benchmarking your website and social media presence

Reluctant-Entrepreneur.com

Benchmarking Your Website and Social Media Presence

Mary Ellen BatesReluctant-Entrepreneur.comAugust 17, 2017


No judgments, just comparisons…

4


Benchmarking basics

ID competitors, peers, innovatorsInclude your GC in the metrics

ID all online presencesWeb page, social media, YouTube, Yelp, etc.

5


Benchmarking basics

ID what matters in each mediumIt’s not just raw numbers…Interaction, engagementWatch for changes over time

6


Benchmarking basics

It’s more than just numbersWhat topics spark engagement?What images get shared the most?What new ideas can you get?

7


What to look for in a web site

8


Web site analysis

What’s your first impression?Cluttered? Engaging? Current?Does it load quickly? On mobile, too?Who’s the audience?

Where are the basics?Hours, address, products/services

9


Web site analysis

How easy is it to navigate?Can you find events, news, email subscription, loyalty program, resources?Links to social media?

10


Watch that web page

Lots of services (some free) for monitoring web page changes

ChangeDetection.com, FollowThatPage.com, WatchThatPage.com,WebSite-Watcher (aignes.com)

11


What to look for in social media

12


Social media analysis

What social sites are they on?

How many followers/friends?

How frequently do they post?What type of content?

13



What posts get shared, liked and commented the most?

Are they reaching out to customers?Classes, tutorials, events

14



Observe their social gracesDo they interact or just broadcast?Do they respond to comments, questions and complaints?

15


See who shared a URL

Crowdtangle.comChrome browser extensionShows who shared your link, where people interacted with it

16


What to look for in consumer review sites

18


Yelp insights

Use Yelp’s categoriesNurseries & Gardening

Scan the results# of reviews for each GCOther categories to use

19


Yelp insights

Then click on each GCHave they “claimed” their business?Do they have links out to their site?How do they describe the GC?Any trends in the reviews?

20


Yelp insights

Scroll down and see“People also viewed”“People found … by searching for”

How is this GC know?

21


Benchmarking: Initial stepsCompile a list of who to monitor: your GC,

others in your market, others you admire

ID all the online presences of eachWeb site, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Yelp, etc.

Set aside a couple of hours – this takes time!

23


Web site checklistFirst impression: engaging? interesting?

updated? cluttered?

Look at it on a mobile device. How does it look? Did it take long to load?

Who is this site talking to? What kinds of customers are featured?

Can you easily find their hours, location, phone # and links to products/services?

24


Web site checklistAre there and can you easily find:

EventsNews or blogAn “About Us” page with history, staffGardening resources & linksTutorials, DIYEmail subscription formLoyalty programLinks to social media

25


Social media checklistHow many social media sites is the GC active in?How many friends/followers/likes?How many updates/posts in the last 30/60/90

days?What type of content is posted?How many interactions with each post?Does the GC interact with followers?What type of content gets the most response?

26


Consumer review checklistID what categories other GCs are listed inHas the GC “claimed” the business listing?How is the GC described?Are there links out to the GC’s web site or

social media?Are there consistent trends in the reviews? What other companies did people also view?

How is this GC known by consumers?

27


Slide deck is at

Reluctant–Entrepreneur.com/extras(or just text me)

Mary Ellen Bates

+1 303 772 7095

[email protected]

Twitter: @mebs

28

benchmarking your website and social media presence

Business