The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+Local

Lunch & Learn: The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+ Local

Presenter: Date: Location:

Jason Donaldson & Alex Peerenboom July 11th, 2012 Formic Media

Formic Team The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+ Local

• Launched in 2008 to service small business & partners

• Specializes in search, social and website development

• 100% of Account Team Google AdWords & Google Analytics Certified

• 7 employees & 45+ clients • Strategic partnerships (SEMA, AlphaGraphics,

etc.) • Focus on education via monthly Seminar Series

Agenda The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+ Local

• Local Search Overview

• Top Factors Affecting Local Search

• Google and Local SEO (Google+ Local)

• The Future of Local

Lunch & Learn The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+ Local

Local Search Overview

Local Search Overview The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+ Local

• Why is Local SEO so important? • Roughly 30% of all searches have local

intent (don’t believe the often cited 20%)

• Google says 40% of mobile searches have Local Intent; Microsoft cites 53%.


5,259,600,000 searches per MONTH have local intent!


• So what, what does that mean for you? • 50 million Google Place pages globally

• Only 4 million have been claimed globally

• 2 million in the US (out of roughly 25

million in the US)

Huge Potential and Opportunity!


• Requires a different mindset than traditional SEO

• Organic SEO is about optimizing websites/off-site factors

• Local SEO is about optimizing locations in addition to traditional organic optimization

• Local search has its own set of ranking factors


• Traditional SEO • Ranking algorithm consists of on-site SEO and

off-site (i.e. inbound links) ranking factors

On-Site Ranking Factors (Title/Meta/etc)

Off-Site Ranking Factors (links)

Local Search Factors The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+ Local

Top Factors Affecting Local Search


David Mihm, Local Search Ranking Factors, Volume 5, Published June 11 th, 2012 (http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml)

The David Mihm Survey “Participants were asked to rank 90 possible positive factors and 18 possible negative factors that drive Google's Local Search algorithms. Participants were asked to rank the positive factors based on the following question: ‘When Google ranks a business in its Local Search results, I believe this is the ____ overall most important factor in those rankings.’ Results were then tabulated via inverse scoring, where the #1 ranked factor received the most "points" for that question, and the lowest-ranked factor received the fewest points. Thus, the more factors deemed irrelevant by a particular respondent, the heavier the weight given to the factors that they did rank.”

http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml









David Mihm, Local Search Ranking Factors, Volume 5, Published June 11 th, 2012 (http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml)










Google+ Local


So what’s changed?

• Mostly on the consumer side: visual layout • Zagat rating system in place of old star

ratings • Your Google+ Circles • Change affects all local products:

• Maps, Mobile, Google+ Local App


What about citations?

• Citations still matter!


What about business owners? • Nothing has changed, yet.


What about Google+ Pages?


What about Google+ Pages?

• Claim both, there will be option to merge. • Google+ Benefits

• Ability to segment followers • Hangouts • Google+ Events


What’s in the Future?

• Google+ is still growing

• Mobile

What We Do

Services

Local SEM Company for Small Business

Formic Media's pay-per-click (PPC) advertising services provide small and local businesses guaranteed visibility within targeted search results, via paid "sponsored listings".

PAY PER CLICK Formic Media's search engine optimization (SEO) services help small and local businesses to generate visibility within "organic" or “natural" search engine listings.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Formic Media's SEO-friendly website design and development services provide small businesses with an affordable, functional and highly visible Web presence.

WEB DESIGN Formic Media's social media marketing (SMM) services enable small and local businesses to leverage free/ low-cost networks to gain increased brand awareness.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

We have created the appropriate processes, tools and methodologies needed to be efficient and cost effective for your team and your clients.

PARTNERSHIPS Attend Formic Media's free monthly search engine marketing seminars. Learn the latest and greatest in the search engine marketing industry.

FREE SEMINARS

Thank you!

Contact John McPhee for more information [email protected]

503.517.9059 x122


The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+Local

Entertainment & Humor

Transcript of The Evolution of Local SEO & Google+Local