News
 
Gravatar
Voice Search Is as Relevant as Ever in 2022

Last time we gave you our top 10 New Year’s resolutions that local marketers should apply for a prosperous 2022. Now, with the year in full swing, it’s time to check back in with voice search and see how much it still matters.

The Importance of Voice Search Optimization in 2022

It’s been awhile since we’ve talked about voice search. You might conclude that it isn’t too important anymore, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, as local marketers, we’ve grown more comfortable with voice search, so it’s not the hot news topic it once was.

To illustrate how voice search is not only still relevant but is actually growing exponentially, Algolia compiled a host of statistics on the topic.

The first stat of note is that voice-driven shopping is expected to hit $40 billion by 2022, compared to $2 billion in 2017. This substantial increase forecast by a market research report from OC&C Strategy Consultants shows how much more comfortable users are with the technology. Consumers aren’t just using voice search for directions or to ask simple questions, but also to discover and buy products.

Second, a survey into voice assistant consumer adoption conducted by Voicebot.ai found that half of American drivers have used voice search while on a journey. Not only are these drivers getting familiar with voice search in general, they are also using it as they travel. For your clients – restaurants, stores and more – this could be an opportunity to reach a customer nearby.

And finally, according to Narvar, around half of online consumers use voice search to research products, while more than half use the technology to shop for groceries and other products. This shows that voice search is firmly embedded in the online shopping experience, from discovering brands and products to making regular purchases. And what’s more, the trajectory for voice search is only going up.

Voice Search Is Changing User Behavior

Voice search has already changed the nature of search, and this will only increase over the coming years as adoption rates continue to rise. Just as mobile browsing saw a fast ascent and could no longer be ignored, voice search is here to stay—and your clients need to be prepared. In response, here at Advice Local we created the Voice Search Readiness Test to help you out. It’s simple… take the test and see how well a business is getting found on voice assistants.

Create a Personalized Voice App

Whether on desktop, mobile, or voice search, accurate business data is vital. Of course, getting found is a primary concern, but businesses and brands also want to control the information they deliver to consumers. And this is exactly where the Advice Local Voice App comes in.

We have developed a tool that makes creating a voice app quick and straightforward. Through our user-friendly dashboard, you can create a welcome message, add questions and answers—and develop a personalized experience for each of your clients. In no time, your clients will have a dedicated app that increases visibility on Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Google Home.

Grab a Free Judy’s Book Listing

As you may know, we own Judy’s Book, the directory. This directory is a trusted directory for businesses, and it’s also used as a data source to populate a wide range of other directories and review sites. Plus, Judy’s Book has voice search integration for each listing, ensuring data like business information, reviews and FAQs can be found in voice searches.

As a perk of listing distribution with Advice Local, you get a free premium Judy’s Book listing for your clients. This includes 1,000 ad impressions per month on the free business listings on the directory (those that do not have a premium listing).

#VoiceSearch Is as Relevant as Ever in 2022 by @BernieColeman via @Advice_Local #SEO
Click To Tweet

We Can Help With Voice Search Readiness

With voice search only growing in popularity, businesses need access to the technology that will ensure they get found across desktop, mobile and voice search. Our dashboard delivers the tools that make that a reality. To find out more, request a demo today.

The post Voice Search Is as Relevant as Ever in 2022 – Are You Making It Count? appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Marketers

We ended 2021 by sharing the most popular local search blogs published on Advice Local during the year. We like to jumpstart the new year with tips to help you, our agency partners, local marketers and friends achieve their business goals for the coming year. Join us in starting 2022 with 10 resolutions for digital marketers.

10 New Year’s Resolutions to Get Behind for a Prosperous 2022

Let’s examine these well-known sayings and how they can help you successfully grow a digital marketing agency. Whether it’s your business or a business you work for, consider how these points can help you reach ultimate success in 2022.

1. Time Is Money

This can apply to many areas of your business. As a leader in the company, each moment spent doing something that someone else could do is costing you. Ask yourself how you can maximize results with the limited time available each day. You may be reluctant to give up certain tasks, but you’ll be thankful when you can dedicate time to the things that help the agency grow.

2. You Get What You Pay For

Depending on the size of the business, keeping costs low can mean doing things manually instead of using a tool or paying less to team members, paying less for services, etc. When making decisions on how to spend money it’s important to consider time, quality and training. Short-term savings can turn out to be a false economy if the business ends up suffering.

3. Quality Over Quantity

In business, it’s better to do a few things really well rather than to do many things just halfway – this will bring you more success in the long run. Many entrepreneurs dream big and are full of ideas, but trying to do too much can end up confusing clients, particularly when results are lackluster. Remember, quality work will always win over the long term.

4. A Penny Saved Is a Penny Earned

Examine ways to save money within your business to get the most value out of any funds that are spent. For example, periodically audit the services you pay for, the tools you have signed up for and so on – it’s an excellent way to save money. And of course, the start of the year is a great time for a fresh start.

5. People Before Profit

While business owners always need to focus on the bottom line, don’t let this need come at the expense of people. First and foremost, clients are people – the time dedicated to building relationships can pay you back many times over. Being courteous, respectful and understanding can make the difference between a long-term relationship and an abrupt ending.

6. Manage Your Time or It Will Manage You

It’s a well-known observation that work expands to fit the time available for its completion. Sadly, business owners and their teams will understand this concept all too well. Managing time isn’t easy, but planning ahead, prioritizing the most important tasks – and including breaks to recharge yourself – will help you manage your time more effectively.

7. Make Your Passion Your Profession

When your profession is something you are passionate about, drive and creativity will naturally follow. Unfortunately, when your work fails to inspire you the opposite is true. The world of digital marketing is fast-moving and encompasses technology, communication and strategy. This means there is plenty to get excited about as you work to deliver for your clients.

8. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

This saying is simple yet eternally true. Amidst the noise of agencies and marketers competing for business, the ability to follow through on your promises should never be underestimated. While hype may get a lot of attention, your actions will ultimately determine your long-term success.

9. Think Before You Speak

Whether you’re speaking with team members or clients, taking a moment to think about what you are trying to communicate is vital. In business, saying the wrong thing could lose valuable time through miscommunication or even lose a sale. Simple and clear communication ensures everyone is on the same page.

10. Under-Promise and Over-Deliver

In business, we often think that results are the only things that matter. In reality, expectations determine how we feel about results. When an agency over-delivers for clients, this resonates far more than if you had made grand promises that are just not possible. Set clear expectations, and when it’s appropriate deliver just a little bit more. Going the extra mile (and letting them know you did) will bring the customer back to you time and time again.

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Marketers by @BernieColeman #SEO #DigitalMarketing
Click To Tweet

Does the Need for These Resolutions Ring True for Your Business?

At Advice Local, we challenge you and each member of your team to consider these ideas and implement those that make sense for your business this year.

If you are not already an Advice Local partner, request a demo to see how we can help you better serve your local business clients, bring new business in the door – and grow your agency in 2022 and beyond. Call (214) 310-1356 to get started today.

The post Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Digital Marketers appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
The Top 10 Local Search Topics of 2021

As we approach the end of 2021, it’s time to once again highlight the most popular content published on Advice Local throughout the year. You might not be too surprised to find that many of this year’s popular blog posts are tied to Google EAT (expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) and the Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business).

As the 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors article from earlier this month revealed, these topics are indeed more important than ever. So, let’s take a look at the topics that got the most attention in 2021… we’ll start with the most popular.

Most Popular Local Search Blog Posts From 2021

1. Local Search Ranking Factors – What’s Important in 2021

When you want to know what local search experts think, the annual Local Search Ranking Factors survey is a must-read. And it’s not surprising that our article published in early 2021 made the cut. From the most important search signals to the value of reviews, this report gives a crucial insight into the world of local search. Take a look back at what was considered to be most important for 2021 – and compare it to what is recommended for 2022.

2. How to Apply Google EAT to a Google My Business Listing [#Infographic]

We’ve been pointing out the importance of Google EAT for a while now, and our handy infographic has proven to be a popular post this year, quite understandably. In this article and graphic, we outlined how to apply EAT to a GMB listing to improve discoverability. Google has since rebranded the familiar Google My Business (GMB) – now called Google Business Profile (GBP) – but you’ll be glad to know the same tips and tricks still apply.

3. A Case Study Into EAT and Google My Business

In this article, we provided a real-world case study from one of our Advice Local partners. The study detailed what happened when the partner used our Enhanced Google My Business Tool to apply the principles of EAT for their client. With some simple changes to their GMB strategy, search and maps results saw a significant change. We followed up on this post with more data that demonstrates the value of optimizing a GMB listing.

4. Why Every Local Business Needs an Apple Maps Listing

Businesses are increasingly seeing the benefits of getting listed on Apple Maps. An incomplete or poorly optimized listing will deliver a terrible user experience to the many iPhone and Siri users out there. This article outlines how to claim and optimize an Apple Maps listing, including the benefits of using an automated service to check that the data is intact. And yes, for our Advice Local partners we include the creation of Apple Maps listings.

5. Zero-Click Search & What It Has to Do With Google My Business

For businesses that need visibility but also want searchers to visit their website, zero-click searches can feel like a mixed blessing. In this post, we outlined how to make the most of zero-click searches by conducting audits into GMB listings, website content and product pages. By comprehensively optimizing content, consumers can find relevant business details across multiple locations.

6. Why Is Google My Business so Important?

With increasing numbers of consumers heading to Google to research products and services, GMB has the power to transform the fortunes of a local business. We looked at why GMB is so important in this blog post, with a focus on simple optimization changes and the results they could have. Of course, GMB has since rebranded to GBP, though the same principles work as well as ever.

7. Near Me Goes Hyperlocal – This Search Qualifier Isn’t Going Away

To deliver the most relevant and accurate results to searchers, platforms including Google, Facebook and Nextdoor opted to pursue hyperlocal search. Mobile searchers in particular want businesses close by, and the near me search qualifier grew in popularity. This blog post highlights the importance of near me searches – and how to help your clients get hyperlocal.

8. Google My Business & the Business’ Website Works Together

This article gave a detailed and data-driven look at the impact of monitoring and updating a GMB listing. Thanks to an agency partner, we were able to examine the results derived from optimizing a listing with regular GMB posts. In addition, we saw the benefits of aligning services listed on both a GMB listing and a business website – and the potential pitfalls that can occur when this is not done.

9. Google My Business Is Now Google Business Profile

As we headed towards the end of 2021, Google announced a rebrand to their business listing service. Overnight, Google My Business became Google Business Profile. As we discussed in this post, at Advice Local we weren’t too surprised by the move. We had been discussing the shift towards social networking and user-generated content with GMB, and the rebrand solidified their plans.

10. Getting the Basics of Yelp, Bing & Google My Business Right

Listing management is at the heart of everything we do at Advice Local. With this in mind we created a refresher on optimizing listings for Yelp, Bing and GMB. In this article, we covered some key areas where local marketers can go wrong when it comes to delivering an optimized listing for their clients – and how to get it right.

Honorable Mentions Go to These Popular Local Search Resources

We had to give an honorable mention to some valuable resources from the Advice Local website. These resources are not blog posts and they weren’t published in 2021, but they keep earning praise from our readers, holding the title for the most popular resources to date.

Applying E-A-T in a Google My Business Listing

This comprehensive download, Applying E-A-T in a Google My Business Listing, helps businesses improve their Google Authority Score by implementing Google EAT strategies. Expertise, authority and trustworthiness (EAT) are clearly important factors in local search, yet most people don’t know how to demonstrate these to Google. Download the resource today and we’ll show you the techniques you need to know.

Winning With Voice Search

With increasing numbers of voice searches, agencies need to have a strategy for helping their clients get more voice search traffic. In this Winning With Voice Search download from Advice Local, readers will learn why content matters, how voice search users act – and the way to appear in featured snippets. Download your copy now.

Epic Guide to Local SEO

Coming in a close third in our popular resources that deserve special praise is the Epic Guide to Local SEO. This comprehensive interactive guide contains 15 chapters of detailed SEO instruction. After consuming this information you will understand the key aspects of local search, including citation building, Mobile SEO, the importance of reviews, plus the best tools to help local businesses. If you’d prefer to download the resource rather than viewing it on our website, that’s available too.

The Top 10 Local #Search Topics of 2021 by @BernieColeman #SEO
Click To Tweet

Take Local Search Marketing to the Next Level in 2022

We’ve got plenty more insight on the Advice Local blog, and we’re busy developing new strategies and technology to help your local business clients reach even greater success in 2022.

Request a demo and see for yourself how we can help you list, manage and optimize your clients’ businesses where it counts. Call (214) 310-1356 to get started today.

The post The Top 10 Local Search Topics of 2021 From Advice Local appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
2021 Local Search Ranking Factors – Applying Them in 2022

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.

2021 Local Search Ranking Factors

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.

Top 20 Local Pack Finder Factor

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
Click To Tweet

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.

The post 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors – Applying Them in 2022 appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
Poorly Optimized Google Business Profile

Last week, we discussed a recent Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) error affecting medical categories. This week we have a horror story about the dangers of becoming a little too reliant on Google.

The Dangers of Bad Google Business Profile Optimization

Last week, one of our Advice Local partners received a phone call from a business owner requesting a Google Business Profile (GBP) evaluation. The business owner said the phone hadn’t rung in more than 12 days and GBP is their only source for new customers – even down to only using a Google website. We have talked with you about the importance of marketing diversification many times. So it was quite a coincidence when a real-world business came calling on one of our partners.

The business owner explained they couldn’t afford a website. But if the alternative is placing their fate in the hands of Google, can one afford not to have a website? Their decision to rely solely on Google proved catastrophic. However, many other businesses regularly make this same mistake. We have discussed how GBP and business websites work together and this is one of the first things our partner told the business.

This business had hired a person to optimize their GBP and continually manage it. They thought they were doing everything right.

The Negative Impact of a Poorly Optimized Google Business Profile

At first glance, the business’ Google Business Profile looked good. But when we looked deeper (the partner shared the link with us) we discovered some real optimization issues.

Attributes – on the surface, adding attributes is exactly right. Unfortunately, the person hired to manage the profile listed the business as “Not LGBTQ+ friendly,” followed by “Transgender safespace.” Both of these were highly visible in search and maps. Talk about sending mixed messages!

Services & descriptions – even products, images & descriptions were included too. Sadly, poor grammar, weak images, incomplete sentences and other errors undid all their good work.

Offer posts – five expired Black Friday posts that were identical. These were the most visible posts on the GBP and their website. So consumers were immediately confronted with buy, buy, buy! The listing looked like it was spam.

Grammar and formatting – updated posts were plagued with grammar and spacing issues that would deter most consumers. “Learn-more” buttons sent people in a loop from post to post. This business needed conversion-friendly Call Now or Book buttons instead.

These are only a few of the problems that exist with this Google Business Profile.

We have talked with you about the importance of an optimized GBP listing, but we have never covered how the optimization of a listing this poor could negatively impact a business.

Clearly, any system relying exclusively on Google is a fragile one and you never know when the phone may stop ringing. So once again, after sharing this business’ nightmare, we ask: Are you diversifying your local business clients’ marketing efforts?

The Results an Optimized Google Business Profile Can Received

An optimized GBP can achieve amazing results for a business. Here is the data we have shared before showing how an optimized listing can improve map and search views.

  • March 9 – 2.76K (before optimization)
  • April 13 – 6.18K (after)
  • June 8 – 12.2K
  • August 9 – 20.0K
  • November 8 – 22.8K

google search views data november 2021

What Damage Can a Bad Google Business Profile Cause? by @BernieColeman #SEO #GBP #GMB
Click To Tweet

Have You Tried Our Local Listing Management Solution?

At Advice Local, we make it easy for our clients to manage local business profiles the right way. From listings management and data aggregator submissions to voice search readiness and vertical directory syndication, we’ve got you covered. We even have tools to manage and monitor a business’ Google Business Profile. To try out our user-friendly dashboard, request a demo today. Call (214) 310-1356 with any questions on how to get started.

The post How Much Damage Can a Poorly Optimized Google Business Profile Cause? appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
Google Business Profile Category Issues

Before Thanksgiving, we talked about a study detailing the importance of listing management for a winning SEO strategy. This week, we’re looking at some problems with the new Google Business Profile (GBP) update and what it could mean for your clients. As a reminder, Google My Business rebranded to the Google Business Profile earlier this month.

Healthcare Providers Faced Google Business Profile Problems

GBP had a major issue over the last few weeks that was impacting businesses in the medical categories. It seems to have resolved itself now, however we highly recommend you check your clients’ GBP listings.

For those partners who are using our GBP Sync, you can check this data from your Advice Local partner dashboard.

In what appears to be a bug, medical listings saw countless categories removed from their profiles. Users attempting to add a category were faced with an error message stating, “This business category isn’t available in your region.” There were even problems with some medical facilities’ addresses showing the error message on map listings.

How Reliant Are You on Google?

Issues like these are the perfect example of why you need to diversify the marketing strategies you use to help your local business clients. Of course, GBP will always play an important role in any strategy, but we all need contingencies for when unresolved bugs appear and Google isn’t especially forthcoming with information.

At Advice Local, we aim to reach potential customers wherever they can be found. This process involves using listing sites like Bing, Yelp and Nextdoor, along with other niche and vertical directories.

We also recommend submitting to data aggregators, GPS navigation, mapping apps and data sources that submit to Siri, Alexa and other voice assistants. This approach leaves your clients less exposed to the whims of Google and increases the touchpoints where customers can find local businesses.

Google Business Profile Category Issues – Are You Affected? by @BernieColeman #SEO #GMB #GBP
Click To Tweet

Have You Tried Our Listing Management Solution?

At Advice Local, we have created a listing management solution that lets you control your clients’ listings from a single dashboard. Syndicate listings to all the major platforms, make quick updates, generate client reports and respond to reviews from one location. To try it for yourself, request a demo today.

The post Google Business Profile Category Issues – Are You Affected? appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
study proves listing management important

Last week we looked at the big news that Google My Business has been rebranded as Google Business Profile. We shared exactly how to make sure your local business customers get found in Google’s local pack and maps. This week we’ve got a little more on this development, along with a whole lot more on listing management.

Google Solicits Support From Small Businesses

By now, we’ve all had some time to digest Google’s rebrand and get familiar with the new interface. One surprisingly prominent feature of the new Business Profile page relates to proposed legislation that could affect local businesses. Instead of initially prompting users to update their listings, Google chose to highlight the possible outcomes of legislation for businesses.

Mike Blumenthal looked into this new Google campaign with a skeptical eye. Aimed at possible antitrust regulations, Google wants businesses to know that legislation will make it harder to discover their listing – and they’re using the rebrand to get your attention.

While Google is busy trying to get a bit political, listing management is still proving itself to be valuable to local businesses.

Does Listing Management Really Make a Difference to Visibility in Search & Maps?

As Google and the other platforms continue to improve their services, other SEO strategies inevitably lose potency or do they? It is natural to question how much an agency should prioritize citations for local clients.

Well, a recent Moz study seems to make the case pretty clear – directory citations are essential. A total of 6,000 small businesses and enterprises were tracked over 13 months. Comparisons were made between businesses on the big four platforms (Google My Business, Facebook, Apple Maps and Bing) and those listed on the big four along with 10 or more other directories.

Results were conclusive – those syndicated to the wider network were featured in a significantly higher percentage of local packs. Results included direct search (89%), indirect search (77%), search view (65%) and maps view (91%).

Looking Beyond the Google Business Profile Is a Winning SEO Strategy

The Moz study highlights the importance of building and maintaining a wider network of directories. You may remember we discussed prioritizing all local business listings last month. Google frequently distracts from other platforms like Bing, Yelp and Nextdoor. But local marketers and agencies really add value to their clients when they consider the broader ecosystem of directories, mapping apps, data aggregators, voice assistants and more. And don’t forget the potential of niche and vertical directories.

Local Business Listings Must Be Created, Maintained and Accurate

We continue to return to the theme of accuracy when it comes to directory listings. But inaccurate data is a recurring aggravation amongst consumers. In fact, 63% of consumers wouldn’t use a business if they encountered incorrect information on a listing.

However, it is simply not feasible to manage an extended network of listings without automation. This extends beyond name, address and phone number (NAP) data to categories, products, images, attributes and more.

Study Proves Listing Management Is Extremely Relevant by @BernieColeman #SEO
Click To Tweet

A Real-Time Listing Management Solution Is What You Need

Advice Local helps agencies, brands and franchises create, manage and monitor business listings with their listing management services. On top of real-time listing updates, you can also take advantage of client reports, enhanced Google tools and more. To try the solution for yourself, request a demo today or call us at (214) 310-1356.

The post Study Proves Listing Management Is Extremely Relevant appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
google-business-profile-optimization

Last week, we discussed using Google My Business for holiday marketing campaigns. This week, we’re sharing some pretty big news on a rebrand… Keep reading to get the scoop.

Meet Google Business Profile

It seems renaming is the new thing to do for big business. At the end of October, Facebook became Meta and last week Google My Business rebranded to Google Business Profile.

Does this move by Google really surprise you? Here at Advice Local, we are not surprised. As you may recall, we recently discussed how it seemed like Google is making big shifts to be more like a social network.

Google Business Profile is depending more and more on user-generated content (UGC). Consider this…

What do the major social media networks depend on to succeed? UGC.

What has a significant impact on the visibility of a Google Business Profile in the local pack and maps? UGC.

How can you add more UGC to a Google Business Profile? UGC comes in many forms.

  • Reviews
  • Photos
  • Questions & Answers

It’s clear Google wants more businesses to leverage GBP (is that what we call it now?!?). Google is now encouraging businesses to claim and/or manage their profiles from search or maps. They announced that single location businesses will now manage their individual Google Business Profiles solely from maps.

Search Engine Land reported that the previous Google My Business dashboard will now become Business Profile Manager, used for multi-location brands, agencies and local marketers to manage multiple Google Business Profiles.

Is EAT the Answer for Google Business Profiles?

For those of you who have been following along with our journey of EAT (expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) since around this time last year, you are well equipped to maximize the full benefit of this shift.

For those of you who have not prioritized EAT within the Google Business Profile, now is the time.

EAT Resources We Created to Help You

One of our Advice Local partners implemented this EAT strategy for their local clients’ Google Business Profiles and has been getting stellar results. We have been tracking their results since March.

Today, we’re going to share the combined map and search views’ data for one of the Google Business Profiles we have been tracking that this partner optimized.

  • March 9 – 2.76K (before optimization)
  • April 13 – 6.18K (after)
  • June 8 – 12.2K
  • August 9 – 20.K
  • November 8 – 22.8K

Yes, you are reading correctly. We just checked in and the very same business is now at 22.8K combined views for maps and searches in just one quarter. Here is the screenshot showing the data for your review. Notice the views continued to remain high each day. The valleys are on the weekends which would be expected for this type of business.

google-search-views-data-november-2021

By implementing EAT, this business went from 6.18K to 22.8K combined views in search and maps. And this specific business does not have a review management campaign going. If it had, these views would be even higher.

We Have the GAS Score to Help You Too

Not only have we provided you with how-tos for adding EAT to a Google Business Profile, but we have added the Google Authority Score (GAS), within our partner dashboard, to help you evaluate how well a Google Business Profile is performing.

image of gas score

The GAS score is available in your partner dashboard for all active business listings. You will have to be a manager of the Google Business Profile and grant access to your partner dashboard to view the GAS score.

#GoogleMyBusiness Is Now Google Business Profile by @BernieColeman #SEO
Click To Tweet

Premium Partner Solutions to Manage Google Business Profiles Are Available to You

At Advice Local, we’re all about providing premium solutions for our partners to make listing management easier. This includes the Google Business Profile. With our solution, you can add photos, posts, questions & answers, and monitor and respond to reviews from a single platform.

Whether you are managing one Google Business Profile or those for a multi-location brand, our Google My Business tool makes it easy. Request a demo or give us a call at (214) 310-1356 to learn more.

The post Google My Business Is Now Google Business Profile appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
Using Google My Business for Holiday Marketing Campaigns

We’ve been looking closely at map listings recently and last week we delved into the various mapping apps available. But with the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time to shift gears and focus on creating local marketing campaigns to help your local business clients get more business.

Holiday Marketing Strategies With Google My Business

The busy holiday season is closing in and no doubt most of your clients will be pleased with an upswing in new customers. Among the many marketing tools at your disposal this year is, of course, Google My Business (GMB). If applied effectively, GMB posts will be a key driver of sales for local businesses, with the chance to apply offers, discounts, flash sales, limited-time coupons and event announcements.

It is, however, best to assume that competing businesses will also be going all out to reach local consumers. Therefore, the businesses that plan their seasonal campaigns are best poised to capitalize on consumer interest. In practice, this means developing a joined-up marketing approach that ties GMB posts to social media profiles, along with video uploads, graphics and even influencer marketing if appropriate.

Using Google My Business as a Promotional Channel

It is clear Google wants to provide searchers with detailed information requiring as few clicks as possible. We’ve actually shared some data on this before. And with this in mind, leveraging all the features available within Google My Business will definitely help.

Utilize These Types of GMB Posts for Holiday Marketing

  • Offers – Create a time-sensitive offer, including coupon codes, sales copy, graphics and video.
  • What’s new – You could add a new seasonal product – product bundle, limited-time deal – and use this section to draw attention to it.
  • Events – Hold a holiday-themed event and promote it using GMB.
  • COVID-19 – Reduce COVID-19 concerns by publishing your safety and hygiene protocols.

Add Services & Products Including Descriptions to GMB

Have you noticed how services are only available in Google My Business on mobile? That’s ok. You definitely should add them to a GMB listing anyway. Make sure you also add a description for each service.

You can also add products on a GMB listing. For most categories, this is viewable in desktop and mobile on a business’ listing. You can update the pricing and other details related to seasonal sales. Make sure to include a description for each product.

And while we know you are thinking about tangible products, Google is fine with your utilizing products to add services (at this point). Below is an example of a service that has been added as a product on a GMB listing.

product image example of a service

Visual Appeal Makes All the Difference

Ultimately, the reason for enhancing a Google My Business listing is to increase the number of actions taken by targeted consumers. An often-overlooked part of increasing customer activity is the use of custom graphics. In fact, Google indicated that adding photos to business profiles leads to 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35% more website clicks than websites without photos.

BrightLocal’s Google My Business Insights Study found that businesses with more than 100 images on GMB get 2,717% more direction requests, 520% more calls and 1,065% more website clicks than the average business.

If your customers are in an industry in which having lots of photos on their GMB is a challenge, creating custom graphics can help solve this.

image of dentist image

Above is an example of an image created for a dentist’s GMB listing for Halloween. This image could be used as a photo or with a GMB post. It could work well with either one. Below is an example of an image created for an allergy doctor’s GMB post.

image used in GMB post

In both examples, the images are promoting useful content that is seasonally relevant and provides value to a searcher. We previously discussed the fact that Google is becoming more social and these are examples of content that would work on GMB and across social media.

Holiday Disruption Could Be On the Horizon

Over at Street Fight, they have been discussing the potential for supply chain issues this coming holiday season. Many customers are aware of the need to start shopping early and will have expectations when they buy from local businesses. To alleviate most issues, work with your local business clients to communicate openly on timelines and set clear expectations with customers. Utilizing Google My Business and social media can help alleviate their customers’ concerns.

Using #GoogleMyBusiness for Holiday Marketing Campaigns by @BernieColeman #GMB #SEO
Click To Tweet

Google My Business Listings Made Easy

Are you managing listings for multiple clients or multi-location brands? Our listing management services and Google My Business Tool manage your client’s business data and GMB listings from our partner dashboard. Request a demo by calling (214) 310-1356 to see how we can help you better serve your local business clients this holiday season.

The post Using Google My Business for Holiday Marketing Campaigns appeared first on Advice Local.

Gravatar
Get Listed on the Popular Mapping Apps with Advice Local

Last week we looked at how using Google EAT (expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) in combination with structured data can improve visibility in search and maps. This week we’ve got more maps-related updates, with a focus on mapping apps and the business data consumers find in these apps.

Map Listings Matter to Local Businesses

Location-specific searches are now a ubiquitous part of most smartphone users’ daily search habits. Whether it is geo-modified, non-geo-modified or “near me” searches, consumers want the closest, best-reviewed and most relevant business results at all times.

Undoubtedly, many of your clients will have taken some preliminary steps into proximity-based search. Claiming Google Maps and Apple Maps listings are a good first step. But there is now so much more potential, from the diversity of mapping apps to the breadth of information you can convey to consumers.

Targeted Offers Through Google Maps

Google My Business (GMB) posts are one example of an underutilized opportunity for reaching smartphone searchers using Maps. A post can include COVID-19 information, offers such as coupon codes, product listings, general information and event promotions.

GMB posts appear on both Google Search and Maps. Not only are they helpful, but they can encourage immediate action from individuals in the local vicinity. With just a quick update, a business has a timely and enticing promotion for the most targeted customers.

Apple Maps Continues to Evolve

You may have noticed a lot of positive signals from the recent Apple Maps iOS 15 updates. Apple now has a viable alternative to Google Maps, with some noteworthy upgrades for your clients to take advantage of.

One important update that offers some immediate benefits is the enhanced filtering options. Businesses can now be more precise in their categorization, helping consumers in their purchasing decisions.

In turn, this makes discoverability far easier as your clients won’t get lumped into a single broad category. Users search for exactly what they want – a bar that is currently open or a restaurant selling pizza – and relevant establishments appear. This is a useful update to consider alongside the ability for more businesses to get reviews.

Right now, Apple is still pulling some data from a business’ Yelp listing, so to effectively optimize an Apple Maps listing you need to make sure the Yelp listing is optimized too.

Thinking Beyond Google and Apple Maps

It is easy to focus exclusively on Google when it comes to any kind of local search. But so many opportunities will be lost without a broader strategy. There are countless GPS devices and in-dash navigation solutions that all require consistent business information to serve local consumers.

As you know, accurate, up-to-date and consistent business data is at the heart of business listings. This means platforms including the likes of Yelp, Bing Places, Waze, TomTom and Garmin must receive relevant business data. However, these apps aren’t standing still in their desire to provide greater accuracy and added verticalization. Staying on top of changes and regularly verifying accuracy is an ongoing part of the process.

A crowdsourced app like Waze has millions of users engaged with the idea of real-time updates and convenience. If a business is listing outdated product information and incorrect opening hours, users will naturally feel aggrieved. Of course, updating countless apps and databases is time-consuming.

If you use Advice Local’s listing management solution for the local businesses and brands you represent, you know we provide fast updates to all of the major GPS databases, mapping platforms and in-dash navigation systems and in real time. And we include this for free within our dashboard for active business listings.

Get Listed on the Popular Mapping Apps by @BernieColeman #SEO
Click To Tweet

Maintain Accurate Business Data Across Mapping Apps & More

Our listing management service provides the easiest way to add and update business listings from a single dashboard. From business directories and review sites to GPS and mapping solutions, we’ve got you covered. Call us at (214) 310-1356 or Request a demo online to learn more.

The post Get Listed on the Popular Mapping Apps with Advice Local appeared first on Advice Local.