Local Services Ads: How to get more leads and grow your business
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Local Services Ads: How to get more leads and grow your business
Author Archives: Charles-Antoine de Leiris (he/him)
Local Services Ads: How to get more leads and grow your business
Four ways to share your values with shoppers
Today's shoppers are increasingly looking for businesses that share their values. According to a recent global study, purpose-driven buyers now make up the largest segment of consumers, with 44% choosing products and brands based on how well they align with their values.
If you’re a business owner who prioritizes values such as sustainability, you can let your customers know you care. Many are already using Business Profile attributes on Search and Maps to showcase their commitment to social change.
Source: The Official Google Blog
Louder, prouder, safer: Get ready for Pride 2022
Wherever you happen to be celebrating Pride this year, the standout moments are bound to be the Pride parades. After a quiet couple of years due to the pandemic, you can be sure this year’s processions will be bigger, louder and prouder than ever before.
The other good news is that because more than half a million businesses across Europe have now activated the ‘LGBTQ-friendly’ and ‘transgender safe space’ attribute on Google, it’s now easier to know where you’ll get a warm welcome, and feel part of the community.
Let’s wander the routes of some of Europe’s most popular Pride processions, and check out some of the best LGBTQ+ friendly places you can find along the way.
First stop, London
It’s a massive year for London, which is preparing to celebrate 50 years since its first official U.K. Gay Pride Rally in 1972. Back then, just 2,000 people took part. This year, well over a million will attend – making it Europe’s largest free music festival.
When:
Saturday, July 2, 2022
Starts/ends:
Portland Place to Whitehall
Don’t miss:
LGBTQ+ friendly ?
18-22 Haymarket, SW1Y 4DG
This eclectic multi-story clothes emporium was founded by Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo and her husband, Adrian Joffe. It’s definitely worth a look.
LGBTQ+ friendly ?
Panton St, SW1Y 4DN
This charming Victorian theater opened in 1881, and has staged many world-famous productions over the years, including the West End debut of “The Rocky Horror Show.”
Calling in at Copenhagen
Copenhagen’s Gay Pride Parade has been held every year since 1996. Around 13,000 people are set to join the fun, with a further 200,000 spectators expected to line the route.
When:
Saturday, August 20, 2022
Starts/ends:
Frederiksberg City Hall to Studiestræde
Don’t miss:
LGBTQ+ friendly ?
Vester Farimagsgade 3, 1606 København
A perfect little spot to grab brunch, hand brewed coffee, outrageously good croissants, microbrewed beers, wines and most importantly good vibes.
LGBTQ+ friendly ?
Allegade 2, 2000 Frederiksberg
If you’re looking for delicious and affordable pizza surrounded by pink balloons and neon signs, today is your lucky day.
Touching down in Athens
Greece hosted its first official Pride celebration in 2005, and has never looked back. This year, more than 100,000 people are expected to head into the capital to enjoy the parties and famously-colorful pride parade.
When:
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Starts/ends:
Syntagma Square
Don’t miss:
LGBTQ+ friendly ?
Skoufou 10, 105 57
Meat lovers are in for a treat at this friendly and cozy eatery in the heart of buzzing Athens. Perfect for a quick lunch or sumptuous evening meal to round off the day.
Last stop, Madrid
Madrid’s Gay Pride is known as the Orgullo Gay de Madrid, or MADO for short. The Pride Parade is undoubtedly the climax of the festivities, with more than two million people enjoying the floats, live music and reading of the manifesto of freedom, inclusion and diversity.
When:
Saturday July 9, 2022
Starts/ends:
Atocha Station to Plaza de Colón
Don’t miss:
LGBTQ+ friendly ?
Welcome to Spain’s oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore. Run by a lesbian couple, it stocks a wide range of gay books, novels, essays, biographies, comics, and more. Why not learn more about its founder, Mili Hernández.
Show local businesses your support
However you’re planning to celebrate Pride this year, be sure to check which shops, restaurants and other places are showing up as LGBTQ+ friendly on Google Maps and Search. Just look for the rainbow flag below their contact details and phone number. Remember to show them your support by leaving reviews, posting photos of your visit, and encouraging others from your community to drop by next time they’re in town.
Source: The Official Google Blog
A safe space that’s made to measure
Finding a safe and welcoming space to create a bespoke outfit can be really challenging, especially when you have your own vision for your wedding day or another special occasion. While traditional tailors are great, they can sometimes fall short for people who don’t want the usual three-piece suit or long trailing dress.
But luckily, there’s Orhan Kaplan.
Orhan London Tailoring is an East-London based business that has carved a niche through its bespoke LGBTQ+ tailoring service. Having founded the business with his wife, Denise, Orhan soon discovered a strong unmet demand within the LGBTQ+ community from people who wanted to choose something other than a standard wedding dress. Recognising the needs of the community has helped shape their product offering, and celebrating their customers’ individuality has made women’s suits and non-binary tailoring a key part of their business.
As a tailoring and alterations business, being visible and accessible is fundamental for success. With their Business Profile on Google, casual shoppers who need simple alterations are able to find Orhan London Tailoring easily on Maps, while customers who need extended bookings for bespoke creations are able to swiftly organise appointments.
However, for more specialised services, such as those for their LGBTQ+ customers, Orhan and his team recognised that an often overlooked community needed something else beyond simply being able to find the business online. They needed an indicator so that LGBTQ+ people would know it’s a safe and welcoming place.
Becoming active allies
Communicating outwardly that Orhan London Tailoring is a safe space with dedicated service for the LGBTQ+ community has since become a top priority for the business. “We want people to know it’s a safe environment,” says Denise. “We want people to know that we can look after you, we understand your needs, and that we know the sort of things you’re going to ask for.''
Activating the “LGBTQ-friendly” attribute on their Business Profile has allowed Orhan to reassure the community that this is a welcoming environment. Sharing photos on their profile has also become an important part of this relationship, as potential customers are able to see other outfits the team have created for other members of the community. The positive reactions from customers, and a 75% increase in the number of women’s outfits ordered over the last three years, has been a testament to Orhan’s inclusive approach.
Connecting with the community, with help from Google
The LGBTQ-friendly feature gives businesses like Orhan London Tailoring a way to show potential customers they are inclusive and welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community – something which is more important than ever as businesses reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Stonewall’s 2017 LGBT in Britain research, 1 in 7 LGBTQ+ people report experiencing discrimination because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity when in a shop or department store. With the LGBTQ-friendly attribute, along with other inclusive attributes such “transgender safespace” and “gender-neutral restroom,” businesses are able to visibly signal that they are a safe space to users on Google Search and Maps.
For Joseph Crouch, Marketing Manager at Orhan London tailoring, these small actions are powerful markers to those who are looking for them, and have encouraged more LGBTQ+ customers to come in-store: “It’s these little things that give our customers the confidence to come and make the step.”
