Do you know what every shopping mall has in common? They all want to increase sales.
So, endless strategies are developed to increase customer flow: they promote events, paid media, partnerships, promotions, traditional advertising, etc.
But there is a trick that can be used to attract more consumers, which every shopping mall has, but which most of them have not yet realized: using the online reputation of the stores themselves to rank better in online searches.
Read on to learn more.
When exactly are consumers most receptive to brand messages?
Did you know that nearly a third of all mobile searches are location-related? Users want to know the nearest establishment.
When a consumer goes to the mall, they're usually looking for a product or service. Helping them find a store in your mall when they're searching online is what will increase your mall's footfall.
Your challenge is to make your mall discoverable at this moment of search—the exact moment when consumers are most receptive to brand messages.
What are micro-moments in the consumer purchasing journey?
Micro-moments occur when people search online to satisfy a specific desire to know , do , go, or buy something. These are moments of true purchase intent, where decisions are made and preferences are shaped in a matter of minutes or seconds.
This is a concept introduced by Google, and you can learn more here .
The cell phone is by far the most used device in these micro moments, because most of the time it is the device closest to the consumer at that moment of new awakened need.
To give you an idea, smartphone users search for information on their devices while they're in the middle of tasks, whether it's chatting with friends, answering emails, or even cooking—and it's during these breaks, for online research, that your golden opportunity arises—and it's at this moment that your shopping mall should appear as the best solution for their search.
Discover the 4 micro moments defined by Google:
| Moment: I want to KNOW | Satisfying our curiosity . Before, we had to wait to look for information, but now we can have it at our fingertips at any time. 65% of smartphone users use them to learn more about something they saw on TV. |
| Moment: I want to GO | Getting where we want to go. The sophisticated location tools available on smartphones are helping consumers find what they want and get them there. Searches for "near me" grew 55% between January and June of 2014 and 2015. |
| Moment: I want to DO | Doing what we want. Consumers no longer need to wait to find out how to do something. They can search for things like fixing a car, creating a hairstyle for a party, or cooking a recipe whenever they need them. Searches related to "how to" on YouTube grew 72% between January and June 2015 in the United States, according to YT Analytics, based on the 270 "how to" videos with the most views. |
| Moment: I want to BUY | Making decisions about purchases at every stage of the journey. Whether it's replacing something broken, buying a new product, or simply getting information about something you intend to buy, these moments are happening more frequently. 79% of Brazilian consumers say they are making purchasing decisions faster now than a few years ago, thanks to online research. |
How to increase your shopping mall sales by taking advantage of micro moments
You can increase your chances with micro moments by investing in Local SEO.
Remember that over a third of mobile searches are location-related? It makes sense to improve your shopping center's relevance to rank higher in local searches.
Local SEO is a set of actions aimed at increasing the likelihood of your business being found by a user conducting a local search. It's a way to attract more local customers to your establishment—customers who are nearby, looking for what you have to offer.
In other words, investing in Local SEO means optimizing your online presence so that search engines (like Google My Business) position your establishment among the first results when a user performs a local search.
Check out this post Local SEO: what it is and how to increase the chances of your company being found by local consumers .
How shopping malls can take advantage of Local SEO efficiently
1. NET Data (Name, Address and Telephone)
The biggest enemy of companies in local ranking is incompatible NET data.
According to research carried out by MOZ, NET data is part of on-page SEO (keywords, domain authority, etc.), which accounts for 26% of search results.
You need to ensure that all your retailers have all this data complete and up to date.
Ensure that retailers:
- If you have websites, include your establishment's address in the footer. This should be in text format, not an image.
- Updated and duly completed NET data in all online profiles where the establishment is registered (Facebook, Google My Business, TripAdvisor, Ifood, etc.).
- Be careful not to enter "Av Dantas Barreto near the Shell gas station" as the address. This is not a valid address. Enter only the street/avenue name and the number (likely "Av Dantas Barreto, 1587"). Invalid addresses are the second most detrimental factor in business rankings.
- The business name must be identical across all online profiles. It can't be "Petshop do seu Zé" on Facebook and "Petshop do Zé" on Google My Business. This significantly hinders the business's ability to rank high in search results.
2. Business category
According to the same research carried out by MOZ, incorrect business categories in GMN (plus invalid addresses) are in 2nd place on a list of negative factors that harm the ranking of local companies.
It's essential that retailers select the correct category for their business. Please note: in Google's words, "a business category describes what your business is, not what it offers."
Many businesses miss opportunities by being in the wrong category, so be careful. Tip: Don't use categories solely as keywords or to describe a specific attribute of your business. Choose the one that best represents your core business.
3. Establishment description text
Be as brief and to the point as possible, and talk about what your company offers, what sets it apart from the competition, its history, or other useful information for customers.
Please note: the description is not the place for information about promotions, prices or sales.
Ideally, focus solely on what makes your establishment unique. Also, reinforce to your store owners the importance of uploading high-quality, up-to-date images or videos about your products, services, and facilities.
Here's an example of an efficient description:
Our artisanal cafe is just a few meters from the city center and is very busy with people meeting friends for ice cream or pizza . We deliver . We have 35 flavors homemade ice cream and sorbets, served by hand year-round. We also serve delicious thin-crust, crispy pizza every day starting at noon . We look forward to seeing you!
4. Online reviews - a powerful attribute to increase customer traffic, but still ignored by most shopping malls
Reviews (online ratings) have a significant impact on SEO and search results. Although every shopping mall has online reviews, few have realized this powerful tool for increasing sales.
According to MOZ data , online reviews influence local search rankings by 6.5% 15.5% of search results.
Local pack is the results box that appears when performing a local search. Google displays three suggested establishments that best match the user's search and offers a "see more" button that, when clicked, displays a list of all nearby establishments ranked according to their online reputation.
The purchasing process has changed, and it hasn't just happened recently. Today's consumer is much more informed and demanding.
Online reviews play a fundamental role in purchasing decisions, as traditional advertising no longer works as it once did, and consumers trust what another customer says much more than what the brand says.
The mall that successfully implements a culture of reviews among its retailers will be able to gain a significant advantage over its competitors, as most of them have not yet realized the potential of reviews to increase sales.
Want to learn more about the benefits of online review management and how it can help your business grow? Watch this webinar: What is the feedback economy and how does it affect my business's reputation
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