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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Ins and Outs of Local Search

Written by Scott Van Achte and published at 2:21 PM

As the population with internet access explodes, and more and more people are using search engines to find what they need, the usage of local search also continues to rise. For any sites servicing a local or specific geographic audience, submission to local search based engines is becoming more and more important.

What is it?
In a nutshell local search involves the use of specialized search engines specifically created to focus on a selected geographic region to find local businesses and websites focused on your area.

Local search is commonly utilized as a directory, where users select their location, and narrow their search by categories till they find the listing they want. In many cases local search engines also guess at the users’ location by using their IP, so when you visit the site and search, for example, “Chinese restaurants” you automatically see results specific to your location.

Google has been doing this for a while to one degree or another. When you perform a search in Google using a geographic modifier the map comes up with results specific to that location. You can also take it one step further and search Google Local specifically.

But Google isn’t the only engine out there focused on local search. There are several of these directories ranging from the better known Best of the Web, right down to small town specific websites offering local search options. You even may find a web directory or guide specifically created for your city, and chances are, it will be a great place for you to submit your site.

Many local directories are free for basic listings along with paid advanced listing options.

Who needs it?
Local search is ideal for anyone serving a specific region, especially those with brick and mortar stores. While you do not necessarily need a physical location, some local search directories, including Google Local, require that you do.

Only recently have small local businesses realized the need to be found in the major search engines. I know that if I am personally looking for a bike tune-up, the first place I turn to is online, to find the various bike shops in my area, if at very least, I search online to find their contact info. I can’t remember the last time I picked up a phone book. As the internet grows in popularity, there are more and more people like me who use it exclusively to find what they want, local or otherwise. For businesses not found within the various local search sites, they are missing out on a growing piece of their market.

Considering the limited expense in getting listed in local search directories, traditional brick and mortar business can’t afford to not be listed, it’s quickly becoming a necessity.

Why bother?
With more people using these directories, and the incredibly low cost of “free” involved in being listed in many of them, it only makes sense to get listed. These directories, even the lower traffic ones, are a great free source of relevant traffic and the few minutes required to submit to them (usually around 10 minutes or so) only needs to result in a very small handful of site visitors to make it worthwhile.

Where to get listed?
When it comes to local search there are a few places you don’t want to miss such as Google Local. Many local search directories are country specific, so try your searching by using your country name; such as, “Canadian business directory”.

Try to focus your efforts on finding local directories that not only focus on your geographic region, but also offer you something in return.

How to decide if a directory is worthwhile
There are 5 main factors you need to consider when choosing to submit to a local search directory.

Location
What geographic regions does the directory serve? Do they serve your location?
Relevance
Does a relevant category exist? When you navigate to your appropriate category, are the other business listings relevant to your business? Some local directories may focus only on one industry, such as hotels. If the theme of the directory will not cater to your industry, you certainly don’t need to be listed there.
Price
How much does the directory charge? If it is free, it’s most likely worthwhile. If there is a cost associated with the listing, you need to know more to find out if it’s money well spent (which is where the next two points come in).
Traffic
Does this directory have much traffic? The quickest way to get a rough idea on this is to check their Alexa rating. Alexa is a rough indicator of how busy a site is, the busier the site, the closer their ranking will be to 1. If the site looks like it has very limited traffic, then you need to find out if the listing will have any SEO benefits if you are to spend any money here. (A low traffic free directory is likely still worthwhile however.)
SEO
Will your listing help you with your organic rankings? This is relatively simple to find out. You want to first check the Google Page Rank for their home page. If it is low (less than 5) then this is not one of the major directories. If it is between 5 and 10, then they likely have some authority. Next check the page your listing will actually reside on. Is this page indexed by Google, and does it have any Page Rank? If so, is the link back to your site search engine friendly?

Many local search directories may link to your site using the rel=nofollow tag, or by redirecting through a variety of tracking methods, which can cause your link to have no value in terms of SEO. However, some of them will give you a straight link fully readable by Google, so you will also get the added benefit of increased link density from many of these links. Some directories will also create a brand new page just for you. In that case, your page will not be indexed by Google and will have no Page Rank, but in time, it will. If this is the case, check a few of the listings to see if their pages are indexed.

If Google can not see this link, it has no SEO value. If the directory has no SEO value, and no traffic, it is not worthwhile to pay for this submission. (That said, if it’s a free listing, you may as well list your site there.)

How can I get listed?
Unlike organic SEO, getting listed in a local directory is often as simple as finding the local directories that are relevant and submit your site. Once you have decided that a directory is worthwhile, filling in a few online forms and submitting payment where applicable is all it takes. Most paid local directories will have your listing posted within a few days, if not immediately. Free directories can take anywhere form a couple of days to several weeks, depending on their policies, etc.

StepForth will soon be offering a Local Search service, so stay tuned to see what we can do for you.

Labels: Local Search, Scott Van Achte, SEO

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This SEO News was posted by Scott Van Achte @ 2:21 PM.

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Friday, February 06, 2009

Google Latitude Adds More Social to Mobile

Written by Ross Dunn and published at 9:44 AM

This week Google announced the addition of a new feature for its Google Mobile Maps application called Google Latitude. The enhancement allows people to share their location via GPS, cellular tower triangulation, or manually. Check out the video below created by Google to learn more about this cool technology that may not be new to the Internet but Google has upped the ante by embracing it:

Check out "Google's Latitude Has Vast Marketing Potential" on Search Engine Guide to see where I think Google could take this technology in the near future.

by Ross Dunn, CEO, StepForth Web Marketing Inc.

Labels: Google, Local Search, Mobile, New Tech, Ross Dunn, SEGuide

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This SEO News was posted by Ross Dunn @ 9:44 AM.

Copyright ©2006-2012, The SEO News Blog, StepForth SEO Services
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Friday, February 08, 2008

Google Local Expands - Pushes Down Organic

Written by Scott Van Achte and published at 10:28 AM

Google local search has been integrated into the top of their results pages, for geographic specific searches, for some time now. However, Google recently made an adjustment expanding the number of results displayed in the OneBox / Universal Search results.

Previously when a local based search, such as "Seattle Hotels" was performed, Google would return the top 3 results, followed by the regular top 10 organic listings. With this update, now the top 10 Local results are returned to the searcher.

While this change can have a noticeable positive impact for those local businesses listed for high traffic phrases, it will likely have a negative impact on those relying on organic rankings who will now find themselves pushed beneath the fold should they not rank in the top 4, (based on a 1024 pixel resolution). Daniel Bower (Search Engine Land) notes that if your resolution is set to 768, or even 600 pixels, you will find all organic results pushed beneath the fold, which combined, accounts for more than 50% of web users)

By pushing the majority of organic results below the fold, this can potentially damage the traffic gained through those organic listings, and at the same time, assist the paid listings by making them slightly more prominent - and, potentially putting a few extra dollars in Google's pocket. This change however, will definitely benefit the local businesses listed in the new, enlarged OneBox.

So how can you get your business listed? To start you will need to use your Google Account and log into the Local Business Center. Submission is free, but verification is sent by snail-mail, so it is certainly not instant. Along with adding your site and local information, if your business name also happens to contains a target phrase, this may help you out a little. Once approved however, the rest is up to Google. Google displays these top 10 businesses largely based around the geographic center of the location at hand. If your physical location is on the outskirts of Seattle, you have little to no chance of seeing your business listed in the above example.

Labels: Google, Local Search, Scott Van Achte

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This SEO News was posted by Scott Van Achte @ 10:28 AM.

Copyright ©2006-2012, The SEO News Blog, StepForth SEO Services
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Thursday, November 01, 2007

Ask Launches Improved UK Maps

Written by Ross Dunn and published at 10:16 AM

Yesterday Ask launched an improved version of UK Maps in a bid to get more users of the utility in the UK.

I am not too familiar with the pitfalls of version 1.0 but according to Ask's press release the new system accounts for the US-english vs UK-english language barrier (i.e. an 'exit' on a motorway is considered a 'junction' in the UK). The other improvements included:

Receive driving directions for up to ten different destinations at one time. In other words, plan your driving route for an entire day of errands - pretty cool.
It now includes walking directions.
"Landmark Assistance" is included which, I presume, allows you to find your way to particularly popular points of interest; this would be quite handy on a holiday!
Subway stations are marked for those who wish to get around a little quicker.
Curious about how everything might look in a particular location? Try the satellite view which will give you a decent photo view of the surroundings.
Satellite shots are available for purchase on the fly... odd but okay.
If you search for any UK city within Ask Search you will be presented with a myriad of city details including hot spots, links to maps, tips, etc.

All-in-all I feel I should reiterate that Ask really has the right approach... be the best you can be at your particular niches and you will get noticed. I think Ask is playing the sure and steady approach and I believe that will steadily grab marketshare as long as they don't play any more ridiculous commercials :-P

Here is a great comment that Ask received from what is definitely a winning response to this new version:

Oh yes, I'd like to congratulate you on your maps.

I've never used Ask.com before seriously, aside from just testing out one or two things; but that was until I found your maps had walking directions.

For me, someone who doesn't own a car and travels mostly by foot or public transport, this was a really nice feature - and one that works well.

So congratulations; you've done good with this maps malarky and I'll be using your map service from hereonin.

One thing I would like to see, but this would be a harrowingly long and tedious job, is to see a mapping system that recognises subways and narrow paths. This route suggested by Ask, for example, would be much quicker if you nipped under the subway.

"Ask Launches Improved UK Maps" by Ross Dunn, CEO, StepForth Web Marketing Inc.

Labels: Ask, Local Search, Mobile, Ross Dunn

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This SEO News was posted by Ross Dunn @ 10:16 AM.

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Monday, July 16, 2007

Increase Your Visibility in Local Search

Written by Ross Dunn and published at 11:33 AM

This morning I came across a great article by Sujan Patel at Search Engine Journal called "5 Quick Ways to Optimize for Local Search". I highly recommend reading this article!

The following is a summary of the main points with an added Canadian perspective for those who want to add/edit their business listing in Canada:

1) Make sure to list your business in the following local sections of these sites:

Google Maps
Yahoo! Local - here is the link to Yahoo Local Canada
MSN Live Local
SuperPages here is the link to SuperPages Canada
YellowPages - SuperPages and YellowPages have the same listings in Canada so just use the SuperPages Canada link above.
Switchboard - this directory does not appear to have a Canadian version. Even if it did it would be populated by YellowPages information which you can edit using SuperPages Canada.
CitySearch - it appears that Toronto is the only Canadian region covered.

2) Make sure your address information is present within your website; a great place is the footer of every page.

3) Ensure your domain is registered with your business address. Use a WHOIS tool to verify the address is correct in your domain.

4) If you want to take your local Internet presence to a more competitive level try getting backlinks to your website with geographical references. For example, StepForth might look for "web marketing, Victoria, BC" or "SEO services, Victoria, BC"

5) Cell phone and PDA users are turning to fast local searches using their mobile devices. In order to tap this marketplace create a mobile version of your website with geographical references including nearby popular spots/businesses. You would also benefit from trading links or acquiring links from businesses in your area. Read "Stake Your Claim on the Mobile Web" to get an introduction into Mobile device marketing or read our other articles and posts on mobile.

by Ross Dunn, CEO, StepForth Search Engine Placement Inc.
Celebrating 10 Years of Web Marketing Excellence

Labels: Local Search, Mobile, Ross Dunn, SEO News, SEO Tips

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This SEO News was posted by Ross Dunn @ 11:33 AM.

Copyright ©2006-2012, The SEO News Blog, StepForth SEO Services
View this Article Only: Increase Your Visibility in Local Search

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Friday, June 08, 2007

View Live Data on Internet Usage Worldwide

Written by Ross Dunn and published at 2:33 PM

Akamai, which claims to route 20% of the Internet's traffic through its platform, has used this data to create a very interesting real-time view of Internet usage for news, retail, and music. What I found most intriguing was another report that shows real-time Internet usage data; just drag a viewing box over specific sections of the world to see where the most Internet usage is occurring. It is interesting how these statistics mirror the regional traffic statistics for many of StepForth's clientele.

Do you see correlations in this data and your site's regional traffic statistics? Perhaps, just perhaps, you will find markets to advertise in that you hadn't previously considered.

by Ross Dunn, CEO, StepForth SEO Services
Celebrating 10 Years of SEO Excellence

Labels: Local Search, Other News, Ross Dunn

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This SEO News was posted by Ross Dunn @ 2:33 PM.

Copyright ©2006-2012, The SEO News Blog, StepForth SEO Services
View this Article Only: View Live Data on Internet Usage Worldwide

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

SEO Answers #12: "My .co.uk domain lost rankings when I added a .com... why?"

Written by Ross Dunn and published at 10:01 AM

QUESTION: My client originally promoted a single .co.uk domain that he owned. Recently he purchased a .com and pointed that domain to his current website. Since this change we have noticed his “pages from the UK” content has been dropped from Google UK but the .com is performing well on Google.com under the client’s target keywords. What is going on? – G.S.V.

ANSWER: I see no sure answer why this has happened without more information. First things first, the .com website will get attention from Google.com simply because non-regional TLD’s are favoured at Google.com. Also, the fact that your client’s site got excellent rankings is a testament to the quality optimization of the site (even if you do not want these rankings); so kudos to you if you were the one who optimized the site.

Understanding why the .co.uk dropped in the UK regional rankings seems the tough question. Here are some things to check on:

Was the .com 301 redirected to the .co.uk? A 301 redirect effectively tells the search engines that they should pay attention to the destination domain (.co.uk) versus the domain the spider originally entered at (.com). If you were to enable a 301 redirect now you might save yourself a lot of confusion and potentially pain in the future; since this technique undeniably states which domain represents the flagship website and will limit duplicate content penalties.
Did the .com have a prior history? Perhaps it was bought the .com had a significant number of backlinks or history that outweighed the .co.uk domain. You see, I expect when Google is presented with two domains pointing at the same content it will choose to rank the domain with the most positive history. That is of course, if no other directives have been stated (i.e. 301’s). A way to see if the domain had a history before it was bought is to use the Wayback Machine and see if a prior site existed. Next you should do a backlink check for the domain to see if there are any links that came with the ‘new’ domain.
Is the website hosted in the USA or the UK? If the .co.uk and the .com are both hosted on an American server then achieving a ranking on google.com will be significantly easier than google.co.uk and vice versa. In other words, host in the UK and use a .co.uk domain if you want to be sure to have regional UK rankings.

At the moment these are the most prominent possibilities that come to mind but there are likely more. The fact is, if all else fails and it appears everything is normal I find issues like oddly missing rankings fix themselves over time. I hope your outcome is extremely positive and I do hope you keep me up to date.

If anyone else has experienced this issue or has some educated feedback please post a comment within this posting on The SEO Blog.

PS. Here is a great forum thread at Search Engine Watch discussing Google.com vs. Google.co.uk rankings.

Labels: Google, Local Search, Ross Dunn, SEO, SEO Answers, SEO Tips

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This SEO News was posted by Ross Dunn @ 10:01 AM.

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Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Ask Goes Local

Written by Scott Van Achte and published at 8:32 PM

On Monday Ask launched a local search service that strongly competes with other existing services offered by the big 3.

AskCity allows users to search for businesses, events, movies, and maps with directions. This service has integrated a number of those owned by parent company IAC/InterActiveCorp including CitySearch, ReserveAmerica, ServiceMagic, Ticketmaster and TicketWeb. Ask has also incorporated services from IAC partners.

Many of the new services from AskCity are also similiar to those offered by Google, MSN and Yahoo; however, the big three have to sign partnerships with other companies in order to provide these services.

In the big scheme of things local search is still in its infant stages, but as the internet continues to grow and evolve the world of local search will continue to grow as more and more people allow the internet into their lives.

Labels: Ask, Local Search, Scott Van Achte

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This SEO News was posted by Scott Van Achte @ 8:32 PM.