How to execute a multi-location website redesign without losing traffic
Discover the key elements of a multi-location website redesign that will protect your SEO and drive long-term success.
Topic: Local business
How to find and use local keywords for better SEO
Boost your local SEO with the right keywords. Learn how to find, optimize, and rank for local search terms that drive traffic and conversions in your area
Google Chrome mobile adds local places to Chrome Actions
Searchers with this Chrome Action enabled can quickly call, get directions and read reviews from the Chrome search bar.
Localized SERPs: Winning traffic and leads with service area pages
Service area pages are now critical for ranking for local search. Learn tips for making your localized content more relevant and appealing.
How to create local business content that converts
Establish your local business as the industry authority by being authentic in your content and connecting with your community.
Twitter launches Location Spotlight for all professional accounts
The new features lets local businesses display their address, hours and more information at the top of their Twitter profile.
Yelp offers upgraded COVID reopening tools for local businesses, restaurants
The company is also modifying Waitlist to help restaurants to better manage capacity during mandatory social distancing.
How local businesses should be communicating with customers during COVID-19
Hear how local search veterans are using every channel available to help their clients stay relevant and keep customers informed.
Google to show which local businesses ‘temporarily closed’ in Search, Maps amid coronavirus outbreak
Local data accuracy becomes critical at a time like this.
Local SEO beyond the browser
Are you making the most of offline advertising to complement your local SEO efforts? Columnist Marcus Miller explains the benefits of connecting your digital and physical marketing.
Google Tests Markup For Managing Local Business Data For Knowledge Panel
Check out the new schema to markup your local business data so Google can update their local business information - it is currently being tested by Google.
Yelp Reports Record Highs With $46 Million In Net Revenue For Q1 2013
Yelp released their first quarter 2013 earnings report today, announcing a 68 percent increase from Q1 2012 with $46 million in net revenue this quarter. CEO Jeremy Stoppelman started the earnings report webcast by stating the company had hit record highs in all core metric areas. Climbing to approximately 102 million, Yelp’s average monthly unique […]
Yellow Pages Sites Beat Google In Local Data Accuracy Test
In the brave new world of “SoLoMo” there are an increasing number of sites and mobile apps competing to help you choose a local business or lead you there. In addition to Google Maps, Yelp and Foursquare there are the venerable yellow pages’ sites and many others. They all get their local data from generally […]
Study: 72% Of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations
The findings of this year’s Local Consumer Review Survey (2012) show a positive shift in consumer trust and appreciation of online reviews. Approximately 72% of consumers surveyed said that they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, while 52% said that positive online reviews make them more likely to use a local business. About […]
Search Trumps Social For Local Business Information
The internet and search engines in particular are the top sources for information about local businesses, according to a new survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Foundation. That’s not really a surprise. But what’s interesting perhaps is how many people rely on print newspapers and how few seem to rely on social media […]
Facebook Social Deals Done After Four Months
Facebook is backing off from the local/small business space — or at least parts of it. A few days after dropping its check-in service for Facebook Places, the company is now getting out of the deals business. In a statement reported by Reuters, Facebook says its Deals product will go away “in the coming weeks.” […]
Facebook Adds Targeting By Zip Codes To Advertisements
Up til now, Facebook Ads could be targeted by Country, State/Province and by City. Yesterday Facebook added an additional targeting type, by zip code: This is a big deal for Facebook marketing, as it is now much more attractive for local businesses. Local business owners can now target the exact zip codes where they draw from, […]
Google Offers Taking Signups In New York City, Bay Area & Portland
Google Offers, the company’s not-so-secret coupon program, is taking signups in three areas: New York City, San Francisco/Oakland and Portland, Oregon. Users can subscribe to get discounts via email in any or all of those available cities. After signing up, Google’s confirmation promises “regular emails” — which sounds like not necessarily “daily” — with discounts […]
Sunrise, Florida, Reemerges From Google Maps’ Bermuda Triangle
The city of Sunrise, Florida, is back on the map. On Google Maps. It mysteriously vanished more than a month ago, making it impossible to find anything in Sunrise via a Google search. Some local businesses have reported significant declines in online sales. The city’s mayor, after contacting Google and failing to get a call […]
Google Maps Bug Impacts Local Business Ratings
Google says it may be “multiple weeks” before they’re able to fix a Google Maps bug that’s showing the wrong star ratings for some local businesses. A paper/stationery store in Toronto reported the bug last month in the Google Maps Help Forum. The store’s Place Page shows several reviews that are being pulled in from […]
“More Is More:” Why Info-Rich Ads Help Local Businesses Generate Leads
In today’s changing media environment, local businesses are looking for new ways to reach the consumer. In addition to placing ads in traditional outlets like the print Yellow Pages—which still have significant consumer reach—local businesses are increasingly adding websites and social networking pages, online videos, iPhone and iPad apps and other popular advertising tools to […]
Local Search Marketers Share Ranking Factors
Nearly three dozen local search marketers from around the world have shared their opinions on what matters most this year when it comes to ranking well in Google Maps, Yahoo Local, and Bing Local. David Mihm has published the results of the 2010 Local Search Ranking Factors survey. The survey asks local search marketers to […]
Are You A Member Of The Twitter Chamber Of Commerce?
Twitter is a great tool for local businesses to raise their visibility among potential customers in their area. Here's how.
Local Business Marketing Tip: Turn Economic Lemons Into Sales Lemonade For The Holidays
The chain-reaction of foreclosures, mortgage company failures, banking sector woes, and see-sawing stock market are making for a very scary-looking retail season here in the fourth quarter. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently said that business sales have dropped the largest amount in two years, further fueling speculation that the holiday shopping season might not […]
Google Seeks To Turn College Students Into Local SEMs
You’ve got to hand it to Google for creativity. It created the local business referral representative program to enlist stay-at-home moms, college students, and others to get better data about local businesses and build AdWords awareness. (I was told by Google that the response to the program had been strong.) Now Google has developed the […]
The Good, The Bad, & The Incredible Usefulness Of User-Generated Content
Here’s a callout to the community! From all of us who operate locally focused sites, thanks are in order to the users who write reviews about local businesses such that others can make more informed decisions. User-generated reviews, as we have mentioned in past columns, are not a ‘silver bullet’ that can build or sustain […]
Small Businesses Getting Social: Individual and Community Efforts
In the online world, we’ve seen the emergence of social networking sites that allow for the discovery and sharing of websites, of bookmarks, of common interests, and the meeting of friends and friends of friends. In the business world offline, small businesses have the opportunity to be socially active in a number of ways, from […]