Industry News: Platform Updates You Won't Want to Miss

  It’s that time again. We’re back with another industry news blog! It’s hard to believe it’s been over a year since the first case of COVID-19 made its way to the United States. Over the past year, local search and social platforms have constantly evolved to keep up with all the changes facing our day-to-day lives. While we’re slowly returning to “normal” life, we don’t expect these platform updates to stop anytime soon.   Developers are always looking for ways to improve and enhance their local search and social platforms. As a multi-location marketer, it’s your job to learn about these new updates and implement them into your localized marketing efforts. We understand it’s challenging to keep up with all the latest news, but this blog breaks it down for you.  

Instagram Rooms 

  Instagram recently launched Instagram Live Rooms. Instagram has opened live broadcasting for up to four participants and has renamed the format Instagram Live Rooms. The new feature expands the app’s live stream function to let up to four people join a broadcast, versus the previous limit of two.  Instagram reveals the ability to interact with more people on Instagram Live has been one of the most requested updates for the visually-driven app during the pandemic.  

  Now that Instagram Live Rooms is an option, it’s time for your multi-location business to test it out. With Live Rooms, users can take advantage of interactive features like Shopping and Live fundraisers and get creative to reach new audiences and engage with loyal customers. For instance, consider using it as space for your multi-location business to host a Q&A with industry experts or launch a product or service where local team members provide insight on the new offering. Beating the competition relies on you staying ahead of industry trends, and Instagram Live Rooms allows you to do so.  

Managing Insurance Information on GMB for Healthcare Providers

  This update is for everyone in the healthcare industry! Since the beginning of the pandemic, Google My Business (GMB) has added features specifically for healthcare providers. Along with COVID-19 related fields and virtual care options, GMB recently added a “check insurance info” option that you can add to your local GMB profiles. When a consumer clicks the button, they receive a list of accepted insurance providers.   This new feature helps both the healthcare provider and the potential clients alike. For instance, the prospective patient won’t have to spend a lot of time and effort determining whether your multi-location business will accept their insurance. As a result, it’ll reduce the number of insurance-related calls the healthcare provider has to field. Keeping the local listings of your business information updated and accurate is necessary. If consumers see that you’re taking the time to provide them with as much information as possible right off the bat, they will remember when choosing where to do their business.   With 100s or 1,000s of business locations, we understand that it can be challenging to keep your listings up to date, but SOCi Listings is here for you.  SOCi Listings helps you ensure that you have reliable information for every location. We’ll help increase the accuracy of your listings data and improve local search rankings, resulting in stronger brand awareness and visibility, which will ultimately lead to more in-person traffic.  

 

Facebook Expands Community Manager Program 

  In October of 2020, Facebook launched the Facebook Community Manager Certification. This certification was the final piece of the Facebook Certified Community Manager program, including online community management courses. As a multi-location manager, you should understand the importance of building and connecting with your local communities. This program is an excellent way for multi-location marketers to learn how to build, grow, and support local communities.   While they only offered this program in English when it was first released, it will soon be available in various languages, including Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai. If you haven’t already taken this course, what are you waiting for? You might find the tools you need to break through to your target audience and build a better connection with local communities.  

Google My Business Report Reveals How People Found Your Business 

  In our previous industry news blog, we explained GMB had released a new performance reporting dashboard. This dashboard allows you to track how many calls and messages your multi-location business received within six months. In the blog, we also mentioned that you could see which search terms consumers used to find your multi-location business. In a recent finding, we discovered that not only can you see which search terms, but you can also see who viewed your profile on Google Search vs. Google Maps. You can break down exactly where your searches are coming from while still including relevant search phrases.   Why is this important? Ranking high on Google is a great way to increase your brand’s visibility and ultimately win more sales. If you know what search terms your target audience is using to find your business, along with where the searches are coming from, you can optimize your local content and local listings accordingly. For instance, if your searches are coming from Maps, it’s critical to ensure that your business information is up to date across your local listings. As mentioned previously, SOCi Listings can help ensure that you maintain updated local listings across all of your business locations.   Now that you have the latest industry news, it’s time to implement relevant updates into your localized marketing efforts. Become the #1 company in your industry by leveling-up your marketing strategy. For more information on how SOCi can help take your multi-location business to new heights, request a demo today! SOCi is the all-in-one platform for multi-location marketers committed to providing you with the industry news you need to beat the competition!