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Local Search for Australian Small Business
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Transcript of Local Search for Australian Small Business
Local Search
What Traditional In 2012
Helping new customers find you
Yellow Pages, local newspaper ads
Local search
Attracting new customers with introductory offers
mailbox drops, local newspaper ads
Social buying offers (groupon, cudo...)
Connecting & communicating with existing and former customers
newsletters Email newsletters, facebook, Twitter, Google+
Online sales Website, eBay (mostly dedicated online retailers)
custom apps, facebook stores, hybrid channel for bricks & mortar retailers
Our topic
Online Essentials for small business:
Google Places
What is local search?
• Local search is a search for a business where a well-defined location is a crucial part of the search result (suburb, street, locality)
What does it look like?
• When run from a browser, Google serves ads using the location, it provides a map with businesses and it lists place-specific business listings on the first page
On a phone, local results are even more emphasized.
The local search revolution
• Local search has rapidly become very important• This is due to the growth of smartphones, which
Are always with usAre always connected to the internetHave location tools (GPS and wifi)
Did you know that Google has a huge database of Wifi network names mapped to a GPS location? Even when your phone can’t get a GPS signal, it can tell Google what wifi networks are nearby, and Google can get a good location fix. It’s not necessary to be connected to those wifi networks.
Australia: A smartphone leader
• Australia has the 4th highest smartphone penetration in the world (behind HK, Singapore & Sweden)
• Among G20 countries, Australia is #1• Australia lagged behind in traditional
online commerce, so this is a big change
• Data compiled (a) December 2011, (b) April 2012• Source: (a) wired.com, (b) Economist
Australia
• Australia has been relatively slow to adopt online commerce
• But Australia has the leading smartphone penetration among the Top 20 economies (The G20)
Good things about local search
• It’s about businesses with addresses and a specific geographic focus (ie, real businesses)
• Local search is easy to get right, and levels the playing field: fancy websites don’t necessarily score well in local search. A simple, low-cost approach can do very well. Even without a website!
Even better ...
People use local search when they want to buy
Follow the money
• Google pays $1B to be the default search engine on iPads and iPhones
• Google invests billions in developing Android and giving it away for free
• Yellow Pages losing sales fast
“The easiest way to get a good Google ranking now is to leverage Google Places. ”
Eric Haaranen, Marketing Experthttp://ehaaranen.com/
Google Places in East Malvern(A locality in Melbourne)
• The following demonstrations are real searches made on an Android phone in March 2012
• Many businesses have automatically generated Google Places entries based on data provided by Sensis or other sources found by Google.
• These automatic Google Places entries hardly touch the potential of Google Places
Places: How it works
• I need to wash my car
• Be default, the phone looks locally
This demo manually specifies ‘near malvern east’: someone actually in East Malvern wouldn’t need to do this
Google Places: where does the data come from?
• Many businesses list in Google Places without having ‘claimed’ their own listing
• How? Google automatically searches for basic data
(mostly from Sensis listings)This works well for businesses with active
review sites (cafes, hotels) but is not optimised for most businesses
If you rely on auto-generated Places data...
• Sensis data (Yellow Pages): often not keyword-based
• Changes are slow to flow through (old business addresses and phone numbers can linger for more than a year)
• And what happens if you stop paying $$$ to Yellow Pages?
So, key advantages of claiming your own listing
• Better search results• More useful results (eg opening hours)• Data analysis tools• Reduced reliance on Yellow Pages• Advanced features (eg Local Offers)• Response to reviews• Better IP for when the times comes to sell
the businesses• Manual location correction if necessary
Keywords are king
• If a customer searches for words not in your business name, keyword searching becomes important
• Let’s test it in East Malvern ...
Flat tyre:No local hits because no local traders have keyword optimised.
Change oil
Another poor local result
Hats off to Ultra Tech motors, 69km away in Geelong. Ultra Tech Motors has an owner-registered Google Places site, with reviews and keywords. The business has a simple, effective SEO.
Car Cooling
• Fact: Car cooling is a common search term
• Car cooling shows no local hits
Car service
• A search for car service shows local traders.
• Why didn’t we see these results in the previous searches?
• Bad keyword optimisation.
• Solution: claim Google Places and do some keyword work
The role of reviews
• Users can filter results by average review
• Sites with more reviews get more attention and credibility
• Reviews seem to result in better search visibility
• Reviews seem to contribute to keyword matching
• In an owner-registered Places site, owners can respond to reviews
A good Places listing
Nice photos (smart size for a small-screen )
Some keyword optimisation (banana bread may seem an odd keyword, but
this cafe is well known for it)
The listing includes opening hours and reviews
A bonus: AnalyticsA ‘claimed’ listing gives access to useful analytic tools giving insights:
• local search results• Clicks• Main keywords
How to registerThe DIY option
• Create a free Google account for your businesshttps://accounts.google.com/Login(only if you don’t already have one)
• http://www.google.com.au/places/
• Enter your business phone number -- Google may be able to immediately validate your ownership of the business
DIY (2)
• Registration: if there is an existing listing, claim it
• VerificationIf the phone number verification doesn’t work,
Google will send a PIN in the mail (yes, snail mail) to the business address. Expect to wait two to three weeks. They come from Jamaica at present.
• You can set up the listing prior to verification, but it won’t go live
DIY (3)
• If you like video tutorials:• Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJFzsfhqz0o
Or you can get an expert to do it
• GrowthPath offers:• 1) Core Package: $250 (registration).• 2) Core + Keyword Optimisation Package:
$600• 3) Keyword Optimisation Package for
existing places $400• We can also arrange a photographerThe keyword packages mean we do keyword research and set it up. For best results, this should be followed up regularly
Advanced Local Search
An advanced local search approach looks at the role of • Reviews: Google is ok with you encouraging
reviews as long as no incentive is involved (like a referral)Are there other review sites relevant to your business?
• Your website• Your presence elsewhere on the web• Consistency in keywords, your address, your
business name
Contact GrowthPath
• To find out more:• Call GrowthPath on 03 8678 1850 and ask
for Tim Richardson • If you want a copy of these slides, please
email [email protected]
Opportunity-Based Growth
L1 368 Johnston St Abbotsford 3067
www.growthpath.com.au
GrowthPath
Opportunity-based growth• Growth through recognising opportunities
and responding quickly• The common thread is faster, more
effective use of information from your business and from your market
• We serve small and medium sized businesses
GrowthPath
Opportunity-based growth• Growth through recognising opportunities
and responding quickly• We offer CFO, marketing and
technological expertise. • The common thread is faster, more
effective use of information from your business and from your market
• We serve small and medium sized businesses
GrowthPath Capabilities
Tim Richardson
• Tim Richardson, CPA, is a CIO and CFO and IT guru with experience in Australia, Asia and Europe
Online Action Team
Linda Vydra (Associate)
• Fashion entrepreneur (lydra.com.au)
• Lydra launched in 2010; fast growth, now employs designers, production staff, interns and office staff.
• Social-media marketing and sales a key part of her success.
• Linda teaches the use of social media to business students at Holmesglen’s Business Enterprise Unit.
Online Action Team
Daniel Gundry (Associate)
• Dan is a white-hat search expert (SEO)
• Dan has helped Australian SMEs save thousands of dollars and get great sustained sales with SEO and online marketing. His clients include construction, professional services and retail
• Dan teaches SEO and online marketing at Holmesglen BEU