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MapQuest Transfers Local Listings Management To Yext
Last October, MapQuest started outsourcing local business listings management to Yext. The “claim your MapQuest listings” page is hosted by Yext (I believe) with a co-branded look and feel. Yesterday, MapQuest notified business users that its local business center and basic local listings product would be formally shutting down. Here’s the text of the email that went out: […]
Local SEO Scam Of The Month: Craigslist SEO
Most SEO consultants I have met are pretty decent, hard-working folks. But there are plenty of SEO con artists out there, and it kills me every time I see a small business (or a big business) get taken. Recently, I had the privilege to witness a true Picasso of SEO con artists. I am sharing […]
Google Now Cards Hit The Desktop For Mac, Windows and Chrome OS Users
The ever-helpful Google Now service is now available on your desktop for both Mac, Windows and Chrome OS users. This Google Now service features Google Now cards that are run through the latest Google Chrome build (Chrome Canary) and will work for those users who are currently logged-in to Chrome. According to the “Google Operating […]
Health & Medical SMBs Spend More On Marketing Than Other Industries
When we conducted an online survey of 668 US small and medium-sized businesses in October 2013, a large number of these businesses (just over 20%) classified themselves as belonging to the Health & Medical Industry. This group consisted of a wide spread of specialists, including chiropractors, dentists, mental health practices, medical family practices, pharmacies, psychologists and […]
How Local Businesses Can Leverage Twitter’s New Nearby Feature
Twitter has made headlines in recent weeks with the quiet launch of its experimental Nearby timeline, which allows eligible mobile users to discover tweets posted by others in their immediate vicinity, regardless of whether they are following them. This feature is currently available to a select number of users who have opted-in to allow their location […]
VA Court Delivers Blow To Yelp, Free Speech Of Users
A Virginia state court of appeal has ruled that Yelp must disclose the real identities of seven individuals who posted anonymous, critical reviews of an Alexandria, Virginia carpet cleaning business, Hadeed Carpet. Yelp and free speech advocacy groups have decried the decision. Hadeed said that he didn’t believe that any of the reviews came from actual […]
Google Apologizes For Berlin Street Being Renamed “Adolf Hitler Platz” On Google Maps
In a story reported by NBCNews.com’s World News, the popular Berlin square Theodor Heuss Platz was momentarily renamed “Adolf Hitler Platz” on Google Maps. Google apologized for the error in an email sent to NBC, stating, “We were made aware of a wrong and inappropriate Berlin street name on Google Maps and have corrected this […]
Google Preps “Hotel View” Interior 360 Imagery
Call it Google “Hotel View.” According to the Associated Press (via Fox), Google is photographing hotel interiors as part of an effort to enhance its travel content. Perhaps even more interesting, says the article, is that the initiative is being run not under the umbrella of Google Maps but through Google Wallet. It’s not clear whether […]
For SMBs, The Time Is Now To Embrace Search Advertising
As a recently as a few years ago, the owner of a small or local business could legitimately ask, “Why should I buy search ads?” After all, he or she first faced the hassle of setting up an ad campaign in a relatively foreign platform — then, assuming they got ads served, maybe people clicked. […]
How To Use Google KW Research To Target The Long Tail In Local Search
There’s something of a void where local business marketing is concerned. Local marketers understand they need to target keyword queries in SEO and PPC campaigns, but they assume they know what people search for, and they miss out on valuable referrals because of it. Here’s a brief guide on local keyword research to close the […]
Google Again Updates iOS App With Improved Maps Integration
On the heels of a very recent iOS Maps update, Google has further updated and optimized its search app for iOS 7. Some of the changes are cosmetic: “iOS 7 styling and true full screen browsing” for example. There’s also improved image search for the iPad and better integration with Google Maps. Google Now also seems more […]
Google Maps Pegman Is Now Santa For Christmas
If you go to Google Maps and look at the Pegman used for browsing street view images, you will see the Pegman is wearing a Santa hat. The Santa Pegman is not new, it was shown to us when Google had a welcome back party for the Pegman in the new version of Google Maps. […]
What Will 2014 Bring For Local Search? 6 Predictions
Another year is closing and search marketers are anxiously looking ahead to what is on the horizon for local search in 2014. As opportunity grows for businesses to connect with customers via search, so do the challenges of determining the best approach and the potential for search engines to change the game entirely, as Google […]
62% Of Marketers Say Local Search Is Getting Harder
During the recent InsideLocal webinar series, I’ve had the chance to gather the opinions and feelings of the hundreds of search agencies, consultants, “in-bound” marketers and business owners who logged in to listen. We ran a number of on-the-spot surveys (or polls) during each webinar, which helped to complement the expert views provided by our […]
8 Tips For Planning Your Small Business’ 2014 Marketing Strategy
While the holiday season is undoubtedly a busy period for small business owners, it’s important to set aside time to plan your marketing strategy for the year ahead. How will you continue to maintain and grow your business in 2014? What plans do you have to keep your business on track and stay ahead of […]
Bing Brings Enhanced Mapping To Windows 8.1
Yesterday Microsoft announced “Bing Maps Preview” for Windows 8.1 (including tablets). The new mapping app offers a range of enhanced features and capabilities. It seeks to bring highly realistic, 3-D imagery together with a more intuitive UI. Google Earth and what used to be called Microsoft Virtual Earth have always been a bit slow and […]
New Google Maps Adds More Search Results To Info Window
The (relatively) new Google Maps is certainly visually richer than the old Maps UI. However it may be somewhat less functional. As one example, it eliminates one of my favorite and most-used features: “search nearby.” It’s now also somewhat harder to access multiple results on a category query, ironically. Yesterday, Google Operating System spotted a […]
Three Steps for Crushing Multi-Location Local Search
Research firm BIA/Kelsey reports that 97% of consumers use online media to shop locally. If you’re a multi-location business, this means it’s more important than ever to be visible to Web users in all your business locations. This column tells you how to crush it. Based on my own daily searches, it’s clear to me that […]
Google Maps Gets Street Views For 16 International Airports & Other Transit Locations Across The Globe
In time for the holiday travel season, Google Maps now includes street views for a number of transit locations across the globe. Yesterday, a post on the Google Maps blog claimed the site has added street views for 16 international airports, more than 50 train and subway stations, as well as a Hong Kong cable […]
5 Trusted Accounts Every Local SEO Should Have
As local marketers, most of us know how to set up a Google Places for Business account or create a Facebook Page. But, these are not the only accounts you should be creating in order to get the full benefit of your local SEO campaign. Below are five trusted accounts every local SEO should have […]
Bing Integrates TripAdvisor Tools, Content Into Search Results
Travel site TripAdvisor made two Microsoft-related announcements today. The company announced a Windows 8.1 app. But more significantly TripAdvisor and Bing are now presenting TripAdvisor content and travel search capabilities within Bing search results pages. Bing will now display TripAdvisor reviews and photos as well as TripAdvisor’s hotel price comparison tool in SERPs. TripAdvisor’s full […]
Google Maps Makes Exception & Speeds Up Process To Replace Image Of Shooting Victim
Google Maps is making an exception to its process for reviewing image removal requests, and speeding up the actions needed to replace a satellite image of a 14-year old shooting victim. Following a story broadcast on KTVU-TV, a CNN affiliate in Oakland, California and a report on CNN.com, Google claims it will take approximately eight days […]
SMBs Spend An Average 46% Of Marketing Budget On ‘Digital’
In October 2013, BrightLocal teamed up with ChamberOfCommerce.com to conduct an insightful piece of research into the attitudes toward and usage of Digital Marketing by SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses). (In the survey, we used the phrase “Internet or Mobile Marketing” to make it clear to survey respondents what we mean by Digital Marketing.) The objective […]
Yelp: We’re Second Only To Google In Local Data Quality
Yelp has long maintained that the company has one of the best (if not the best) local data sets out there. There are third parties that have come up with findings that don’t agree with that claim. Recently, Yelp decided to take matters into its own hands and benchmark itself and the quality of its local […]
How Local Businesses Can Overcome Obstacles To Mobile Conversion
For the growing number of consumers who rely on their mobile devices to search for local business information, their focus is on making a purchase — and fast. The latest Google/Nielsen “Mobile Path to Purchase” study, released last week, shows that consumers who use their mobile devices to find and research local products and services […]
Google Places Listings Get Integrated Into Android’s Phone App — And They’re Terrible
A big change in Android 4.4 is: those using Google’s new mobile operating system, nicknamed “KitKat,” can search for businesses right from within the Phone app. How’s it work? For me, it’s awful. Google+ Invades The Android 4.4 “KitKat” Phone App: What It Means For Businesses & People is our separate article that explores the integration […]
Google Maps’ Mobile Reach Drops In September — comScore
Yesterday, comScore’s US smartphone market share figures for September came out. There weren’t many surprises — except for one thing: the Google Maps app has fallen three spots in comScore’s rankings. The smartphone app, which used to be the most popular in the US, fell from 5th to 8th position in comScore’s “Top 15 apps” […]
Google Hotel Finder Goes Mobile
Google’s Hotel Finder, which launched in June 2011, is now available on mobile devices. Google said all you need to do is go to www.google.com/hotels directly on your smart phone and search for your destination. Listings will come up almost immediately, giving you the ability to filter the search results by price, hotel class, user […]
Report: Basic Local Optimization Steps Boosted Google Visibility By 179 Percent
Digital agency and technology provider SIM Partners released a report (registration required) discussing how use of several basic Local SEO tactics can dramatically improve visibility on Google. The study involved 315 US business locations. These are not independent, small businesses. SIM Partners typically works with national-local businesses that have national brands but local offices, hotels or stores. […]
Yelp Q3 2013 Revenue Up 68% At $61.2 Million For The Quarter
Yelp released its Q3 2013 earnings report today, posting a 68 percent growth in revenue from the third quarter of 2012, with net revenue at $61.2 million for the quarter ending on September 30, 2013. Cumulative reviews on Yelp have increased 42 percent year over year, climbing to 47.3 million. Average monthly unique visitors grew […]
How Local Businesses Should Size Up & Tackle Social Media
The most frequently asked question posed these days at events, webinars and new client meetings is “What is the best social media platform for my local business?” Research shows social channels are becoming more important signals in major search engine algorithms that affect the entire SEO and local search landscape. However, effective local and social […]
34% Of Local SEOs Make Less Than $30,000/Year. Why?
As the local search industry evolves and becomes more complex, the role of local search consultants and agencies becomes more critical. Complexity is increasing across most areas of our fast-growing industry, which makes “local search” all the more confusing for local business owners. This complexity is driving increased demand for local search services. SMB owners […]
New Foursquare Homepage Offers Context, Time-Sensitive Recommendations
In its continuing bid to become more useful and to differentiate from competitors such as Yelp and Google, Foursquare introduced a redesigned homepage this week. There’s a signed-in and signed-out experience. The major difference between the two is friend activity and personalization. The new homepage shows recommended or popular nearby businesses, as well as places […]
Google Intros Android App For Managing Google Places Listings
Local business owners have a new tool for managing their Google Places For Business Listing. Mike Blumenthal got the scoop on the new Android app that lets SMBs update their business information, post update and photos to their Google+ Local Page, respond to comments on Google+ and more. It also offers very basic analytics data […]
Homeward Bound: A Great Long-Form Ad For Google Maps
One of the most popular articles on the AdWeek site today showcases what is essentially an ad for Google Maps/Earth. It features an Indian man (Saroo Brierley) who as a young child falls asleep on a train with his brother. His brother doesn’t wake him up at their designated stop. When he later does wake […]
The Structured Data Brouhaha At SMX East: Clarifying Contentious Issues
If you attended the Structured Data Superstars session at SMX East earlier this month, you probably witnessed a very brief interchange between myself and Googler Pierre Far at the end of the session. Pierre woke everyone up by stating that some of the semantic markup recommendations I’d presented would be considered “spam” by Google. It was […]
Google AdWords Third-Party “Review Extensions” Start Rolling Out To All Accounts
In June, Google announced the beta release of Review Extensions which allow advertisers to append a quote of endorsement from a reputable publication in their AdWords ads. Today, these Review Extensions will begin to roll out to all AdWords accounts. You should see the Review Extensions option under the Ad extensions tab in your account within the […]
Bing Places Expands To Canada, UK
Bing Places is finally available beyond U.S. borders. The company announced today that local businesses in Canada and the United Kingdom — and search marketing agencies that work with local businesses there — can use Bing Places to add and manage local business listings for inclusion in Bing’s search results. Before today, Bing Places was […]
Foursquare Gives iPhone Users Real-Time Recommendations & Rolls Out 2 New Search Features
Foursquare announced three new upgrades today. The location sharing app has extended its ‘Real-Time Recommendations‘ to iPhone users, and added two new search features: a ‘Nearby’ button and the ‘Friends at a Glance’ feature that displays most recent check-ins by friends. According to the announcement, the app’s look and feel has also been updated with, […]
Bing Ads Launches Call Extensions With Skype On All Devices
Long anticipated, Bing Ads has rolled out call extensions powered by fellow Microsoft entity, Skype. The use of Skype uniquely allows Bing Ads call extensions to be delivered across all devices, including desktops. Call extensions can be set up using the web UI, Bing Ads Editor or the new Bing Ads APIs. They will also import directly […]