Get on the Map: Local Search Optimization

Ruth Burr – Client Manager

Jessica Fisher – Associate Client Manager

May 25, 2011

Presentation AgendaAbout Point It

• Launched in April 2002

• Seattle’s largest independent search marketing firm

• PPC & SEO

• $30 MM in managed media/yr

• 40+ yrs of SEM experience

• Servicing clients across all verticals and revenue models

Presentation AgendaLogistics & Introductions

• Being Recorded

• Link to slides will be emailed later this week

• Ask Questions throughout

Agenda

• What is local search?

• Where do search engines look for local

data?

• How to optimize your local accounts

• Advanced tactics for local

• Local search & mobile phones

• Accumulating customer reviews

• Q&A

Presentation AgendaAbout Local Search

Local-Specific Queries Geolocation from Generic Queries

5

Google Place SearchLocation Specified in Search Query

Scrolling

Map

New Google

Places Listing

View

3rd Party

Listing Site

Results

Google Place Search No Location Specified

National

Results

Limited

Info

Google

Places

Image

Results

How Much Are People Searching Local?

• 35% of All Search Queries Contain a

City, State or Zip Code.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

55 & Older 35 to 54 18 to 34

Online First

Offline First

•First Place

People Are

Looking For

Local

Business

Info:

Where Do Search Engines Look?

On Page Local Factors

• Title tags

<title>Search Engine Marketing Services | Point It -

Seattle, WA</title>

• Text Address

hCard Microformat

• Specific HTML code that says “here is an

address”

• Notifies bots/spiders of each piece of

address information

• Eliminates data confusion caused by

inconsistencies in formatting (Street/st,

Suite/Unit/#, etc.

Address MicroFormat

<div id="contact" class="vcard">

<br><h1 style="margin-bottom:0;" class="fn org">Point It

Inc.</h1>

<div class="adr">

<div class="street-address">3131 Western Ave<br>

Suite 428</div>

<span class="locality">Seattle</span>,

<abbr class="region" title="Washington">WA</abbr>

<span class="postal-code">98121</span> </div> </div>

<div class="tel">1-888-33-POINT (76468)</div>

<div class="tel"> <span class="type">FAX</span> 1-206-374-

1300</div>

• http://microformats.org/wiki/hcard

All About Sitemaps

• XML: Default sitemap

• Specialized Sitemaps for Google

Webmaster Tools:

– Video

– Mobile

– News

– Code Search

– Image

– Geo/KML

Making a KML Sitemap

Download bulk upload sheet from Google

Places for Business:

Dashboard Upload a data file

Download our template

Making a KML Sitemap

Update with your info and upload to Google

Earth Pro

Create KML sitemap and upload to Google

Webmaster Tools

Making a KML Sitemap

Google Places

www.google.com/places

Example: Google

Places Listing for

“Frozen Yogurt Seattle”

Fisher Refrigeration

Importance of Verification

1.

2.

Google Places Metrics

Google Boost

New Bing Business Portal

• Free Mobile Website

w/Listing

• Invite Multiple Users

to Manage Account

• Custom QR Code

Yelp

Other Listing Sites

Tips for Multiple Data Sources

• Consistency, consistency, consistency

– No tracking phone numbers!

• Accuracy

• Don’t be a fibber!

How to Optimize for Local Search

Local Keyword Research

www.google.com/insights

New York 2004-Present California 2004-Present

Description

• Implement Keyword

Research in

Descriptions

• Make it Readable and

User-Friendly

Categories

• Categories:

Profile Completeness

Fill Out Everything You Can…

And You are Likely to See Impressions

Improve!

Case Study – CLEAR®

Added:

• Photos

• Videos

• Testimonials

• Store hours

• Payment methods

Local Search & Mobile Phones

Impact of Mobile:

• 164 Million People have PCs

• 293 Million People have Mobile Phones

VS.

Google App

1. 2.

Customer Reviews

Accumulating Customer Reviews

Accumulating Customer Reviews

Replace This: With This:

• In Person:

– Fliers and handouts

– Receipts

– Posters and placards

• Online:

– Email

– On site

Accumulating Customer Reviews

Q&A