This session was presented at the LSA’s Localogy event in Seattle on November 9, 2018.

1. Why You Need an On -
SERP Optimization
Strategy
A “Reality Check”
Presented by David Mihm, VP Product Strategy
LSA Localogy • Redmond, WA • Nov 9, 2018

3. Aaaaaahhh, the
good old days.

4. Still the good
old days, right?

5. From STRINGS
to THINGS
https://searchengineland.com/rankbrain-changes-entity-search-234345

7. Google built its own app.
It’s called the search result.

8. THE PRESENTATION LAYER OF THE INTERNET.
h/t Cindy Krum, Mobile Moxie

9. Google as Your New Homepage
The “Presentation
Layer of Local Search”

11. 🤔🤔

12. The Ongoing Reality of
Search’s Present

13. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmd41280/

15. https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjongkind

16. Increased Focus
On Reviews
2015-2016

17. Google Posts
June 2017

18. Google
Messaging
July 2017

19. Google Q & A
August - Dec 2017
Crowdsourced FAQ’s, right
on your Knowledge Panel

20. Google Videos
January 2018

21. Google Business
Descriptions
January 2018

22. Google Services
Tab
April 2018

23. Google
Services
&About Tabs
April 2018

24. Google
Elevates Posts
May 2018

27. →

30. Now the Transaction Layer
of Local Search
aka Google as Your New
Website

31. Google
Bookings
October 2017
Restaurants Added April 2018

32. Google
Bookings on
Main SERP
October 2018

34. Immersive
Experiences
Highest
Search
Volume
Most
Lucrative
Coming
soon, to a
SERP
near you...

37. “Book a table for two at
Tamarine tonight at 7pm.”
Amit Singhal, Google Search
Chief, 1/13/16

39. Google’s ideal ecosystem only
includes your website to the
extent it is a data source.
Image Credit: PDTillman

41. Stop
selling for
this SERP.

42. (or even
this one.)

43. Start
selling for
this SERP.

45. Doesn’t even
require touching a
website

46. What does
an evolved
service
package
look like?
Photos &Videos
Reviews
Posts
Q&A

47. Photos & Videos

48. Photos & Videos

49. First Party Reviews

50. Third Party Reviews

51. (Google Reviews) Reviews from the web

59. Works well on
Bing, too :)

60. Google Posts
Examples of Best
Practice

61. Coupons

62. Appointment Call to Action

63. Google Q & A
Google’s Newest Brand Hazzard
Google Q & A
Google’s Newest Brand Hazard

64. Potential NightmareDream Come True
1 Vote Away from Infamy

65. Q&A Plan & Post
• Gather Real Questions
• Write them in the customer’s voice
• Add them to your Knowledge Panel
• Login in as Business

66. Q&A Respond
• Answer your own questions
• Login as owner
• In your business voice
• Answers other’s questions
• Be the authoritative answer
• Up-vote good answers

68. Q&A Reporting
23% of Questions violated TOS

70. SEO IN 2018
Brand Search & Knowledge Panel
Optimization
Higher Visibility
Higher Engagement
More Reviews
More Search Conversions
Increased Sales /
Satisfied Customers

71. SEO IN 2018
Brand Search & Knowledge Panel
Optimization
Higher Visibility
Higher Engagement
More Reviews
More Search Conversions
Increased Sales /
Satisfied Customers
A Virtuous Cycle

72. Do a good job, ask people to Google you

73. https://www.google.com/search?q=thrivehive+reviews
https:/ / moz.com/ blog/ influence-branded-searches-
search-volumes-whiteboard-friday

74. Fully demonstrate the value of GMB
https://ga -dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign -url-builder“Whitespark call tracking GMB”

77. What does
an evolved
service
package
look like?
Photos &Videos
Reviews
Posts
Q&A
...Ads?

81. A double -
edged
sword...

83. Why You Need an On -
SERP Optimization
Strategy
1) Google’s evolution is
inexorable
2) It’s easier and less resource -
intensive!

84. Start offering:
- Photos - Posts
- Reviews - Q&A
to increase engagement (&
rank)
Update your reporting:
most conversions happen on-
SERP, not visible in GA
Don’t rely on reselling Adwords
Takeaways

85. thrivehive.com/grader

86. https://whitespark.ca/blog/whitesparks -guide -to-optimizing-google-my-business/

87. @davidmihm
dmihm@thrivehive.com
thrivehive.com/ grader
Thank You