WSI Webworks Blog - Web Design, Search Engine Marketing | Greenville, SC » Local Search

Location-based Marketing Tips

Doug Fowler — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:14:06 +0000

When it comes to location-based marketing and leveraging this new phenomenon of “so-lo-mo”, it can get complicating if you don’t know what you’re doing. Here are a few tips that will help you get started:

Learn how location-based services work. First things first; your company must understand how location-based services work –not the nittygritty technology aspect, but generally how people use location-based apps on their phones to “check in” whenever they go places. Essentially, global positioning satellites (GPS) locate the users and determine where they may be, thus providing options to select a location or create a new listing. Once a person “checks in”, their friends will know where they are at that moment or where they regularly visit. Through these apps, businesses can share promotions or special discounts so that people who “check in” will receive notifications of deals that are physically nearby. Location-based technology work on networks called “social location platforms” or “social location services”.
Learn about the platforms. There are many different platforms out there. Now that your company is looking at the opportunity of location-based marketing, it’s your job to become familiar with these platforms, learn which ones your target audience is on and decide how best to leverage them for your business. Before launching any sort of campaign, sign up for the networks, download the apps to your phone and learn how a person would use each platform.
Determine your goals. Playing with the app on your own mobile phone may entice you to get started with location-based services right away. But take a step back and think about the goals you want to achieve.
- Are you looking to increase foot traffic?
- Do you have an offer you want to promote?
- Are you trying to increase sales?
- Do you want to attract new customers?
Create a presence on the social location networks. Once you select your networks (by evaluating which ones your customers are actually on), it’s time to create your presence. Ensure your business is listed on all relevant social location networks and remember to validate the address, phone number and other contact details to ensure they are correct and up-to-date. Depending on the platform, you may be able to update your contact details yourself. For some, you may have to contact the network for help if you don’t have access to edit your listing.

Location-based Marketing –The Buzz Around So-Lo-Mo

Doug Fowler — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:06:59 +0000

With sites like Foursquare, Gowalla, and Yelp growing in popularity, people are connecting, sharing, interacting, meeting up and recommending places based on their location. For this reason, many businesses are starting to incorporate location-based marketing techniques in their strategy –a smart move considering a lot of other companies (likely your competitors) are thinking along the same lines.

According to eMarketer, location-based ad revenues worldwide will reach $6.2 billion by 2015, consuming 35% of total mobile ad revenues. This is a considerable increase over 5 years (from the $588 million spent in 2010) as you can see from the chart above. With this in mind, perhaps now is a good time for your company to take a look at location-based marketing and see how it can fit with your overall strategy.

The term “so-lo-mo” is popping up in our vocabulary, but what does it mean?

It’s the convergence of social media, local search and mobile marketing as a method of creating personal engagement with customers. When done correctly, so-lo-mo can help your company reach the right person, in the right place, at the right time. The idea of “checking in” has become the next big thing in social media. People are now sharing their whereabouts with the world. But why? What are some things that would motivate people (specifically your customers) to check in to your business? Here are some reasons:

Fun and games –Many “check in” programs are actually games that allow participants to earn virtual points, and people take part in them just for the fun of it.
Connecting with friends –A lot of “check in” applications allow your friends and connections to see your activity; often times the idea is to facilitate face-to-face encounters with your friends.
Recommending places they like –People also like to recommend and promote the places they like. Endorsing a good place and sharing opinions is another reason people “check in”.
Freebies and discounts –If not for the games or the ability to connect with friends and share feedback, people will “check in” to receive free offers and special discounts. This is a sure-fire way to encourage your customers to tell the world where they are.

Mobile Local Search and Location-based Marketing

Doug Fowler — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:02:30 +0000

Mobile local search is a technology that allows people to access the Internet on a mobile device to search for local businesses and services. According to eMarketer, an estimated 91 million US consumers will use the Internet on a mobile device at least monthly by the end of 2011, and research shows that much of the searches will be for local content (Mobile Users Expand Their Search Habits, eMarketer, August 1, 2011). This means businesses have an opportunity to reach local customers, who are potentially searching for their products or services on their mobile devices.

Having a mobile-friendly website is an important step in the right direction when it comes to launching an effective mobile marketing strategy. But what’s the next step?

Like any standard website you launch, to ensure success you must follow it with a well-designed search engine marketing strategy. What good is a website if you’re not driving any traffic to it? The same is true in the mobile world. A good mobile local search strategy will bring traffic to your business.

Mobile Search Marketing Tips

Mobile SEO is a term that’s becoming more and more popular as businesses realize the importance of generating traffic to their mobile websites. Here are 5 mobile search marketing tips to keep in mind.

Practice basic on-page optimization techniques. Though SEO for mobile websites is different than a standard website, there are a few basic principles that you can apply. Some basic on-page optimization techniques that should be kept in mind are title tag optimization, meta tag optimization, heading tags and URL optimization.
Make it easy for people to visit your mobile site. Typically, mobile searches are performed on a 3G connection by people who are on the move. If your web pages take too long to load, people will likely hit the “Back” button and try a different website. If your site doesn’t contain the most important information front and center, then people will try another site. Including features like click-to-map or click-to-call telephone numbers are good ways to make it easy for people to contact your business and drive foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar store.
Don’t neglect to create a mobile sitemap. By creating a mobile sitemap, you will be giving mobile crawlers a hand in discovering new content on your site. Also, remember to include a link to this new sitemap in your Robots.txt file.
Submit your site to mobile search engines. This is a “must do” in order to have your mobile site indexed at all. Some major mobile search engines to consider are:
1. Google XHTML http://www.google.com/xhtml
2. Google Mobile http://www.google.com/mobile/
3. Yahoo! Mobile http://mobile.yahoo.com/search
4. MSN/Bing http://home.mobile.live.com/Home.mvc
5. AOL Mobile http://mobile.aolsearch.com
6. ABPHONE http://www.abphone.com Google Mobile http://www.google.com/mobile/
Claim your Place page. This is especially important for local businesses. In order to ensure a map shows up with the location of your business at the top of the universal results page on a smartphone, you must claim your place page (Google Places, Bing Business Portal, etc.)

Top 6 SEO Myths – Updated

Doug Fowler — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:35:41 +0000

I am continually frustrated by how much misinformation there is out there regarding SEO. In many cases, the information is blatantly wrong and in other cases it is just being misapplied.

Most business owners and executives are not savy SEO experts. They all know that this “SEO thing” is important to their business so most are open to learning more.

In an effort to improve our knowledge I thought I would review some common misconceptions.

You must have Meta Keywords to boost your organic rankings. This is not true, Meta Keywords no longer have any real value in boosting your rankings. Google doesn’t even consider them in their ranking algorithm that includes well over 100 different factors. Take Away: If someone is speaking to you about the value of meta keywords, this a red flag that they really do not know what they are talking about.
Google Page Rank directly impacts your site’s keyword rankings. There is evidence that Page Rank is positively correlated with rankings on Google.com. However, the degree of correlation is not overwhelming. Page Rank should simply be viewed as a benchmark indicator of Google’s view of the importance of your site. I regularly see sites with lower Page Rank that rank higher than competing sites with a higher PR. Take Away: Don’t get hung up on PR. It’s a nice number to look at occasionally but focus your efforts on converting your site visitors to customers.
“Our SEO is endorsed / approved by Google.“ Google clearly states that they do not endorse any SEO companies. Companies can be Google Certified in certain Google products, such as Adwords or Analytics. However, these certifications are NOT for SEO. Take Away: In Google’s words “Beware of SEO’s that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a “special relationship” with Google, or advertise a “priority submit” to Google. Read more from Google on SEO.
Guaranteed Rankings. There really is no such thing as guaranteed search engine rankings when you’re dealing with natural search results. Google states on their on site that “No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.” Read more from Google. Take Away: Any company or individual that promises ‘Guaranteed Rankings’ should treated with extreme caution.
SEO is a one-time activity you complete and are then done with. How many times have you heard someone say “We actually just finished SEO’ing our site”? SEO is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that must be actively managed. Do you think your competitors are going to do a little work and then stop? As competition online becomes more heated, it is essential that companies engage in an ongoing SEO program. Take Away: If you’re serious about promoting your business online, then SEO should be a standard component of your marketing plan.
Spending money on Google Adwords boosts your natural results. It is understandable to believe that spending money on paid ads with Google will somehow affect your organic / natural rankings. However, it is not true. Google has stated repeatedly that paid ads have no bearing on organic search result, yet this myth continues to live on. Running paid ads in conjunction with an SEO program can certainly be a good thing. It can give you increased visibility which can lead to higher click through rates, more natural inbound links. etc. Take Away: Incorporate a PPC campaign as part your overall online marketing strategy but don’t expect it to have any impact on your SEO efforts.

SEO can be a very confusing subject to the average business person. However, that doesn’t mean that you should ignore it. My advice is to do some research and find a reputable SEO company to partner with…get a basic understanding of their approach to SEO, talk with their clients, and verify results they have achieved.

Mobile Search Continues to Increase – Are You Ready?

Doug Fowler — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:01:40 +0000

According to new research from comScore, on the State of Local Business Search, search on mobile phones is growing. The study found that 22% of U.S. mobile phone users searched on their phone in January 2011. That’s an 8% increase from the 16% who reported searching via mobile in January 2010.

Not only are more people searching from their mobile phone, the frequency of mobile search is increasing, too. The report found that of those conducting a search on their mobile device, 27% reported searching at least once a week, 43% reported searching 1-3 times per month, and 20% reported searching almost every day. According to the report, 73% of users are conducting search via a browser on their phone, and 56% conduct search using an app.

Further, 33% of mobile users are accessing local content, demonstrating that the rise of local search is not only for desktop users. One of the most popular types of information that users are looking for is maps.

So What?

Well, when it comes to marketing your local business online, this research underscores the importance of two key things:

Having a mobile friendly site for your business so it can show up in local search.
Optimizing your business’s Google Places page so that it will rank well in Google maps search.

Do you have a mobile optimized site for your business? Is your Google Places page optimized?

10 Guidelines to Optimize Your Google Places Listing

Doug Fowler — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:20:27 +0000

Its now more important than ever for businesses to claim their Google Place, complete their company profile and ensure they have a well-optimized site with relevant, localized content to ensure strong visibility. Here are 10 things you can do to optimize your Google Place listing.

Step 1 – Make sure you select relevant Place categories
Step 2 – Use long and short tail keywords and avoid duplication
Step 3 – Create customized fields and complete business descriptions using relevant keywords
Step 4 – Integrate photos and videos into your listing
Step 5 – Fill out every applicable field possible, including hours of operation, payment methods and your service area
Step 6 – Use Google Places Posts to keep information current
Step 7 – Encourage online customer reviews
Step 8 – Respond to reviews through Google Places
Step 9 - Make sure your Google Places flag is in the correct spot on the map
Step 10 – Add coupons and experiment with Google Tags

The Benefits of PPC Advertising

Doug Fowler — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:33:46 +0000

PPC has several advantages that make it arguably the ideal form of advertising in today’s environment. Despite the search engine or network used, PPC brings certain common benefits for businesses large and small.

The first of these advantages is speed to market. While it can take several months for search engine optimization to bear fruit, it takes only hours for a PPC campaign to start bringing in new, qualified customers to a Web site. Consider traditional methods of marketing. Display ads in newspapers and magazines, direct mail, television and radio, all have significant lead times before securing results.

Another characteristic of PPC is the ability to create a level playing field for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs. With the best keyword selection and ad placement, small businesses can have their ads appear right above or just below larger competitors or even national chains on search engine result pages without having to take on significantly larger costs.

PPC advertising also gives businesses complete control over what potential customers see in search results as well as the ability to direct visitors to specific pages on their Web sites that are geared toward meeting a particular audience’s needs. 1

So-called micro- or geo-targeting gives advertisers the ability to use effective keyword research and demographic selection to target desired audiences far more precisely than other forms of advertising.

In addition, PPC gives advertisers complete control over their advertising budgets. Effective campaigns can be designed to spend anywhere from a few dollars to millions of dollars a day. Moreover, metrics, such as search volume/impressions for keyword phrases, traffic per ad generated, conversions per ad variation or keyword phrase, and other statistics give advertisers the ability to adjust their programs daily, if necessary, to reallocate spending toward higher performing ads taking into account their needs for sales leads and available funds. 2

Finally, PPC can serve as an important market research tool, as it highlights precisely the keywords and phrases that attract the best prospects and sales. It also enables advertisers to easily identify new market trends. For example, sudden surges in the number of searches on a given keyword can reflect world events or added media attention. This information can help businesses position themselves to make the most of market trends and new opportunities as they develop. 3

1 Kreski, Don (2009) “Pay-per-click Advertising” Sound & Video Contractor, 27:4, p20-23
2 Whitson, Patrick. “Local Internet Marketing – Most Important Way To Market Your Business” Lapeer Website Marketing (October 21, 2010)
3 Whitson, Patrick. “Local Internet Marketing – Most Important Way To Market Your Business” Lapeer Website Marketing (October 21, 2010)

5 Common Misconceptions About SEO

Doug Fowler — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:43:23 +0000

I am continually frustrated by how much misinformation there is out there regarding SEO. It seems like every week I have a client ask me about the latest tidbit they were told or read about. In many cases, the information is blatantly wrong and in other cases it is just being misapplied.

Most business owners and executives are not savy SEO experts. They all know that this “SEO thing” is important to their business so most are open to learning more.

In an effort to improve our knowledge I thought I would review some common misconceptions.

You must have Meta Keywords to boost your organic rankings. This is not true, Meta Keywords no longer have any real value in boosting your rankings. Three years ago, they had some relevance but not any more. Take Away: If someone is speaking to you about the value of meta keywords, this a red flag that they really do not know what they are talking about.
Google Page Rank directly impacts your site’s keyword rankings. There is evidence that Page Rank is positively correlated with rankings on Google.com. However, the degree of correlation is not overwhelming. Page Rank should simply be viewed as a benchmark indicator of Google’s view of the importance of your site. I regularly see sites with lower Page Rank that rank higher than competing sites with a higher PR. Take Away: Don’t get hung up on PR. It’s a nice number to look at occasionally but focus your efforts on converting your site visitors to customers.
“Our SEO is endorsed / approved by Google.” Google clearly states that they do not endorse any SEO companies. Companies can be Google Certified in certain Google products, such as Adwords or Analytics. However, these certifications are NOT for SEO. Take Away: In Google’s words “Beware of SEO’s that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a “special relationship” with Google, or advertise a “priority submit” to Google. Read more from Google on SEO.
Linking out to other sites helps your rank better. I suspect there may be some small, positive effects of linking out to relevant, quality sites for SEO. Google probably considers outbound links in some form or fashion, but I have seen no real evidence that it’s a significant ranking factor. Providing links to other useful sites is good for your visitors and you should do it where it makes sense. However, getting quality, inbound links to your site is very important in determining how your site ranks. Take Away: Focus on getting other high quality, related sites to link to your site.
SEO is a one-time activity you complete and are then done with. How many times have you heard someone say “We actually just finished SEOing our site”? It drives me nuts. SEO is ongoing process that must be actively managed. Do you think your competitors are going to do a little work and then stop? As competition online becomes more heated, it is essential that companies engage in an ongoing SEO program. Take Away: If you’re serious about promoting your business online, then SEO should be a standard component of your marketing plan.

Recent Launch of Facebook Deals Boosts Mobile Marketing Potential for Businesses

Doug Fowler — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 00:19:15 +0000

Take notice of the latest smartphone application to hit the stage! Released in the U.S approximately 6 weeks ago - and more recently launched in Canada - Facebook Deals aims to connect consumers to discounts offered at nearby businesses. Subsequently, the application also allows businesses to actively insert themselves into their customers’ Facebook conversations.

While the service is limited to iPhone and Android users at the moment, it will eventually be extended to all cell phones. Inevitably, all small businesses across North America will be able to create a Facebook Deal and actively leverage mobile marketing techniques. This is definitely a tool to keep your eye on as more and more businesses adopt it into their advertising strategy.

How does Facebook Deal Work?

Through the Facebook application, Places, users first identify their location. Facebook Deals then notifies the user of the discounts that are available in the immediate vicinity.

Facebook Deals are only delivered to Facebook users who have indicated they “like” a particular business. They can then pass the deal on to their friends, thereby creating online word-of-mouth promotion for the company.

Several major retailers have already jumped onboard this mobile marketing strategy, some of which include Indigo, Telus, and H&M. It’s only a matter of time until small businesses also start to create their own Facebook Deals. Stay tuned for more developments on this exciting new mobile marketing tool.

Google Local Search Continues To Evolve

Doug Fowler — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:01:38 +0000

In it’s effort to continually provide better search results, Google is once again changing way search results are displayed for Local searches. An example of a local search would be ‘plumber greenville sc’.

Previously, Google Places listings (formerly Google Maps) were display in an abbreviated version next to a Google Map. This week, we are starting to see search results for local business in a new display. The Google Map can now be found in the upper right corner of a search result page (see image below).

In addition, Google is now displaying much more information, such as images, on each local listing and the format is very similar to the organic results that are shown below the top seven Google Place results. The Local search algorithm is also changing and it is evident that two key factors are the physical location of your business, as well as having a strong website that is optimized for local search results.

Previously, you would see businesses listed in the Google Map results that may not even have a website. We are seeing that many of those businesses are no longer listed in the top results. In addition, they will now find it almost impossible to maintain a listing without a well developed and locally optimized website. This is good news if you have been engaged in local search engine optimization.

From an SEO perspective, we’re seeing businesses that previously had a high organic ranking on page 1 may now be pushed to page 2. The new page one results for local searches are showing the Top 7 Google Places along with the top 6 organic results. So if you were previously listed in position 7-10 on the first page, it is possible that you may now find yourself on page 2 if you are not optimizing for local search results.