Get on that Map: Local SEO Best Practices

Get on that Map: Local SEO George Freitag SEO Strategist @number1george

#PortentU

#PortentU Get on that Map

bit.ly/is-it-local


About me.

(picture by @flashmurphy)



2 Years at Portent 6 Years Web Consulting 1000+ Small Businesses Various internal and external trainings

About me.

What We’ll Talk About


•  Why Local SEO is Important

•  Most Important Profiles

•  Directories and Citations

•  Reviews

But first…

#PortentU Get on that Map What it’s like as a small

business owner


YOU THE INTERNET

Local to the Rescue!


You can outrank big companies


Local Co. (yay)

Big Bank (boo!)

You can show up for super popular terms


•  20 - 30% of desktop searches have local intent

•  40 - 66% of mobile searches have local intent

•  Mobile searches will overtake desktop in 2015

•  88% of consumers who search for a local business visit it within 24 hours.

Local SEO Rules


Local SEO Sucks


•  Different places show different results

•  Different factors for different markets

•  Constantly changing •  Influenced by location

•  Listings get duplicated

•  Listings get deleted

Local SEO is not just for SEO!


On-site SEO


Not going over basics


•  Relevant Content

•  Keyword Research

•  Code

•  Links

None of that here.

What do you mean by Local?


20

We want to get here.

21

And here.

22

Also here.

23

And here.

24

Don’t forget here.

On-SEO for Local


•  Title Tag

•  Contact Information

•  Location pages for each storefront

•  Links to Social/Review Sites

Basic Elements

26

Recommended Title Tag

Homepage Title: Business Name - Keyword, City

Internal Pages Title: Keyword, City - Business Name

27

Recommended Title Tag

Basically, this:

28

Don’t scan your menu!!

Phone Number


•  Phone Number goes on every page

•  Be careful of tracking numbers •  Make sure that Google

is indexing the local number, not the tracking number

Location Page


•  If you have multiple locations, each storefront should have its own page

•  Title tag for each location

page should target only that area.

Location Page


•  Location page should have full address listed as it is in other online directories.

•  (This is called the N.A.P.)

. Knowing your N.A.P. Getting Consistent


N.A.P.

#PortentU Get on that Map Name

Address Phone (Website too.) Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque 1727 Brooklyn Ave Kansas City, MO 64127 (816) 231-1123 http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com

N.A.P.

#PortentU Get on that Map Why is the NAP

important? Search engines use the number of NAP is mentions as a metric for trust and popularity An incorrect NAP may mean the search engine won’t count the mention An incorrect NAP can cause duplicate locations

Business Profiles


•  Fill these out 100%

•  Monitor them

•  Check on them frequently

36

Traditional Local Result

37

When you hover, info appears

38

Reviews are shown in popup

39

Carousel Local Result

40

SERP for Business Name

…it takes to you to a SERP for the business name

WHERE IS GOOGLE GETTING ALL THIS FROM?


+ Local

Places for Businesses

aka

aka

My Business

44

Here is where it lives.

45

But you can’t get to that.

You’re Optimizing for

this

46

But you can’t get to that.

47

Old Places Dashbaord

48

google.com/business

49

Google My Business Dashboard

Edit Your

Info

50


51


Official Business Name

(No Keywords)

Move your Map Pin

Use PHONE BOOK number (not tracking number)

Website or Location Page (Depending on how many locations you have)

52


Fill out all fields

People respond to PHOTOS more than LOGOS

Write a brief, unique description

Check your work

Gross.

z If you don’t choose a photo Google will choose one for you.

54

z Make a status update on G+

55

z Insights

Insights


57

z Insights

58

z Reviews

59

z Reviews

Respond!

60

z Reviews

“Thank you! Glad you we were able to help you!”

“I’m sorry you had such a bad experience.”

Or

61

z Reviews

62

z Google Analytics & YouTube

Google Local Tips


•  Make sure everything is filled out

•  You can’t be in the carousel without a picture

•  If you’re competitor has something in

their Knowledge Graph box that you don’t, you need to add it to yours

•  Don’t use microsites. Seriously. Don’t. Ever.

64

z Google Map Maker

65

z Delete Duplicates

Click Edit

66

z Always explain

67

z Edit your business info

Add Aliases

Specify Suite/Floor no.

68

z Always explain

Always Explain

How to get approved in Map Maker


•  It’s like Wikipedia – you have to use it a lot •  Approve lots of changes to build your

profile •  Be polite (“please and thank you”) •  Use preferred categories •  Follow directions •  If you have to, you can try asking for help in

the forum.

70

z The Other Place

z The Other Place

Why Yelp?


•  132 Million Monthly Users

•  74,000 Business Accounts

•  57 Million Reviews

•  Largest Age Group on Yelp: 35-54 (36.4%)

h$p://expandedramblings.com/index.php/yelp-‐sta:s:cs/

Why Yelp?

#PortentU Get on that Map Reason #1: Apple uses it.

Why Yelp?

#PortentU Get on that Map Reason #2: Bing uses it.

75

z biz.yelp.com

76

z Yelp Business

77

z Yelp Business

78

Lead Calculator

Yelp Reviews


Yelp Reviews


•  Strictest Filter Ever

•  Low level users usually are blocked

If reviews are blocked


82

z View Rejected Reviews

Click here

83

z Low level users get blocked

Use these on your site

84

z Don’t try to trick Yelp

Yelp Tips



•  Upload lots of high-quality pictures •  Don’t try to trick it

•  Manage Duplicates

86

www.bingplaces.com

87

Bing Places

88

Bing Places

89

Bing Places

Goal: 100%

90

Here’s where Bing Places lives.

Official Business Name

Move your Map Pin

91

Specify Social Networks

Bing Places Tips



•  Upload lots of high-quality pictures •  Manage Duplicates

93

z Foursquare

Why Foursquare?


•  Primary provider for most Check-in Apps

•  Recently struck a deal with Microsoft to

power Windows and Mobile location data

•  If you think you get any visibility from check-in apps, use Foursquare

95

z Facebook

Why Facebook?


•  Increased visibility on Facebook

•  May be the provider for Instagram in the future

•  High visibility within Facebook

•  Reviews contained to Facebook

97

z If you’re located in another business

Located inside

another Place

98

z If you’re located in another business

Choose existing

Facebook page

Other places?


•  Search your business

•  Search your service

•  Identify directories that show up a lot

Anywhere Else?


(Used with permission from @davidmihm; moz.com/local.)


?

103

z Yext.com

Free Business

Scanner

104

z Yext Business Scanner

105


106


Click “view listing” to

change

107

z Moz Local Free Tool

Pick the most accurate

108


109


Moz Local Free Tool

See what’s off

111


Check for duplicates

Local Data Providers


Local Data Providers

•  Localeze Neustar

•  Infogroup

•  Yext

•  Acxiom

•  Factual

Yext Powerlistings


Yext Paid Pros

•  $199-$499/Year

•  Direct Feeds into directories

•  Very fast

•  Changes many directories only it has access to

115

z Yext PowerListing Dashboard


Yext Cons

•  Expensive

•  Doesn’t hit all directories

•  Reverts if you cancel

Yext Powerlistings

117

z Moz Local Paid

Moz Local Paid


Moz Local Paid Pros

•  $49/Year

•  Feeds to other data providers –  Localeze Neustar

–  Acxiom

–  Infogroup

–  Factual

•  Monitors duplicates

119

z Moz Local Submits via a CSV

120

z bit.ly/ez-moz-local

Moz Local Paid


Moz Local Paid Cons

•  Slower since it goes through data

providers

•  You may still need to claim listings if they’re claimed by someone else

•  Neustar and Acxiom revert if you cancel

Learn the most important directories for your area

moz.com/learn/local/ citations-by-city

Advanced Search


Use advanced searches to find inconsistencies

•  site:example.com •  "phone number" •  " website.com" •  " business name " •  -site:example

Combine them •  -site:example.com "phone number"

124

z Search for a phone number

"(206) 242-2828"


125

z Search for mentions of your site

-inurl:gyrogeorge.com "georgesgyros.com"


R EVIEWS GETTING REVIEWS AND MENTIONS REVIEWS? REVIEWS!

Why are Reviews Important?


People Trust Them



They tend to rank higher



They can make or break you

Getting reviews


HOW DO I GET GOOD REVIEWS ?


BY PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL AND MEMORABLE SERVICE


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


REVIEW TIPS


DON’T DO THESE

•  Put review computer/station in business

•  Fake reviews

•  Ask 3rd party to review

•  Get a ton of reviews at once

•  Incentivize reviews

135

z REMEMBER.

Review Tips


Asking for Reviews In Person

•  Thank customers for purchase •  Ask in person

•  Follow up phone calls

Review Tips


Signs on your counter

138

z Review Handout

Asking For Reviews


(No one ever clicks on these)

Asking For Reviews Online


Review Button

“Barnacle” Reviews


Review other businesses as your Google page to get more visibility.

143

z How to use G+ as a business


144



Use as business

145



146

z Write your review as a business


147

z Host a Yelp Elite Event

148

z Email reminders and thank yous


mailchimp.com

149

z Always include social links in emails


Social and Reviews


•  Thank customers for purchase

•  Send customers to review pages through social

•  Follow up with customers after the purchase

•  Identify influencers

•  Continue to provide outstanding service

151

z Find your community

Local SEO in 4 Steps


Have a focused website Fill out the right profiles Work with directory listings Have a review strategy


It’s not about getting people

to your website,

You’re getting people to your

doorstep.

Local SEO

Prepared by

George Freitag SEO Strategist @number1george bit.ly/is-it-local

Thank Portent, Inc. 506 2nd Ave. Suite 1700 Seattle. WA 98104-2354 | Tel: 206.576.3740

YOU.


Get on that Map: Local SEO Best Practices

Marketing

Transcript of Get on that Map: Local SEO Best Practices