Sorry this site requires JavaScript to be enabled in your browser. See the following guide on How to enable JavaScript in Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox and Safari. Alternatively you may be blocking JavaScript with an advert-related or developer plugin. Please check your browser plugins.

Sphinn Home » Vertical Search
4 Features of a Local Search Marketing Campaign
Vertical Search News Source: http://www.chuckaikens.com
Story Found By: chuckaikens 1756 Days ago
Category: Vertical Search
When it comes to Local Search, it still comes down to being smart with SEO, Paid Search, Site Promotion, and Social Networks. I also added a few extreme tactics for your next local search marketing campaign.
 Comments4 Comments  

Comments

Avatar
from MiriamEllis 1756 Days ago #
Votes: 0

Hello Chuck, My name is Miriam. I found this to be a good article and Sphunn it. I would like to ask you for some clarification here of a point you bring up in your article: First, change your business name to take advantage of the alphabetic nature of Local Search. For example, change “Chinese Garden” to “5 Star Downtown Chinese Restaurant”. This not only will be listing first, it’s also very supportive of several local keyword phrases. What do you mean about the alphabetic nature of Local Search? This is nothing I’ve heard reference to before, and can’t think of an example of what you mean. Google local listings, for example, are not alphabetical. Were you thinking of a specific site that lists local businesses alphabetically (the yellow pages, for instance?) I’d appreciate clarification on this. Thanks for the nice read. Miriam

Avatar
from earlpearl 1755 Days ago #
Votes: 0

Mirriam: I believe these are repackaged suggestions from Chris Silver, who has a blog and comments on some forums. Chris used to work at YP. I don’t have his references on hand. The renaming suggestion comes right out of hard book YP. Take a name that will show up first in an alphabetical directory. A flower shop would show before Mirriam’s Flower Shop and 5 star flower shop would show before A flower shop w/in an alphabetical directory. If any versions of Local/Maps Directories are using some aspect of alpha names for their rankings it would have an effect. Similarly for any versions of local that heavily weigh geography with regard to rankings w/in Local/Maps a location closer to the city center point will show first. Nifty idea. But I was a commercial real estate salesperson and center city rents are high. Now on the other hand if you have a service and sublease a teeny office near a center point...and do most of your work in a cheaper space....heheh....that could work for the Locals and Maps. Somehow in the great equation of local....I still think most visitors turn to organic search and the engines "sometimes" insert a maps version into the top of the organic search. I’d use on site address and location information, a site structure and link structure as Bill Slawski described at cre8asite to start on the organic side, I learn the ways of G Maps and Y and MSN Local to get high rankings there...and I’d work PPC. Dave

Avatar
from MiriamEllis 1755 Days ago #
Votes: 0

Hi Dave, First, let me say, whenever I see you commenting somewhere, I always read what you say. Your comments/posts always give me something to think about, and I just wanted to tell you that. I had never heard the alphabetical suggestion before, and at this point, all I have ever seen is the way Google and Yahoo ranking their true local results and couldn’t figure out what this might refer to. Thank you for clearing that up for me. I’m sure you’re right that organic search is still the way most people are performing regional searches. Fortunately, you can optimize both for this and actual local search! To me, this has been one of the very coolest developments in the search world in years. Thanks again, Dave! Miriam

Avatar
from chuckaikens 1755 Days ago #
Votes: 0

Dave and Miriam, I completely agree that there are lots of other ways to gain local search and they are all listed before this idea of alphabetic ranking and geo-centering. I saw this idea while doing research at some point, even though I can not recall exactly where, I thought it was interesting enough to include (Note to self....write down your reference next time.) As far as an example, here is a search using local.com: http://www.local.com/results.aspx?keyword=mortgage&location=denver&setlocation=on&newsearch=true This is a mortgage broker search in Denver, CO. This result seems to give some preference to ’Creekside Funding’ over ’GMAC Mortgage’ even though GMAC is a closer match. The idea is based on the idea that if all other things are equal, the listings will alphabetize. This is definitely ’yellow’ page thinking and would only apply to sites that tend to repurpose the information databases available from the business data providers. Great comments!

Upcoming Conferences

Search Marketing ExpoSearch Engine Land produces SMX, the Search Marketing Expo conference series. SMX events deliver the most comprehensive educational and networking experiences - whether you're just starting in search marketing or you're a seasoned expert.


SMX Web Site » | SMX Difference » | SMX News »

Join us at an upcoming SMX event:

Latest News From Marketing Land
Upcoming Webcasts

Search Marketing Now Learn more about search marketing with our free online webcasts and webinars from our sister site, Search Marketing Now. Upcoming online events include:


Latest News From Search Engine Land