitors through the email sequences mentioned above.
AI Chatbots & Automated DMs
Use a tool like ManyChat to automate responses to FAQs on social media or to automatically send followers a link to a lead magnet. (e.g., “Type ‘FREE’ to get my free guide”).
Online Directories & Review Sites
Claim and optimize profiles on Google Business, Yelp, LinkedIn, and industry-specific directories (e.g., Houzz for designers, Healthgrades for therapists). Then reach out to past and current clients and customers to ask them to leave you a review on those sites. Reviews and listings work passively to build credibility as potential clients are doing their due diligence before hiring you.
Pinterest Pins with Links to Your Website
Similar to your blog articles, Pinterest is a long-term traffic driver. Content on Pinterest has a long shelf-life as people continue to search for ideas and inspiration. Create SEO-friendly pins that link to your blog, products, or services. No need to constantly be updating or creating new content as your pins will work for you for months or years.
CRM with Automated Follow-Ups
Use a CRM like HubSpot, HoneyBook, or Dubsado to automate reminders, follow-ups, and appointment scheduling. You can also set up automatic thank-you emails, invoice reminders, and feedback requests.
The Key:
The best marketing is a mix of automation and human touch. Setting up these tools once ensures that your business keeps growing—even when you’re focused on serving clients or taking time off.
The other thing to note is many of these efforts work together (i.e. Manychat sending people to your email sequences or Pinterest sending people to your blog).
Which of these are you already using? Any that you would add?
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