Does your online presence reflect the business you run today?

Your online presence should tell people what your business does now, what matters to you, and how to contact you. That matters even if most of your work comes from word-of-mouth. Someone who gets a referral may still Google you before calling, and outdated information can leave them with the wrong picture.

An incredible business can have an outdated online story

Listen, I recently Googled a business owner here in Lincoln, Nebraska who designs and builds homes. He has strong beliefs about the importance of a home and how it shapes family life.

But I couldn't find that story online. The recent information I found was about his previous business as a coffee shop owner.

That's something a lot of business owners run into. They have this incredible business, but the things that make it worth recommending aren't reflected online. The business has changed. The information people find hasn't caught up.

Word-of-mouth still leads people to Google

What I get a lot of times from people is that their business is word-of-mouth. That's a good reason to look at what shows up when someone searches for them.

A referral gives someone a reason to look into your business. They may search to confirm what you do, find your contact information, or understand why their friend recommended you.

The person making the referral may also Google you to see what to say about you or find a link to share. If that link describes an old business or leaves out your current work, they have less useful information to pass along.

Check what a referred customer would find

Start by searching your business name and, if customers know you by name, your own name. Add your city if the results are unclear. Open the pages a prospective customer would likely see.

Compare those pages with the business you're actually running:

• Current work: Can someone tell what services you provide today?
• Your approach: Do the pages explain the beliefs or decisions that shape how you work?
• Contact details: Can someone find a current way to reach you?
• Old information: Does a previous business or an outdated description still dominate the results?

You don't need to start with a complete redesign. First, identify the information that could confuse someone who's already interested.

Update the pages you control first

If your website or business profiles describe an earlier version of your business, start there. Explain your current services in plain language. Include the location you serve and a clear contact option.

Then explain what you want a referred customer to understand about your work. If you have examples you can share publicly, use them to make that explanation concrete. Don't leave people to piece together your current business from old pages.

You may not control every search result, so treat this as ongoing work. Recheck what people find as your services and business change.

Make your online information useful to referrals

The goal is to give someone who hears about you a clear, current place to go. A recommendation is easier to follow when the information online matches what the person recommending you said.

Protocol Text provides marketing services based in Lincoln, Nebraska. If your online presence hasn't kept up with your service business, contact Protocol Text to discuss your marketing needs.