Description

• Date: Thursday, November 19th
• Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
• Location: Live via Zoom
• Cost: FREE for FCIA Members | $75 for Non-Members
• Hosted by: Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA)
• Presenter: Cathy Ford, Founder & Technology Virtual Assistant, Red Owl Business Services, LLC. and Manager of Member Services for the Fine Chocolate Industry Association.

About the Webinar

As a fine chocolate professional, you pour immense passion into your sourcing, craftsmanship, and flavor profiles. But when chocolate lovers in your area search for artisan confections, or online shoppers seek single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate, does your website rise to the top of Google?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has changed significantly over the past year. Between Google’s new AI-generated search overviews, algorithm shifts prioritizing authentic expertise, and evolving technical standards, the playbook for getting discovered online looks different today. Whether you run a local brick-and-mortar chocolate boutique, an e-commerce storefront shipping nationwide, or a blend of both, this practical, beginner-friendly session will demystify modern SEO and give you clear action steps to grow your organic visibility and sales.

Tailored specifically for fine chocolate businesses running on Squarespace, WordPress, or other DIY platforms, this one-hour live session will explore:

• What’s New in Search: How Google’s AI Overviews and recent quality updates affect specialty food businesses and why your authentic craft gives you an advantage.
• Dual-Track Visibility: Actionable tactics to drive foot traffic through your physical doors while increasing direct to consumer online orders.
• Platform-Specific Wins: Straightforward tweaks to optimize product pages, images, titles, and descriptions on Squarespace, WordPress/WooCommerce, and other DIY website platforms without touching code.
• Under the Hood (Made Simple): A high-level, demystified look at technical site health, Core Web Vitals, and structured product data.
• DIY Checklist & Support: Practical steps you can implement immediately, plus solutions for delegating the technical heavy lifting so you can stay focused on chocolate.

The session includes a 45-minute interactive presentation followed by a 15-minute live Q&A to answer your specific website and search questions.

Registration & Pricing

• FCIA Members: Complimentary (Free) - Please log in to your FCIA member account prior to registering to apply your member discount.
• Non-Members: $75

(A resource checklist will be provided to all registered attendees during the session.)

About the Presenter

Cathy Ford is the Founder of Red Owl Business Services, LLC, and has served as a virtual assistant for the Fine Chocolate Industry Association since November 2022. A Certified Online Business Manager with over 20 years of experience working with web-based technology in corporate environments, Cathy pairs a passion for technology with outstanding customer service. She holds degrees in Communication Studies and Health Administration, bringing a servant-leader mindset to helping small business owners conquer administrative and technical bottlenecks so they can run more confident, independent, and profitable businesses. Cathy lives and works in Veguita, New Mexico, with her dog, Molly where she is also building a second business; a homestead retreat and educational media company called The Heart of Gold Homestead.