FOLEY, Ala. — Foley Main Street will host a hands-on workshop Tuesday, Oct. 20, aimed at helping local business owners take control of what customers see when they search for them online, with a focus on Google Business Profiles.
The session, titled “Ready. Set. Shine! Supercharge Your Business’s Online Presence,” will be held at Riviera Utilities, 413 East Laurel Ave. in Foley. A free dinner begins at 5 p.m., followed by the workshop from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the building’s second-floor conference room.
Who’s leading the session
Foley Main Street will present the workshop with Lindsay Schumacher of L. Schumacher Consulting. The program is designed for business owners and individuals who want to make it easier for customers to find their businesses online, whether they are setting up a profile for the first time or looking for a refresher on one they already have.
Participants will learn through demonstrations and local examples. Each attendee will receive a checklist and a simple maintenance guide to take home, and organizers encourage participants to bring a phone or laptop if they want to follow along and make updates in real time.
What the workshop will cover
Topics on the agenda include:
- Google Business Profile essentials and commonly overlooked features
- Listing products and services
- Photos
- Customer reviews and how to write thoughtful responses
- Posts and updates
- Useful website links
- Other places businesses should check their information, including Apple Maps and Bing
Why a business profile matters
For many customers, the first impression of a local business is no longer its storefront or its website. It is the box of information that appears in search results and on maps when someone types in a business name or searches for something like “restaurants near me” or “hardware store Foley.”
That listing, now called a Google Business Profile (the service was known as Google My Business until Google renamed it in 2021), typically shows a business’s address, phone number, hours, photos, website link and customer reviews. Business owners can claim and verify their profiles for free and then manage that information directly.
When a profile is unclaimed or neglected, problems can creep in: outdated hours, an old phone number, a missing website link, unanswered reviews or photos uploaded by customers that do not reflect the business at its best. Those errors can send customers to a closed door or to a competitor.
Customer reviews are a particular focus of the workshop. Many owners are unsure how, or whether, to respond to reviews, especially negative ones. A calm, professional reply can show prospective customers that a business listens and takes concerns seriously.
Beyond Google: Apple Maps and Bing
Google is not the only place customers look. The workshop will also cover Apple Maps, which is the default mapping app on iPhones, and Bing, Microsoft’s search engine. Apple offers business owners a free tool called Apple Business Connect to claim and update their place cards in Apple Maps, and Microsoft offers Bing Places for Business for listings on Bing search and maps.
Keeping a business’s name, address, phone number and hours consistent across all of those platforms helps customers find accurate information no matter which device or app they use.
Cost and registration
Admission is free for Foley Main Street members and supporters. The cost is $25 for all other businesses and individuals. Payment details will be provided after registration. Those interested should contact Foley Main Street to register.
Second workshop to tackle AI tools
Foley Main Street will follow up with a second workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 27, focused on how small business owners can use artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, for everyday tasks. Topics will include drafting communications, planning content, organizing information and brainstorming ideas.
Generative AI tools have spread rapidly among small businesses as owners look for ways to save time on writing and planning. Training sessions like this one aim to help owners understand what the tools can do and how to use them practically.
About Foley Main Street
Foley Main Street is the city’s designated program in Main Street Alabama, a statewide network of downtown revitalization programs affiliated with the national Main Street America movement. Main Street programs follow a framework known as the Four Point Approach, which focuses on economic vitality, design, promotion and organization as a way to strengthen historic commercial districts.
In Foley, that work has included downtown events such as the BBQ & Blues Festival, the Beer & Bratwurst Festival and the Heritage Park Marketplace, along with education for the small businesses that give downtown its character. Workshops like “Ready. Set. Shine!” fall under the economic vitality side of the Main Street mission, giving local owners practical skills they can put to work immediately.
Quick tips while you wait
Business owners who cannot attend can still take a few basic steps on their own:
- Search for your business on Google, Apple Maps and Bing and check that your name, address, phone number and hours are correct.
- If you have not claimed your listings, look for the option to claim or manage the business on each platform and follow the verification steps.
- Update holiday and special hours ahead of time.
- Add current photos of your storefront, interior and products.
- Read your recent reviews and respond professionally.
If you go
- What: “Ready. Set. Shine! Supercharge Your Business’s Online Presence”
- When: Tuesday, Oct. 20; dinner at 5 p.m., workshop 5:30-7 p.m.
- Where: Riviera Utilities, second-floor conference room, 413 East Laurel Ave., Foley
- Presenter: Lindsay Schumacher, L. Schumacher Consulting
- Cost: Free for Foley Main Street members and supporters; $25 for others
- Bring: A phone or laptop to follow along (optional)
- Next up: AI tools workshop, Tuesday, Oct. 27
