Observations and approaches for Google SEO for local directories and yellow pages sites with examples from YellowPages.com, Thumbtack.com and more

1. Andrew Shotland
CEO, LOCALSEOGUIDE.COM
How Local Directories Can
Stay Get Relevant in
Search
ADP INNOVATION CONFERENCE
09.14.17

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3. How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
DO NO
EVIL
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4. TL;DR
• How To Maintain & Grow Organic Traffic
• Relevance
• Authority
• Testing & Tweaking
• Thinking Outside of Your Website
• #1 Google Ranking Factor
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http://web.archive.org/web/20040606030011/http://www.insiderpages.com:80/
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http://web.archive.org/web/20041019000737/http://www.insiderpages.com:80/
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http://web.archive.org/web/20041214022053/http://www.insiderpages.com:80/
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“We’re going to redesign the
site to better reflect our brand
promise and customer journey”
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http://web.archive.org/web/20170622144022/http://www.insiderpages.com/
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14. Where Do Customers Come From?
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
Channel Fortune 500
“Brands”
“Who?”
Media
“Who?”
eCommerce
SEO 41% 77% 20%
Direct 33% 12% 16%
Paid 14% 5% 46%
Email 11% 4% 17%
Social 1% 2% 1%
Source: LocalSEOGuide.com Channel Study 2017
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15. How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
Channel Fortune 500
“Brands”
“Who?”
Media
“Who?”
eCommerce
SEO $ $$ $$
Direct $$$$ $ $$
Paid $$$$ $$$$ $$$$
Email $$$$ $$$$ $$$$
Social $$$ $$$ $$
So Where Do We Invest?
Source: LocalSEOGuide.com Conversations w Cheap Clients 2006-2017
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EVIL
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Knowledge Panel

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Local Packs

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Images

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Reviews

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Instant Answers/
Related Questions

22. IYPs Lagging in Key “Content”
Features
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
SERP Feature Top 5 Local
Directories
Average*
MozCast
(All Sites)**
Knowledge Panel 47% 51%
Local Packs 26% 22%
Reviews 22% (14% w/o Yelp) 37%
Images 15% 18%
Instant
Answers/Related
Questions
2% 26%
*Source: SEMRush SERP Features for Yellowpages.com, Yelp.com, Mapquest.com, Superpages.com & Manta.com
**Source: Mozcast SERP Feature History
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24. The Best SEO Investment Is
Creating a Product That
Your Customers Want
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
…and then knowing how to squeeze every last
drop of SEO out of it.
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25. #1 Google Ranking Factor: Technical SEO
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28. #1 Ranking Factor: Relevance
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29. You Are Getting Outplayed By
Pipsqueaks…
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And SEO-Focused Media Sites…
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31. And SEO Focused B2B Sites…
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
http://www.localseoguide.com/how-to-
update-your-internet-yellow-pages-
listings-for-free/
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32. How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
Site # of Articles
Avvo 15,000+
Angies List 12,000+
Home Advisor 2,000+
Manta 1,000+
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33. #1 Ranking Factor: Authority (aka
Links)
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
Source: Majestic.com referring domains to Thumbtack.com
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https://www.thumbtack.com/tx/dallas/#/2016/1
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40. #1 Ranking Factor: Content
Optimization
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41. Rewriting Product Descriptions
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
“The primary SEO lift comes from adding to a non-existent
description and enriching a poor description. The average lift
is 15%. High ~30%, low ~3%, depending on type of content
and demand.”
-Former Head of SEO, Walmart.com
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http://www.myyp.com/Uniondale,NY/Taxi-Latino-of-Long-Island/profile
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http://www.showmelocal.com/profile.aspx?bid=365755
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https://www.thumbtack.com/tx/dallas/tree-trimming/

45. Are Your Titles The Best?
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46. Are You Selling Me In The SERPs?
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47. Are You “Near Me”?
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
http://www.localseoguide.com/near-local-seo-ranking-factors/
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48. Need A Lift?
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49. Are You Fighting For Your Share?
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https://www.yellowpages.com/dall
as-tx/bars-showing-the-
mayweather-fight-tonight-in-
newark-delaware

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51. Think Outside Your Box
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52. How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
•Book luxury hotels on JetSetter
•See expert hotel photos on Oyster.com
•Book the best restaurants with TheFork
•Book tours and attraction tickets on Viator
•Read cruise reviews on Cruise Critic
•Read travel guides at SmarterTravel
•Get airline seating charts on Seat Guru
•Find airfare deals at Airfarewatchdog
•Find vacation rentals on FlipKey
•Search for holiday rentals on Holiday Lettings
•Find a vacation home on Vacation Home Rentals
•Plan a family vacation on Family Vacation Critic
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53. Think Outside Your Local Box
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54. Things To Do…
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1. Get Attention
2. Answer Questions
3. Understand What Your Customers (Consumers and Advertisers) Are Searching For
4. Always Be Testing & Tweaking
5. Don’t Just Rely On a Single Website, or a Single SEO Tactic
6. Go Responsive!

55. SEO Is Always The Lowest Priority…
Until It’s Not.
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
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56. Thank You!
How Local Directories Can Get Relevant in Search | 2017 ADP Innovation Conference
Andrew@localseoguide.com
https://twitter.com/localseoguide
http://www.localseoguide.com/contact/
PRESENTATION AVAILABLE AT
http://www.localseoguide.com/adp2017
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