3. What’s on the Agenda?
PST!
1. Principles of Local SEO
2. Strategies & Project Planning
3. Tactics and Techniques
4. Principles of Location-Based Search
1. You must have accurate data
2. You must offer the most relevant content
3. You must be highly visible online
4. Authentic people must endorse you
5. Think in Circles
1. Accurate data
2. Relevant content
3. Highly visible online
4. Authentic Endorsements
8. Google GPS-Enhanced Products
1. Google Maps
2. Google Android Navigator
3. Google Latitude
4. Google Universal Search Results (USR)
5. Google+ Local (formerly Google Places)
14. Strategies & Project Planning
1. Accurate data 1. Claim Our Business
2. Relevant content 2. Optimize Our Website
3. Highly visible online 3. Get Listed & Featured
4. Authentic Endorsements 4. Reviews, Check-ins, Social
Basecamp.com
15.
16. Optionally use
Google Docs.
In this screenshot,
you can see the
milestones and the
resource/hours
allocation.
Other columns are
populated with
tasks.
20. Claim Your Business Data (N.A.P.)
This is the CORE of your location-based SEO strategy, so:
1. Verify the EXACT Business Name
2. Verify the EXACT Business Address
3. Pay Attention to Punctuation, Symbols, and Abbreviations
4. Verify the EXACT Business Phone Number
5. Pay Attention the Categories You Select
6. Pay Attention to the Services/Products You List
21. Optimize Your Website
Landing Page Conversion / UX
Website Optimization
Optimization Optimization
Run audits in GWT Have ONE page for Pay for a review
Run audits in BWT each location Add coupons
Have an expert run an Match Google+ Local Showcase ratings
audit Try Schema.org Don’t make people
Try WebsiteTest.org Use title tag principles have to think
Consider using a CDN Use meta principles Compare your page to
Optimize site maps Pay attention to the 1st 10 in Google
Optimize robots.txt content structure Add a video
Add breadcrumbs Include a map Add strong call-to-
Reduce JS & CSS Include LSI (phrases) actions
Dupe content check List cats & services Be awesome
22. Get Listed
Search engines (Google, Yahoo!, & Bing)
411 directories, in-car navigation & wireless listings
Mobile “check-in” apps
“True local” directories
Industry directories
Business directories
College, university and government resources pages
Be creative – but NEVER (EVER) spam or use automated tools
24. Areas to Optimize
• Business Name
• Description
• Categories
• Images / Videos
• You can’t have to much information in
business listing
25. Categories – They Matter
The Secret Category List:
http://bit.ly/secret-categories
Tools like this one may help you understand
competitor category frequencies and
sequence:
http://gpscraper.com/gpscraper/
26. Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t
Stuff keywords in your title (or in any field)
Repeat your location in title or description fields
Use content owned by others (use your content)
Use a call-tracking number (breaks N.A.P. sync)
Create multiple profiles with slightly different data
Have a random agency claim your listing for you
27. Do’s and Don’ts
Do
Add the Google+ Author plugin to your blog
Connect your Google+ profile to your blog
Use the EXACT business data (NAP) given to Acxiom
Include a few surrounding cities in the description
Include top services in the Additional Details area
Include as much info as you can in Additional Details
Use professional quality imagery and videos
Use coupons and offers if possible
Add this to your website URL: ?utm_campaign=GPL
31. All Your Citations are Belong to Us
Discover where you competition has been acquiring
business listings using simple searches by phone
number.
Or, use one or more of the tools listed on the last
page of this presentation.
32. Endorsements
Authenticated Google+ Local / Zagat reviews
Reviews from other business review destinations
BBB.org, Yelp.com, InsiderPages.com, AngiesList.com
Ref: http://www.thattrainingguide.com/02-get-business-reviews-2010-07-20/
Mobile check-in apps
Try FootFeed, a multi-check-in app
Else, try Yelp, Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare, etc
Create business pages on social networks (ask for reviews)
Bloggers, industry forums, local portals, etc
33. Google Latitude
Now you can “check in” to your
favorite places with Google Latitude,
same as you might with Foursquare,
Facebook, Yelp or other apps.
35. FYI on Checking-In
Aside from the NFC technology, what’s the difference between
Google+ Local and Foursquare/Yelp apps?
1. Foursquare offers ‘tips’ that do not appear in Google results
2. A Yelp review can only be a ‘draft’ until you get behind a computer later
3. Google+ Local allows you to review in real-time, which appears in near
real-time in SERPS
4. Google+ Local is part of your Google account and may influence other
Google services, such as search results for users in your circles
36. Rank Higher in Mobile Apps
Typically, the higher a business ranks in a program the more
frequently it gets spidered/crawled by the search engines.
1. Get reviews from INFLUENTIAL users (those with 1000+ reviews)
• Reviews should come from MANY networks (CitySearch, Yelp, etc)
2. Encourage/incentivize bookmarking or adding as a favorite
3. Link to the profile page from the business website (and maybe others)
4. Offer loss-leader promotions (attrition is still low enough at this point)
37. Ideas / Suggestions on Reviews
Survey clients via receipts & email; on submit, ask for a review
Don’t outright pay for reviews, but definitely reward them
“Listen” using social media tools & alerts (don’t be shy)
Send clients home with SWAG with a review reminder
Diversify where you’d like to get the link from
Send postcards with special appreciation
Put up fun things users will post photos of (tourist-type stuff)
Interview (with permission) before a client leaves the store
38. My Favorite Tools & References
Tools
Google AdWords local extensions vs. Express Ads
Chatmeter.com
Whitespark.ca/local-citation-finder/
Google Webmaster Tools, Bing Webmaster Tools, Analytics
StepRep.com, Yext.com, and other similar tools
References
http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml
LocalSEOGuide.com and http://blumenthals.com/blog/
39. Sample Pages & About Me
Sample GPL Pages Contact Me
Oh! Sushi @seosteve
North Bowl FB/stevewiideman (free review)
Chicago Music Exchange About.me/seosteve
Delfina Restaurant LinkedIn.com/in/seoexpert
Mezze Restaurant Email: steve@seosteve.com
Museum of Making Music Call: (562) 732-4417
Nick Strocchia Photography Skype: steve.wiideman
www.ThatTrainingGuide.com