Local search class 45 min

Kat & Mouse | katandmouse.com | facebook.com/katandmouseo

Local Search ClassBy

Kathy Long, LSO

Local Search Specialist

Kat & Mouse SEO & Web Design

Class Notes & Resourceswww.katandmouse.com/local-search-resources

www.katandmouse.com/LocalSearch Class Workbook.xlsx


Why be online?

• 20% of all searched in Google are local. That’s 2.24 billion!!

• 97% use internet for local business search

And…


Ding. Dong. Yellow pages are dead.










Where should you be online?

• Website• Social Media• Google Places• Yahoo Local• Bing Local• Everywhere you can!

2 million Places claimed in US – only 2% of total!

1st place gets 35% of clicks, 2nd 17%, 3rd 12%... 10th 2.5%


Create and Claim Your Place

• Google Places

• Yahoo Local

• Bing Business Portal

• Facebook


Google Places – Since October 2010It’s either “pure” results or “blended”


Google Places – How to Rank High


What Google Wants

1.Proximity


What Google Wants

1. ProximityBut other things cantrump it.

16 miles away16 miles away

5 miles

0 miles

5 miles


PROXIMITY: Develop Your NAP

NAP = Name, Address, Phone Consistency across the web is critical!

DO THIS! Search for your phone number on the web. Check to see where your NAP is inconsistent. Make a note of these. FIX THEM!


Place Page Proximity

Add photos to Panoramioand geotag

Image from blumenthals.com


PROXIMITY

Location rich snippet<div class="vcard">Taylor Benefits Insurance Agency4820 Harwood Road #130San JoseCA95124(408) 358-7502

</div>http://microformats.org/code/hcard/creator


What Google Wants2. RelevanceWhich placemost closelymatches thekeywordquery?


Place Page RELEVANCE

• Business name in title – Don’t spam with keywords, be consistent– City keywords in title if possible and

applicable

• Point to a better landing page – contact page

• Use more info links to add additional links to website, either internally or social sites


RELEVANT categories

Google gives you 5 categories – one canned and 4 custom categories

– Utilize your keyword research– Use high volume, high conversion keywords

like hotel with free wi-fi, pet friendly hotel, cool coffee shop

– Don’t spam!– Look at your competitors

http://www.localsearchtoolkit.com/


RELEVANT Website

• Business name in title tag

• City keywords in title tag and H1 tag

• Web copy – Include your location, a map, your cities served,

hours, email address, fax number, phone number, directions and other any information you have that establishes your location.

– Create page for each location

– Internal linking on keywords


RELEVANT Website

Example: http://www.agilemonkey.com

•Query “Santa Cruz Pilates Classes”

•Query “Santa Cruz Pilates Studio”

•Query “Santa Cruz Pilates teacher”

What do we need to do to rank for all three?


Link Building

Acquire quality links from quality sites with keywords in anchor text

– Give free advice– Blog commenting– Forum commenting– Guest blogging– Write remarkable copy– Infographics– Whitepaper, research– Create something another business in your

industry (non-competitor) would value


Link building

• Create best Santa Cruz whatever award• Guest post about regional issues on local blogs

and relate it back to your business• Ask for referral on client’s website• Offer local promotion• Write a glowing review of a local business.

Guaranteed that they’ll link to it!

• Copy your competitors – http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/


Social Shouts and Link Building

Announce your remarkable content– Build relationships and follows– Facebook– Tweet– Email– Newsletter– Social bookmarking– Add share, bookmark ability to your website

Sharethis.com


What Google Wants2. Prominance(popular)Which placeis the most popular orprominent?


PROMINENCE: Citations

•Create articles for inbound links - add NAP



•Videos - add NAP



•Facebook Page



• Research top 10 or more competitors and do what they do and then some more!

Whitespark.ca/local-citation-finder


PROMINENCE: More Citations

• Chamber of Commerce

• BBB

• Host/support a philanthropic event



• Find local events to sponsor– Query these

• Location sponsorship• Location sponsorship opportunities• Location sponsor our event• Location “thanks to our sponsors” • Location intitle:sponsors• Location inurl:sponsors



Create future notifications in Google alerts on keywords:

1.City + sponsor

2.City + donor

3.City + “Thanks to our sponsors”

4.City + keyword + blog


PROMINENCE: Local directories



Enter your site MANUALLY here:•LOCALEZE: http://webapp.localeze.com/bizreg/add.aspx•INFOUSA: http://expressupdateusa.com/home.aspx•BEST OF THE WEB:http://local.botw.org/helpcenter/jumpstartproduct.aspx•SUPER PAGES: https://my.superpages.com/spweb/products/business-listing•YELLOW PAGES:http://www.yellowpages.com/sp/advertise/•YELP:http://www.yelp.com/



To find more, query: •City + directory•City + business directory•“list of citysites”•City + websites•City + sites•“city sites”•“city websites”•“favorite links” city•“recommended link” city•Wiki Travel San Jose


POPULAR: Reviews

– Get email addresses from customers, segment into gmail and yahoo email addresses and ASK

– Facebook– Use Thumbtack.com– Brightlocal review tool– Review Triage


POPULAR: Reviews

Use QR Codes and link to review sites–Print on business cards, invoices, receipts, flyers

Generate your own QR code at Kaywa.com


Summary: 7 ways to dominate 7 pack

1. Add NAP to off-site content2. Broaden your citation mentions3. Optimize your website 4. Get more local, anchor text inbound links

from directories, press releases, check-in sites, blogs

5. Get reviews6. Timely updates to your place page7. Get active in social media


In the end

Everyone will be doing these steps. What can you do that is more?More relevant pages and posts, more relevant links, more relevant shouts

But remember…


If you were in a group of people being chased by a bear, you only need to be 1 step ahead of the slowest person.


Likewise, you only have to be 1 step ahead of your competitor.

So, don’t overwhelm yourself. You don’t have to do it all.


Just don’t getleft behind.


Need help?

Kat & Mouse takes you to the next level with…

•Website & Google Places optimization to get Google to take note

•Link building to move your site above the competition

•Social Media marketing – Custom landing pages, engagement, website integration to get people singing your praises

•Mobile Marketing to capture the crowd on the street in the new internet

•Monthly monitoring and improvements to keep you on top


Kat & Mouse

Please connect with mewww.katandmouse.com

[email protected]

408-694-3706

www.facebook.com/katandmouseo

Twitter: @katndmouse

LinkedIn - Kathy Long

LinkedIn: Join Local BizBuzz Grouphttp://www.linkedin.com/groups/Local-BizBuzz-3215677

To your success!

Technology

Local search class 45 min