Local search 2014

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Local Search 2014

Presented by:Kristopher B. JonesFounder, LSEO.com

Chairman, Internet Marketing Ninjas


About me

• Founded Pepperjam; Sold to eBay Enterprises in 2009

• Founded LSEO.com – local SEO Software for small businesses. Sign up for FREE at www.lseo.com

• Chairman at Internet Marketing Ninjas• Author of SEO Visual Blueprint• Angel Investor in 15 companies• 3 kiddos; 3 Bulldogs, 14 Koi Fish; Tesla Owner


Outline of presentation

• Getting Found– Top Ranking Factors– Helpful tools and resources

• Winning the Customer– Trust and Influence– Consumption of Online Reviews– Useful tips for getting good reviews


Getting Found: Ranking FactorsGoogle+ Local

• Setup Google+ Local page• Verify your business with Google• Optimize Your About Page• Optimize Your Photos Section (10+ photos)• Optimize Your Videos Section (2+ videos)• Grow / Engage your circle (content, contests,

etc.)


Getting Found: Ranking FactorsLocal Listings

• Get listed in directories across the Web and unique to your service / product area of expertise

• Popular directories include G+, Yelp, CitySearch, Yahoo Local, Best of the Web Local, ReferLocal, and Facebook

• Remove inconsistent Name, Address, Phone (NAP) info

• Remove duplicate listings


Getting Found: Ranking FactorsOnline Reviews

• Critical to your local search ranking and online success; We’ll talk more about this in a second.

• Most important are Google+ and Yelp• Google looks at both quantity and “velocity” to

rank• Google also looks at customer “sentiment,”

especially if you have overly negative reviews


Getting Found: Ranking FactorsSocial Media

• Your business needs to be active on both Facebook (via a business page) and Twitter (via a business handle)

• You should post no less than 3 times per day; it’s ok to duplicate content across platforms

• Social Media trumps every other medium to engage and serve your customers.


Getting Found: Ranking FactorsBusiness Website

• Build your website into a resource center for your area of expertise in your community

• Localize all of your content; Use local keywords• Optimize metatags w/ local terms• Link to your social media and listings• NAP placement across site (same local # as

listings)• Hours of Operation; create location pages


Helpful Tools and Resources

• Listing Services – Yext; Moz Local; Yahoo Local; WhiteSpark

• SEO Tools – BrightLocal; Google Webmaster Tools; Google Analytics

• Social Media Tools – Hootsuite; sproutsocial; Buffer• Guided “Do it Yourself” – LSEO.com• Continuing Education: Search Engine Land; Search

Engine Watch; Search Engine Journal


Winning the Customer:Consumption of Online Reviews (Search

Usage)• Nearly 60% have searched

online for a local business more than 6 times / year

• 39% have searched online for local businesses at least 1 time per month

• 15% have searched online for a local business almost every day


Winning the Customer:Consumption of Online Reviews (Search

Behavior)• More people are searching for

more types of businesses in 2014 vs 2013

• Year over year more people are searching online for a wider range of business types than they were 12 months ago.

• Across almost all business types the number of people searching for that type of business went up.


Winning the Customer:Consumption of Online Reviews

(Frequency)• Almost 9 out of 10

consumers have looked at reviews in the last 12 months to help them make a decision on a local business

• Only 12% reported not looking at reviews


Winning the Customer:Consumption of Online Reviews (Business

Type)• Bottom line - More

consumers are reading online reviews for more types of local businesses

• Year on year there is a significant increase in the quantity of reviews being read per consumer for different business types.


Winning the Customer:Trust & Influence (Quantity of Reviews)• Consumers are reading more

reviews than in the past• 85% of consumers say they

read up to 10 reviews• You should shoot for no less

than 10 reviews• Most recent 10 reviews

should express positive sentiment; Manage out “negative” reviews


Winning the Customer:Trust & Influence (Sentiment of

Reviews)• Over 90% of users will use a

local business if it has a 4 star rating.

• 72% of consumers will use a local business if it has a 3 star rating.

• Less than 30% will use a local business with a 2 star rating or lower

• Businesses with lower ratings miss out on attracting new customers


Winning the Customer:Trust & Influence (Impact on Opinion)

• Nearly 75% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more

• Positive reviews have a great effect on the perceived trustworthiness of a local business

• You can’t afford to let your online reputation slip as any negativity will directly impact customer acquisition & revenue


Winning the Customer:Trust & Influence (Consumer

Action)• Nearly 60% of consumers will

visit a local business website after reading a positive review

• 72% of consumers will take some sort of action after reading a positive review

• Review reading is one of the final stages in the purchase path and has a direct impact on converting would-be-customers into real customers.


Winning the Customer:Importance of Reputation

• Reliability is #1 most important reputation trait for a local business

• Expertise and professionalism are #2

• Whenever possible (website, G+ page, PPC, email, phone) you should highlight the reliability, expertise & professionalism of your business

• Note that things like “Friendliness,” “Localness,” and Value matter less


Winning the Customer:Useful Tips for Getting Reviews

• Ask your Raving Fans (provide step by step guide)• Leverage your social media followers• Run a “How are we doing?” Contest• Integrate ask into e-mail and direct mail

marketing• Hang signs in your place of business.• Ask friends and family to write reviews


THANK YOU!

• Let’s stay in touch…– Twitter - @krisjonescom – Facebook – facebook.com/kbjcapital– LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/internetceo– Google+ - +KristopherJones– Can’t get enough. LOL Get lost on KrisJones.com – Get your FREE Local SEO Score at LSEO.com

Local search 2014

Marketing

Transcript of Local search 2014