With recent updates to the display of Google's local results & the algorithm which drives them, how does this alter the influence of certain local ranking factors?
- Does it put more emphasis on pure local signals like reviews & downplay on-site signals such as website authority?
In this webinar we ask 4 local search experts to share their opinions & observations, and debate the changing influence of local ranking factors.
Agenda:
1. Understanding Recent Display & Algo Changes
2. Debate & Compare Most Important Ranking Signals
3. SEO Strategy – New vs. Established Businesses
4. What the Future holds - predictions for 2014
Speakers:
1. Andrew Shotland (www.localseoguide.com)
2. Mike Ramsey (www.niftymarketing.com)
3. Phil Rozek (www.localvisibilitysystem.com)
4. Dev Basu (www.poweredbysearch.com)
2. ‘Local Ranking Factors Debate’
Agenda:
Understanding Recent Display & Algo Changes
Debate & Compare Key Ranking Signals
SEO Strategy – New Vs. Established Businesses
2014 – Future Predictions For Ranking Factors
3. House keeping…
Live Q&A and chat Q&A
Webinar is being recorded
Recording available by Monday
No webcam view (boo…)
Slidedeck uploaded to slideshare.net
Follow up email with all details
4. Polls Running
Run 3 polls during the webinar
Sample of 500+ Marketers/SEOs/SMBs
Understand how YOU see these changes
Show the results at end of the Q&A
9. Google Updates Timeline
Oct 2013
Aug 2013
May 2012
Apr 2012
Jan / Feb 2012
Feb 2011
Oct 2010
Pre-Oct 2010
Return to pure results?
Hummingbird (announced Sept)
Google Places replaced by G+ Local
Penguin
Venice / Pure results disappear
Panda
Places Search
Pure results only
10. Pre-Oct - Blended SERP Results
How to identify Blended results
Fewer “pack” type results
Result title pulls from website title tag
High ranking local results have linked
website
Business can’t rank in both organic &
local at same time – no duplication
Thanks to: Imprezzio Marketing, Blumenthals.com, NGS Marketing, Plasticsurgerystuidos.com
11. Post-Oct - Pure Local SERP Results
How to identify pure local results
Always get “pack” result
Result title pulls from Google+ listing
High ranked listing can have no linked
website
Business can have ‘double’ ranking on
rank on p1 in both organic & local
Thanks to: Imprezzio Marketing, Blumenthals.com, NGS Marketing, Plasticsurgerystuidos.com
13. What do we want to know?
Why has Google made this change?
Is it a permanent change?
Is it purely a display change or has algo
shifted and how does it change
influence of ranking factors?
15. 1st Poll
Do you think that recent changes
are temporary or permanent?
16. 2nd Poll
Since the recent changes, have your
clients gained or lost in rankings?
17. 3rd Poll
Have you changed your optimization
tactics since these changes?
18. ‘Local Ranking Factors Debate’
Section 2
Debate & Compare Most
Important Ranking Signals
19. Local Search Ranking Factors Survey
Types of Ranking Signals
On-page Signals
Link Signals
External Location Signals (citations etc)
Place Page Signals
Review Signals
Social Signals
Behavioral / Mobile Signals
Personalization
20. Influence of Ranking Signals - 2013
Personalization (8.3%)
Place Page Signals (19.6%)
Behavioral/ Mob Signals (6.1%)
External Loc. Signals (16%)
Social Signals (6.3%)
On-page Signals (18.8%)
Review Signals (10.3%)
Link Signals (14.4%)
21. Organic Signals - ‘On-page’ + ‘link’ signals
Links – count, quality, velocity
Site structure
Localized Content & landing pages
Presence of NAP
Schema.org / structured mark-up
Keywords in Titles/description
22. Citations
Citation consistency (NAP, rich data)
Citation Quality vs. quantity
Structured vs. Unstructured
Velocity of Citations
High Authority vs. niche vs. local
23. Place Page Signals
Category selection
Listing verification / merged listing
Location & local phone number
Keywords/location in listing title
Age of Google listing
33. Poll 1 - Do you think that recent changes are
temporary or permanent?
60%
57%
50%
40%
30%
20%
22%
21%
10%
0%
Permanent
Temporary
Don't know
34. Poll 2 - Since the recent changes, have your
clients gained or lost in rankings?
60%
50%
48%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
19%
17%
7%
Big gains
9%
Small gains
No change /
Some
gains, some
losses
Small losses
Big losses
35. Poll 3 - Have you changed your optimization
tactics since these changes?
35%
33%
30%
25%
20%
15%
21%
16%
10%
15%
15%
Plan to
We're waiting
5%
0%
BIG changes SMALL changes
Current
strategy correct
36. Upcoming Webinars
Dec 6th – Optimization for Service Area Businesses
– Matthew Hunt & Thomas Ballentyne ….
Jan (tbc) – Mobile Optimization for Local Businesses
– Gideon Rubin + 1 more
Jan (tbc) – ‘State of the Union’ for Local Search
Feb (tbc) – Optimal Reporting for Local SEOs
– Myles Anderson & Phil Britten
Feb (tbc) – Advanced G+ Optimization
– Linda Buquet