Archive for yahoo local search
Geo-targeted Location Listings – More than Just Getting Listed on Mobile Apps
Posted by: | CommentsA terrific recent post on Mashables addresses the rapid expansion and explosion of location based mobile apps and the importance of businesses taking advantage of getting listed on them. While that is a critical element in any business’ online presence the article omitted two pieces that are just as important and relevant to mobile and hyper-local marketing: Local Search Listings and Listing Optimization.
Huh? Seems like mobile local app listings and local search are one and the same?! Yes and no. Twitter, Brightkite, FourSquare, and others all have a geographic location tagging ability but they don’t get you correctly listed in Google Maps or Bing Local or Yahoo or any of the other city search tools necessarily. For a brick and mortar business, exact location on local search listings is really important! Getting listed on the first page of local search listing is even more important! If your customers can’t find you, you won’t be in business long.
So how do you land on that first page of local search? Google is the first place to start creating a local business presence on line. It’s free, easy create, and is posted immediately upon phone verification (some instances it requires a pin code sent via the US Mail). What’s not to love? Your business does not even have to have a website to be included, only a telephone number and a physical street address. Optimization for first page results requires a bit of effort in some service industries but for the most part this is an untapped arena for competition. There are many free local search listings (some with an up-sell version) so there is no need to pay to be included when the Big Boys (Google, Bing, Yahoo, City Search, Info USA, etc) all have free local listing centers. It only costs your time. Get Found Now – Local Search Secrets Exposed is a useful prescriptive book for walking you through the process of creating a highly optimized listing on each of these sites and more.
Another interesting piece of the Google local search puzzle is the new unique bar code sticker business’ can now apply for and get with a Google Local Business listing to display in their store front (whatever it might be).
To take advantage of this program customers with a camera with the ability to scan a bar code are are taken to the business’ Google Places listing to view coupons or other offers the business may make available currently.
There are additional elements to consider when creating a plan for local listing inclusions. One that is often overlooked by businesses is getting placed accurately as a ‘point of interest’ (POI) on GPS listings. Most businesses are not aware of this simple but growing element of search. With more and more GPS based apps appearing, now more than ever this is growing market share to dominate easily. NAVTEQ and TeleAtlas are free GPS mobile locator services. Mobile search capabilities are only going to get more powerful so businesses should have an optimized local search profile and maintain it fairly regularly.
Having a Web presence that you can control to some extent is becoming a larger part of business success. Getting found is the first part of search but then keeping the conversation going is about you and your products and services is just as critical now, more than ever. Create the local presence then continue feeding and nurturing a Web presence with Twitter, Four Square, et al.
Differentiation is what makes it easy to like you and want to do business with you…but first they have to find you! Create a local presence and watch your business grow.
Introduction to Local Search Engine Listings
Posted by: | CommentsRanking well within the search engines can mean the difference of having a extremely fast growing business and one that is struggling to stay a float. Just look at this following chart that I found on SEOSearcher.com.
If the first two links of the page get about 70% of the clicks what would having a first page listing at the top of page for your main GEO targeted keyword phrases mean to your business?
How to get to Page 1 Fast!
One of the fastest ways to get to Page 1 at the top of the page in the major search engines is by taking advantage of Local Search Listings. The search engines offer free local listings to any small business (regardless of whether you have a website or not). With very little SEO efforts your business can quickly rank for your major GEO keyword phrase on the 1st Page of the major search engines.
Now with blended search or sometimes referred to as ‘universal search’, where the local listings are appearing on the first search engine results page (SERP) for even broad term keywords this has become a standard SEO strategy.
However, do not be fooled by some companies who want to charge you a monthly on-gong fee to submit you to these FREE local listings. It’s totally not necessary to pay that kind of dough for that service when you can do it yourself in about 10 minutes.
Below are a series of videos that will teach you everything you need to know about submitting to these local directories.
Google Local Business Center
Be sure to check to see if your business is already listed with Google Local Business Center before registering a new one. This will prevent you from having a double listing. Now a ton of business’s will discover that there is a listing in Google’s LBC for them already (due to the fact that Google does pull data from some of the phone companies).
It is very important that you claim your listing because if you don’t it says “is this you..? claim your listing” and when it says that, it promotes an element of miss-trust. Once you claim your listing that goes away. Another reason to claim your listing is then you have control over the information being displayed which can be very powerful in gaining better rankings and instrumental in turning internet surfers into offline buyers.
8 Additional Google Local Listing Tips:
- Address: Make sure your address listed is closest to the core of the city you want your listing to show. If you are a contractor or work out of your home and your home address is not in that city then you may want to get a P.O. Box that has address and ZIP/Postal Code that correlates to the city core, otherwise you may find your listing not ranking as well as you’d like. NOTE: Make sure your contact address is consistent across all the web. Don’t have different sources showing different address for your business.
- Category: Make sure you choose the most relevant category for you business in the ‘choose category’ section. Getting this wrong can cause your local listing not show for the GEO keyword terms you would like.
- Title/Business Name: Make sure your major keyword product/service is in the title (which is the business name section) however, I heed a WARNING: Do Not go too far with this because you don’t want to look like a spammer. Make it look nature and make it make sense for humans who are ultimately your true audience.
- Business Description: Make sure you have your product and/or service keywords listed in your business description. Now this is not as important as the Title, but it too is important. It is the equivalent of a website’s “meta description”.
- Reviews: Get reviews! Right now it doesn’t seem to matter whether the reviews are positive or negative, just having more reviews can get your local listings to rank better. Encourage your clients/customers to writer reviews. Offer something in return for reviews.
- Content/Media: Add rich media to your local listings. Add photos & video, etc. I not sure if it improves rankings in the local listings, but it can only help turn online browsers to offline buyers.
- Coupons: Use them. This can be what differentiates your business from other competition found in the local listings. Not offering a Google coupon is risking losing business to those businesses that are. It also gives you a great way to track your sales generated from your local listing on Google. NOTE: If you have coupons listed on other local listings make sure you make them different so you can track properly.
- Double Listings: Don’t do it and make sure you only have one. Currently spammers have not be banned from this, but it will hopefully happen one day soon and when it does you don’t want to lose your listing over something so ridiculous.
Yahoo Local Listings
MSN Local Listing
SEO & Additional Local Listing Tips
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http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/locallistings/
Local Search SEO versus Online Visability for Small Businesses
Posted by: | CommentsAs more people head to the internet to find information on businesses in their area, local companies need to use SEO and social media to improve their local search results.
Writing the Small is Beautiful column for Search Engine Land, Hanan Lifshitz says small businesses need to do their best to make sure they are part of the first page of results when a consumer searches for a business in their area.
Lifshitz says that making sure a business pops up within the list of the top businesses in their class and area is an accomplishment small businesses should endeavor for.
“Being ‘among’ the 10-pack is often considered a great achievement, not to mention having your website or profile page appear in the first search results page (i.e. along 9 other links),” he writes. “In other words, in every category within a given market, there are usually a handful of winners who enjoy a good deal of online visibility.”
Earlier this year, changes from Google actually helped local businesses in search results without users needing to type in their location. In April, Google made local searches the default setting for results, which expert Mike Blumenthal said would likely be of particular benefit to small businesses.
According to Rich Brooks President of Flyte New Media, a company that specializes in search and social media marketing, “For small businesses looking to increase their online visibility, combining search engine optimization (SEO) with social media marketing can create a powerful mix that will help grow your business.”
Most business owners realize that SEO is a required tool for marketing a company; companies that rank well at the search engines have a competitive advantage to those that don’t. Although social media is newer, its explosive growth shows that it’s ripe with opportunity for those businesses willing to embrace its chaotic nature.
If you coordinate your search and social media campaigns you’ll get more bang for your buck out of both of them. How? Read on.
How SEO Can Improve Your Social Media Campaigns
According to Brooks, “A cornerstone of SEO is keyword analysis. Through this powerful marketing research tool, you’ll uncover what your prospects are actually searching for. Once you discover these phrases you’ll be in a better position to improve your social media campaigns.”
You can use these keywords in your LinkedIn profile, your tweets, and in the titles and descriptions of your YouTube videos and your Flickr photos, just to name a few examples.
Using tools like Google Insights you’ll be able to track trending topics, which provide great fodder for your social media activities and are great for status updates.
How Social Media Can Improve Your Search Engine Visibility
You may have noticed that videos from YouTube and other sites are appearing on the first page of Google’s search results. Those could be your videos.
“If you’ve got a company blog (and shame on you if you don’t), that’s showing up in the search results, too. Your (and your employees’) LinkedIn profiles, your company’s Facebook Fan Page, even your tweets can show up, pushing your competition off the first page in Google. You can also use social media publishing platforms like Hubpages, Squidoo or a wiki to target keyword phrases without jeopardizing your Web site’s current ranking,” says Brooks.
Also, your company blog and social publishing platforms that link to your Web site can pass it link juice, further pushing it up the search engine rankings.
Search engine visibility is quickly becoming an archaic term. “Online visibility” is what entrepreneurs should strive for to build their business on the Web. Whether your visitors come from Google or Digg, Yahoo or StumbleUpon doesn’t matter.
“Online visibility is not just about being listed in many places,” says Lifshitz. ”What is important is how many consumers see the business when searching online, or put slightly differently, how much traffic the different sites and directories have. However, general traffic figures are not enough. For SMBs, it is important to know which sites and directories are more suited for their prospective customers.”
In Conclusion
Richard Brooks concludes: “Search and social media are essential components of a Web marketing campaign for small business; mix in email marketing, a Web site that converts visitors into customers and analytics to measure your success and you’ve got an unbeatable marketing strategy that will help your business grow and thrive.”
http://www.merchantcircle.com/blogs/ADMAX.MERCHANT.MEDIA.949-443-0096/2009/7/Local-Search-SEO-versus-Online-Visability-for-Small-Businesses/289288
Explode Your Brand With Local Search Marketing
Posted by: | CommentsLocal Search today is more than adding a Free Business Listing in local.Google.com. But don’t “poo-poo” it, as that can help you rank well in Google Maps and Google Searches. And, you have the option of adding a Google Coupon that appears alongside your Business Listing in Google Maps as well as YouTube video and images.
But, if you have only one site ranking on Google for your business, or personal brand it’s worth spending some time exploring and implementing a broader Local Search Marketing strategy.
Google is pushing Local Search. It knows where you live when you search and it is geo-targeting content.
So, take advantage of your internet presence on Google and apply a Local Search Marketing strategy.
http://www.shlady.com/2009/07/11/explode-your-brand-with-local-search-marketing.html
Whether you use a Local Search Marketing Expert or dive in by yourself, you can build upon a Business Listing. You can use Free tools to expand your Brand and generate Leads more effectively and inexpensively than Yellow Pages or online Directories.
Answering Customers’ Questions
Of course, Local Search does not take the place of a website, but by integrating it with your site a prospective customer can have their primary questions answered:
- Is your business trustworthy?
- Are your prices affordable?
- Is your business really an “authority” in the market?
- Do others recommend your business too?
A results-oriented Local Search Marketing campaign will solve the single biggest challenge for any business, especially in today’s economy:
- Bringing in NEW customers!
Successful Local Search Marketing does not require a Ph.d. But it does require time and commitment as it is a multi-faceted methodology and is ongoing. So it requires the assistance of an outside Local Search Marketing Expert; a new emerging expertise!
How Do I Begin?
Well, to start we must accept the reality that a website is far more valuable than offline advertising or a static presentation of your business.
In fact, the majority of small businesses in the U.S. still do not have their own website and domain, but Google, Yahoo and MSN now are giving them the best reason for doing so.
Assuming a website is in place, the 1st step, as always, is Keyword Research.
Keyword Research is equivalent to Market Research, only it’s in real time.
We can now enhance that with keyword research that is specific to “local”, meaning taking the keyword(s) that best describe the market and business you are in and adding a geo-specific word to the end of it e.g.” house painting San Diego.”
The best keyword research tool is the Google Keyword Tool, of course. And, with the addition of the Google Wonder Wheel inside of the Google search ranking page, you have a very in depth view on how people search in your market as well as the competition through Sponsored Links and Organic listings.
Anytime you add specific regional keywords to your web content, you make it much easier to rank higher in the search engines for your geography. “House Painting San Diego” gives a better Google rank than just “house painting” for anyone searching in or near San Diego.
Remember, Google is all about providing searchers with the best user experience possible and that is done through highly targeted, relevant content. If Google can deliver a San Diego resident searching for house painting local, relevant content, it will value that more highly because it is more accurate to the search and searcher.
So, start your Local Search Marketing campaign today. It is an excellent adjunct to your website promotion.
Organic SEO Vs. PPC War- What to Select
Posted by: | CommentsToday online advertising has become one of the most basic mediums to promote a business and make your presence felt in the market. The need of the hour is to draw customers to your website by creating successful campaigns coupled with unique ideas and quality products and services.
Since the concept of online business has taken a front foot in the competitive market, it is important for businesses to realize that they need to dedicate their time and efforts more towards website advertising and marketing.
SEO Traffic Spider | Organic SEO Vs. PPC War | Affordable SEO Services | Increase Website Traffic
You may be in a quandary as to which technique to employ for advertising your website. First, before you employ any technique to promote your site, the golden rule is to clearly define goals that you wish to achieve. This will guide you in selecting techniques more appropriately and help you maximize your results within your budget.
Regarding the techniques, there are two options that have gained a lot of popularity in the recent times. These are:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization is the activity of improving the volume and quality of real time traffic to your site by optimizing your web pages. The SEO technique involves getting the topmost ranking without paying since your site is relevant to the search query entered by the user.
Pay Per Click (PPC)
This is an advertising model which requires an advertiser to pay when a user clicks on the ad. Advertisers select keywords that they want to run on and which are relevant to their business and then bid on these keywords. Bids may vary from keyword to keyword depending on how important and relevant the keyword is for the business. The advertiser’s ad shows under the sponsored links when a user types in a search query which matches the advertiser’s keyword.
Many times some commercial websites make use of both these options simultaneously to advertise their website. This is also a smart option as it not only leads to better website exposure and visibility but also ensures a better ranking and real time traffic to your site. However, gaining a better understanding of both these methods by analyzing their pros and cons can help you gauge which technique would be more suitable for you and is in align with your business objectives.
Search Engine Optimization Pros
More Credibility – By showing on top of search results you can enjoy more credibility because real time traffic and popularity is achieved by putting in lot of time and effort. The ranking is achieved purely on the basis of quality content and relevance.
Free Placement – Unlike PPC, you do not have to pay for the clicks you receive from organic search results. Getting on the top position is a matter of how well you optimize your site in relation to your competitors. It also saves you money in the long run once the process takes off well.
Improved Website Ranking –SEO also helps you attain a better site ranking with little effort. You can also hire SEO professionals like SEO Traffic Spider who can carry out the optimization task on your behalf which will reap you the benefits in the long run.
Qualified Traffic – You can expect a good amount of qualified real time traffic to your site as a result of increased recognition of search engines.
Long Lasting Results – The results you achieve from this method are more lasting and stable. Also, it gives you a much higher return on your investment. This is because usually users tend to click on organic search results when compared to PPC ads and this brings more traffic for less.
Search Engine Optimization Cons
Time Consuming – SEO is a complicated task and requires enormous amount of time and effort to implement it the right way. Sometimes it may also require you to completely modify the structure, layout, presentation, or content of your website to make it search engine friendly and also enhance user experience.
Results May Take Time – The true impact of SEO efforts cannot be known immediately. It will not give you instant results in terms of traffic and may take some time for your site to get the desired traffic. This time gap may affect your profitability till the time you start seeing true results.
Pay Per Click Pros
Instant results – This method brings you immediate results in terms of traffic, leads, or sales. In a matter of few hours or days you can begin to show on top of the sponsored links and enjoy the benefits of increased traffic flow.
Appropriate for Temporary Offers – This would be an ideal option for those who want to gain an entry into the online market for a short term or for those with temporary product/service offerings. This is because they can hope to gain better visibility and exposure by bidding higher on keywords rather than waiting for SEO to be implemented and return results.
Easy to Implement – PPC can be easily implemented without devoting much time and effort to it when compared to SEO. It also enables the advertiser to experiment with different keywords and landing pages to see what works best. You can also bid on a variety of keywords that you want to run on and which cannot be practically placed in your web pages when implementing SEO.
Pay Per Click Cons
Expensive – It is an expensive option as it eats up on your profit margins. Also, you end up paying even for clicks that may not convert into sales. Additionally, in case of click fraud, you may end up wasting a considerable amount of your budget on fraudulent clicks.
A thorough analysis of the pros and cons of both these approaches will help you decide which option would be more suitable for your advertising needs. However, the main highlight here is that PPC serves well as a short term strategy over SEO. It is a good option for those looking for quick results and a good ROI while waiting for their SEO initiative to ramp up. However, using the PPC model will leave you with thinner profit margins. From the long term perspective, search engine optimization will bring in higher profitability and make the most of your advertising dollars as it will extensively increase your margins in the long run.
http://www.seotrafficspider.com/organicseo.html
