Daily Brief

Learn to Rank Higher on Google Maps with Kutztown SBDC

Graduate students working with the Kutztown University Small Business Development Center will lead a virtual educational workshop, Ranking Higher on Google Maps Fast, 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12, via Zoom. The session will be presented by Soufiyane Belyamani and Alexandra Skidmore, graduate assistants at the Kutztown SBDC, and is open to Pennsylvania small-business owners, entrepreneurs and community members interested in learning more about local digital marketing. The workshop addresses common questions frequently searched by business owners, including why a business is not showing up on Google Maps even when the listing is verified and what to post on a Google Business Profile for better ranking. Participants will gain practical guidance focused on improving visibility in local search results and increasing customer engagement. Through their roles at the Kutztown SBDC, graduate students receive real world, hands-on experience that allows them to apply academic learning to client-facing scenarios. Belyamani is pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Making and Leadership, while Skidmore is pursuing a Master of Public Administration. Both students build professional portfolios by developing educational resources, delivering training and translating graduate level coursework into applicable solutions for small businesses. The session will also cover how to add keywords to a Google Business Profile description, how to use categories and services to strengthen local relevance and how to improve visibility in "near me" searches using proximity-based tactics. Additional topics include capturing and managing five-star reviews, responding to negative feedback, posting offers and events, adding photos that convert and measuring performance using Google Business Profile Insights and UTM tracking. This workshop demonstrates the applied value of a Kutztown University graduate degree and highlights how continued master's-level education supports experiential learning, workforce readiness and community engagement through the Kutztown SBDC.

Ranking Higher on Google Maps Fast

Rachael Wolfe, Kutztown University Small Business Development Center

January Parents and Family Bulletin

The January 2026 edition of the KU Parents and Family Bulletin has been sent to registered subscribers and may be found on the Parents and Family Bulletin webpage.

University Relations

SCUPA Union Lunch

Employees represented by the SCUPA union are invited to the first open lunch meeting of 2026, noon Tuesday, Jan. 13, 312 MSU. This will be a time to receive updates related to the union and SCUPA work. Attendees will be able to ask questions related to contracts, classification, other union matters and discuss any other information with union representation. Feel free to bring your lunch.

Megan Rutter, SCUPA Campus President