Google's recent developer event revealed details about how the search giant is thinking about the future. Columnist Chris Marentis shares tips on how local businesses can learn how to be found in the environment that's taking shape.
Columnist Chris Marentis discusses where voice search is headed, as well as the potential implications for search marketers.
Columnist Chris Marentis believes that the future of personalized advertising is already upon us thanks to Google's new, open BLE beacon format, Eddystone.
Building a solid foundation for local search visibility in Google is essential for brick-and-mortar businesses, especially in the age of mobile. Luckily for local SEO newbies out there, columnist Chris Marentis shares his method for doing just that.
Have you been hit by a penalty, or perhaps suspect as much? If so, columnist Chris Marentis recommends these diagnostic tools for identifying, assessing, and fixing site issues.
Contributor Chris Marentis explores the unique SEO challenges and opportunities for franchisees and franchisors.
Are you preparing to present your 2015 SEO strategy to the C-suite in the coming weeks? If so, columnist Chris Marentis has some advice for this and any presentation.
It’s that time of year when people seem almost instinctively compelled to simultaneously reflect back on and look ahead to multiple areas of life. As SEO professionals, we’re in no way an exception to the rule. No one can dispute that 2014 has been a year of pretty big changes — almost upheavals at times — for […]
What do local marketers really need to know about SEO? Columnist Chris Marentis discusses some tips that come straight from the horse's mouth.
Consumers are increasingly using their mobile devices to connect with local businesses, yet many of these sites still aren't mobile-friendly. Columnist Chris Marentis offers his advice.
CMOs understand that by its very nature, SEO rarely stays the same for long. The shift to putting end customers and users front and center is quite different from SEO practices of yesteryear. While this new SEO direction may seem daunting, it also opens up a huge realm of opportunity for those that are willing to […]
When it comes to marketing activities, SEO is often the first thing on the chopping block when budget cuts come around. Here's how to avoid the axe.
The world of link building hasn’t just evolved over the last couple of years — it has been completely turned upside down. In essence, what in many ways was once a relatively easy business has become a formidable venture to maintain. Just a few years ago, finding sources to build links in bulk was a […]
There seems to be no end to the range of declared “SEO truths” for local mom and pop shops. Search Engine Optimization strategies that work for the big brands differ from those that work for small, local players, so it’s no wonder that so many local marketers end up confused about how to really use SEO […]
Google has made stark changes over the past couple years in the way it ranks websites. When one of its most recent algorithm incarnations, Hummingbird, was released in August of 2013, it created a whirlwind in the search landscape and has since continued to have far reaching impact. In its wake, businesses have been forced […]
Any search on PPC strategies will yield a tremendous amount of resources that are focused on generalized positive and negative PPC strategies for local businesses, e.g., keyword management, bid management, negative keywords, landing page optimization. What is often not as readily available is information on uncommon and highly effective PPC tactics that squarely benefit local […]
By now, everyone knows that online reviews can have a tremendous impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions. Ultimately, a single review — positive or negative — can tip the scale in favor of one company over another. No doubt, the power of reviews on Google+, Yelp, Angie’s List and other local search directories continues to mount. […]
Another year is closing and search marketers are anxiously looking ahead to what is on the horizon for local search in 2014. As opportunity grows for businesses to connect with customers via search, so do the challenges of determining the best approach and the potential for search engines to change the game entirely, as Google […]
The most frequently asked question posed these days at events, webinars and new client meetings is “What is the best social media platform for my local business?” Research shows social channels are becoming more important signals in major search engine algorithms that affect the entire SEO and local search landscape. However, effective local and social […]
Since the official inception of mobile voice search with Apple’s launch of Siri in 2011, consumers, search professionals and businesses have watched for the rise of voice search in local. Despite Siri’s initial inadequacies and obvious voice recognition challenges, savvy multitasking mobile consumers are finally adopting the technology to find the best nearby restaurant, an […]