Some Good Google Places Updates
Google Places is a very important area for small business to optimize, so when I find some good articles referring to Google Places, I will forward them on. Here a few I have had in my reading list.
Google Raises Local Search Stakes With New Places SERP
“Yesterday Google formally announced some changes in the presentation of local results on Google.com SERPs…”
How Long Does it Take For A Google Places Description Update
Google Tweaks Local, Enhances Content
9 Common Ways To Bork Your Local Rankings In Google
In Case You Missed It – Week 45
Some good articles for your reading pleasure.
How Users Search For Local Businesses + 5 Tips To Optimize Local Listings
Geo Sitemap Generator Adds New Features
Conference Info:
5 Considerations In Planning Your Small Business 2012 Ad Budget
Five key takeaways relevant to local business owners in the process of planning their 2012 marketing budgets from BIA/Kelsey DMS ‘ 11 Conference
Getlisted Local University WNY – Additional Reading
A great list of references for the last GetListed University in NY!
New Local SEO Book For Small Business
Today I have a great interview with Eric Shanfelt from LocalSearchHandbook.com. He has put together a new local seo handbook for small business. I got a chance to review the text and put in my two cents. It is a very well done book and quite affordable. So if you are looking for local seo help, I recommend this book.
Q.Thanks for taking the time today Eric, can you tell us a little about yourself?
A. I’ve been working in online media since 1994 when I led the launch of the online part of Windows NT Magazine (now Windows IT Pro) which grew to a multi-million dollar business. Since then, I have served at various consumer and business-to-business media companies in both executive and consulting roles. As part of my career, I’ve had to become intimately familiar with web, email, social media, SEO, online advertising, analytics, lead generation and more. I still work in online publishing as Senior VP of eMedia for Thomas Nelson, but local SEO has become a personal passion of mine for the past several years. On the personal side, I’m the husband of an amazing wife, father of two beautiful girls under the age of four, a private pilot / aviation enthusiast, musician, and adoption / orphan care advocate.
Q. Why did you write the book?
A. Working in publishing, many of our magazines’ readers and distribution partners were local businesses (self-storage, welding, natural product retailing, restaurants, hotels, tanning salons, yarn / quilt shops, etc.). Every time I talked with them, they wanted to know how they could better market their business online. I wrote articles in our magazine and spoke at our conferences to local business owners about online marketing and it became clear that local SEO was the biggest need they had … and the biggest mystery to them.
I see a big gap missing in the information for local business owners. There is a lot of great, free information on the web around local search, but much of it is written in language designed for SEO consultants, not business owners. It’s also scattered on various sites and not organized all in one place. And, of course, there is a lot of misinformation out there as well that could actually hurt a local business owner if they didn’t know it. I also see most business owners focusing exclusively on Google Places. They feel all they need to do is claim their listing and everything is fine. Of course, that’s not true … there is so much more.
I wrote this book to be a plain-English guide to local business owners that will educate them on the fundamentals of local search optimization … both Google Places and beyond.
Q. Who should purchase this book?
A. I truly believe that every owner / operator of a local business should buy this book. It doesn’t matter what geographic market or industry you’re in or whether you have one location, several locations, or a national chain. The information in this book is applicable to any business marketing to local geographic regions.
BTW, this book is an excellent resource even if a business owner plans to hire or is currently working with a local search consultant. It will help educate the owner on the fundamentals of local search and know how to better research and work with a local search consultant.
Q. Where can you get the book?
A. You can buy the book in PDF format directly from my web site, LocalSearchHandbook.com. In the next month or so, you’ll also be able to buy a print or Kindle version of the book directly from Amazon.
Q. Are are the future plans for the book/updates?
A. Absolutely. As you know, the local search landscape changes continually. I plan on releasing updates to the PDF version every six months or so. Anyone who purchases the PDF version through my web site will get free lifetime updates every time a new version is released. Unfortunately, because of the costs involved with print / Kindle, I can only update that version every 12-18 months and cannot offer free lifetime updates.
Q. Why is local search important for small business?
A. First, I want to clarify that this book is written for local businesses, not necessarily small businesses. There are some small businesses that are trying to market nationally and local search is not appropriate for them. There are also some very large businesses with hundreds of local locations … local search is totally appropriate for them. Of course, there are a lot of small businesses who also focus on a local region and local search is what they should focus on.
To those owner / operators of local businesses, I would say that there are people online right now looking for a business like yours in your area. They’re using computers, mobile phone and GPS devices and they’re using Google, Bing, Yahoo, Facebook, or hundreds of other sites and services. Will these potential customers find you? According to a BrightLocal survey done about a year ago, over 80% of U.S consumers use the Internet to find a local business, but only 41% of local searches are done on Google Places. That’s why local search optimization is so critical for local businesses and it’s why I wrote this book.
Q. Where do you see local search marketing going in the near future?
A. One thing’s for sure, local search is only going to get bigger … and it’s going to expand in all different directions. Enabling local search for mobile devices is already getting big and will be an even bigger focus on 2012 (like Siri on the iPhone). Local search will also see greater emphasis in social media outlets like Facebook, Google+ and Twitter. There will continue to be changes to Google Places, Bing Local, and all of the internet yellow pages, review sites and online directories. And there will be more and more web sites and services that integrate local search. New services will also be developed or expanded to help business owners manage local search. However, I truly believe that while there will be specific tactical adjustments that business owners will need to make, the fundamental strategies behind local search that I address in this book will continue to be the same.
Q. Anything else you would like to add?
A. Just three things …
1) I have a free blog / email newsletter on my site, LocalSearchHandbook.com My goal is not to break every big story or talk about everything that a search engine consultant would want to know about. There are some amazing people out there like you, Mike Blumenthal, Linda Buquet, and David Mihm who already do that. Instead, I focus on the major changes that a business owner should know about, try to explain it in plain English, and always end the post with a “Bottom Line – What You Should Do About It” that tells the business owner what action they need to take if any.
2) If you’re a local search consultant and would like a free complimentary copy of my book, please contact me via my web site. I’ll be glad to send you one. I’ll also be launching an affiliate program so that if you want to refer your clients to buy the book, you’ll get a nice commission.
3) If you see anything in the book that you’d like me to expand upon in the next edition … or that you think should be covered differently … please let me know!
Some Local SEO Tips
Again here are a few articles that I found and wanted to post on. Small business needs to do local SEO, either yourself or hire a professional. Get listed, get reviews, add local content–do something!
12 Tips For Using Press Releases In Local Online Marketing
For local businesses, press releases can be an effective source for local citations, particularly since they can get picked up by geo-authority websites such as local news.
Local SEO: A Free Tool to Build GEO Sitemap and Schema.org Compliant Files
“There are two simple ways of telling Google and the other search engines where your business is located via your website. One is to create a KML file and an attendant geo-sitemap. The other is to provide your full business contact information in rich snippet format on the site. Now there is a way to easily do both….”
Nifty Hard Core Local SEO Tactics From SMX Advanced
A nice review by Andrew Shotland on local SEO from SMX. There are slides and links to review.
4 Tips For Taking Ownership Of Your Local Business’ Online Presence
- Send A Clear Message: We’re In Business & We’re Ready To Help
- Build Relationships With Local Media & Influencers To Create A Strong Reputation
- Have A Response Strategy In Place
- Monitor Online Conversations & Be Ready To Respond At A Moment’s Notice
In Case You Missed It – Week 42
Here are a few good local search related articles, I wanted to share with you. Hope everyone is dong well
Recent Trends Should Guide How Businesses Grow Local Search Strategies
As we head into fall, let’s catch up on the latest trends and developments in local search space – and what you should consider as you start to build out your business’s advertising strategy for 2012.
- Take Charge Of Social Media
- Prep For Big Mobile Changes
- Widen Online Exposure
Local Content Definition: What Makes Material Of Local Signficance?
Most of all, keep in mind that the definition of local content is that it is something that should be of use and interest to your local community. The fact that you live and work in your town is your greatest asset. Becoming aware of the needs, wishes, hopes and concerns of your neighbors will guide you towards the types of content that will be of most value to them. A winning combination includes community involvement + communication with your current customers + keyword research.
Local Search Ranking Factors? Sadly, They’re Not Actual Industry Practices
…the tactics that score highly year-in and year-out in the “Local Search Ranking Factors” aren’t actually being used by a lot of marketers.
Local Search Meetings Info
Had some info and links on various meetings that have taken place and those coming up. Would love to go to ILM 2011 but do not think it is in the budget again this year. I highly recommend going to at least one or two of these- you can definitely get a lot out of them.
2011 Search Exchange Conference and Expo. I just found out about it recently and looks pretty cool. You can download the slides from the 2010 Conference too.
DMS ’11 Takeways: Consolidate and Verticalize
Articles from DMS’11 from BIA Kelsey
Upcoming meetings:
ILM Asia 2011: Defining the Local-Social-Mobile Ecosystem
Interactive Local Media West: Closing the Local Loop
GetListed.org Local University -Nov 1 in Ellicottville, New York
SMX Search Marketing Expo: SMX Melbourne November 15-16, 2011 and Scottsdale, AZ: December 5-6, 2011
Not specifically a conference, I thought this article 6 Key Findings From The 2011 Local SEO Industry Survey was a nice summary of info.
I know I am probably missing some, so let me know if I did. Hope you to see you guys soon at a conference. ( Any coming to the SouthEast soon?)
Dealing With Online Customer Reviews
One of the big things any small business needs to handle is customer reviews. It can be a bit harder online since pretty much anyone, at any time can put a review up about you without your knowledge. The best thing you can do, as a small business is to monitor your online reputation. Spend some time or hire someone to spend the time, seeing what folks are saying about you.
I have found a number of recent articles that I think are worth your time reading.
5 Tips To Get More Online Customer Reviews by Andrew Shotland. Andrew offers some great advice on how to get customers to review your business.
Harnessing The Power Of Online Customer Reviews For Local Business Growth by Myles Anderson
“But when it comes to customers’ opinions and the public sharing of those opinions with a huge online audience, there is little businesses can do – except make damn sure their service is as good as it can be and to engage with their customers more than ever before.” “About 49% of local consumers are more likely to use a local business having read a positive online review.”
6 Steps to Building Buzz for your Small Business
“Take an hour or two and claim and optimize the pages that will be most important to your customers and then ask your customers to post reviews about their experience with your business. This can be done by adding links to these sites on your website and putting up signage in your business. Not every review will be stellar but that is ok – take the negative reviews as an opportunity to grow your customer service skills or enhance your product offering”
Nuking Local Competitors A Dirty, Rotten Trick byMiriam Ellis
Miriam talks about the new feature about stating a business is closed on Google. (Something to keep an eye on)
