|
 |
Local Online Marketing
Building Brand Visibility, Sales and Leads with Local Search and Social Media Marketing II
In the last issue of this email newsletter, we focused primarily on local PPC search. In this issue, we will cover local organic search engine optimization. Since Google is the highest trafficked search engine surpassing the others, we will concentrate our effort primarily on Google local search listings.
There are three areas where local listings can appear in the organic search results at Google as a result of a local search query, e.g. “fence contractor wellesley ma”. Local search results appear in the following formats:
 |
 |
Basic text listings in the main organic Web search results at Google.com. |
|
|
Google Maps organic search results when the search query is performed in Google Maps. |
|
|
“Local 10-box” with 10 local organic business listings and a map display from Google Maps, placed at the top of the organic Web search results at Google.com. |
|
Local Organic Web Search Results
Organic search engine optimization (SEO) is the employment of a combination of both “on-page” and “off-page” tactics to improve the rankings of web pages on the textual organic search results of major search engines across a defined set of keyword phrases. “On-page” search engine optimization typically includes the addition of search terms to the page title and copy of a web page. An effective search engine optimization campaign can result in more targeted web site traffic.
Local organic search engine optimization uses the same methods, but adds a geographic modifier to the page title and copy of the page. This way, when Web users perform a local keyword search at Google.com, a web page that has those keyword combinations in the page title and page copy will have a better chance of showing up in the top positions of the search results. Many cities and metro areas have alternate city and neighborhood names that are used frequently. For instance, Metrowest or Back Bay is a good example of neighborhood names in the Boston metro area. By optimizing the content on a web site with these alternate names, business owners increase the chance that their web site will be found for these local search terms as well.
Google Maps
Google’s local search service is Google Maps. When looking for a local product or service using Google Maps, web users typically type a local search phrase like “fence contractor Wellesley ma” in the large search box at the top of the Google Map page. Organic local search results appear in the left panel of the page and as markers on the map. When available, Local Business Ads appear above and beneath the organic search listings. Clicking on the marker or the title of a local organic search listing or the marker on the map, opens up an Info Window on top of the map.
The Info Window displays the business name and address and various other links to provide the Web user with additional information about the business. The links include “More Info”, which brings up a local business listing from the Local Business Center, “Get Directions,” “Street View” (where available), “Save to My Maps,” and a “Send” link, allowing users to send business info to an email address or mobile phone. Users will still be able to click through the business web site if they wish. The Info Window links allow users to gather more information about a business, without clicking through to the business web site and also accommodates businesses that do not have a web site.
Local 10-Box
The Local 10-box is a map with 10 local organic business listings that typically show up at the top of Google.com’s main search results as a result of Universal of “blended” search when a user performs a search with a local modifier, e.g. “fence contractor framingham ma”. The local organic business listings are pulled from the Google Maps organic search results any time a user does a search that Google recognizes as local. Having a business listing appear in the Local 10-box is important because it gets much more exposure then even a number 1 spot in the regular organic Web search results. However, there are a number of cases where a search with a local modifier does not seem to invoke Google’s Local 10-box under Universal search, so local search engine optimization for a top ranking in the main organic Web search results is still important.
Local Organic Business Listings Optimization
Local search engine optimization begins with establishing or updating a local business listing at the Google Local Business Center. Every business needs to claim their listing in Google’s Local Business Center so that they take advantage of the free local online visibility these listings provide and to be sure that the information that is presented in those listings is correct.
After registration has been completed, Google will send a postcard with an activation code to the business mailing address, which then needs to be returned to the Local Business Center before the business listing is accepted. Once Google has received the postcard, it will take about six weeks before the listing is added to the search index to appear in the local search results. In the meantime, business owners and local marketers can continue to use the Local Business Center to update and refine their business information.
Ranking Factors
The exact factors that determine whether an organic local business listing appears in the Local 10-box are rarely agreed upon. However, registration of the business information at the Google Local Business Center is mandatory for a local business listing to appear in the organic search results on Google Maps and in the Local 10-box. When there are only a few businesses providing a certain type of service in a particular area, a business listing may automatically appear in the Local 10-box and in the organic search results on Google Maps. But when many similar businesses compete in larger metropolitan areas, it is much harder to get a listing in the Local 10-box.
Below are a number of factors that seem to play a role in the algorithm that ranks the organic local listings at Google Maps and in the Local 10-box:
|
|
A business listing must have been established by the business at the Local Business Center |
|
|
Proximity of the business location to the city and/or center of the city |
|
|
Positive reviews and the number of reviews |
|
|
Number of “local” links pointing to the web site |
|
|
Relevant keywords, locality and neighborhood names in the business name and content of the local business listing and the business category the local business listing is listed in |
|
|
Overall organic search engine optimization status of the web site such as its “crawlability,” keywords in the page titles and copy of the web site, and the local business address in text format on the all pages of the web site |
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Speaking Engagements
Marlboro Chamber of Commerce
April 7, 2009 -
7:30-9:00 am
Marlboro Chamber Office, Marlboro, Massachusetts
"Building Brand Visibility, Sales and Leads with Local Search and Digital Assets Optimization"
Presenter: Louise Rijk
Click here to learn more.
Past Presentations
WebmasterWorld PubCon 2008
Las Vegas
“Integrating Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) into the Advertising Mix”
Presenter: Louise Rijk, Vice President of Marketing and Sales
Click here to play the presentation
128 Business Expo 2008
The Westin Waltham-Boston Hotel
"Using Social Media to Connect with Prospects and Customers"
Presenter: Louise Rijk, Vice-President of Marketing and Sales
Click here to play the video.
495/MetroWest Business Expo
Sheraton Framingham Hotel
Pre-Expo Keynote Presentation
“A Strategic Approach to Integrated Marketing”
Presenter: Louise Rijk, Vice-President of Marketing and Sales
Click here to play the video.
Bentley College, 2008 - Waltham, MA
“Planning and Integrating a Targeted Internet Marketing Campaign”
Click here to play the video.
WebmasterWorld Pubcon 2007 - Las Vegas, NV
“Planning and Integrating a Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) Campaign”
Click here to play the video.
BizAction 2007 - Washington DC
"Email, Social Media and Search in the Overall Marketing Mix"
Click here to play the audio.
128 Business Expo 2007
"Blogging and Podcasting For Business"
Click here to play the video.
495/Metrowest Business Expo
Pre-Expo Keynote
"The Rise of the Internet as a Mass Advertising Medium"
Click here to play the video.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
If you would like more information on Internet Marketing, Consulting, Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing and Email Marketing, please
click here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Copyright © 1996-2009. Advanced Media Productions, Inc.
Advanced Media Productions, Inc.
251 West Central St., Suite 28, Natick, Massachusetts 01760, USA
Tel: 508-647-5151 Fax: 508-647-5150
E-mail: info@advmediaproductions.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
