5 Google Tools You Should Be Using
 
If Google rewarded their biggest fans with stars, I’d have five. As the resident #1 Google fan in our office, I’ve spent a lot of time getting familiar with all of the services Google offers for small businesses that make life just a little bit easier. The Illinois Small Business Development Center at COD is a Google Certified Partner – that means we can help you navigate Google a little better and we can help expedite your Google listing approval (more on that in #1). I wanted to share the some of the well-known and lesser known Google Tools that you should consider taking advantage of as you navigate the world of digita l marketing, SEO, and business development.

  1.  Google My Business – Starting with the most basic and the most “must-have”, Google My Business is the free business listing that Google provides. If you’ve ever searched for a restaurant and have seen the right-side box come up with directions, reviews, and the restaurant’s logo and website, that’s what your listing will look like. All you have to do is set it up. Go to gybo.com and start your listing. If you’d like to expedite the 5-7 day verification process, contact your advisor and we’ll send you the instructions.
  2. Google Keyword Planner – This tool is a part of Google Adwords, but you can use it for free without paying to run ads. Go to https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/ to get started. You’ll need to set up an Adwords account if you haven’t already, but once you’re in, you can use the keyword planner to find the top performing keywords in your industry for SEO to help you with website development, new content creation, hash tagging, and more.
  3. Google Analytics – If you have a website and don’t have Google Analytics installed, you’re probably missing out on some vital information that can help you make better digital marketing decisions and get deeper insight into your customers. Google Analytics is free, takes 30 seconds to install on your site, and gives you comprehensive information on site visitors, where your traffic is coming from, and user behavior, so you can make educated decisions about your sales process. Set it up and not sure what anything means? Google offers Analytics Academy (free!) to guide you through the process and get certified in Analytics.
  4. Google Trends – Another free and powerful tool, Google Trends provides data based off of user searches in easy to navigate charts. Use it to compare keywords, check out similar trends and searches, and keep up with what’s happening in your industry. (Bonus tools: Check out Google Correlate and Google Public Data Explorer if you want to dive even further into data and industry research)
  5. Google Alerts - This very useful free service from Google sends you an email alert whenever there is any news about topic of your interest appears on internet. With this, you can stay updated about your industry news and can even track your competitor! For example, you can sign up to get notified whenever someone mentions your name, company, products, or your competition. Its super simple to use – you just need to add a topic or a search phrase and create an alert.

It was hard to pick just five of these tools – there are so many more. Reach out to your advisor if you’d like more information on how to expedite your Google My Business Listing. Happy Googling!

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Program Coordinator
Small Business Development Center
     
Upcoming Events /Announcements

MAJOR Announcement:  At the beginning of May, the Center for Entrepreneurship will move and operate under a new name. We will be co-locating with Innovation DuPage and the Village of Glen Ellyn in the Glen Ellyn Civic Center. As of May 6 th , our new address will be 535 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn IL 60137. In addition to the move, we will be branding ourselves in a new way and we are excited to announce we will now be known as:  College of DuPage Business Development Center . More information will be released in the coming weeks so please stay tuned.

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Spring 2019 Offerings on the College of DuPage Campus in Glen Ellyn

Engaging Employees II

Thursday, April 4 to May 2

Gain the tools to improve employee performance and government effectiveness. Grow a deeper appreciation for local government, share best practices and develop the core skills necessary to address conflict in the public sector. This program is beneficial to any public sector employee.

$475 per person. Refreshments will be served.

Two sessions are available:
8 to 11 a.m. Course Code: BSPSI-0710-100
1 to 4 p.m. Course Code: BSPSI-0710-200

Workshop Schedule:
  • April 4: Customer Engagement
  • April 11: Impactful Presences
  • April 18: Conflict Resolution
  • April 25: Generational Workforce
  • May 2: Positive Culture

Find full descriptions of all PSI workshops at cod.edu/psi

State Agency Proposed Rules Open for Comment

The following rules have been proposed by Illinois' agencies and are open for public comment. To read more about the rules and to submit comments regarding their impact on your business or industry, visit   www.ienconnect.com/regalert   and click on "Submit Comments."