If you want to appear at the top of search results you need to understand how Google determines rankings. Google’s algorithm uses relevance, distance, and prominence to determine local rankings in search engine results. Ranking higher can help you pop-up in relevant searches and showcase customer reviews.
Use Keywords: Your business needs to use relevant keywords that fit what the customer is looking for.
Regularly Update Key Info: Make sure all your information is displayed on your business’ search results panel and make sure to keep it updated via your dashboard. Include your business name, phone number, address, website, and hours of operation.
Link to Google Maps: Linking your location means you appear in geographical search results, such as “near me”. This is especially useful for home service businesses such as cleaners, landscapers, electricians, and plumbers.
Set Up a Q&A Section: Creating a Q&A section allows anyone to submit questions about your business. Answering more questions will increase the ranking signal you’re feeding into the Google algorithm.
Include Photos: Businesses with photos are considered more reputable and will help you appear more legitimate and trustworthy. The average listing has 11 photos.
Meet Brandi, co-founder of Earth Commons, a community wellness center offering locally produced herbal medicine, holistic consultation, and body work. She started her business at the beginning of the pandemic based on a need for holistic wellness in Austin. Having struggled finding support for her own health in traditional medicine she wanted others to have access to the empowering knowledge of natural healing. Brandi and her co-founder Caroline wanted to create accessibility for herbalism bringing it closer to the norm.
Brandi shares her experience as a business owner and how EGBI can help you grow your business too.
Hi Brandi! To get started, would you mind telling us what inspired you to start your business?
Community and plants. Working with people, I love collaborating with people and creating growth together.
What makes your business unique?
Our business is supported by people who feel truly uplifted by our offerings. It’s very important for us to support local vendors, which you don’t see in a lot of stores. We have plenty of talent in Austin, and are very proud to give people a platform to show where they shine. This builds quite a community making us more than just a business.
What are some obstacles you feel like you have encountered in starting or growing your business? How did you overcome this?
Our doors opened the same day pandemic lock down began. We had to stay malleable, and learn the ropes of adaptability. Our mantra was and still is “we are water” because water finds the path of least resistance, and is highly bondable. Just when it seemed like things were getting easier, out of the blue Square dropped us and we were left dry without a payment processor or website. We heavily relied on online sales in order to keep us open. We have managed to stay alive and afloat because of community support adapting with us. We have been able to overcome obstacles with gratitude and tact, and have learned how to ask for help. We seemed to have rebuilt a few times, each time stronger and more experienced. We are only just now getting our bearings back after the disappointing incident with Square. We as a community of herbalists and holistic practitioners are still navigating what it is like to have a storefront in combination with a space of wellness.
How did you find out about EGBI?
We found out about EGBI because in our early days we knew absolutely nothing about running a business. It was a baptism by fire. We reached out to everyone we could.
Did you take workshops? Did you have meetings with EGBI staff for business coaching?
We spoke with EGBI early on when we were developing our business plan, but it wasn’t until deep in the pandemic that we began to work with them closely. It has been a saving grace to work with them. We did plenty of one on one’s with Joni and Monica. We utilized the 90 day plan workshop and have taken other commercial real estate workshops as well.
How has EGBI helped you?
EGBI helped us plan and see the big picture. They helped us keep our head on our shoulders and create measurable goals. They helped us put systems in place that allowed for more efficiency and wise budgeting. They helped us see options when we needed them.
Want to work with EGBI? Contact us to find out how you can get started.
Meet Marieli Cestari Flores, an amazing volunteer and EGBI supporter. Originally, from Venezuela, Marieli moved to the US in 2000 and has been living here ever since. In 1999, Marieli graduated as an Industrial Engineer, and in 2005, she decided to become a Farmers Insurance Agent and develop her career in the insurance and financial services industries. In 2013, Marieli passion of advocating for others and helping entrepreneurs achieve their dream, led her to complete the Minority Business Executive program from Washingon University, Foster School of Business. In 2014, she got certified as the Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow designation “LUTCF” with the American College Institute, and recently- in 2018- complete the certification for the Hispanic Austin Leadership Program (HAL). Marieli volunteers at local Texas non-profits as a mentor and speaker. Marieli’s vision is to provide advice and lead the insurance market based on experience, trust, respect, values, and commitment to encouraging the peace of mind. She pursues her dreams and goals through hard work and attitude.
Marieli shares her experience as a volunteer and supporter of EGBI and how you can get involved too.
Hi Marieli!To get started, would you mind telling us another fun fact about yourself? I love dancing and listening to classical music. I enjoy watching movies, doing sports and outdoors activities with my two beautiful children and husband as well as having friends over for entertainment.
What does being a volunteer and giving back to a community mean to you? Volunteering and giving back to my community means giving back the knowledge that can help others that are just getting started. I would not have done it without having mentors in my life, so I feel that I should also pass it along to others.
“You should support EGBI because they are helping small business that in turn help grow our community.” – Marieli Cestari Flores
Why is it important to volunteer and donate to EGBI? What do you wish everyone knew about EGBI? EGBI is a great organization. They provide the tools and resources to aspiring and established small business owners. EGBI helps minorities and vulnerable entrepreneurs, that in most cases face the same challenges, so it’s a little easier when you have a community to help you. By volunteering and/or donating at EGBI you can directly impact the local economy and increase local small business opportunity.
Do you have a favorite volunteer experience? Volunteering at EGBI’s classes and being able to see individuals “aha” moments.
What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering or donating to EGBI? Volunteering and donating is a great opportunity to give back to the community. Doing either or both to EGBI helps out the local economy by helping entrepreneurs build their businesses.
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In 2020, EGBI volunteers put in more than 130 hours to help EGBI support and serve over 400 small businesses. Volunteers like Marieli make this possible and continue to help EGBI pursue their mission of training, coaching, and supporting aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business.
Want to get involved too? Contact us to find out how you can volunteer or donate.
Meet Robert Shipman, a top-notch EGBI supporter and volunteer. Robert is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking with Frost Bank. He is a seventh-generation Texan who is proud to call Austin his home. Robert graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX. He and his wife, Jessica, are fortunate to have one daughter, two dogs, one cat, and a bunch of fishes. Robert has 19 years of banking and finance experience including 10 years with Frost Bank. In his free time, Robert enjoys working closely with locally owned businesses to provide full service banking and financial services including real estate purchases, refinances, lines of credit, and loans.
Robert shares his experience as a volunteer and collaborator of EGBI and how he, you involve too.
Hi Robert! To get started, would you mind telling us another fun fact about yourself? I love dogs, food, my family, and the Austin business community.
How have you volunteered for EGBI? I have taught classes for almost a decade, served as Treasurer, served as Chair Elect, and am now serving as Chair.
Why do you think it is important to volunteer? Small businesses are the backbone of our community. EGBI provides invaluable resources to small business owners where they can succeed regardless of the economic climate.
“EGBI provides Austin’s Small Business Owners with the tools to succeed regardless of the economic climate.” – Robert Shipman
Why is it important to volunteer and donate to EGBI? What do you wish everyone knew about EGBI? EGBI provides a plethora of resources to business owners that they can’t get anywhere else in Austin. Volunteering at EGBI allowed me to share my knowledge of banking and finance with the new generation of business owners.
Do you have a favorite experience about volunteering with EGBI? Teaching classes. I love the home-away-from-home EGBI provides for business owners.
What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering or donating to EGBI? Do it! You’ll be surprised how spending a little of your time can benefit others
— In 2020, EGBI volunteers put in more than 130 hours to help EGBI support and serve over 400 small businesses. Volunteers like Robert make this possible and continue to help EGBI pursue their mission of training, coaching, and supporting aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business. Want to get involved too? Contact us to find out how you can volunteer or donate.
Meet Cristina Valdés, an amazing EGBI supporter. Since 2001, Cristina Valdés has helped clients buy, sell, and invest in real estate in Austin, Texas. As a top-rated REALTOR® in Austin, she has directed her efforts towards exceeding clients’ expectations before, during, and after each transaction. Clients trust in her quality service, and as a result, they develop long-term relationships and friendships. These relationships have enabled her to work exclusively by referral and helped her become a top REALTOR® in Austin.
Cristina talks about her experience in supporting EGBI and how you can too.
Hi Cristina! To get started would you mind telling us a fun fact about yourself?
I love coordinating new experiences for people. Wine tastings and pub crawls are my favorite!
What does giving back to the community mean to you?
Supporting the community means being an example of leadership with special regard to our youth. Providing a space of inspiration, continued education, and being a resource to help our community in their goals to accomplish generational wealth.
“EGBI is successful in helping minority business owners build generational wealth.” – Cristina Valdés
How did you first hear about EGBI and why did you decide to support EGBI?
Pilar Sanchez and Barbra Boeta introduced me to EGBI and I immediately loved the concept because I understand how hard it is to start a business. During the uncertainty of COVID, Barbra shared such helpful information with me about available funding and support. Thankfully, my industry actually did really well throughout it all, but I also appreciated having a resource who was willing to help me. After that, I decided to start supporting EGBI with larger donations. EGBI helps bridge that knowledge gap when it comes to starting a business and is a wonderful resource to all small business owners in the area.
What do you wish everyone knew about EGBI?
EGBI is one of the best resources around for small businesses. I have spent so much money on coaching over the years and know that if I had started out with the knowledge that EGBI offers, life would have been loads easier for me.
What would you say to someone thinking of supporting and donating to EGBI?
Donate as much as you can because this organization improves the lives of minority business owners, their families and employees.
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Donate today to help EGBI train, coach, and support aspiring and existing business owners who face barriers to growing a successful business.
