10 minute read
THE LOCAL BAGEL SHOP Discover Food
THE LOCAL BAGEL SHOP
That has people lining up down the street!
Patty J. is chief content creator at, and founder of, the award winning lifestyle blog PattyJ.com, which showcases noteworthy food & drink, style, and travel (as well as dynamic individuals) within the Ocean State and beyond. Photo by: Stacey Doyle Photography
INSTAGRAM: @PATTYJDOTCOM WEBSITE: WWW.PATTYJ.COM WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PATTYJSTYLE/ I waited thirty plus minutes for bagels yesterday and you know what?
I’m not mad about it.
Far from it.
We happened to be in Bristol to pick up a 25 pound box of peaches (more about that later this week) and ended up
scoping out all the red, white and blue decorations folks had put up in anticipation of today’s festivities.
And that’s when I spotted all the people standing on line outside of what I later found out was Bristol Bagel Works on Hope Street.
Ultimately I did what any good lifestyle or food blogger or curious RI’er would, grabbing a spot in that flipping line, so I could see what all the fuss was about.
When I finally got closer to the front of the line and stepped inside the cafe, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted immediately by the smell of freshly made bagels. (When you get to the counter to place your order, at that point, that’s when and where you can see the bagels being made in real time in the back room.)
The whole time I was waiting, I was also eavesdropping on the group in front of me who were deep in conversation about which bagels and topping they were going to order.
Turned out there are over 15 different kinds to choose from including: Plain, Poppy, Sesame, Works, Spinach, Cinnamon Raisin, Cinnamon Sugar, Onion, Garlic, Cranberry Walnut, Cheddar Broccoli, Blueberry, Salt, Multi Grain and 4 varities of Asiago Cheese.
And don’t even get me started about the spreads or toppings. It’s crazy! You can get everything from the classic schmear (aka, plain cream cheese) to hummus or Nutella.
They’ll also whip up a bagel sandwich for ya too.
There’s some indoor seating, but I noticed yesterday that it’s mostly a carryout or to-go type situation.
You can also call in an order to this family owned and run biz, which is a marvelous way to
avoid the line.
We walked out with a bag containing one of almost every bagel they had available on Sunday.
I have since eaten 2.5 and can say with absolute certainty that they are indeed excellent.
*Bristol Bagel Works is located at 420 Hope Street in Bristol, Rhode Island. As always, if you motor over for ��’s after reading this, please let them know you found out about them here via Patty J and PattyJ.com.
Discover weddings
ALYSSA & ANDREW
Whether if by land or by sea, Brad captures the most beautiful & candid moments of your special day. Through the laughter, the love (and the occasional teary eye or two) every magical moment will be sure to be remembered for decades to come.
I photograph weddings and have a darn good time doing it. I enjoy getting to know the couples I work with, and being welcomed into their weddings as family. This familiarity is what lets me document the day unobtrusively, and capture genuine moments as they unfold, allowing you to remain focused on the present moment.
BRADSMITHPHOTOGRAPHY // SMITHBRAD.COM // @SMITHBRAD
RESTAURANTS OF RHODE ISLAND
Your go-to guide for the best restaurants in Rhode Island. From warm comfort food to healthy alternative, fresh catches from the sea or a brand new hot spot, there is so much to choose from.
THE DINING ROOM AT CASTLE HILL INN
GRACIE'S
THE CAPITAL GRILLE - PROVIDENCE
WATERMAN GRILLE
PLANT CITY
OSTERIA TOSCANA
ROSALINA
BETTOLA
NASTURTIUM
BOUCHARD RESTAURANT AND INN
CAMP NOWHERE
MILL’S TAVERN $$$
101 N Main St Providence Seafood, Steakhouses, Salad 437-6950
RED STRIPE $$
465 Angell St Providence Bruch, Steakhouses 437-6950
PARKSIDE ROTISSERIE & BAR
TERRAZZA
BRIX RESTAURANT
Address: 909 E Main Rd Middletown, RI 02842 Phone: (401) 848-5161 ext. 2
TWOTEN OYSTER BAR & GRILL
PANE E VINO PROVIDENCE
ELIZABETH OF PORTOFINO'S
SIENA - EAST GREENWICH
5 SMALL-BUSINESS-FRIENDLY WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE
Just how robust is your online presence? Are there plenty of channels that lead possible customers right to your website? Or are you “making do” with a basic Facebook page and a website that looks like it hasn’t been updated since hit counters were all the rage? “Online presence” is a blanket term for both how easy it is to find your products
and services online,
and how you present your brand. This includes any owned platforms like your website, your social media profiles, and any other sites you use
to share your products or branding, like an Amazon product listing or a Medium blog.
Put simply — your online presence is how you show up on the internet. While this may seem too broad to approach, an improvement in your overall online presence can help you find more leads, improve your
connection with your audience, and earn more sales. A rising tide lifts all boats! By
working on some of these core tactics, you
can improve your visibility across the entire internet.
1. Improve Your Page Speed
Site speed has always been an important ranking factor for websites. But with Google’s new Core Web Vitals rolling out later this year, it’s going to be more important than ever. These ranking factors make up the “page experience,” and they’ll be getting more weight than before. The speed measurement is called Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). This metric refers to how long it takes a page to load. You
can check an individual page on Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool, or go to your Google Search Console to see a list of your website’s URLs to see which are loading too slowly. Fixing slow loading times could be as simple as switching to a faster web host, or it could require re-uploading smaller images. Whatever the solution, focus on speed to improve your site’s performance and overall search engine rankings.
2. Get Listed on the Right Web Directories
We tend to focus on Google My Business as the place to create an online listing for your business. But GMB isn’t the only
game in town. And if you don’t have a brick and mortar store, GMB isn’t even an option for you. Instead, look for other online directories where you can create a profile or listing. Start local. Does
your city or county have a chamber of commerce with an online directory? That could be a good source of local leads. Physical stores can also get into big online directories like Yellow Pages, Bing
Places, and Foursquare. Then there are the specialty directories. Angie’s List for home improvement projects. Realtor.com for real estate. Justia for legal services. These directories can be a unique source of leads, getting you new web traffic and
possible inquiries from the non-Googleobsessed.
3. Create Consistent Content
Wherever you’re showing up, show up consistently. Whether that’s a blog on your website, a Facebook page, a podcast, or a YouTube channel, regular updates are key.
Each of these marketing channels will be someone’s very first introduction to your
brand. If a potential lead first finds you on
Instagram and you haven’t updated your feed in a year, why would they click on the link in your profile to learn more about your
business? They may assume that you’re no longer in business, or that you’re inconsistent. Either way, they’ll go find
another company to do business with. You have to “check the traps” wherever
you set them, to make sure that each marketing platform is doing its job and bringing in leads.
4. Marry PPC and SEO
Pay per click advertising (PPC) and organic search engine optimization (SEO) are sometimes viewed as either/ or tactics. “Right now we’re focused on PPC, but next quarter we’ll work more on our SEO…” Really, they’re two different paths to the same result — more qualified leads. While PPC
campaigns can lead to a rapid increase in clicks, those improvements will only last as long as you continue your ad spend. SEO, on the other hand, isn’t tied to any sort of cost per click. While the results are usually slow, they can also last for months or even years. If your brand shows up as both a paid ad and an organic result for a keyword on the front page, you’ve doubled your real estate and increased the chances
that the searcher will end up on your
Davey Mars owns Luminagency Digital Marketing and helps small businesses manage and improve their advertising ROI. This article originally appeared on the Luminagency blog.
WEBSITES: LUMINAGENCY.COM / DAVEYMARS.COM site. Think of PPC as a vitamin B-12 shot, and SEO as a lifestyle rich in exercise and leafy greens. The shot will give you a quick boost, but a dedication to fitness
will keep you energized and healthy in the long run.
5. Show Up Where Your Competitors Are
Where’s the party, and why aren’t you there? Social media algorithms are always trying to promote more content that users may like. If someone follows your competitor, it’s very likely that your profile will also show up as a similar
account they might be interested in. But you have to be there! Do a Google
search for some of your top competitors to see what profiles they have. If you
don’t have an account on those sites,
make sure to get one.
What's Next?
Building an online presence is a process, not a task. Each of these strategies will take time and consistency to be effective. As these elements work together to increase your online visibility, you’ll start to see an increase in web traffic. Then
it’s up to you to turn those leads into customers!
