In recent years, one of the most common questions in the local marketing space relates to the value of “near me” search optimization. As developers of Enhanced Google Business Profile tools and listing management services, it is something we are deeply engaged with. Do “near me” searches still matter, or has the search landscape evolved beyond the trend? For a closer look at this subject we’ll start by considering what Google has to say.

The Importance of Near Me Search Optimization

A perhaps surprising statistic released by Google this year was that searches for “open now near me” grew globally by over 400% year over year. While we may have grown accustomed to hyperlocal searches in the digital marketing world, only recently have many consumers shifted their behavior to conducting searches on the go – or with an immediate buying intent.

We can also see similar patterns on the Maps service. Google Maps searches for “shopping near me” grew globally by over 100% year over year. Online shopping may have seen dramatic rises over the last decade, but consumers still want to visit local stores, restaurants, doctors, dentists, car dealerships and a host of other business types.

Today, consumers are consistently turning to search engines to research local businesses. A recent survey, BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey 2022, highlighted this fact, indicating that 81% of participants used Google to evaluate a business compared to 63% the previous year.

And with “near me” searches taking place on desktop, mobile and voice search – and with varying intent – it’s more important than ever before for businesses to be optimized across diversified platforms, from Google and Bing to hyperlocal directories – sites like Bubblelife, NextDoor and MapQuest.

Google Is Focused on Hyperlocal

A reason some are skeptical about “near me” search optimization comes from Google’s Vicinity update. One aspect of the update was the push to tackle Google Business Profile (GBP) spam in business names. With some companies adding “near me” to their name, Google took measures to penalize this attempt to hack the popularity of the search term.

The Vicinity update meant that under some circumstances, Google treated “near me” searches as an indicator of proximity instead of a keyword-matching phrase. And some businesses have suffered from this adjustment, but many others have continued to gain visibility in the local pack and maps.

Why? This is because a “near me” search indicates hyperlocal interest. Therefore, Google wants to show GBPs, listings and websites are the closest, most relevant and prominent results.

Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Near Me Search Optimization

You may remember we discussed dominating Google search results using local business listings. The concept involved getting multiple local pack and organic search results for the same keyword. With an optimized GBP, widely distributed listings and a quality website, this approach is highly achievable.

A well-optimized GBP will appear in the local pack when, along with proximity, it also demonstrates quality and relevance. To achieve this you can follow our GBP optimization tips, including name, address and phone number (NAP) details and opening hours. Advice Local partners can use GBP Sync to guarantee data consistency, and use the available auto-reject public edits feature to ensure unwanted changes are not implemented. These are just a few of the GBP features available within our partner dashboard.

However, understand that focusing solely on a GBP is essentially an oversight. Listings sites frequently appear in organic search for locally-relevant searches, increasing the visibility of a business. For example, a study by Fresh Chalk found that for every Google query containing a city and business category, Yelp appears in the top five search results 92% of the time.

Listings platforms are designed to help businesses hit the metrics of proximity (NAP details, integrated maps and local categorization), relevance (business categories, product details and keyword-rich descriptions), plus prominence (reviews and accolades). Consequently, as long as an agency develops and maintains accurate data for a business, with the help of listing management services such as ours, the business is highly likely to be rewarded in “near me” search.

Of course, a business website also provides opportunities to reach local searchers. Citations from business listings still play a role in search visibility, along with locally-relevant content. In fact, data from Sterling Sky indicates that adding “near me” onto a website had positive results for “near me” searches. If a business has multiple locations, developing targeted location pages will also help.

The Value of Near Me Search Optimization in 2023 by @BernieColeman #SEO
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Advice Local helps agencies increase their clients’ visibility with our leading business listing management solution. Get fast results with our listing management service and deeper insights with our Voice Search Readiness Test, Google Authority Score and much more. To get started, request a demo now or call (214) 310-1356.

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Last week we looked at how to boost local search presence with data amplifiers. This week we’re switching focus to the local marketing strategies that are perfect for securing seasonal buyers.

Local Marketing Strategies for Boosting Holiday Sales

Last year (at around this same time) we spoke with you about how to use a business’ Google Business Profile for holiday marketing campaigns.

And while you’ve seen it, have you ever really considered why stores start putting out their holiday merchandise so early? And yes, we’ve all noticed that this timing seems to be well before the start of each season.

Let’s look at Home Depot. Have you been in a Home Depot in the last two weeks? If so, then you were most likely greeted with Christmas trees – at least this is the case in Texas.

So, just why do stores start their sales earlier and earlier each year? Will the one who starts their holiday marketing first be the biggest winner? The answer to that is… maybe! However, it all starts with a plan – and we’ve actually outlined a seasonal local marketing plan before.

In an article on Street Fight there’s a quote that really sticks out. Paul Brenner said: “Advertisers don’t have to wait until someone is in the right aisle to engage with them. The customer doesn’t need to be anywhere near the seasonal candy section but the message can help guide them there.”

5 Untapped Holiday Local Marketing Techniques

Now apply this to the local marketing strategies for your clients. Where can you engage your clients’ prospective customers to get the results your clients are looking for? Hint: you might not normally engage them there. Let’s explore….

1. The Google Business Profile

Offer posts are not being used to their fullest potential. Consider creating bundled deals, free consultations, downloadable guides and limited-time seasonal coupons. Also, make use of photos or videos to enhance offers.

Event posts for open houses, seasonal sales, product launches and seminars. Be sure to include the benefits of attendance to get the best deals – and include eye-catching imagery.

2. Premium Features on Business Listings

For example, businesses listed in Judy’s Book through Advice Local get a premium Judy’s Book listing at no additional cost. This premium listing includes ad impressions on the free listings. You’ll need to log into the Judy’s Book listing through your partner dashboard to take advantage of this feature.

3. Advertising on Websites That Are Not Chock-Full of Competition

Advice Local’s BubbleLife is just one example here. This hyperlocal online newspaper offers ad space to reach consumers in a very specific geographic area. Take a glimpse at the ads displayed in the Park Cities BubbleLife to get a visual of what we’re talking about.

BubbleLife’s subscribers also opt in to get this online newspaper email delivered to them each day. This is an audience that most definitely wants to hear from local businesses in their area. You should suggest/consider submitting an article to these hyperlocal sites. It’s yet another way to support the business’ local community – and introduce consumers to the business.

Nextdoor is another hyperlocal site to consider. Listing your clients on Nextdoor is easy with Advice Local. Also examine any additional hyperlocal advertising opportunities available in the area in which your clients are located.

4. Supporting Community Events and Organizations

When the kids head back to school, the fundraising and advertising opportunities start up as well. By sponsoring various athletic teams, businesses can get listed as sponsors on banners, t-shirts, team Facebook pages and much more.

And if athletic events aren’t a fit for your clients, look to other local events such as advertising opportunities at the downtown festivals. Quite often these are starting now – and on through to the end of the year. Also, fundraisers like CASA or Boys & Girls Club of America are always an excellent way to support the local community – especially when you can donate items (services) for a raffle or silent auction. Lots of people will see your client’s business name when buying raffle tickets or bidding in the auction.

Consumers want to do business with other businesses that show they care. Supporting the community will go a long way towards this.

5. Don’t Forget the Traditional Methods

While focusing on new ways to reach consumers, don’t skip over the traditional ones.

• Social media is great for building an engaged audience and increasing brand awareness.
• The website blog is important for demonstrating credibility with readers.
• Display banners and downloadable coupons on the business’ website to drive up engagement.
• Email campaigns that include exclusive deals and offers for those who’ve opted in is always a winning idea.

Local #Marketing Strategies for the Upcoming Holidays by @BernieColeman #SEO
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Trusted Local Presence Management Software for Agencies and Marketers

At Advice Local, we want to simplify the local marketing process for our agency partners. Our business listings dashboard solution makes it simple for you to understand your clients’ online visibility, improve their local presence with business listings and more. To get started, request a demo now or call (214) 310-1356 to learn more.

The post Local Marketing Strategies for the Upcoming Holidays appeared first on Advice Local.

Last week we looked at recession-proof local marketing strategies during a difficult economic period. This week we’ll examine the topic of voice search.

Voice Search Is as Important as Ever for Marketers and Agencies

We kicked off 2022 with a discussion of why voice search optimization is so important for the coming year. And now that half the year is already past, it’s a great time to revisit this topic.

Have you noticed that voice search isn’t the big talking point it once was? While it may not be a frequent trending topic among digital marketers, today it’s actually more significant than ever.

Data published by Marketing Charts from Comscore indicates that 48% of U.S. internet users own at least one smart speaker device. When you compare this number to the 37% ownership rate in August 2020 and the 28% in August 2019, its rapid growth is abundantly clear.

Of course, you probably don’t need any data to know that voice search is everywhere now. From voice assistants and navigation apps to smart TVs and streaming services, voice recognition and voice-activated products are ever-present fixtures in our homes.

Getting Found on Voice Search Platforms

While the technology may have caught on, many local businesses have been a bit slow in taking advantage of the growing opportunities. Here at Advice Local, we actually developed the first-of-its-kind Voice Search Readiness Test to help local marketers and agencies identify whether a brand is “ready” for voice assistants. The tool uses a unique algorithm to identify voice search presence on the directories and data sources that voice assistants trust.

The Comscore data also highlighted that smart speaker ownership reached 151.7 million in December 2021. Therefore, if a business cannot be found in a voice search on voice assistants, a lot of traffic will be finding its way to a competitor instead.

This is also worth noting – voice search readiness and “a voice app” are two distinct things. The voice search readiness tool determines if a listing can be found on the data sources that voice assistants (such as the Google Assistant) trust. A voice app is an application that’s created for a business and submitted to app stores.

It works like this – a consumer will ask a question through their preferred voice assistant (again, like the Google Assistant). The answer provided to the voice assistant may come from the voice app itself, or even from content taken from the business’ website.

The Advice Local Voice App lets local marketers and agencies create a voice experience by answering questions customers are asking. You can offer your local business clients sophisticated voice app content directly from your partner dashboard – with no coding necessary.

Voice Search Optimization Steps

So, what additional steps can you take to ensure a local business is the go-to listing for relevant search queries?

• Use natural, conversational language that replicates how real people speak.
• Identify common questions to target with a rich snippet.
• Build a list of voice search long-tail keywords and create content on the theme.
• Ensure mobile loading times are fast.
• Add schema markup to product, service, location and other pages.
• Create a comprehensive Google Business Profile listing.

With some minor adjustments to an existing website, you can access the untapped potential of voice search. And with voice assistants still growing in popularity, building a foundation now will almost certainly pay off in the future.

Why Every Local #Business Needs a #Voice Search Strategy by @BernieColeman #SEO
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Access the Advice Local Partner Dashboard

If you’re ready to take voice search to the next level, why not try the Advice Local partner dashboard? Business listing management, voice search readiness and voice app creation technology are just a few of the services we offer. Request a demo now by calling (214) 310-1356.

The post Why Every Local Business Needs a Voice Search Strategy appeared first on Advice Local.

Last week we discussed important research regarding “near me” search queries. Today we’ve got a Google update, along with some digital marketing insights you may have missed.

Google Maps Sees Justifications Rolled Out for Local Businesses

We’re starting with justifications this week. Over on Search Engine Roundtable, Barry Schwartz reported on the addition of justifications to the Google Maps mobile interface and app.

A quick reminder – justifications are snippets of text included within a business listing to justify why that business is showing for a particular keyword.

To make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for, Google overlays review snippets, mentions, menu items and other elements onto the local pack listings. And now they’ve expanded the feature, as it seems many are seeing these overlays in Google Maps.

We did some testing ourselves and can validate that we’re seeing this in maps as well. While what was reported on Search Engine Roundtable was referred to as service justifications, we are seeing review justifications and “their website mentions” justifications also.

As you can see above, a search for “personal injury lawyer mckinney” returns a number of businesses with review snippets. Similarly, the term “probate litigation attorney mckinney” includes website mentions for related attorney services. Ultimately, the inclusion of these justifications creates a richer experience – one that can lead a searcher toward their preferred service.

If you’re not familiar with justifications or mentions, we’ve covered it before in several different posts:

• How Mentions Help Google Business Profile Listings Surface in the Map Pack and Finder
• Zero-Click Search & What It Has to Do With Google Business Profile
• Why Is Google Business Profile So Important?

Surfacing in the local pack or Google Maps for justifications comes down to providing comprehensive and accurate business data that satisfies Google – and the needs of searchers.

Optimizing both a Google Business Profile (GBP) and the business’ website is fundamental to the process. An optimized website and GBP work together to improve a business’ appearance in the local pack, Google Maps and organic search.

Are You Adding Images to Google Business Profiles?

Speaking of optimizing your clients’ GBPs, Claire Carlile shared some valuable tips on taking advantage of Google’s visual search push, including encouraging user-generated content (UGC).

You’ve probably noticed that we have been strong advocates of adding images to your clients’ Google Business Profiles for a while now.

Images are one type of user-generated content that can be extremely helpful in improving the visibility of a GBP.

Shown above are two examples of how adding photos on a GBP can bring a lot more views for your local business clients in comparison to other similar businesses.

It’s worth noting that both of these businesses are doctor’s offices. It can be difficult to locate quality images appropriate for a GBP for this type of business. But this Advice Local partner got creative about getting relevant images designed to add on the GBP – and it has been paying off with lots of views.

In fact, Google itself recommends adding photos to a GBP for better interaction with customers.

According to Google, businesses that add photos to a GBP get 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps, and 35% more clicks to a business’ website when compared to profiles without photos. Simply put, with Google continuously improving its visual analysis tools, including images is a smart move right now (and it will continue to be).

Justifications Are Appearing in #Google #Maps, Images & More by @BernieColeman via @Advice_Local #SEO
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Local Business Marketing Made Easy With Advice Local

Next time you need help with business listings management, Google Business Profile claiming or data aggregator submissions, look no further than Advice Local. Request a demo today to see why our agency and local marketing partners choose us by calling (214) 310-1356.

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Last week, we looked at the disastrous effects of a poorly optimized Google Business Profile. This week, we’re switching focus to the 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors report – an industry survey developed by David Mihm originally in 2008.

2021 Local Search Ranking Factors

If you’re unfamiliar with the Local Search Ranking Factors report, each year local search experts are surveyed for their thoughts on SEO rankings and conversions. We discussed the 2020 survey results on the Advice Local blog and now it’s time to see what, if anything, has changed.

And remember, results won’t always mirror your own findings – we certainly don’t agree with everything in this report – but they are a good gauge for what the industry is thinking and the local marketing strategies that are working for others. Apply these findings to the businesses you represent in 2022 and you can expect to see improvements to local marketing results.

What Local Ranking Factors Will Be Important in 2022?

The report starts by looking at the important ranking factors for the local pack/finder results. Participants were asked how much weight Google placed on each factor. The results were as follows:

• Google Business Profile Signals 36%
• Reviews 17%
• On-Page 16%
• Links 13%
• Behavioral 7%
• Citations 7%
• Personalization 4%

Google Business Profile (GBP) signals have been on an upward trajectory as Google continues to update the platform. By a significant margin, an optimized GBP is considered the most important factor for gaining visibility in local search.

In particular, the signals that stood out to the contributors were the primary GBP category, keywords in the GBP business name, proximity of the address to the searcher, and additional categories on the listing.

It’s important that we clarify that this doesn’t mean we recommend putting keywords within the business’ name that are not part of the actual name. However, if you were to do this, this could cause the listing to get suspended at worst. The lightest penalty would be Google automatically renaming the business name to what they believe it to be.

Businesses often have added keywords within their business’ name on a Google Business Profile.  And in some instances, have actually renamed their businesses, filing a new DBA, etc.

As a reminder, Google My Business recently rebranded to Google Business Profile. References to GMB throughout the ranking factors report are in fact referencing GBP. This survey was completed prior to the renaming.

1. Google Business Profile Ranks No. 1

Results indicate that much of the focus for 2022 should be the development of the business’ Google Business Profile. This includes categories, titles, reviews and photos. If your local marketing strategy for business clients has been marginalizing Google listings, now might be the time for a different approach.

As we have discussed before and in our free Google Business Profile guide, there are many other GBP factors to consider like E-A-T (expertise, authority and trustworthiness).

Here are the top 20 local pack/local finder factors you’ll want to use when evaluating your local business clients’ Google Business Profiles.

2. Google Business Profile Reviews Are Next

The local experts were asked to give their top GBP conversion factors and four of the top five results highlighted the importance of reviews. A high numerical Google rating and positive sentiment in review text led the list, with quantity and recency of reviews at four and five respectively. The third position – completeness of the Google Business Profile – is another factor we frequently recommend.

At Advice Local, we have long been recommending making reviews a key strategy for clients. The addition of positive, recent and keyword-driven reviews provides clear benefits for local search visibility and conversions, with the survey backing this up. It is important to note that keywords should originate from the reviewer, not the business owner.

Did you know that our Enhanced Google Business Profile Tool offers a review-management component that makes it easier for agencies to respond to reviews. While responding to reviews is not one of the top factors according to this study, it is extremely important, which is why we included this as part of the Google Authority Score we created.

Image Credit: Whitespark

3. The Business’ Website On-Page SEO Comes in Third

It’s worth noting that the business’ website optimization, specifically on-page SEO went up significantly in importance in the 2021 Local Ranking Factors’ analysis. For those who are in the website SEO game, they know how important this is, but for those offering other local marketing services (not specifically website SEO),  they do not always prioritize it.

In fact, one of our Advice Local agency partners has clearly demonstrated how optimizing a business’ website content, along with the Google Business Profile, has greatly improved the appearances in the local pack and maps.

Where Does Citation Building – Listing Management Fall?

There are many other signals in between building citations within this survey, but we are going straight to it. While citations are not as important as they were in the past, listing management is a very important key factor in a comprehensive local marketing strategy. And we are not the only ones who feel this way. Whitespark has addressed this topic in the past and Moz recently did with its survey of more than 6,000 enterprises.

Results revealed significant increases in local pack visibility when these businesses had their data pushed to more than 10 directories, compared to only the big four platforms. We discuss this further in our Advice Local blog.

So now we ask, have you tried our listing management solution yet?

2021 Local Search Ranking Factors – Applying Them in 2022 by @BernieColeman #SEO
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It’s Time to Help Your Clients Take Control of Their Citations

A consistent business name, address and phone number (NAP) data is important. Not only does this impact the business’ visibility in the local pack, but also elsewhere on the web including mapping apps.

Customers do not like getting lost en route to a business and this means making sure your local business clients are easily found in mapping apps. And when the business is found online or in an app, make sure it is the correct information about the business.

Our listing management solution enables you to quickly distribute a local business’ data in real time and real fast, to the top directories, data aggregators and mapping apps. Request a demo today. Call (214) 310-1356 to get started.

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