A slideshow outlining local Search Engine Optimisation for small businesses. It also includes some key action points

1. “Coffee shops
Eastbourne”
THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY OFTEN
STARTS WITH A SEARCH ENGINE
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

2. In the UK, Google search has an 86% market
86%
8%
This echoes a similar
trend across much of
Europe, according to
the research
Source digital strategy
consulting
6%
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

3. There are two ways people are using search
With a laptop or
desktop computer
 Two thirds of UK traffic still
comes from desktop applications
Using a mobile device
i.e. smartphone or
tablet
Using a mobile phone or
tablet now takes up one third
of online traffic
 While many use it to access
ecommerce sites, some 29% are
using it to search for local
businesses
 The vast majority of users are
aged between 12 - 54 years
Source: Brightlocal
Source: digital strategy consulting
Source: Huffington post
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

4. In either case customer reviews often determine
whether or not a visitor clicks on your site
People will look at reviews
before they click on your
website
Or they may click
on the map
Inaccurate or incomplete contact details
may mean you don’t get listed
Google often prioritises Google reviews
– surprise! You may need to scroll down
to see Tripadvisor or Yelp reviews
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

5. Customer reviews also affect your search rank
The main review sites
Reviews
But the list is growing
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bing Places for Business
Yahoo Places for Business
Feefo
Booking.com
Loudervoice
Reviewcentre
sitejabber
For the time poor, it is best to
focus on the top three
Check regularly for customer review –
especially Google reviews which are often
prioritised above other review platforms
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

6. THE GROWTH OF MOBILE SEARCH
More and more people are using their mobiles to find
directions, somewhere to eat, or something to do,
‘Showrooming’ is also a growing phenomenon: people
using their mobile in your store to compare prices online Barker
Slideshow by Gavin

7. Yellow pages is being
replaced by mobile search
 One third of UK traffic is now
coming from smartphones or
tablets
 According to Google's mobile
movement study, 88% of
consumers who search for a
local business with their mobile
device will either call or visit
that business within 24 hours.
Source: digital strategy consulting
Source: Huffington post
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

8. And smartphone penetration is increasing
49.5 The number of people (millions) in the UK who own a
mobile phone (total UK population is 60 million)
Of which around 40 million will have a
smartphone by the end of 2014
19
The number of people (millions) in the UK who use
their mobile phone to conduct shopping activites
• Find coupons
• Check product activity
• Purchase goods
7
The number of people (millions) who actually purchase
goods using their mobile phone
Source: Comscore Mobile Shopping Trends

9. Yet 39% of all searchers are unable to find a local
business – even when they know it exists
• Smaller businesses
often rely on word-ofmouth and return
business
• but they risk losing
ground to national
competitors if they do
not adjust to mobile
search
Source: sitepronews
39%
92%
The proportion of
people unable to
find a local
business
The proportion of
people using search
terms which include
a Geographic
location
Local businesses are
missing out!

10. Take action
Get listed
Optimise your website for local search
Encourage customer reviews and respond quickly to
negative ones
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

11. Step 1: Get listed
Priority directories on
which you should list
your business
Google
Places for
business
Bing
Places for
business
Yahoo
Places for
Business
Your
website
Trip
advisor
YouTube is included
because it is now the
second biggest source of
search after Google
Search itself – use this if
you have video content
Yelp
YouTube
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

12. Step 2: optimise your website for local search
Include local and
regional names in
your web contetn
Include local contact
information on every
page
Check that your
website is
‘responsive’
• Lewes café, Lewes
Pub, Sussex
solicitor
• Using local terms in
your web content
helps rank your
business in organic
search
• Put name, address,
telephone number
on every page of
website
• Don’t use a PO Box
address – give a an
address with
physical location
and postcode
• ‘Responsive’ means
that it can be
viewed by
smartphones and
tablets, not just
desktop computer
• Increasingly,
people search on
the go
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

13. Step 3: Encourage customer reviews
Ask your current customers to do a review
Send out a polite email
But don’t harass them
Include a notice on your check out counter or receipt
Ask them to review their experience
But don’t incentivise them
Monitor review and recommendations
Respond quickly to negative reviews
Share positive reviews on facebook
and twitter

14. You will need a Google account to do this. Once you
have the account you can access a range of tools,
one of which is Google Places
SIGN UP AND GET LISTED ON
GOOGLE PLACES
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

15. Google Places is a key online directory that every local
business should sign up to
Your Google Places page allows you to control what information
Google has and presents to searchers about your business
• Even if your business
shows up on Google
you should still verify
your listing and make
sure its details are
accurate and thorough.
• Getting your business
verified also means you
can respond to
customer reviews –
including negative ones
Responding to negative reviews is critical if you
are to salvage reputation and demonstrate
Slideshow by Gavin Barker
customer care

16. Get listed on Google Places
Click this link
and add in
information about
your business
You will then be asked
to choose a business
category
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

17. You will then need to verify your business
Google will send
you a postcard with Verify Go-Go Personal Trainer
a pin number
This is to make sure that
you are authorised to
manage the business
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

18. Then add in additional business information
But bear in mind
that none of this will
show until you have
verified your
business
Google also offers
an advertising
service
As well as email,
calendar and
documents
Slideshow by Gavin Barker

19. Slideshow by Gavin Barker