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Learn how to claim or create a business listing on Yelp. Additonally, dig into Yelp's other features such as the Yelp Q&A and activity dashboard.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it as many times as needed: reviews and customer feedback are more important than ever. Having a Yelp business listing is a no-brainer. Yelp is not only a powerful site but also an essential component of the Local Search Ecosystem; after all, Yelp makes it into the top three local pages within our listing management technology.

For search engines, review sites such as Yelp are considered the most authoritative when it comes to reviews, and no wonder! Since Yelp was founded in 2004, it has contributed millions of reviews for a variety of services, from restaurants to doctors and plumbing companies. It’s truly a hub of information for customers on the hunt for particular services. How often can you do a search for a local business without Yelp surfacing at the top?

Now that we’ve established just how powerful Yelp is, let’s dig into why a Yelp business listing is important for local businesses or service area businesses.

The Importance of Yelp to Local Businesses

Every month, 73.9 million desktop users and 72.3 million mobile users visit Yelp for help during their buying journey. Over 45 percent of consumers surveyed by ReviewTrackers Online claimed that they check Yelp before making a purchase.

This is exactly why local businesses can really benefit from creating and updating their listings on Yelp and monitoring their customers’ feedback. Not only does every business need a listing on Yelp, but every business also needs accurate information listed, including their address, phone number, hours of operation, etc. If a potential customer can’t find a business on their favorite review site, they will likely move on to a business’ competitor they can find.

How to Claim a Yelp Business Page

Before creating a new Yelp page, check here to see if a listing for the business already exists. If you can’t find the particular local business you’re looking for, then set up a new profile.

How to Find a Yelp Business Listing

1. Complete the Business’ Yelp Page Information

First things first: the company profile needs accurate details. Fill out basic information like the business’ name, address and phone number (NAP). Include a website link as well. If the business has in-store hours or phone hours, list those, too.

Additionally, the relevant categories for the business should all be detailed in the “Categories” space. Try to cover as many as possible to maximize the business’ reach on Yelp, but don’t overstate services if the company doesn’t really offer them. Potential customers need to trust the business from the get-go.

How to Add a Business on Yelp

2. Upload Compelling Images

Once the basic profile has been created, it’s time to upload some high-quality images to give potential customers a better idea of what the business offers.

  • Include a minimum of five photos featuring the business’ location, exterior design, menus, services, interiors, products and anything else that might make customers choose this business over a competitor.
  • It’s always best to include detailed photos, so think of the pictures that would best benefit people on the hunt for the business’ services.

How to Upload Photos to Yelp

An analysis of customer activity on the business’ page – or on similar pages – will help determine what customers are looking for in a business’ Yelp profile, including certain keywords. The more we can learn about a business’ audience, the easier it will be to tailor the profile to the audience’s needs.

Moving Beyond the Basics of a Yelp Business Listing

Once the basics are done, like providing store hours or the correct address, using Yelp to educate potential customers on the company’s background and benefits is a must. Here are a few other sections to consider filling out.

1. Meet the Owner/Manager

Customers like putting friendly faces to businesses, especially when it comes to local companies. Yelp has a section for telling people about the business’ owner or manager and why they love providing their services to customers. Make this description uplifting and personal so that Yelp users can form a connection with the business and what the business stands for.

2. History

This section is especially helpful if the business has changed names or locations in the past. It also provides the opportunity to talk about the business’ values and how far it has come, and to share its roots.

3. Specialties

This section provides an opportunity to highlight specific services the business offers. This is the ideal place to include relevant keywords and make the business stand out from its competitors that provide similar services. 

Everyone Needs Reviews on a Yelp Business Listing

Although customers may look for information about a business on Yelp, they mainly visit the site for one big reason: reviews. If a business has just created a profile, then there are likely very few reviews for the business.

According to BrightLocal, consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before they feel like they can trust a local business. Therefore, the more positive reviews gathered, the better off the business will be.

Tips for Gathering Yelp Reviews

To increase the number of positive reviews, share the new Yelp listing with former customers, friends and family members. Since Yelp has a strict policy about soliciting reviews, we recommend that you proceed with caution.

Once the business has a dozen reviews or so, try to obtain more reviews in natural ways. Here are a few methods:

  1. Share the business’ Yelp reviews on their website and other platforms.
  2. Include details on how to provide feedback on email and print receipts.
  3. Consider using a third-party tool to follow up with customers after a service has been provided. It’s important to make sure the selected tool isn’t breaking any rules like review-gating.

Another word of caution: don’t come across as a desperate business soliciting reviews. Always be polite in the approach and try to get reviews naturally rather than forcefully.

Also: fake reviews are bad news, so don’t even think about trying to increase a business’ rating with falsified feedback!

Always Respond to Reviews – Both Positive and Negative

Whether a business receives a positive or negative review, a customer service representative should address the comment. Replying directly to a happy customer lets them know their feedback is appreciated, and the response draws more attention to the stellar review. When responding to a negative review, businesses have the chance to clarify statements made in the review and take action to make it right, which always improves the business’ appearance in the eyes of prospective customers.

Remember, these responses to reviewers should be public where other people can view them. ReviewTrackers Online also revealed that currently, 63 percent of consumers never hear back from a business after leaving a review. A business can stand out from the crowd by responding politely. Overall, this can greatly improve a business’ online reputation.

The Yelp Community Has Questions You Need to Answer

Back in early 2017, Yelp made it even easier for a business to communicate with prospective customers through the Yelp Questions and Answers feature. Users (the community) on Yelp can post specific questions about a business on their profile. The business and others in the community can respond to the questions.

This is an excellent way for the business to grow a loyal following, dispel myths about their business and clear up any misunderstandings. No longer does the business have to wait until they get a bad review to address common questions. Yelp even created The Business Owner’s Guide to Yelp Ask the Community. Check it out!

Dig Into Yelp’s Metric Dashboard 

As you likely saw when creating the business profile, Yelp has a metric dashboard that provides valuable information about users’ behavior when visiting the business’ profile. It may take a bit of time for traffic to pick up, but over the course of the next few months, the business can use the data to figure out its next steps.

Access Yelp's Activity Dashboard

The dashboard can also reveal how much of the business’ revenue is coming from Yelp, as well as total user views and customer leads. All of these numbers equip businesses with the tools they need to more accurately advertise to their target audiences.

Everything You Need to Know About #Yelp Business #Listings by @BernieColeman #SEO #Citations
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The Bottom Line

Now that we’ve provided you the top to bottom on a Yelp business listing, it’s time to help local businesses boost their online visibility and ratings, and attract more customers organically. Did you know that we create Yelp profiles as part of our listing management services? Learn how we help partners like you help their local business clients get found on Yelp and the other top directory sites by requesting a demo today.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Yelp Business Listings appeared first on Advice Local.

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Understanding the difference between manual submissions and aggregator submissions can help businesses save time and money.

To get found online, small and large businesses alike need to create and claim online listings (also referred to as local citations). It’s a surefire way to attract customers online and present accurate data to search engines. Plus, businesses can ensure that their online data, like their name, address and phone number (NAP), is accurate. However, creating all of a business’ listings, from Google My Business to Bing and everything in between, can be challenging. This is exactly why, at Advice Local, we put the work in for our partners that are representing local businesses.

Differences Between Data Aggregators and Manual Citation Submissions

When companies rely on manual citation submissions, they must directly input information onto other sites by hand. This is a very time-consuming task; most sites require multiple verification steps.

Data aggregators – sometimes referred to as local data aggregators – make things a bit simpler. The use of data aggregators helps a local business spread their NAP to a multitude of sources with minimal effort. Simply put, data aggregator submissions take care of verification steps and spread information much faster than doing it manually.

Of course, not everything is data aggregators. While they do get a good chunk of the job done, it’s important for local businesses to submit to other directories, like Google My Business, Bing Places, Yelp and other directories accessible via our Data Amplifier Network.

So, which is the better option: manually submitting citations or submitting to the top four data aggregators to reach multiple sources? Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of both methods, as well as our recommendation to achieve the most success with online directories.

The Manual Citation Submission Process

It is possible for a manual citation building service to address all of the necessary directories and listing sites. Assuming that it takes 10 minutes to complete each submission (on average), and a big chain with multiple locations could require 300 submissions, you could easily be looking at two weeks worth of work just submitting to the top directories.

Since it’s completely free to submit citations manually to most sources, some businesses choose to do this to save money. However, depending on how many submissions are necessary and if the business has the manpower and time to spend on the task, the sheer workload can overrule the monetary savings.

While manually submitting can give a business more control over their listings, their listings can still get overridden by other data sources quite easily. This is one way bad data can happen.

The Data Aggregator Submission Process

There are four main data aggregators in the United States, and each one is somewhat simple to submit to for a business with a single location. It can become time-intensive for multi-location businesses, however, unless the business has a team working solely on submissions for them.

Data aggregators in the United States are powerful and one of the most important ways to ensure a local business gets found online. Submitting a local business’ NAP to these sources allows the information to be shared with multiple sources – and the right kind of sources.

Submitting to data aggregators can improve consumers’ trust in a local business. Did you know that 80 percent of consumers lose trust in local businesses if they see inconsistent or incorrect details online? When businesses submit correct NAP information to data aggregators, they can reduce the number of inaccurate citations around the internet.

Each data aggregator is different, but they are all important:

  • Acxiom distributes data to over 75 local search companies, search engines, and over 200 distribution partners through online private-labeled solutions and directory publishers.
  • Factual has a presence in over 50 countries and their publishers include The Weather Channel, Yelp, Apple, Bing, Facebook and Uber.
  • Infogroup licenses data to clients in the search, navigation and mobile industries, which makes up approximately 95 percent of search traffic.
  • Neustar Localeze distributes data to over 90 search platforms, directories, navigation services, mobile apps and social sites.

Can I Hire Someone to Do Business Listing Submissions?

As we’ve said before, not all directories are created equal. Still, it’s vital that local businesses submit their data to all of them, not just a few. That’s where third parties (like Advice Local!) come in.

There are many listing management services that send a business’ information through an expansive network of directories and data aggregators, ensuring that the company has the most accurate online presence possible (for example, review our Data Amplifier Network, which includes the top data aggregators, local pages like Google, Bing and Yelp, plus GPS and mapping apps like Garmin, Apple and Waze).

We have a data aggregator scan tool that allow businesses to see which top aggregators have their information. This helps business owners to build a more comprehensive view of their online presence (and where it is weakest).

The prices for manual citation submission services can vary, depending on how the service charges – by month, year or individual site. Most of the time, the service will create a directory listing for a fairly low price – but do they maintain it? This is one of many questions you should ask when selecting a local listing management provider.

With the time associated with submitting a business’ information to all the best data sources, hiring a third-party company is not only cost effective, but also smart. Yes, we’re partial, but we wouldn’t lead you the wrong way, either.

Can I Choose Specific Directories for Business Listings With Aggregator Submissions?

One thing about manually submitting to online directories is that you can choose which sites receive the business’ information. Businesses can decide how many directories they want to submit to and which they think are the most important. However, since many other directories and data sources receive submissions from other sources or scrape the web, the business could still end up listed on a directory that it didn’t want to be on – just something to consider when taking the manual approach for the sake of having more control.

With data aggregator submissions, businesses lose some of that control, but they gain so much. The information submitted to the four USA aggregators will be sent out to a network of sites which can correct bad data previously published about the business on the web.

The Impact of Duplicate Citations 

You might think “the more citations, the merrier,” right? Wrong. More citations may translate to duplicate citations. Duplicate citations are bad for businesses of all kinds, especially when one (or both) of the citations include inaccurate information. According to BrightLocal, roughly 78 percent of consumers say they’d stop using a local business if they found incorrect information in online directories. Furthermore, Google sees duplicates as spam, and the business’ online ranking may suffer.

That’s another benefit of hiring a third party to handle submissions – some services will clean up incorrect information scattered around the internet. The business’ ranking and visibility will benefit as a result. It’s imperative to understand how the listing management partner you choose handles the citation cleanup process.

How Can a Business Decide Which Submission Is Right?

Deciding how to submit to local business directories can be a complicated decision for a small business owner. Start with the most important sources first, such as Google My Business, Bing and Yelp. Then, as the budget increases, expand out by using a service.

Since data aggregator submissions tackle a large range of sites, going there next is a good step.

Do Manual #Citation Submissions Perform Better Than Data #Aggregator Submissions? by @Advice_Local #SEO
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At Advice Local, we take a hybrid approach to submissions. We submit to data aggregators and other important directories and data sources via API while manually submitting to other sources. This ensures that your local business clients are found online in the best directories.

To find out why partners choose us, request a demo today!

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In order to rank highly with search engines like Google, local businesses need to actively monitor their online listings and reviews.

Local listings have always been essential for local businesses. Back in the days of real-world phone books, before Google and mobile devices ruled the world, local businesses simply needed to sit back and let customers find them. Whether by walking in front of their brick-and-mortar location or looking them up on a phone book, customers easily found their way to local businesses, and conversions were booming. Unfortunately, things haven’t been that simple for nearly 20 years. Now, the pressure is on the local businesses to make themselves available to the public.

Today, when a customer looks for a restaurant or local service, the first thing they do is pull out their device (cell phone, desktop, tablet, etc.). A quick search engine query brings them the nearby results they’re looking for. If a local business isn’t visible online, it won’t show up in search results amongst its competitors.

That’s where online directory listings come in. Simply put, a local listing is an online mention of a business (citation) that details the essential information of a business. If a local business doesn’t have any local listings, there are big rewards it’s missing out on.

The Benefits of Local Listings

There are multiple benefits of local listings for local businesses. Not only do they increase the business’ online visibility – and the business’ chances of getting found online by potential customers – but they are also a way for the business to reach a broader audience. Below we give a detailed description of these and many more benefits of local listings.

A Significant Online Presence Boost

A local business should have one primary goal: to reach as many potential customers as possible. Search engine optimization strategies, like listings in online directories, play a significant role in achieving it. An increased online visibility leads to higher website traffic, as well as more in-person visits to a storefront.

Another factor to consider is that when a customer asks Google for a local business via voice search, Google won’t respond with businesses that lack online listings. Considering that 40 percent of all mobile voice searches have local intent, it’s vital that local business owners have their information available online, including the business’ location, phone number, store hours, and services.

One bonus that comes with a local listing is an automatic boost in search results. Instead of just pulling information about the business from multiple places (i.e. Facebook, website, blogs, etc.), search engines will rely on the information presented in the listing. This provides the business with consistency across the web, which can result in a higher position in SERPs while validating trust with search engines.

Improved Reputation With Consumers

When it comes to researching local businesses, 64 percent of consumers trust online search engines more than anything else, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer. Therefore, if a business doesn’t appear in search engine results, why should consumers trust it? Unless they already know and like the business, consumers are much more likely to try a well-reviewed local business on Google.

Nothing instills more trust in a consumer than a fleshed-out, accurate online listing. They want to know exactly where the business is located and why they should visit it. Billboards, magazine ads, and word-of-mouth methods are no longer enough to draw in customers. Local businesses absolutely need to be listed online if they’re to be trusted, with complete profiles that address the real business hours and services.

Useful Customer Feedback and Sharing

According to BrightLocal, consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before they feel that they can trust a local business. If a local business isn’t located on any online directories or review sites, where will these reliable customer reviews come from?

By providing online users with the chance to leave honest feedback, local businesses can significantly increase their customer interaction. Additionally, the business can then respond to both positive and negative reviews, thereby improving its reputation on various review sites. In fact, BrightLocal also revealed that 89 percent of consumers read local businesses’ responses to reviews, so it’s not just the customer feedback that matters.

Furthermore, consumers are likely to discuss local businesses on their social networks, including platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Having an online listing makes it easier for businesses to get shared across social media, which increases their access to potential customers and their backlink profile.

Better Chances of Ranking Above Competitors

As a small local business, establishing a reputation that competes against the next-door company can be challenging. This is especially true if the other company is listed online with a plethora of positive reviews and accurate information.

Local listing services help local businesses compete with other small companies, as well as large organizations and chain stores. Mom-and-Pop stores hardly stand a chance against big corporations alone, but when it comes to local listings, the size of the business doesn’t matter – search engines determine placement in search results based on other factors such as trust.

Free Online Advertising to Local Shoppers

Many small businesses struggle to come up with a marketing budget. Fortunately, many online directories (including Google My Business) allow local businesses to submit their information for free. It’s an affordable way to boost brand awareness and increase online visibility without turning to paid advertising strategies. If a business doesn’t have a directory listing, it’s practically throwing away free marketing.  Here’s how to create a Google My Business listing, in case you represent a local business that doesn’t have one yet.

How Advice Local Can Help Local Businesses

If you take anything away from this article, it should be that local listings are 100 percent essential to local businesses that want to attract customers and maintain a positive standing with the community. Not only does a business’ correct NAP information need to be available, but the business must also update its online listings as necessary. People want to see the information they can always trust, not outdated profiles.

How Are Local #Listings Beneficial for Local Businesses? by @Advice_local #SEO
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Here at Advice Local, we know just how difficult it can be to keep up with local listings, especially when a business has more than one location. That’s why we have offered our award-winning local presence and listing management services to more than 350,000 businesses. Request a demo today to learn more!

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Learn How to Apply Search Intent to Local Businesses’ Placement

Have you experienced that odd moment where Google suggests a query before you even finish typing? It’s as though Google’s reading your mind! That’s not quite the case, but thanks to searcher intent, Google and other search engines can usually find the perfect answer within less than a second.

So, how do they do it? RankBrain, a machine learning artificial intelligence algorithm, is one of Google’s many algorithms working behind the scenes to determine a searcher’s intent and deliver search results based upon it.

There’s no question that searcher intent is important. For example, SparkToro’s Rand Fishkin gave us a great read on the topic with his 7 visuals explaining search intent. Pretty clever, don’t you think? As I was reading Rand’s theory, I wondered if it could be applied to local businesses’ placement in search results as well.

In order to help local businesses get found online, we must find a way to tap into Google’s mind-reading skills. The question is, how? Do we still optimize for keywords like we used to do with traditional SEO tactics? The short answer is yes, but there’s a lot more we can do, too.

Let’s explore with the search query below.

Digging Into Search Intent for Local Businesses

To test Rand’s theory, I wanted to use a service area business as an example of a local business. People search for plumbers online all the time, and based on these visual search results, you can see exactly why, as a local marketer, you need to find the perfect balance between traditional and new SEO to help a business place in local search results.

Local Search Results - Plumber Example

Why Baker Brothers May Be the Top Result

As you can see, the first result that comes up under the local pack is a plumber that features a high number of positive reviews. According to traditional SEO ranking theories, this site might rank well because it has tons of links or optimizes for the best keywords.

Theories indicate that Baker Brothers Plumbing ranks as number one simply because Google knows it will most likely answer the searcher’s query. It’s been the most successful link for other similar searches in the past, so Google is happy to pass it on to more users. Remember: Google’s number one goal is to make the searcher happy.

Incidentally, Baker Brothers doesn’t have a location in McKinney, but they have optimized their website quite well to place in search results for plumber+McKinney.

baker brothers - service area business - ranking example

Not only did they optimize the page title, meta description and even the URL of the page for plumbing+McKinney, but they also have a specific city page on their website that is optimized for McKinney.

Now, while Baker Brothers was the first listing under the local pack, review the screenshot below and you’ll notice Baker Brothers was not included in the local pack.

Local Pack Results - Plumber Example

While they have their traditional SEO down pat, when Google displays results for “plumber,” the local pack results are based on the optimization of the Google My Business (GMB) listing, the proximity of the business to the search and the service area included within the GMB listing.

The Local Business Listing Result

If we explore the search engine results page (SERP) further, you’ll see that the second result comes directly from Angie’s List. This is what I’ve been talking about forever: local business listings matter. Having just a Google My Business listing is not enough!

Angie’s List is only one of the top local business directories consumers trust when hiring a business such as a plumber. Having a business listed on sites that consumers and search engines trust gives local businesses the opportunity to get found online by even a broader audience.

Why Isn’t the Wikipedia Page at the Top?

Since I only searched one word, you might assume that Google would give me a definition of the word “plumber.” However, Google is smart enough to know that most people don’t ask for search results about plumbers because they want a basic definition. Most times, people are looking for a plumbing service, not general information. This is where intent comes in. Therefore, the search results rank plumbing companies above the Wikipedia definition.

However, in case I did want the definition of plumber, Google displayed it in the answer box on the right side of search results. This search engine is known for wanting to keep consumers on search results as long as possible, by providing as many correct answers as they can. This tactic – aka the zero-click search– ensures that there’s no need for the searcher to click away from search results.

answer box example - plumber

Local-Based Answers Make the Top

Did you notice that results with the word “McKinney” are at the top of the list while services in Plano or Frisco are ranked toward the bottom? Why? Because I’m in McKinney! As I mentioned above, Google delivers search results based on their proximity to the searcher and not just on keyword optimization. That’s why local businesses must have the proper information filled out on their websites and their business listings across the web, including Google My Business, Bing and Yelp. City pages like the one Baker Brothers has on their website is one example of on-page optimization a service area business can use to place high in search results.

The Overarching Message on Search Intent

Google. Is. Smart. No amount of keyword stuffing or social media marketing will help a business get found if Google doesn’t see the value in it. A website should have top-notch content, business listings and reviews that are consistently maintained and optimized.

Applying #Search Intent to Local Businesses’ Placement by @BernieColeman #SEO
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Search engines prioritize their users, which means they instantly try to find the best answers to searchers’ queries. Businesses should focus on providing these answers on and off their website to be competitive. This isn’t the time to “game the system.” Instead, learn how to appeal to it.

If you’re not sure where to get started or need help getting a local business found in search results, request a demo! Our listing management service is one of the best places to start.

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Learn Some of the Link Building Strategies for Local Businesses

When it comes to winning over search engines, sometimes local businesses need to enlist help. Sometimes, this help comes in the form of earning placement-increasing backlinks on other websites.

As a marketer, you most likely know backlinks are a vital SEO component because of their ability to increase placement, build a positive reputation and generate traffic.

Strategies to Kick Link Building Into High Gear!

According to BrightLocal, 89 percent of experts prioritize link building for their local business clients. We couldn’t agree more with this. That’s why we help local businesses with the high quality links they need to be deemed “valuable” to search engines.

Wondering how to best go about building quality links? Let’s get going…

Create Local Business Listings

Online citations that include a business’ URL are one of the best link building strategies. Citations in local business directories can bring much-appreciated traffic and backlinks to a local business. To achieve this, local businesses would need to make sure their information is included in the top business directories and vertical directories for their industry, otherwise a backlink from an untrusted source can penalize the business’ position on SERPs.

We’ve put together a list of the best directories for 2019 so you can see if the directories you’re looking at made the cut. Another great resource is our Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Directories. If all that information is making you feel overwhelmed, let us help! Listing management is our bread and butter, and we help our partners like you help their local business clients every day. Request a demo today to see how we do it.

Write Blog Posts and Other Forms of Content

Blog posts and other forms of content on a local business’ site are gold for link building. With a little strategy, like the right titles and keywords, a high-ranking piece of content is a surefire way to earn links within other sites later on. We’ve talked about this time and time again! Aim to be informative yet conversational in tone. Content that is too complicated or wordy will be passed over; readers prefer to get to the point.

Remember the super-empowered consumer? Authors should be concise while still maintaining authority over the subject matter. The topics should be locally focused, interesting and, above all, searchable. All of these elements create the ideal blog post for commenting and sharing among various channels.

Partner With Other Local Businesses

Who doesn’t love working with friends? When local businesses team up with others in their area, it creates the prime link building opportunity – and draws customers in! According to HostGator, this could be as simple as promoting a referral discount or hosting an event together. When that relationship is continually built upon, the partnership will turn into sharing, linking and bolstering success on each other’s websites. Personal and professional relationships are formed, and everybody wins.

Sponsorships

By taking initiative in the local community, a local business has the opportunity to see and be seen by their consumer base. Whether it’s sponsoring an event, a nonprofit or a local sports team, a local business’ efforts will be rewarded. With summer quickly approaching, research events that are relevant to the local business in question. Or, find a nonprofit whose goals align with the business’ vision. These are all great jumping off points that could be rewarding beyond backlinks and SEO measures.

Enter Local Awards

Entering local businesses for awards as a means to earn backlinks is a win-win situation. If there are local awards to be won related to your clients’ industries, why not give it a shot? Plus, depending on the popularity of the organization hosting the awards, there may be an opportunity for promotion and backlinks just by entering. But who’s to say there won’t be a winner amongst us! There are many other perks of entering awards programs, too.

In the same vein, encourage your clients to create and give out awards within their local business itself. These are obviously small, fun awards, but don’t underestimate their impact (or backlink potential)! Whether it’s an individual that deserves recognition or another local business that should get credit for what they do, people are often compelled to share their recognitions. This creates a higher degree of trust between customers and business owners, forging those mutually beneficial partnerships we talked about.

Guest Posting and Niche Posting

A tried but true strategy is guest and niche posting. Guest posts are a common way to earn backlinks, but they require work on the author’s part to make them worth a site’s while. If there are high-quality local business sites that allow for guest posting, research keywords and find out pertinent industry trends that make for useful content topics. Then, link back to your client’s site tactfully for immediate backlinks.

“Niche posting” is another instance where local businesses can look out for each other. For example, a local business can write a post detailing their recommendations in a niche industry, but independent from their own. No promoting competitors here! This is usually an easier task if the author is a longtime resident of the community. Besides earning the links, it’s a great way to be neighborly, too! Don’t forget to reach out to every fellow local business mentioned. They may automatically reciprocate, but it wouldn’t be rude to ask them outright for a backlink or social post!

Don’t Discount Social Media

Social media is typically not thought of as a link building tool, but it can be a great tool for building backlinks and for sending the right social signals to Google and other search engines. Having a strong social media presence will make it easier for influential people in the business’ industry to share a business’ content.

Tried-n-True #LinkBuilding Strategies for Local Businesses by @Advice_Local #SEO
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We Know Local Link Building at Advice Local

Local SEO is our specialty at Advice Local, and we know the impact of backlinks on helping local businesses get found. That’s why our partners trust us to manage the listings, citations and visibility of their local business clients so they can focus their attention on other things. Leave the link building to us! Request a demo today to see how many more consumers you can help your clients reach!

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Here's How to Use Google Maps to Respond to Google My Business Reviews

Reviews are impactful, and how they’re handled is defining for businesses and brands. No one likes to read bad reviews. Customers can be steered away from businesses by negative feedback, and companies with poor online ratings face an uphill battle when it comes to earning new clients.

When a business earns a scathing review, it’s best to respond to it and do a little damage control. Google knows this and has now made it easier than ever to respond to bad reviews. Before, local businesses could only reply via Google My Business’ (GMB) mobile app and the GMB website. Now, they can interact with any customer that leaves a review through the desktop version of Google Maps.

Of course, local businesses’ GMB profiles must be verified to use this system. If you have an unverified GMB listing, contact us today! We can take care of that for you and your customers. You can also request a demo to see how we help agencies like yours help local businesses every day.

How to Reply to Google My Business Reviews From Google Maps

Replying to reviews from Google Maps is easy, simply follow these steps:

  1. Open Google Maps on your browser. This works with any browser, you don’t have to use Google Chrome.
  2. Search for the business’ name.

example of how to respond to a Google My Business review on google maps

  1. On the GMB profile, scroll down to “Reviews.”

example of how to respond to a review on google maps

  1. Click on “Reply” and craft the perfect response to the review, whether good or bad.

Google’s Way of Responding to Reviews

Google didn’t only give local businesses an additional way to reply to reviews, they also gave business owners a list of tips to respond to reviews.

Keep Things Nice When Responding to Reviews

The number one tip when responding to customers is to keep things pretty! Any attempt to rectify an unfavorable experience requires a polite, calm tone that isn’t a harsh rebuttal to the customer’s opinions.

The first step is thanking them, no matter if the review is positive or negative. Pretend that you’re speaking with them in person. An online platform doesn’t give you free reign to lash out,  that will do more harm than good. Businesses have to be in “damage control” mode when dealing with negative reviews.

Don’t Write Lengthy Responses

Even if the original customer’s post was long, the response should be concise. Get to the point without being too wordy. Google says that any responses should be “useful, readable, and courteous.” A large paragraph comes across as overwhelming. Instead, keep words relevant to the conflict and cover all the bases to address the problem.

Don’t Apologize for What You Didn’t Do

Should the tone be polite and apologetic when replying to negative reviews? Always. Does that mean that the business should take ownership of every complaint without question? Absolutely not.

Before responding to a negative review, get to the root of what went wrong. Things that were out of the business’ control shouldn’t reflect poorly on them. Google suggests responding with ways to prevent a repeat occurrence. Be transparent if something was the business’ fault, and promise to rectify situations if they’re within the business’ power. If the problem is out of the business’ control, still apologize but explain.

If the reviewer is complaining about something verifiable, like being charged incorrectly or experiencing poor service, find out why. Address serious complaints, like ones about sanitation or safety, first. Comments like those spread like wildfire and can put a business in jeopardy quickly.

Final Tips to Stay Authentic When Responding to GMB Reviews

“Authenticity” is a key word when talking about responding properly to reviews. Customers want a genuine response from a business they chose to visit, not something that appears automated. Be quick about responses to reviews. The longer a person waits for a response, the more other customers believe their opinion.

How to Use #Google #Maps to Respond to Google My Business #Reviews by @Advice_Local #GMB
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At Advice Local, we take care of local businesses’ GMB listings for our partners. From creating and claiming a profile to ongoing optimization, we’ll be with you every step of the way. Request a demo today to see how we can help you help your local business clients get found online every day!

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Tips for Creating Voice Search-Friendly Content

In today’s world, full of Google Homes and Amazon Echos, people no longer search the internet solely with typed queries. Comscore estimated that 50 percent of all searches will be voice searches by 2020. If you haven’t already, it’s time to acknowledge voice search for the powerful change that it brings. It’s a total game-changer!

Over one billion voice searches are conducted every month – are you optimizing your clients’ websites for that level of popularity? Now is the time to figure out what voice assistants and people using voice search are looking for via search engines. If a local business is not answering the public’s questions correctly, then they’re not outranking the competition.

Four Best Practices to Help a Local Business Get Found in Voice Search

But don’t worry! At Advice Local, we won’t let your local business clients lose potential customers to the competition. There are certain things to keep in mind when producing content to fit the ever-evolving needs of voice search. I know I’ve mentioned some of these before, but as voice search is evolving so are the steps you need to take to help local businesses get found.

1. Adapt Website Content for Long-Tail Keywords 

When it comes to search engines, we’ve been taught to keep it simple, leave out unnecessary things like conjunctions and punctuation in our queries. With the rise of voice search, things have taken a turn – for the better! Voice searches can be seen as having a conversation with a friend: “Hey, Siri, what’s the name of the Mexican restaurant on Main Street?” That’s why in voice searches, people rely on “long-tail keywords.”

Long-tail keywords are exactly that: long-tailed; they are longer than regular keywords. For instance, a long-tail keyword might be “plumbers in the St. Louis area” while a short-tail keyword might be just “plumbers St. Louis.” If businesses include long-tail keywords in their content, they will not only appeal to more readers, but they will also find themselves more on voice searches.

Think about it this way: old searches were awkward and short, but new voice searches are longer and more natural. Therefore, content needs to become more conversational, too. Businesses should keep it simple and avoid jargon that might not rank well with searches.

2. Answer Questions With the Featured Snippet

The voice search generation isn’t just looking for answers; they’re looking for answers now. They expect to see results within seconds, and more often than not, they’re turning to the top Google results. That’s why the featured snippet is so incredibly important. It’s the highly sought-after holy grail of search engine placement.

You’ve seen featured snippets more times than you can count at the top of a Google search. It’s the blocked-off, emphasized answer to your question, usually stemming from a detailed FAQ page or an authoritative blog. The answer is straightforward and to the point, which makes finding your results easier than ever.

Desktop and mobile searches aren’t the only ones highlighting this featured snippet. When someone conducts a voice search, Google will almost always reply with the featured snipped as the only answer. According to digital agency ROAST, a whopping 80 percent of the answers given by the Google Assistant come from featured snippets. Therefore, the more featured snippets a business can snag, the more often their content will appear in voice search results. Don’t you love that? I sure do.

As you know, businesses should keep their blog posts and other content concise, easy-to-read and on-topic for a chance to win that featured snippet. They need to think about the questions people ask, then address them in the most useful way possible.

One way to find the questions people are asking is to run a Google search for a keyword and then see what other questions show up as suggestions. In the below example when I searched “how to fix my sink” the featured snippet went to a wikihow article and below that was a series of “People also ask” questions. These are potential questions people could ask in a voice search or, for that matter, in a desktop search. Including these questions in a business’ website content is a no brainer.

Example of using search results to create voice search friendly content

3. Keep Local SEO in Mind When Optimizing Content

A huge chunk of voice searches center on local queries. People are way more likely to ask their phone “where’s the nearest sushi restaurant?” than they are to conduct thorough research on a topic. They want answers quickly, and these answers need to be locally relevant.

That’s why updating a local business listing with the correct phone number and hours is a vital part of optimizing for voice search. In many ways, voice search and local businesses are a match made in heaven. Voice search looks for easy, close answers, and local businesses feed off the queries of nearby people who use voice search. We have the roadmap to getting local businesses found in voice search.

Voice Search Roadmap Graphic

Not convinced? As BrightLocal pointed out in their Voice Search for Local Businesses Study, 46 percent of voice search users look for a local business on a daily basis. If a local business isn’t optimizing for voice search, then it’s missing out on a bunch of potential customers. 

4. Ensure That the Business’ Website Is Mobile-Friendly

According to Stone Temple Consulting, people between the ages of 25 and 34 are becoming increasingly comfortable using voice search in public, and you know what that means: they’re using their smartphones to do so. Many of these searchers will visit a website after conducting a voice search, so the website must be optimized for mobile viewing in order to impress visitors. Clunky text instantly turns people away.

Most importantly, the website needs to load quickly on mobile (and desktop too), plus give readers what they’re looking for right away. Local businesses can increase their chances of converting a potential client by providing accurate information the second they access the business’ website. Additionally, the site should be clean-cut and purposefully laid out. As a reminder, the Mobile-First Index decides placement for a website’s pages in desktop and mobile search for a pretty big chunk of searches today.

One way to make the business’ mobile website extra friendly is to include an easy-to-find FAQ page. This is where the searcher can access basic information, such as the business’ hours, address, prices, services, etc. Here are some additional tips and tests on how a business’ can check the mobile-friendliness of their website.

Voice Search Is Here for the Long Haul

I can tell you right now that voice search isn’t just a passing trend or something for the young folks. Search engines and their algorithms are always changing, and as far as I can see, voice search is the present and future. It’s so important that I created a voice search guide to help you through the journey, and developed the first-of-its-kind Voice Search Readiness algorithm.

Best Practices for Creating #VoiceSearch-Friendly #Content by @BernieColeman #SEO
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When optimizing a business’ site for voice search, don’t just think about the here and now. Find out how we help local businesses get found in desktop, mobile and voice searches every day – request a demo today.

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Learn About Natural Language and How to Use It for Voice Search Optimization

Remember when we released Voice Search for Local Businesses, Franchises and Brands: The Guide to Getting Found? Well, we’re not done emphasizing the importance of voice search readiness, nor will we be anytime soon!

Today, we’re discussing natural language. In order for businesses to properly optimize for voice search, they need to evaluate how they deliver their information. If ComScore says 50 percent of all searches will be by voice in 2020, then 2019 is the year to get focused.

What Does “Natural Language” Mean When It Comes to Voice Search?

When we talk to each other, we’re more informal than we are when we write a guide or give a speech. This is just a part of basic social behavior. When we talk to our friends, we use slang, contractions and relaxed linguistics.

This informal use of language carries into our text messages and social media posts, too. To be voice search ready, businesses and brands need to take things down a notch in the formality department when creating content. According to Google, 70 percent of the requests asked to their voice assistants are in natural language. These assistants work the best when they’re talked to like humans.

Talking to devices “normally” makes them more effective at finding the answers to questions, especially considering their ability to pick up tone, patterns and voice inflections. Voice assistants are seeking concise, matching answers with the long-tail keywords they’re asked. To stay competitive, businesses need to humanize everything they produce for the web.

Conversation, Intent & Context – The Right Way to Voice Search Optimization

Natural language is conversational. Voice assistants rely on context surrounding that natural language to give voice searchers the exact answer they were looking for. That’s why it’s essential for local businesses to base their content strategy on conversation and context.

For example, asking Siri “tell me everything you know about cars” might cause some disambiguation issues. I asked Siri that question and this is the answer she gave me:

Voice Search Example - Missing Intent

Siri chose to show results first for “Cars,” the Disney animated movie. She then moved on to a news story about car brands, including Ford, GM and Toyota. Toy cars, like Hot Wheels for example, were not even mentioned.

While my query was conversational, it didn’t have enough context clues to tell Siri what I was talking about. This is why intent is so important when it comes to voice search.

We can apply the same concept of intent to a content strategy. If I ask Siri “tell me everything you know about toy cars,” her answer changes completely. This time, Siri chose a Wikipedia entry on model cars, and avoided results regarding car brands or the animated movie.

Siri Voice Search Example - Natural Language

This particular Wikipedia entry gave Siri enough context clues of the type of car it refers to. At the same time, even though I searched for “toy cars,” Siri understood my intent and the fact that “model cars” are also considered “toy cars.”

As you can see from these examples, an exact keyword match is not essential in voice search queries. Intent, conversation & context are far more important.

Local businesses should frame their content strategy with the idea of intent, conversation & context in mind. This means writing content with an understanding of what a potential customer is looking for and answering questions clearly.

The process requires keyword research, specifically long-tail keywords that use interrogative words like who, what, when, where, why, and how. Keywords and semantic keywords are what add context to the local business’ content.

The Hummingbird & RankBrain Algorithms and Their Impact on Voice Search

In 2013, Google’s Hummingbird update changed AI as we know it. The revamped algorithm started analyzing user intent more fully, applied more context to the search and developed a better grasp on semantics. It was with this update that natural language started to be scanned using Natural Language Processing. This allows the technology to master the way the user speaks, even taking things like accents into account!

Two years later, in 2015, Google confirmed the use of RankBrain, a machine learning-based algorithm that is part of the Hummingbird update. RankBrain’s function, in a nutshell, is to interpret a searcher’s intent. I didn’t search for “model cars” in my experiment above, but Siri chose to show me a result for that, thinking of my intent; that was RankBrain working at its best.

The two updates came a while ago, but they very much shaped the beginning of voice search queries. And there’s no stopping them now.

Easy Ways to Use Natural Language

We don’t want anyone to think that using natural language means “dumbing down” the content they’re producing. That’s the farthest thing from the truth! Everything written should be less formal but still highly authoritative.

To stay competitive in the ever-expanding voice search environment, things have to be written with search in mind. This means writers and content strategists – or as I like to call them, “content genius” – need to mentally frame how a person would search for the information they’re writing about. With proper research, this isn’t too difficult to determine. The more people are searching for the topic, the more a properly crafted post will show up. Soon, the post may even make the featured snippet!

Ultimately, the use of natural language is to not only be voice search ready, but also to improve overall placement in search. It’s what the engines are looking for. The higher the placement, the closer to page one a web page is. That spells visibility, traffic, and click-through, as well as voice search optimization.

Long-tail keywords and semantics generally aren’t complicated. People want to get the answers they need, fast. Some of the best forms of content with natural language include easy-to-read FAQ pages, how-to guides, and even publications in PDF format (Google is scanning those, too!).

Additionally, natural language and keywords should extend to the titles and subtitles within a piece. These are all ways to produce A+ voice search-optimized web content!

What Is Natural Language and How to Use It for #VoiceSearch Optimization by @BernieColeman #SEO
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We Know Voice Search Optimization at Advice Local

Helping our partners help their local business clients become voice search optimized in every aspect has been a priority at Advice Local since 2018. There’s an invisible countdown to 2020, and we are spreading the word. We even launched our Voice Search Readiness test that’s the first of its kind! It tells a business how quickly they can be found by a voice assistant – if they can be found at all.

Natural language and purposeful content are just the beginning of optimizing for online presence, and we can help any establishment (large or local) figure out the rest. Request a demo today!

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Learn Which Local Citations Need Cleaned Up and How to Get Started

Clean local citations are an essential part of local SEO. It’s one of our highest priorities for the clients we take on at Advice Local and a topic we emphasize to our partners. Any mention of a brand or business online, no matter the forum, has the power to make or break a consumer opportunity. If information is incorrect or misleading, trust is already violated; just like in personal relationships, it can be difficult to regain.

But, let’s be real: combing through every single local citation is exhausting, especially if it’s on your own time. Due to the amount of time that it detracts from other areas, it seems only logical to ask the obvious question: when do businesses really need to clean up local citations? Are there instances when you can let one slide? If the citation doesn’t generate high traffic or is obscure and comparatively minor, it probably won’t sabotage too many opportunities. But, let’s go into detail about when it’s never acceptable to let an incorrect or duplicate listing remain as-is.

Local Citations and Page 1 Search Results

The long and short point of every local SEO effort? We’re all vying for the same spot on the internet. In terms of local search, that spot is page one of search results from Google, Bing or another search engine. Because local citations can help earn the top spot in a search, businesses should run some tests.

The first test: search for the local business or brand by name. What’s the first thing that pops up? If it’s an old citation with an outdated number or former address, know that’s the first thing a potential consumer sees. This information needs to be cleaned up.

The next test involves a keyword-based search. We ran a simple “near me” search that included the targeted keyword “plumbers”. This brought up, immediately below the local pack, the review sites HomeGuide.com, Yelp and Angie’s List. According to a BrightLocal survey 86 percent of people out there read online reviews before frequenting a local business, so a review site is typically one of the first places they’ll look. The quality of the citations there are important to look into.

Local Search Results Example

The last test, because it’s one of the easiest, is to run our free Online Visibility Report. This report will quickly show you which sites in our network a business is listed on and if the listing is correct, incomplete or missing.

example baseline report - Advice Local

Is There Confusion About a Local Citation or NAP Inconsistency?

If there is any vocalized confusion coming from a consumer about a listing, or a lost potential consumer, that’s a major sign that it needs to be cleaned up. This means the listing is misleading enough for people to speak about it on public forums.

Whether it’s on a Google My Business listing for all to see or in the comments section of a website, Super-Empowered Consumers who aren’t satisfied will always be the first to speak up. NAP (name, address and phone number) inaccuracies are a serious thing to rectify. Any inconsistencies probably confused far more than the vocal minority, and these citations should be at the top of the list of those to clean.

Is the Inaccurate Citation on a Government or Other High-Authority Sites?

Citation inaccuracies on government websites are important to note for two main reasons: 1. They can be tricky to correct, but 2. they have to be addressed. These citations are heavily relied upon for data by location-based source like Google Maps and the four data aggregators used in the United States. Government sites are go-tos because of their authority.

In the case of updating the data aggregators, it’s especially important to take care of the problem before that incorrect information is further disseminated across thousands of channels. This can create more unnecessary damage for a brand now, plus more work sorting through the mess later. High-authority sites with local citation inaccuracies should be the first ones checked and corrected.

Where to Begin the Process of Cleaning Local Citations

The previous points are all instances when you should not hesitate to correct any “bad data,” which we consider to be inaccurate citations and other incorrect forms of local SEO.

Start the citation cleanup process by correcting high-authority sources, like the government sites and data aggregators we discussed above. Here’s a infographic on citation cleanup and The Complete Guide How-to for Local Citation Audit and Cleanup that will walk you through the process step-by-step. Then, make a plan to build high-quality local citations going forward.

Does Every Local #Citation Need to be Cleaned Up? by @Advice_Local #SEO #Listings
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Trust Us to Manage Listings and Clean Up Local Citations

At Advice Local, we offer superior, in-house local listing management services that our clients and partners trust. Part of local listing management includes real-time citation monitoring. Let us do the busywork to maintain your visibility, and allow yourself more time to hone and improve your brand. Request a demo today and see our local SEO software in action!

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Here Are the Questions to Ask When Choosing a Local Citation Listing Service

Citations are crucial to building a business’ web presence. They’re a topic we hammer home at Advice Local – you’re probably tired of hearing about it! If not, here’s a quick refresher course: a citation is any mention of a business’ information online or offline. These references or citations are found in local directory listings, review sites and in other places online, like blog posts, and offline, like newspapers and print magazines.

The best local citations are detailed and accurate, containing the correct name, address and phone number (NAP) at the very minimum. If the business is lucky the citations link back to the business’ website.

Understanding Citations

There are two primary types of citations – structured and unstructured. For example, you can find a structured citation on a directory site; it includes the business’ name, address and phone number. An unstructured citation is the business’ information on any other type of site like a blog post and most will not include the business’ address and phone number.

If you’re a SEO-savvy business owner, local marketer or agency, you understand the importance of local citations. They can substantially improve placement in local search results. Therefore, you’re faced with an important decision: who should you trust to manage your local citations? This is a choice you need to make with all of the right facts. When you have a trusted company to create and manage a business’ local listings, you free up time to focus on other important aspects of the business.

We won’t lie: handling local citation listings can be a painstaking process to do on your own. The task of removing duplicate listings, updating them with any changed information, and creating entirely new listings is a large undertaking.

If you’re in the market for a local citation listing service, what criteria should you keep in mind? Well, we’ll tell you. Here are the top questions to ask during your search.

What Locations Does the Citation Service Target?

At Advice Local, we operate out of McKinney, Texas, but we can handle any local citation listings across the United States and Canada. If your company is based abroad, you’ll need to find a local citation listing service that submits to directories in the target country or countries.

According to BrightLocal, the United States is more structured than other countries because we have our four main data aggregators that submit to thousands of websites and directories simultaneously. Of those four, Factual is the only aggregator that submits beyond the U.S. and Canada.

Submission to data aggregators should be one of the key criteria you look for in a local citation listing service! Let’s delve more into why data aggregators are important.

Do They Use Data Aggregators?

We bring up data aggregators frequently because, in this digital day and age, a business won’t reach its full potential unless its information is being properly circulated. Data aggregators offer unmatched visibility.

Micro-Moments Data Aggregators

Neustar/Localeze can instantly submit data to 90 search platforms, mobile apps, directories, navigation services, and other sites. Acxiom is more locally focused, distributing submitted data to 75 local search companies on top of search engines and distribution partners. Infogroup provides businesses with the opportunity to go above and beyond with their listings, sending information further to navigation and mobile industries, too. Lastly, Factual is the most location-minded directory. It’s available in more than 50 countries and submits to mobile systems as soon as any information changes. Currently, Factual maintains data for 100 million local businesses.

All of the data aggregators prioritize correct data and go to extensive lengths to verify listings. Utilizing them for local citation listings is the way to go. If you’re looking at listing management company that doesn’t utilize data aggregators, look for a better service.

Note: we always submit data to aggregators at Advice Local!

Make Sure They Cover All of the Bases of Local Listing Directories

If you’re hiring a local citation listing service for yourself or your client, make sure they’re worth your time. With the many options to choose from, it’s important to make sure they submit to the most important directories beyond Google My Business. A few include SuperPages, D&B and MerchantCircle.

A vertical listing is an industry-specific directory, serving the medical field, attorneys, home repair professionals, and even the food industry. It’s a niche, and the local citation listing service you select should be familiar with any vertical directories that could benefit the business. Examples of vertical-specific directories include eLocal Doctors, FindLaw and Fixr.

Geo-specific directories are relegated to a geographical region. For example, if the business in question is based in the Dallas, Texas area, circulating business information through a hyperlocal directory like BubbleLife will gain visibility for DFW residents.

Geo-Specific Business Listing Example

Additionally, any local citation listing service you choose should comprehensively submit to GPS in-dash navigation solutions and mapping apps, too. If a potential consumer can’t find the business’ storefront, they’ll move onto the next best option. Who wants to lose that business?

How Do They Report on the Business’ Local Citation Listings?

This question is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a service provider for local citation listings. How do they report the progress of the directories that the business is successfully listed in?

At Advice Local, we have multiple methods of reporting listing statuses to our clients and partners. Through our partner dashboard a business’ overall online visibility, listing status and visibility for each of the local pages (Google, Bing, Yelp) is viewable 24/7 through the Progress Report.

example of local pagesAdditionally, our partners have the option to setup automated reporting to be delivered to them or their clients monthly. When it comes to reporting, transparency should be a priority from the get-go. Clients should always know exactly what’s going on with their local listings.

example of advice local directories report

Because Advice Local performs API submissions, any change in information can be sent out immediately. We always keep our eyes peeled for incorrect listings, and we handle any problems quickly to prevent potential consumers from experiencing any confusion.

How to Choose a Local #Citation #Listing Service by @GetPlacedLocal #SEO
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Trust Us to Be Your Local Citation Listing Service

Since we’ve presented the main things you should look for in a local citation listing service, we should probably mention that we excel at all of them! We are entrusted with hundreds of thousands of listings daily. They’re monitored closely to keep our clients and partners always informed.

Interested in the kinds of listing management we can offer you? Request a demo today.

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