Local search algorithms these days are a finicky bunch, so why not just give them what they want?
Okay, so you’re a small business owner and you’re overwhelmed and thoroughly confused by even basic online marketing. I get it, Local SEO itself can be dizzying. Even the pro’s in the SEO community struggle to keep up with Google’s numerous shifts, and occasional fumbles, in this space.
Not to mention, being on your own, means going up against bigger and more prominent local brands, capable of leveraging consumer affinity to quickly amass things like reviews, +1’s, like’s, and check-ins on a more reliable basis. But that doesn't mean the local space is without unique opportunities for you, with your limited marketing budget, to compete and ultimately outrank your larger counterparts.
Google has stated in the past that 20% of all PC-based search is related to local. And if you couple that with the surge in mobile, where
By Dave Cosper · February 07 2013
salsa, local, local seo
In just two days, the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens will meet in Super Bowl XLVII. Us EZlocalers are pretty excited. Most of us love football and all of us are data nerds. We gathered some info about the two 53 man rosters and came up with a list of Super Bowl XLVII 2013 player factoids. As always, we had a little fun with maps.
By Derek McKenzie · February 01 2013
super bowl, maps, ravens, 49ers
Recently, we've been using the new Google Verification Support Line for those irritating PIN postcards disappearing within the black hole that is the U.S Postal System, and with satisfying results to boot. Upon providing the requested account information for the listing in limbo, Google will force through the verification and immediately send it to their "pending review" process. Granted there are certain criteria that need to be met prior to a "we'll call you" phone call a la Fight Club (which can be bypassed with some harmless fibbing), it is still an effective solution to a previously hair-pulling problem. No longer are the weeks of waiting for a vague email response to submitted report, only to find yourself back where you started after the dust settles. Instead Google has uncharacteristically opened a direct line of contact.
By Jake LaDuke · January 31 2013
google support, google plus, google plus local
Well, we’re all still here. 2013 has arrived without any asteroids, pole shifts, or extraterrestrial life and now some of the population has more water and freeze dried food than they know what to do with. It’s a new year filled with new opportunity and as status quo, new angles ripe for the picking in the marketing business. One in particular should be considered as the #1 overall pick in the 2013 Marketing Draft. With little competition in an area of exponential growth and the potential to dominate the e-commerce market, there should be no hesitation in shifting time and effort into restructuring your approach to capitalize. Déjà vu yet? I can’t blame you. That sounded like the opening statement to many of the “importance of the smartphone” arguments. While in the same vein, the smartphone has finally established itself as a crucial business marketing element. What I am referring to has been cleverly coined “The Year of the Tablet”. Although on the surface these two devices seem to serve the same pur...
By Jake LaDuke · January 08 2013
ipad, ipod, iphone, android
I stumbled on a pretty cool platform called SnapGuide for sharing How-To guides the other day. It's a fairly new site, and it's especially nice for mobile viewing -- although for now, they only have an iOS version. It looks like a great tool for small businesses owners and marketers to share tips in their area of expertise. The guides look great browsing via mobile. This could also be a nice tool for sales reps introducing decks on the fly.
Here is a how-to guide I put together covering some of the important things you can do to boost your Google+ Local search rankings. Enjoy.
By Dave Cosper · December 13 2012
google, snapguide
Google+ has always been quite the mystery. With seemingly limitless potential, superior functionality and tools, and a generally exciting platform for users to connect, the search engine giant has somehow failed to attract the attention and reputation that many believe it should have. It’s no secret that with the launch of Google+ the company was attempting to claim its piece of the social media pie, but the problem was no real reason to invest the time and effort required in building a successful account. Facebook has the “keeping in touch with friends” angle, Twitter nailed the lightning fast, instant information idea, and Pinterest is the place for sharing interesting ideas, photos, and recipes. Instagram allows the average user to play photographer, and Linkedin is the go-to business portal. There is a common theme among all these successf...
By Jake LaDuke · December 10 2012
facebook groups, google communities
Search Engine Journal recently reported on a new metric Google is using known as AuthorRank -- a ranking signal that is definitely primed to become a big part of SEO in 2013. Basically, this means Google will be (officially) weighing in social signals (i.e., social shares, +1’s, tweets, and likes) and the influence of the people creating these signals. This includes comments left on social sites and the influence of the people leaving the comments along with the relevancy and quality of inbound links that point to the content. The end of Fiverr? Hah. Well, probably not, but this should prompt some ramped up Google+ use.
This is all following the rollout of new Google programs like Top Contributors, Trusted Reviewers, and
By Dave Cosper · November 30 2012
authorrank, google
The Social Media Information Lab at Rutgers University has brought local context to the world of Instagram with their new project, 'The Beat'. The premise is simple: pluck an Instagram picture off a user's map and overlay it on the corresponding Google StreetView location.
The Beat only lets you search by topic, but with the right hashtag you can explore your local area too. Check out this screen capture from 'the #chicago beat':
My personal favorite is 'the #ribeye beat'... yum!
By Tim Scheer · November 27 2012
