Myth #2- What You THINK You Know About Local Marketing

Get a local marketing road map
that actually makes sense from
Fresh Mint Marketing today.

Must. Have. Tracking. Numbers. )Because I Want To Know Where Each and Every Call I Get Comes From.)

More data is great. I'm a big fan of data. But.... not at the expense of your business information.  The big (and its BIG) problem with using tracking numbers for each of your local listings is the huge risk of being penalized by search engines for it. Google (and other SEs) use phone numbers as unique identifiers. If you have one phone number on your website and different numbers on other sources that the search engine crawls,  it will challenge them to associate all the differing data with your listing.  Essential, you run the risk of losing ranking power due to lack of association... with your own information!

If you insist on using tracking numbers, use them solely on Pay-Per-Click ads.

For more information call or email Fresh Mint today.

Myth #1 - What You THINK You Know About Local Marketing

I am often in the position of educating local businesses about online marketing. And just as often in the position of dispelling more than a few dearly-held and utterly false notions.  More often than not, those notions can prevent that same business from ranking as high as they would otherwise. It's not surprising that businesses lack valid information since there is so much info out there already and more coming every day.  

Google’s CEO has been quoted as saying that the world is now generating 5 exabytes of information every two days. Every two days!  It's no wonder local business owners get too overwhelmed to keep up with the marketing end. Add to that, search engines make changes to their algorithms daily.  Local SEO takes ongoing attention and experience to keep up and stay up.  Don't be fooled by misinformation.

Don't know where to start?
Call Fresh Mint Marketing. Together we can create
a customized marketing plan that works for you.

Myth #1  I Can Make a Few Tweaks to my Website to Dominate Google Local.

Uh.... no. Sorry.  If you think this is true and you have a competitors,  you have a problem.  Greater marketing power comes with online history.  Multiple approaches are required to rank highly and consistently and get your business information in front of new consumers.  Here are three (can't tell all my secrets) action items that can get you on the right path:

1. Develop an ongoing, consistent local marketing plan.  Plan least six months ahead.  Twelve is better.
2. Claim, verify and optimize your Google Local Page. Use all the tools available. Tagging, keywords, videos, images.
3. Add schema.org to your website.
4. Verify and link your website to your Google Local Page. A great way to say, 'Hey, Google, Look at me!"

And as always, if you have questions or are ready to make your local marketing plan now, contact Fresh Mint today. We love to help.

5 Kick-Ass Methods to Optimize Your Local Search Marketing — #5

Encourage And Respond To Online User Reviews

by Lissa Monroe

User reviews and your responses to them, help build your online visibility in local search results. The reviews must be authentic, beware of scam companies offering 'free' reviews. 

What you can do:

1. Encourage your customers to rate and review your business when they have a positive experience. As your business receives more positive and authentic reviews, the better search rank your business will have in both search and local review sites.
    
2. Provide customers with links to all of your local and social sites to post reviews. This will diversify and stretch your reach.
    
3. Respond quickly and politely to all types of reviews. Express gratitude to the customer if the review is positive. Problem-solve and express appreciation for the feedback and request the customer get in touch with you to address issues if the review is negative. In both cases, encourage the customer to use your services again.
   
4. Never, ever, never-ever post fake reviews. They rarely, if ever, pass muster. You will get caught and your business' online presence will be penalized.

5 Kick-Ass Methods to Optimize Your Local Search Marketing — #4

Engage Regularly Via Social Media

by Lissa Monroe

Your social media activity impacts your business' visibility in search results. A proactive strategy can attract and engage followers which can boost your search rank.

What you can do:

1. Develop a strategy that will engage prospect. Use Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other networks consistently. As your followers and engagement increase, the higher your pages will appear in search results.
   
2. Post updates on new products, promotions, discounts and giveaways. Only post content relevant to your customers. Respond to any feedback or questions quickly and politely.

5 Kick-Ass Methods to Optimize Your Local Search Marketing — #3

Properly Optimize Information On Your Business’ Website

by Lissa Monroe

Your website is your most important and valuable online asset, so ensuring that it is properly optimized to appear high within search results is key.

What you can do:

1. Use a domain name that reflects your business type and its location.  Don't overdo it though. Keyword stuffing in any form (including your website) will negatively impact your rank.
   
2. Adding keywords on your page titles will identify your business, services and location.
   
3. Put your NAP ( business’ name, address and phone number) on each page of your website.
   
4. Use lots of local information in your website copy to highlight your service and further associate your business within the vicinity.  Include what section of town you’re in, nearby sports teams. This additional info can boost your search visibility as a local business as well as make your website copy more interesting and engaging to your prospects.

5 Kick-Ass Methods to Optimize Your Local Search Marketing — #2

Get Your Links Straight

By Lissa Monroe
Establish authenticity and authority with links to and from website and local listings. Authoritative links boost your business' visibility and SEO. Just don't try any bogus link building, it will damage your visibility and credibility over time.

What you can do:

1.  Share links to your website using Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels. Be consistent. Stick to a schedule. Encourage others to pass along the information as well.
2. Get involved in the local community. This provides opportunities for neighborhood businesses, the local chamber of commerce and charity organizations to link to your website when promoting  activities.
3. Create a local directory of nearby resources. List your favorite restaurants, stores and local attractions. Provide an opportunity to link out to others (and for them to return the favor). 

5 Kick-Ass Methods to Optimize Your Local Search Marketing — #1

#1 Maximize Your Local Business Listings

By Lissa Monroe

IMHO, this is one of the most effective ways to bolster your local SEO.  Claiming, verifying and optimizing your business listing information ensures availablity and consistency. No missed phone calls or lost patrons due to bad info on the web. One bad listing can affect dozens of others, perhaps even hundreds across third-party sources.  

Search engines are constantly sweeping third-party sources to gain a stronger understanding of your business. When your business information isn't there or incorrect or incomplete, this absolutely drops your rank in search results.

What you can do now:

1. Find the leading local listing sites, including root directories, to make sure your business information is there, is correct and complete, that you have claimed and verified your listing.  Delete duplicate listings. Take the time to get it right the first time.
   
   
2. Content, content, content!!  Pack as much key information as you can on your local sites.  Content makes your listings more informative, useful to potential customers.
   
   
1. Website link
2. Videos
3. Photos are great tools for SEO. Geo-tag them with relevant keywords and location information. 
   
   
3. Make sure your business is listed in the correct categories. Your results will be diminished if your information is not properly categorized.
   
   
4. Automate updating your core listing information by using root directories such as Neustar Localeze or Acxiom.
   
   
5. Create separate listings for each location. This is not to be confused with service areas!

A Layman's Take on Schema.org

Let me start off by willingly admitting that I am not a coder. Or a programmer. Or whatever other title you give to the Brilliant Ones that see a bunch of numbers and //'s and  make sense of it all.  That is not me.  But, because I am a web designer, local marketing consultant and SEO'er, when schema.org came to the forefront, it got my full attention. Yes, it's that cool, that necessary and even a bit revolutionary (more on that below).

For the laypeeps, here is a quick, simplified  rundown....

Three very big search engines, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo (uh... what?! Three huge competing search engines working together for the benefit of webkind??!! Revolutionary.), got together to create a structured data markup, (information formatted in a universally understandable way), to improve the web, help understand info on webpages and provide richer search engine results. 

Schema.org provides this common language that can shared and understood by the major search engines.  Search Engines use schema.org to create rich snippets (the few lines underneath a search result). The more enticing the snippet, the greater the likelihood of that impression becoming an action. It is a great way to add more information to your website for users to discover and search engines to use.

To get started, check out these resources:

schema.org
support.google.com/webmasters
www.searchenginejournal.com

And there's even a plugin for Wordpress here. (Don't say I never gave ya nothin')

Be on the Lookout for Review & Confirm Listing Emails from Google Places

From Jade:

    We are making some changes to Google Places for Business and Google Maps so we can continue providing people with the best experience when they’re looking for local businesses. As part of this process, we’re asking business owners to review and confirm some of the information in their Google Places accounts so we can keep showing it to Google users. We know this will be a few extra steps for merchants, and we apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your time.

    We have sent business owners affected by these changes an email entitled “Action Required: You have 3 weeks to save your Google Places Listing”.

    If you did receive this email, don’t worry. Please log into Places for Business, take a look at your business information, update it if necessary, and click “Submit.” You’ll need to do this for all listings in your account by February 21, 2014, so they can stay on Google Maps. Otherwise, you’ll need to add your business information and undergo PIN verification using Google Places again.

    If you have any trouble going through the above steps or need assistance updating your business information, please send us an email, and we’ll gladly assist you.

    Thanks again for your time.

    Jade Wang, Google Business Community Manager

#5 The Google+ Widget

By Lissa Monroe

The most under-utilized Google+ feature in the universe.

Embed this fantastic script in for a company page or personal G+ page directly in a website page or post. The widget allows you to show visitors of your blog or website that you have a Google+ account. A great opportunity to grow your follower base!

For yours, visit widgetsplus.

Need help? Email lissa@freshmintmarketing.com.

Good Googley News!

Google is now offering a 'preview' of an unpublished, unverified Business Page. Prior to this change, owners were unable to see how the Page would look until the verification process and publication time was complete. Often, three to five weeks would pass before seeing finally seeing the hard work in pixel.

A big plus to this change.... since you can preview before publishing, watch for any awkward images or wording you would previously have sees post-publication.  Sparing you the agony of editing the content and waiting another few weeks for the changes to publish.

From Jade (Google's Local Expert and liaison to people like me):

    If you’re creating a listing in the new Places for Business dashboard, now, you won’t have to wait to complete PIN verification before you can see the +page, for most businesses. Just follow the link from your dashboard to see the new page. You will be able to use Google+ social features on this unverified page, but please note -- you still need to complete PIN verification before the page will start showing up in Google Maps and across other Google properties.

    If you’ve got an unverified local Google+ page (made using Google+ in the local business/place category), then we still encourage you to PIN verify this page so that it can start appearing in Google Maps and across other Google properties.

    If you’re creating a local Google+ page (using Google+ selecting the local business/place category) for a business that we think is already in Google Maps, then you may need to go through both PIN verification and our admin request flow before you can manage the page.

#4 Rock the Vote

 By Lissa Monroe

Install the Google Plus (+1) voting script on your Homepage.

Social sharing buttons are not used enough. They're simple, effective... and did I mention free??  Attract new followers and garners some pluses on your page just by installing the script. No brainer, huh?

If you need assistance installing sharing buttons on your site, please email lissa@freshmintmarketing.com. We'll be happy to help!

#3 Be Organic

By Lissa Monroe

Avoid a B*tchslap

Having 1,000 active and engaged followers is a whole lot better than 10,000 inactive, bored, irrelevant or fake followers.  This also protects you from the Penguin-style Google bitchslap for  abusing circle shares and fake follower schemes

In terms of SEO, your goal should be to organically build a collective group of followers that actually want to follow you for your content, comments and shares.  By working to build a quality-based following, you can create a super-channel for content distribution that will amplify discussion and rippling effects….all of which filter back to Authorship which in turn helps SEO.