Local search for a small business can be the difference between success or failure of the company. Understanding how to adopt best practice and make the best use of Google, Bing and social media this presentation was provided to over 100 delegates in Yorkshire. Presented in September 2013 the presentation talks through processes, and tools that can be practically used by businesses

1. Local and Regional Digital Marketing
Opportunities on your doorstep
By Gyles Seward
e: gyles@elementarydigital.co.uk
t: 01274 532278

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3. The Master Class
Local
Searc
h
Workshop
Improve
your local
presence

4. Local
Search
?

5. What is Local Search?
•
A search that is carried out based on location
–
–
•
Location can feature in the search e.g. vets in Harrogate
IP based, thus someone searches for vets and they live in Harrogate
Results that are served based on your location and requirements

6. Search in the UK
The winner is…..

7. Potted History of Google

8. Google Venice update:
– Results based on location
– Google uses your IP, personal search habits and
history to serve results
– If your logged in it uses social factors as well
e.g. Google +1‟s

9. Why is it important?
73%
82%
of search activity is
related to local content
of local internet
searches follow-up
off line
99%
95%
of smartphone owners of mobile users use their
use their mobile
devices for local
browser at least once a
search, queries have
day
grown 5 times in past two
years

10. Where do you start?

11. The Audience

12. How does your audience search online?

13. How does your audience browse?

14. Evaluate your competition…
Website
Social Media
Citations
(directories)

15. The „Map‟ Approach
Where you want to be…
where you are (Google Analytics)

16. Insight Conclusions
• Understand your audience (demographics) and
how to reach them (search? Mobile/tablet)
• How your audience search online (locally?)
• The competition‟s local approach
• The targeting needed to reach your audience

17. Developing your local presence

18. Your Website

19. Your Website
• Structure
– Navigation architecture – can
content be found easily (high up
the tree)
– Absolute URL – ensures location
keyword early in the string
– Multiple layers of content
– Share-able via social channels

20. Content/Context
• Physical address in the city of search
• Dedicated landing pages for locations
• City, county in places landing page title
• Company address and registrations details featured in the
footer
• Content layers – talk about your local business
community, think location and then region

21. Content/Context
• Images – clearly mark your location in images and
alt text
• Social – bookmarking, „share-ability‟
• Local area code – NOT 08XX
• Feature the location in H1/H2 tags
• Matching domain details – Who Is

22. Your Website Conclusions
• The easiest way to tell Google about your business
and attract local customers
• Technical and structure essential for any SEO
• Content and context – tells Google more and
opens up your reach
• Quickest way to improve your local search scope

23. Off Site

24. Google Places

25. Google Places
• NAP (name, address, phone number) – ensure
they match to your site
• Fill in all aspects of content – images, video, etc
• Proximity of address to centroid – Yorkshire
• Categories – select the correct services for your
business

26. Google+ Local Business Page

27. Google+ Local Business Page
• Individually owner verified local plus page
• Connect with customers
• Post updates – keep in touch
• Push content to prospects, impress them
• +1‟s increase your presence via:
– Personalised search results

28. Citations
•
1000‟s of online directories throughout the world
•
Establish location markers for search engines
•
FREE – although you will be bombarded with
phone calls
•
Double benefit – your details can be found in
searches!
•
Citations need to be consistent (same details on
each one, except the description)
•
Quantity – use as many as possible

29. Reviews
•
Quantity is important – however do not spam!
•
Google reviews – just need your customers to have a gmail account
•
Trustpilot – trusted by Google and manages the whole process for you
•
Benefits for local, organic and paid search
•
Conversion factor – people click on sites with reviews (good, bad and ugly)

30. Local
Link
Building

31. #1 on-site local ranking
factor: Domain authority
Local Links
#5 off-site local ranking
factor: Quality/Authority of
Inbound Links to Domain
#6 off-site local rankings factor:
Quantity of Inbound Links to
Domain from Locally-Relevant
Domains
#8 off-site local ranking factor:
Quality/Authority of Inbound Links
to Places Landing Page URL
„If you can build a solid local link profile, you can rank
organically for universal search terms with local intent in
your vertical.’

32. Comment on Local Blogs
First make a list of
“location + keywords”
Then use Google Blog Search to search
for local blogs that discuss topics related
to your keywords
Filter the blogs that you think have relevant
Example searches: inurl:location
content (based on your industry, market place
“keyword” comment
to target
and audience)
Read the posts on the blogs and get a feel for
Finally, link to different places on posts including:
the topics…if you have something to say leave a
•
Your root domain
comment
•
Google+ Local Landing page URL
•
Google+ Local Business page

33. Guest Blog
Inurl:location “guest post”
Make a list of prospects and
If accepted write an excellent
then send an appealing
guest post and implement the
outreach email
If allowed - put your name, your business name, address and phone number
(unstructured citation)
links noted

34. Testimonials for local businesses
Don‟t sacrifice your true feelings about a company just to get links…it needs to look
natural to Google

35. A Local Group
Set up a local group that has perceived authority e.g. Yorkshire Mafia
• Set up a website that can be the hub of information
• Use social media to build a following
• Develop a database of local businesses, outreach to them about
placing links on their site (a badge)
• Leverage the traffic and equity to provide link opportunities for yourself
or other business
• Creating a „local business hub‟

36. Social
Media
Social Media

37. How does social media
influence local search?
Geo-tagged media associated with
•
Number of +1s on website
business (e.g.
•
Authority of follows/mentions on Twitter
Flickr, YouTube, Pictogram, Instagram)
•
Volume of check-ins on Twitter/Facebook
•
Authority of +1‟s on the website
•
Number of circles in which plus page is
•
Velocity of shares on Google+
•
Authority of share on Google+
•
Number of shares/likes on Facebook
•
Authority of shares/likes on Facebook
•
Social correlates directly with reviews and
•
Number of shares on Google+
•
contained
vice versa

38. Social for you…
Start thinking locally
• Build presence – put your brand
• Listen to conversations – e.g.
Yorkshire Hour
in-front of people
• Read the business pages
• Find local businesses/groups
and associations
– Sign up
– Take part
• Engage and contribute – build
your brand presence
• Develop interesting things to talk
about and then share
• Don‟t spam…

39. “Twitter allows you to locate people who own a business and tweet in your city
or region” Social Media Examiner
https://twitter.com/search-advanced

40. Direct access into local business at decision maker level…

43. Local Paid Search

44. What NOT to do…
• List your business at false locations
• Keyword stuff in the businesses name
• Mis-match NAP/tracking phone numbers across the data ecosystem
• List incorrect business categories
• Presence of multiple places pages with the same/similar business title
address
• Mis-match address on places landing pages
• Stop search engines crawling NAP on your website

45. What NOT to do
• Presence of multiple places with the same phone number
• Feature the location keyword in categories
• Incorrectly place your map marker
• Keyword/city stuffed in places page description
• List 0800 number on only phone number in places page
• Hide place page address
• Mis-match or hide Who Is Information
• Negative sentiment in places reviews

46. Questions
If you need any further help please contact:
Gyles Seward
t: 01274 532278
e: gyles@elementarydigital.co.uk
I will email this presentation to you, if requested.

47. Please follow us!
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