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Local Search ClassBy
Kathy Long, LSO
Local Search Specialist
Kat & Mouse SEO & Web Design
Class Notes & Resourceswww.katandmouse.com/local-search-resources
www.katandmouse.com/LocalSearch Class Workbook.xlsx
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Why be online?
• 20% of all searched in Google are local. That’s 2.24 billion!!
• 97% use internet for local business search
And…
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Ding. Dong. Yellow pages are dead.
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Ding. Dong. Yellow pages are dead.
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Ding. Dong. Yellow pages are dead.
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Ding. Dong. Yellow pages are dead.
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Ding. Dong. Yellow pages are dead.
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Where should you be online?
• Website• Social Media• Google Places• Yahoo Local• Bing Local• Everywhere you can!
2 million Places claimed in US – only 2% of total!
1st place gets 35% of clicks, 2nd 17%, 3rd 12%... 10th 2.5%
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Create and Claim Your Place
• Google Places
• Yahoo Local
• Bing Business Portal
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Google Places – Since October 2010It’s either “pure” results or “blended”
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Google Places – How to Rank High
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What Google Wants
1.Proximity
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What Google Wants
1. ProximityBut other things cantrump it.
16 miles away16 miles away
5 miles
0 miles
5 miles
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PROXIMITY: Develop Your NAP
NAP = Name, Address, Phone Consistency across the web is critical!
DO THIS! Search for your phone number on the web. Check to see where your NAP is inconsistent. Make a note of these. FIX THEM!
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Place Page Proximity
Add photos to Panoramioand geotag
Image from blumenthals.com
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PROXIMITY
Location rich snippet<div class="vcard"><span class="fn">Taylor Benefits Insurance Agency</span><span class="adr"><span class="street-address">4820 Harwood Road #130</span><span class="locality">San Jose</span><span class="region">CA</span><span class="postal-code">95124</span><span class="tel">(408) 358-7502</span>
</span></div>http://microformats.org/code/hcard/creator
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What Google Wants2. RelevanceWhich placemost closelymatches thekeywordquery?
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Place Page RELEVANCE
• Business name in title – Don’t spam with keywords, be consistent– City keywords in title if possible and
applicable
• Point to a better landing page – contact page
• Use more info links to add additional links to website, either internally or social sites
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RELEVANT categories
Google gives you 5 categories – one canned and 4 custom categories
– Utilize your keyword research– Use high volume, high conversion keywords
like hotel with free wi-fi, pet friendly hotel, cool coffee shop
– Don’t spam!– Look at your competitors
http://www.localsearchtoolkit.com/
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RELEVANT Website
• Business name in title tag
• City keywords in title tag and H1 tag
• Web copy – Include your location, a map, your cities served,
hours, email address, fax number, phone number, directions and other any information you have that establishes your location.
– Create page for each location
– Internal linking on keywords
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RELEVANT Website
Example: http://www.agilemonkey.com
•Query “Santa Cruz Pilates Classes”
•Query “Santa Cruz Pilates Studio”
•Query “Santa Cruz Pilates teacher”
What do we need to do to rank for all three?
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Link Building
Acquire quality links from quality sites with keywords in anchor text
– Give free advice– Blog commenting– Forum commenting– Guest blogging– Write remarkable copy– Infographics– Whitepaper, research– Create something another business in your
industry (non-competitor) would value
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Link building
• Create best Santa Cruz whatever award• Guest post about regional issues on local blogs
and relate it back to your business• Ask for referral on client’s website• Offer local promotion• Write a glowing review of a local business.
Guaranteed that they’ll link to it!
• Copy your competitors – http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/
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Social Shouts and Link Building
Announce your remarkable content– Build relationships and follows– Facebook– Tweet– Email– Newsletter– Social bookmarking– Add share, bookmark ability to your website
Sharethis.com
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What Google Wants2. Prominance(popular)Which placeis the most popular orprominent?
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PROMINENCE: Citations
•Create articles for inbound links - add NAP
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PROMINENCE: Citations
•Videos - add NAP
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PROMINENCE: Citations
•Facebook Page
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PROMINENCE: Citations
• Research top 10 or more competitors and do what they do and then some more!
Whitespark.ca/local-citation-finder
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PROMINENCE: More Citations
• Chamber of Commerce
• BBB
• Host/support a philanthropic event
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PROMINENCE: More Citations
• Find local events to sponsor– Query these
• Location sponsorship• Location sponsorship opportunities• Location sponsor our event• Location “thanks to our sponsors” • Location intitle:sponsors• Location inurl:sponsors
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PROMINENCE: More Citations
Create future notifications in Google alerts on keywords:
1.City + sponsor
2.City + donor
3.City + “Thanks to our sponsors”
4.City + keyword + blog
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PROMINENCE: Local directories
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PROMINENCE: Local directories
Enter your site MANUALLY here:•LOCALEZE: http://webapp.localeze.com/bizreg/add.aspx•INFOUSA: http://expressupdateusa.com/home.aspx•BEST OF THE WEB:http://local.botw.org/helpcenter/jumpstartproduct.aspx•SUPER PAGES: https://my.superpages.com/spweb/products/business-listing•YELLOW PAGES:http://www.yellowpages.com/sp/advertise/•YELP:http://www.yelp.com/
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PROMINENCE: Local directories
To find more, query: •City + directory•City + business directory•“list of citysites”•City + websites•City + sites•“city sites”•“city websites”•“favorite links” city•“recommended link” city•Wiki Travel San Jose
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POPULAR: Reviews
– Get email addresses from customers, segment into gmail and yahoo email addresses and ASK
– Facebook– Use Thumbtack.com– Brightlocal review tool– Review Triage
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POPULAR: Reviews
Use QR Codes and link to review sites–Print on business cards, invoices, receipts, flyers
Generate your own QR code at Kaywa.com
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Summary: 7 ways to dominate 7 pack
1. Add NAP to off-site content2. Broaden your citation mentions3. Optimize your website 4. Get more local, anchor text inbound links
from directories, press releases, check-in sites, blogs
5. Get reviews6. Timely updates to your place page7. Get active in social media
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In the end
Everyone will be doing these steps. What can you do that is more?More relevant pages and posts, more relevant links, more relevant shouts
But remember…
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If you were in a group of people being chased by a bear, you only need to be 1 step ahead of the slowest person.
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Likewise, you only have to be 1 step ahead of your competitor.
So, don’t overwhelm yourself. You don’t have to do it all.
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Just don’t getleft behind.
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Need help?
Kat & Mouse takes you to the next level with…
•Website & Google Places optimization to get Google to take note
•Link building to move your site above the competition
•Social Media marketing – Custom landing pages, engagement, website integration to get people singing your praises
•Mobile Marketing to capture the crowd on the street in the new internet
•Monthly monitoring and improvements to keep you on top
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Kat & Mouse
Please connect with mewww.katandmouse.com
408-694-3706
www.facebook.com/katandmouseo
Twitter: @katndmouse
LinkedIn - Kathy Long
LinkedIn: Join Local BizBuzz Grouphttp://www.linkedin.com/groups/Local-BizBuzz-3215677
To your success!