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How Facebook ads can help a business grow

Facebook has become an integral part of our daily lives, and it is now one of the most powerful social media platforms for businesses to reach out to potential customers. With over 2 billion active users worldwide, Facebook provides a vast audience to promote your business and increase your brand awareness. One of the best ways to do that is by using Facebook ads. In this article, we will discuss how Facebook ads can help a business grow.Targeted AdvertisingFacebook allows businesses to target their ads to specific groups of people based on their interests, demographics, location, behavior, and more. This targeting feature makes Facebook ads more effective than traditional advertising methods as it helps businesses reach the right audience. For example, if you are selling baby products, you can target your ads to women who are pregnant or have recently given birth.Cost-EffectiveFacebook ads are relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising, such as TV, radio, or print ads. Businesses can set their budget and bid on the cost per click or cost per impression to control their spending. With Facebook ads, businesses can reach a broader audience with a smaller budget, making it a cost-effective way to promote their products or services.Increased Brand AwarenessFacebook ads are an effective way to increase brand awareness. By promoting your business on Facebook, you can reach a vast audience and increase the visibility of your brand. This can lead to more likes, shares, comments, and followers, which can help you build a loyal customer base.Increased Website TrafficFacebook ads can drive traffic to your website by linking your ad to your website or landing page. This can help you generate leads and increase sales. By using Facebook Pixel, you can track the behavior of users on your website, such as their purchases or the pages they visited, and use this information to optimize your ads for better performance.Measurable ResultsFacebook ads provide measurable results, allowing businesses to track their performance and adjust their ads to achieve their goals. Businesses can track metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions, and ROI. By analyzing these metrics, businesses can optimize their ads for better performance and achieve their advertising goals.In conclusion, Facebook ads are a powerful tool for businesses to reach out to potential customers and increase their brand awareness. With its targeting options, cost-effectiveness, increased brand awareness, increased website traffic, and measurable results, Facebook ads can help businesses grow and achieve their advertising goals. If you are a business owner looking to expand your reach, consider using Facebook ads as part of your marketing strategy.

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Published - Wed, 05-Apr-2023

Created by - Skill Space

How Google My Business can help your business

As a business owner, it is essential to have a strong online presence. One tool that can help you achieve this is Google My Business. This free tool from Google can help your business reach more customers and improve its online visibility.Google My Business is a platform that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Google Search and Google Maps. It allows businesses to provide accurate and up-to-date information to potential customers, including business hours, contact information, photos, and reviews. Here are some ways Google My Business can help your business:Increased visibility on Google: With a Google My Business listing, your business is more likely to appear in local search results. This can increase your visibility to potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours.Better customer engagement: Google My Business allows customers to leave reviews and ratings, which can help build trust and credibility for your business. It also allows you to respond to customer reviews, providing an opportunity to engage with your customers and address any concerns they may have.Accurate information: With Google My Business, you can manage your business information, including hours of operation, address, and phone number. This ensures that potential customers have accurate and up-to-date information about your business.Improved SEO: By optimizing your Google My Business listing, you can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and increase your chances of appearing in local search results. This can help drive more traffic to your website and improve your overall online visibility.Free advertising: Google My Business is a free tool, which means that you can reach more customers without spending any money on advertising.In conclusion, Google My Business is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. It can help improve your online visibility, engage with customers, and drive more traffic to your website. By optimizing your listing and keeping it up-to-date, you can ensure that your business is easily discoverable by potential customers.

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Published - Wed, 05-Apr-2023

Created by - Skill Space

How to Sell your Products Online in South Africa?

Selling products online is a smart way to make revenue without investing in physical infrastructure for your shop. In the contemporary post-COVID economy, many more businesses are choosing to sell their products online in South Africa. And so can you, too! How? Let's see how you can sell products online in South Africa in this article.How to Sell Your Products Online in South Africa?What you will need is a brand and an online storefront that caters to a particular niche. Selling high-quality products means you get high customer satisfaction; which means you get more returning customers and new customers; which means you get more sales. And so the cycle repeats itself and your business grows. Sounds simple on the paper.However, an e-commerce business can entail a few hurdles. What to sell? What kind of customers to target? Will my business grow? These doubts are common, thus making a game plan before you start a business is important. Do not cast these doubts aside as they can help you brainstorm and come up with a business plan that may just work for you.Let's have a crack at how you can start your online shop.Making an Online BrandWhen you start a business, you need to give it an identity. That's your brand. When a potential customer visits your business, your brand makes the first impression on them.This is the first hurdle in starting your online store. It makes deciding on your business's overall nature and outlook crucial. A brand name, when done right, can tell your business's story and what it stands for. Over time, your customers also learn to associate your brand name with certain products and their quality.So, how can you make your brand better?Brainstorm the ideas about your business. Include the common doubts mentioned above and develop a strategy accordingly. Once you have an idea about your business, coming up with a brand name may become relatively easier for you.Keep it simple. Aim for positive connotations with your brand name. Use wordplay if applicable but don't try too hard.Choose a name that would suit your logos, any catchphrases, and the domain name.Website DesignOnce you are set on your brand design, your next step would be to get a website for your business. If you have finalised your brand design, designing your website per your brand's identity and palette should not be a nuisance.A proper web design may take hours to days to complete. You or your web designer has to ensure all the functionalities are in place and working as intended. Also, the payment gateways have to be functional and secure. There are plenty of factors that play an important part in visitor retention and the conversion funnel:website loading speed,easy-to-navigate website,SSL-secured website,simple and faster checkout services, and last but not leasta customer service page with appropriate contact details or live chat.E-Commerce Website vs Online MarketplacesThere are two ways to sell online. Either you sell on an e-commerce platform like Takealot in South Africa, or you make your website to sell your products.While selling on an e-commerce platform has its benefits, you will also have to face their fees and follow certain standards to list your shop and products. On the other hand, getting a website means you do not compete with other sellers on an e-commerce platform nor do you abide by any fees. However, you will have to pay for website maintenance, website promotion costs, and other miscellaneous costs.In South Africa, Takealot is the #1 marketplace platform to sell your products online. For a limited time, our Takealot Seller Course is available for absolutely FREE so make sure to take a look at it.Online MarketingYou have launched your e-commerce website. Now all you have to do is wait for customers and watch your business soar high in the sky. But wait, the customers are not coming to my business. Why?That's because nobody knows about your business.This is why marketing your business is important. If you wait for the SEO to do all the magic alone, you might just get your first customer within 6 months. But, with advertising, you can attract a bunch of audience directly to your business, thus kickstarting the wheels in motion.For advertising, you can use strategies like email marketing (newsletters), SERP visibility marketing (making your business appear on search engines), and social media marketing (advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms). Despite paid advertising, make sure you get the SEO right for your business. Because that is going to be your long-term strategy to perform well on a search engine and attract a crowd.Shipping and Order FulfilmentUnless you are selling a product on an online marketplace like Takealot, you have to manage your shipping policies on your own. This means you will have to find your own Order Fulfilment service in South Africa, like DSV or Collivery.The shipping costs should depend on how much your courier service charges. You may also offer free shipping on certain products, but remember that you'll be eating the costs from your profit. How you wish to handle the shipping charges is completely up to you.Final WordsIt is a challenge to sell products online in South Africa via your online business. There will be so many doubts, so many unanswered questions in the beginning. However, finding the answers that work for you is the key to coming up with a successful business idea.Going for your own online storefront could or could not be for you. Instead, if you decide to go for an online marketplace to sell your products in South Africa, Takealot is a popular option. Skill Space has a great Takealot Seller Course that entails A to Z information to become a Takealot Seller with minimal efforts in South Africa. For a limited time, the course is free, so make sure to have a go at it.Takealot Seller Course - How to sell on Takealot | Skill SpaceIf you have any questions regarding Takealot or our other course, feel free to contact us.

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Published - Mon, 13-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

How to set up a Google Business Profile in South Africa?

Have you ever searched for a business online? Then you may come across the business information directly as if it was written and recorded by Google. Well, it is recorded but not by Google. Instead, business owner(s) list their businesses on Google Business Profile. Small and medium businesses in South Africa have shown promising growth after they listed their business on Google Business Profile. So, how do you set up a Google Business Profile in South Africa? Let's find out.What is a Google Business Profile?A Google Business Profile is technically a listing of your business in the Google database. The database may include your open hours, contacts, location on the map, website details, photos, and more. You can also post photos and updates about your business, and interact with your customers. It is your social profile that gives your business a unique identity.A Google Business Profile may look like this.Google Business Profile was previously called 'Google My Business', which you might be more familiar with.It is no secret that Google is the largest search engine in the world. Listing your business on Google means your potential customers can find and understand your business more easily. Contacting and reviewing your business becomes easier. As your business gains more positive reviews, more customers will be attracted towards your business. And the cycle will repeat, and your business will grow.And the best news? It is completely FREE!So, how do you set up a Google Business Profile in South Africa?Let's Set up a Google Business Profile in South AfricaA verified Google Business Profile helps you attract, convert, and interact with your customers. Let's see how you can set up a Google Business Profile with ease.Sign into your Google AccountIf you have been an internet user for more than 6 months, chances are you already have a Google account. To set up your Google Business Profile, you will have to sign into your Google account.If you do not have a Google account, the process is simple. Simply log into Gmail and create your Google account there. If you are creating a new account, Google recommends you to sign up with a business email domain, if you have any. Here's the Google guide on how to set up your Gmail business email. However, it is not a necessary step. You can simply do fine with a free personal Gmail account.Once you have signed into your Google account, head over to Create a Profile in the Google Business section.Providing the Basic Details of Your BusinessNow, it is time to fill in some basic information to give your business an identity on Google Business Profile.Now, if yours is a locally popular business, Google might already have listed your business in their database. This happens due to the search volume your business may get or locals listing your business on Google Maps, although unofficially. Now, to check whether Google has listed your business, simply type your business name in the text box. If you see your name in the auto-suggested list, select it.If it's not there, no worries. Just type your business name and click next.On the next page, you will have to choose your business type amongst the three types listed below.Online Store, if your business is completely online and has no physical location. In this case, Google will not pinpoint your business on the map.Local Store, such as restaurants or libraries. A Local Store type of business will have a Google Map location in the red 'Pin' format.Service Business which provides services like pest control, appliance repair services and so on. Service businesses will have a pin and an area of operation highlighted in a radius on Google Maps.Once you have done selecting, click 'Next'.Depending on the business type, you will have to provide contact details and physical details accordingly. Once you have input all the necessary details, you will come to the verification step. There are many verification methods for verifying your Google Business Profile in South Africa. You can take a look at the full list on this Google Support Page.Verifying your Google Business ProfileAs seen previously, anyone can claim a business on Google. This is what makes your business appear in Google search results if you have not officially registered your business with Google Business Profile. To protect your business identity, it is necessary to get verified on Google Business Profile in South Africa.And now, we are at the verification stage. There are several verification methods.The Google Verification Code methodIn this method, you will have to provide Google with your phone number and then click next. On the next screen, you can choose to verify your number either via call or text. You can select either to receive a code from Google. You can input this code on the next screen to verify your number, thus proving that the number belongs to your business.Video VerificationGoogle has been increasingly using this method to combat spam in the Google Business Profile section. In this method, you will have to provide a recording of your business in one go. An unedited, raw footage of your business is what Google needs in this method. Make sure you shoot your business' location, equipment, and proof of management to pass the verification check.Google just uses the video to verify your business listing. The video is never shared publicly.Postcard by EmailIn this process, Google sends you a physical postcard to your business address with a verification code on it. You can use this code to verify your business. As this is a physical postcard, the delivery time may take about 3-5 business days.And That's It!Your Google Business Profile is now created and verified in South Africa. That was really simple, wasn't it? A Google Business Profile can help your business have a personalised identity for your business in South Africa. Talking about personalisation, we are not quite done yet. We still have to customise our profile. But we will talk about it in the next article.Meanwhile, if you have any questions up until now, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab. We would be glad to answer any questions you have. We also have an upcoming Google Business Profile course very soon, so stay tuned for that!Also, if you are struggling to sell products in South Africa, have you tried selling via Takealot? We have a full course on becoming a full-fledged Takealot Seller in South Africa. It's free for a limited period only and you would not want to miss out on the opportunity. See you in the class soon!

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Four Types of E-Commerce Websites in South Africa

The e-commerce scene has experienced a boom, especially after the pandemic in South Africa. This may inspire you to start your online store and sell some trendy products. Now, if you are planning to launch an e-commerce website of your own, you should know the types of e-commerce websites. In this article, we will see the four types of e-commerce websites in South Africa.What are the 4 Types of e-commerce websites in South Africa?Single Brand WebsiteIf your business plans to sell the products online on your e-commerce website, then that is a single-brand website. Businesses that are just starting up may take advantage of a single-brand website to establish a firm identity in the niche.A Single-Brand website allows you to experiment with your products and attract the right crowd through the means of advertisement and SEO. It also allows you to scale your business as you grow.An example of a single-brand e-commerce store in South Africa would be Bathu, where they sell sneakers of their brand only.2. Online Retail StoreAn online retail store refers to a retail business making a website to sell branded products to earn revenue. Instead of having your business inventory, an online retail store sources products from different individual brands and sells them via their online storefront. This is a great business model as online retail stores do not spend time designing products according to market demands. They just see what is in demand in the market, source the relevant products, and sell them via their portal.A classic example of an online retail store in South Africa would be Shelflife, which sells high-quality apparel and sportswear products via its website.3. MarketplacesMarketplaces and online retail stores may feel similar but they are not. For example, companies like Takealot are not retail services. They are spaces for smaller businesses to list their products on a website. Takealot allows businesses to meet their customers relatively easily as popular marketplaces tend to attract a big crowd of people—people who are looking to shop and spend money online.Apart from that, features like faster checkouts, a shopping points system, exciting offers and sales, and buyer protection make people choose online marketplaces over individual brand websites. This is why we may observe that even the most popular brands do not hold back from listing their shop in marketplaces.4. Affiliate Marketing WebsiteAffiliate marketing is not direct marketing. In affiliate marketing, a website may use creative methods to promote a product and send customers to the product website. If the customer buys the product via the link, then the website earns a commission. That is affiliate marketing.A website or an influencer brand with a large following may try its hand at affiliate marketing to earn extra revenue. They can showcase, promote, and influence their followers with affiliate products for a little commission. Affiliate marketing can be a hit or miss, depending on the audience the said influencer or the website has built.ConclusionE-commerce is a lot more than just running your business with these four e-commerce models. However, knowing these models can help you understand the process and come up with a mixture of ideas that can further provide an impetus to your business. In this article, we discussed the four types of e-commerce websites that are commonly found on the internet in South Africa.We also have observed that the web design for all these types may feel similar. However, the content is what sets them apart from each other. In South Africa, the right web design and content for your e-commerce website can help you attract the right audience.Looking to sell your products on Takealot? We have a full-fledged Takealot Seller course that's available for FREE for a limited time. Use it to your advantage and be an expert Takealot seller in no time!

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Let's Customise Your Google Business Profile in South Africa

In the previous article, we discussed creating a Google Business Profile in South Africa. A Google Business Profile can help small and medium businesses boost visibility, gain real customer interactions, and grow the business. If you haven't already, give the previous article a read before you proceed with this article. Now, let's customise Google Business Profile for your business in South Africa.Let's Customise a Google Business Profile in South AfricaGoogle Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) gives a business a personal identity on Google. Real customers can interact with your business in real time. Likewise, as a business owner, you can also post updates regarding your business (photos, posts, videos) via your Business Profile.However, to create a personal identity for your business, first, you must customise it. But before we begin, let's take a quick look at the new Google Business Profile interface.Your Google Business Profile on Google SERP InterfacePreviously, if you owned a Google Business Profile and went to the Google Business section, you would see the old Google Business dashboard. But now, if you try to access to Google Business website while having an active Google Business Profile, you would be redirected to something like this.This interface gives you a great idea of how your business profile would look on Google. Apart from that, you can also see a console that allows you to customise your profile in different ways. Furthermore, it also allows you to post and edit updates and products, track business profile performance, and advertise. You will need a Google Business Profile in South Africa if you are advertising via Google.You can also edit your Google Business Profile on your phone via browser or the Google Maps app. On a browser, it will look something like this.On the Google Maps app, your Google Business Profile in South Africa would look like this.Now, let's understand how to customise your Google Business Profile in South Africa.Edit Profile: Tell us about your BusinessEvery business is unique and so is your Business information. The information in the edit profile section may differ depending on the type of your Google Business Profile. When you open the Edit Profile window, you will see five different sections. The majority of the information in this section is optional. However, the more information you provide, the better clarity you provide for your potential customers.1. AboutThe About section is your business information. There goes your business name and category, a description of your business, and the opening date of your business. Your business description is the best chance to tell your audience about your business. Be concise and honest with your information.2. ContactIn this section, you will provide your phone number, contact website, social profiles, and a short name of your business.3. LocationIn this section, you will provide information about your business location. This includes an address, a Google map location, and a service area, if applicable.4. HoursWhen is your business open? In this section, you will talk about your business hours. If you have any special hours, they will also go here. Google Business Profile allows full customizability regarding your operating hours.5. MoreAny further information regarding your business will go here. Depending on your business type, you may see different options in this section.Edit Products: Showcase your Products via Google Business ProfileYou can display your products along with prices on Google Business Profile in South Africa. Your customers will not exactly be able to buy it, but being able to elaborately display your products can give them an idea about your product ranges.Optionally, you can provide a redirect link: a product landing page URL for all products. This link can take customers to your website, where they can make decisions like buying your products or exploring your website for more information.Edit Services: Let Customers know of your ServicesDepending on the primary category of your business, your business may offer one or more services to the customers. Google will occasionally add or remove relevant services to your Google Business Profile. This data is generated from actual user feedback, your business practices, and your website's SEO. Not always these services may appear accurate. So, make it a habit to check the Edit Services section occasionally to ensure your services are relevant.Photos: The Visual Identity of Your BusinessAdd flair to your business with some neat shots and let customers visually immerse in your business. You can add as many photos as you want to. Besides that, Google Business Profile allows you to choose a cover photo and a logo for your business as well.Q & A: Answer your Potential CustomersOccasionally, people—whether they can be your customers or not—can ask certain questions about your business. Providing prompt and concise answers to their queries shows that your business cares. Besides, it does clarify a few things about your business that you might have missed. Providing as much information as possible is the key to making your Google Business Profile transparent in South Africa.Add Update: Let others in on your Business activitiesDid your business hit a milestone? It's time to celebrate! Let your customers know of your achievement. Or is there a brand new exciting product on the shelf for a limited time? Why not let your customers know? The 'Add Update' section allows you to push all sorts of updated news to your customers on Google.There are three types of updates you can post on Google Business Profile in South Africa:Add Updates such as any regular updates, unclassified news and so on;Add Offers such as any discounts, BOGO offers, and more.; and finallyAdd Event, if you are hosting any particular events, showcases etc.Final WordsAnd this is how you primarily customise a Google Business Profile in South Africa. We are well aware that we have not covered certain options on that dashboard. These options are more of a part of customer services that you may provide through your Google Business Profile. We will talk about them in the next article.One important note. Google Business Profile is SEO-active. Meaning, your Google Business Profile can get a boost given you use good SEO practices. Make sure you use the keywords correctly within your posts, and that all the images and product descriptions are up to date. We shall talk about Google Business Profile and SEO in another article as well.On that note, we are currently developing a Google Business Profile Course on Skill Space. Stay tuned to the Skill Space website if you are interested. Also, we currently have the Takealot Seller Course available for free. If you are planning to sell on Takealot, this is the right opportunity for you to take the course.Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab and we will do our best to resolve your queries.Now, let's understand how to customise your Google Business Profile in South Africa.Edit Profile: Tell us about your BusinessEvery business is unique and so is your Business information. The information in the edit profile section may differ depending on the type of your Google Business Profile. When you open the Edit Profile window, you will see five different sections. The majority of the information in this section is optional. However, the more information you provide, the better clarity you provide for your potential customers.1. AboutThe About section is your business information. There goes your business name and category, a description of your business, and the opening date of your business. Your business description is the best chance to tell your audience about your business. Be concise and honest with your information.2. ContactIn this section, you will provide your phone number, contact website, social profiles, and a short name of your business.3. LocationIn this section, you will provide information about your business location. This includes an address, a Google map location, and a service area, if applicable.4. HoursWhen is your business open? In this section, you will talk about your business hours. If you have any special hours, they will also go here. Google Business Profile allows full customizability regarding your operating hours.5. MoreAny further information regarding your business will go here. Depending on your business type, you may see different options in this section.Edit Products: Showcase your Products via Google Business ProfileYou can display your products along with prices on Google Business Profile in South Africa. Your customers will not exactly be able to buy it, but being able to elaborately display your products can give them an idea about your product ranges.Optionally, you can provide a redirect link: a product landing page URL for all products. This link can take customers to your website, where they can make decisions like buying your products or exploring your website for more information.Edit Services: Let Customers know of your ServicesDepending on the primary category of your business, your business may offer one or more services to the customers. Google will occasionally add or remove relevant services to your Google Business Profile. This data is generated from actual user feedback, your business practices, and your website's SEO. Not always these services may appear accurate. So, make it a habit to check the Edit Services section occasionally to ensure your services are relevant.Photos: The Visual Identity of Your BusinessAdd flair to your business with some neat shots and let customers visually immerse in your business. You can add as many photos as you want to. Besides that, Google Business Profile allows you to choose a cover photo and a logo for your business as well.Q & A: Answer your Potential CustomersOccasionally, people—whether they can be your customers or not—can ask certain questions about your business. Providing prompt and concise answers to their queries shows that your business cares. Besides, it does clarify a few things about your business that you might have missed. Providing as much information as possible is the key to making your Google Business Profile transparent in South Africa.Add Update: Let others in on your Business activitiesDid your business hit a milestone? It's time to celebrate! Let your customers know of your achievement. Or is there a brand new exciting product on the shelf for a limited time? Why not let your customers know? The 'Add Update' section allows you to push all sorts of updated news to your customers on Google.There are three types of updates you can post on Google Business Profile in South Africa:Add Updates such as any regular updates, unclassified news and so on;Add Offers such as any discounts, BOGO offers, and more.; and finallyAdd Event, if you are hosting any particular events, showcases etc.Final WordsAnd this is how you primarily customise a Google Business Profile in South Africa. We are well aware that we have not covered certain options on that dashboard. These options are more of a part of customer services that you may provide through your Google Business Profile. We will talk about them in the next article.One important note. Google Business Profile is SEO-active. Meaning, your Google Business Profile can get a boost given you use good SEO practices. Make sure you use the keywords correctly within your posts, and that all the images and product descriptions are up to date. We shall talk about Google Business Profile and SEO in another article as well.On that note, we are currently developing a Google Business Profile Course on Skill Space. Stay tuned to the Skill Space website if you are interested. Also, we currently have the Takealot Seller Course available for free. If you are planning to sell on Takealot, this is the right opportunity for you to take the course.Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab and we will do our best to resolve your queries.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Customer Interaction on Google Business Profile in South Africa

In the previous article, we discussed how you could customise your Google Business Profile in South Africa. A Google Business Profile allows you to have real-time interactions with your customers. These real-time, personalised interactions can make your business more trustworthy and credible. In this article, let's discuss how you can interact with your potential customers on Google Business Profile in South Africa.Interacting with Customers on Google Business Profile in South AfricaWe have talked about Google Business Profile extensively in our previous articles. However, to sum up, a Google Business Profile lists your business in the Google database. This allows a business to be on Google Maps, publicly display business details, acquire customer interactions, and run Google Ads. It is basically a social profile of your business on Google. And when we say 'social', there will be real interactions.There are two types of interactions.Businesses Interacting on their Google Business Profile in South AfricaWe have covered this in our previous article. A business can post updates or announce product offers and discounts. It is pretty similar to posting a status on Facebook.To do so, click on 'Add Update' once you are on your Google Business Profile. To access your business profile, simply go to this link, which should open a page that looks something like this.Here, you can post three types of updates.Add UpdateAdd Update allows a business to post updates, just like how you would post a status on Facebook. Let your customers in early on a brand new product range you are working on. Or how about informing your customers about an upcoming event or a sale? Or let's just talk about how your business is doing on a fine Monday morning.Add OfferGot a promotion running? Your Google Business Profile in South Africa allows you to display offers and promotions in South Africa. The 'Add Offer' section allows you to describe your offers—such as promotions and discounts—along with photos or videos. The section will also allow you to display the offer duration.Add EventEvent-hosting businesses can particularly benefit from this section. The 'Add Event' section allows a business in South Africa to display an event along with images, videos, or both. Besides that, you can also add venue details, event duration, and particular details of your event.The Add Update posts allow you to personify your business. However, remember to be concise and professional with your writing. These posts allow you to deliver fresh content or updates along with photos and videos. Whenever there's an update you think the customers would love to know about, go ahead and post it!Customers Interacting on your Google Business Profile in South AfricaReal customer interactions on your Google Business Profile in South Africa give your business credibility, authenticity, and a sense of safety. Positive interactions and a quick resolution to negative interactions can provide your business with a much-deserved boost in visibility and credibility. So make sure to be quick to respond to any positive or negative comments or questions.There are three distinct ways a customer can interact with your Google Business Profile in South Africa.MessagesA customer can message your business if they have any questions. These messages may include a request for a quote or asking for information about your services or products. For that, however, a business will have to set up a Google Messages account. Alternatively, if a business has set up the system, you may request a quote. However, the majority of these message features are available via smartphones only.ReviewsOne way for a business to get credible on Google is to receive reviews from your customers. Customers living generally positive reviews can boost your business reputation, and thus, visibility. Of course, there will be days when you might get low ratings as well. The key here is how you handle such situations. A good business would consider responding appropriately to all the reviews in a professional manner. This shows how much your business values a customer's feedback.Questions & Answers (Q&As)The Question and Answers section is a great way to get to know a business. A customer can ask a question to your business that will be visible to everyone. As a business, let your customers know about your business, service, and products with elaborate answers. Generally, anyone can question and anyone can answer. However, as a business, make it a priority to answer these questions for accuracy and clarification.ConclusionIn this article, we discussed the various ways a business or its customers can interact with each other via Google Business Profile in South Africa. A good business in South Africa will promptly and positively respond to interactions, providing necessary information or resolving queries. This good business practice can boost your reputation and visibility on the Google SERP as well.On a side note, we are currently developing a Google Business Profile Course on Skill Space. Stay tuned to the Skill Space website if you are interested. Also, we currently have the Takealot Seller Course available for free. If you are planning to sell on Takealot, this is the right opportunity for you to take the course.Meanwhile, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us via the message tab and we will do our best to resolve your queries.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

How to Make Multiple Google Business Profiles in South Africa?

In South Africa, entrepreneurs often have more than one business. Multiple businesses means multiple Google Business Profiles. Now imagine if you would have to create several Google accounts to create business profiles for all your businesses. How exhausting would that be? Well, fret not! You can have up to 10 Google Business Profiles on a single Google account in South Africa. How? Let's discuss them in this article.Having Multiple Google Business Profiles in South AfricaWhen it comes to hustles, having one business is often not enough. As entrepreneurs, we are generally looking for more sources of revenue streams, usually by running multiple businesses or via investments. If you have multiple businesses, naturally you would want to list them on Google. Any opportunity to gain more visibility for your business, the better, right?However, before we get into the 'how to list' part, let's understand the following.When can I List My Business on Google Business Profile?Just because you have multiple businesses, you cannot list them as different business profiles. There are two conditions to listing your businesses separately on Google Business Profile.If two or more of your businesses share the same address, these businesses must be separately registered as legal entities. If two businesses operate under the same legal entity and share the same address, you cannot list these two businesses separately on Google Business Profile.If two businesses are on the same legal entity but have different addresses, then you can create two different profiles for your businesses.Double-check these basic Google Business Profile guidelines to avoid unexpected and unwanted suspensions of your accounts.How do I add another Business Listing on Google Business Profile in South Africa?Even if you already have a business on Google Business Profile, you can still add another business under the same account.To do so, go to the 'business.google.com' web address, which should open a webpage that looks something like this (you will have to be logged in to your Google account). This webpage will show a preview of how your business may look on Google when users search for your business online.ALT: An Example of Google Business Profile page as appeared on the Google SERP, featuring Digital Lime Green.CAP: A Google Business Profile example.Here, in the top right corner, you will see these three dots beside Profile Strength. Click on them and find the option 'Add a New Business Profile'. You will be redirected to creating your business profile.To create a new business profile, you will require the following information:Business name and category,Business location (if any, some categories WILL require you to have an address),Area of Service (optional),Business region (optional, depending on the business category), andContact details and website.Once you have the basic information tacked down on your business, you can proceed to the verification process. We have discussed the entire process in our 'How to set up a Google Business Profile in South Africa?' article.ConclusionAnd this is how you can add another business profile on Google Business Profile under the same email in South Africa. Remember that you can have up to 10 business profiles under an account. If you want to have more than 10, you will have to remove existing business profiles to make space first.In the next article, we will discuss running Google Ads via Google Business Profile in South Africa. Meanwhile, if you have any questions regarding Google Business Profile, feel free to contact us via the message tab or the contact page and we will help you resolve your queries.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024

Created by - Skill Space

Let's Run Google Ads with Google Business Profile in South Africa

If you do not have a website for your business, you can use your Google Business Profile to run ads and promotions. A Google Business Profile can display your business information, contact details, images and videos, and all the updates. It is an online identity for your business on the world's most-used search engine. So, how do you run ads with Google Business Profile in South Africa? Let's see in this article.How do I use Google Business Profile to run an ad in South Africa?If you have a Google Business Profile in South Africa, you can advertise your profile with Google Ads. This is especially useful if your business does not have a website. However, before doing so, you will need a Google Ads account.Now, Google Ads is a complicated mesh of advertising tools and options. But in this article, we will discuss setting up a Google Ads account and how to use it to advertise your Google Business Profile.A Quick Look at Setting Up a Google Ads AccountSetting up a Google Ads account is easy. All you need is your business information and a Google account. That's it! However, make sure all the business information you provide is legally true. We cannot stress this enough as Google will suspend your account for false business information. We highly recommend reading this Google Support page for their guidelines.Let's quickly set up our Google Ads account.To do so, log in to your Google account and then go to the Google Ads page.Click on Sign In on the top right corner and you will be redirected to another page. Here, you can see a list of existing Google Ads accounts. If you do not have any, you will directly see the setup page that looks like this.ALT: A Google Ads page depicting 'Create your First Campaign'CAP: Create Your First Campaign - Google Ads.Provide the necessary details. Make sure you select the 'Your Business Profile Page' option under the 'Where should people go after clicking your ad?' selection. This will redirect all the audience that click on your ad to your Google Business Profile.If you are not creating an Ad Campaign right off the bat, click on 'Create an account without a campaign'. Else just click next.If you click on 'Create an account without a campaign', you will just see the following account settings. Upon confirming, you're done.ALT: Confirm your account settings in Google Ads, an example of a step in Google Ads Campaign Setup ProcessCAP: Confirm Your Account Settings - Google Ads Campaign.However, if you simply click next, you will have the option to link your other Google accounts to the Google Ads account. It may look something like this. You can see that our Google Business Profile has been linked in this section. For further understanding of this topic, Google has provided detailed information on the process. We recommend you give it a read.ALT: An example of the Linking Accounts Screen in the Google Ads campaign setup.CAP: Link Your Accounts - Google Ads Campaign.After that, you are ready to create an ad campaign. However, this topic deserves a separate article. We will talk about creating a Google Ads Campaign in the next article.Run Google Ads via Google Business Profile in South AfricaNow, we are ready to run ads that will redirect your target audience to your Google Business Profile. To do so, go to the Google Business Profile page. If you only have one profile, you will be redirected to your Google Business Profile section on Google SERP. However, if you have multiple businesses, select the one you wish to view. This will open your Google Business Profile view on a Google SERP page. It would look something like this.ALT: A quick glance at the Digital Lime Green Business Profile - How can you set up a Google Ads Campaign via Google Business Profile in South Africa?CAP: You can click 'Advertise' to advertise your Google Business Profile via Google Ads in South Africa.Here, we can already see an 'Advertise' option. This is where we will be setting up and running our ad, Since we are promoting our Google Business Profile via Google Ads in South Africa, we will be selecting appropriate options to do so. How can we do that?Let's have a quick run-through of this process.Firstly, the business details. Here, you can directly use Google Business Profile to skip this process. The Ad Campaign will then fetch the data from your Google Business Profile.Next, you will be asked for 'ad redirection'. Here, you can choose your website or your Google Business Profile, depending on your goals.On the next page, you will see the preview of your Business Profile ad on Phones and Desktops. This is just for your reference. You can safely click Next on this page.Now, your advertising goal. There are four main goals:Get more calls;Get more website sales or leads;Get more visits to your physical locations; andGet more views or engagement on your YouTube.Depending on your business type, your goals may differ. As a reference, let's say we select the 'Get more calls' option.On the next page, you may customise your ad. Since we will be getting more calls, it is mandatory to provide your business cellphone number. The rest is up to your creativity.Let's put the cellphone number and click next.Here, you will be asked to provide keywords you want your ad to show up for. This depends on you.Next, you will be asked to set a region for your advertisement. Select the appropriate region and click on Next.Finally, you will have to set a budget. Google Ads will recommend 3 budget options for you. However, you can set a custom budget as well. Once done, you are ready to launch your Google Ads.Any customer that clicks on your ads will be redirected to your Business Profile, where they can find all the useful information to get in touch with your business.ConclusionAnd that's about it! This is how you can advertise your Google Business Profile with Google Ads in South Africa. The common denominator is that you will require a regular Google Account. Also, make sure you read their guidelines in case of any doubts.In the next article, let's discuss how you can effectively set up a Google Ads campaign. Until then, if you have any doubts regarding Google Business Profile or this article, feel free to connect with us via the message tab or the contact page.

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Published - Wed, 15-May-2024