A couple of weeks ago, a Chris McDonald of Cava (restaurant) fame restaurant asked me about a great social platform called Foodspotting. I saw the founder Soraya Darabi speak at the 99% Conference this year. And we’re both Trustees of Awesome: Food, the Food chapter of the Awesome Foundation. She’s awesome, and I’d like to support. But I’m always concerned about business people creating more hamster wheels instead of choosing their platforms strategically.
To this end, I recommend do a bit of groundwork first. The first thing I’d be doing is claiming, editing and monitoring my location profiles on platforms like:
It’s pretty easy:
- Just google each one to find their site
- Find a link that says something along the lines of “claim my venue/business” and claim it (you may need to prove you own it by answering a text or email)
- Edit your business profile to the extent each will allow you
- Then monitor them (most will send you updates) for comments, good and bad
- Respond usefully to comments and use insights to inform with platforms to start using
It’s worthwhile for 4 reasons:
- You can build relationships with people who use these networks and platforms
- These profiles and comments come up in search, so you can balance negative comments with fair, reasonable responses
- Turning vocal detractors into advocates is a powerful thing for others to see, and converts make the best fanatics for your cause
- When people search for your name, they’ll find you being useful, interesting and social, giving you an edge over businesses with no voice
That a good start?
