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Search Engine Optimization for Local Search

Learn how to optimize your website and business listings to rank higher in local search results and attract more customers. Expert advice from Mary Bowling.

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Search Engine Optimization for Local Search

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  1. Search Engine Optimization for Local Search Mary Bowling Blog: www.MaryBowling.com Small Biz Marketing: www.IgnitorDigital.com Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  2. About Me Optimized! MaryBowling.com LocalU.org IgnitorDigital.com I Consult, Train, Write and Do Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  3. For Local Businesses • SEO is: • Making it easy as possible for people to find information about your business online wherever they may be looking for it Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  4. To Achieve That • Create and improve YOUR WEBSITE so that it will rank highly on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) to help potential customers find the business’ website • Create and improve BUSINESS LISTINGS in important local places across the web to help potential customers find the business’ information on other websites Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  5. SEO Helps You Rank in 2 Ways LOCAL MAP PAID ADS PAID ADS ORGANIC RESULTS LOCAL RESULTS Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  6. Google Gets the Clicks US Search Engine Market Share October 2013 Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  7. Aim to Rank High on Page 1! #1 - 42.13% #2 - 11.90% #3 - 8.50% #4 - 6.06% #5 - 4.92% #6 - 4.05% #7 - 3.41% #8 - 3.01% #9 - 2.85% #10 - 2.99% Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  8. The SEO Process • Pick the right keyword phrases • Decide which pages on our website to optimize for which terms • Implement the keyword phrases within the content of your web pages appropriately • Link between your own pages • Gain links and citations from other websites • Eliminate technical problems Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  9. The Algorithms Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  10. What the Search Engines Want To return the most useful - or relevant - answers for every search Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  11. Relevance = Relative Location • Google knows where we are: • via automatic detection • via our settings and info in our Google account • The business’ location and distance from the searcher help Google determine usefulness. Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  12. Google Algorithm Super-Simplified Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  13. Relevance = Keywords in HTML titles and headline tags we place on our web pages: HTML page titles appear in the SERPS Headline tags (aka h tags) appear on the web page Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  14. Relevance = Keywords in The text content we place on our pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  15. Relevance = Keywords in The text in the links that point to our web pages (A link tells Search Engines and humans what the page it points to is about ) Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  16. Recap on Relevance Signals • Our location in relationship to searcher’s location • Keywords in • page titles and html tags • Web site text • text in links pointing to web pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  17. On-Site Optimization (What we put on our own pages) Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  18. Start with Keywords We have total control over what we put on our own pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  19. Which Keywords? Don’t Just Guess Keyword research = foundation of SEO It enables you to learn: • What terms? • Howmany searches? • How hard to rank? Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  20. What Makes a Good Keyword? • Issomeone searching for that term likely to turn into a customer for your business? Those are the terms to optimize for! Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  21. Use Google Suggest Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  22. Use Google Trends To research keywords by location Add search terms Choose location Choose time period See Related searches Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  23. Keyword List Tip Put your terms into a free tool* to get an idea of how many people are searching for it and how hard it might be to rank for it *see your materials for free tool list Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  24. Keyword Mapping • Create a plan of how your keywords will be used to optimize your website • The higher up a page is in the site structure the more natural potential ranking power Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  25. Match Pages to Keywords • There is no exact formula • What is that web page about? • What keyword term(s) best describe it? • How many people are searching for the term(s)? • How hard will it be to rank for the term(s)? • How much potential ranking power does the page have? • Most competitive terms = home page • Medium competitive terms = pages in main navigation • Leastcompetitive terms = blog posts and other pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  26. Sample Keyword Map Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  27. Where to Use Keywords • Use assigned keywords in the important TEXT areas of your pages: • URLs • HTML Page Titles • H1, H2 (headlines and subheads) • Text-based content • Navigation links • Other internal link text • Image file names, alt tags and captions Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  28. HTML Page title URL H1 headline Navigation Links H2 subheadlines Content Image

  29. Optimize Search Results When a page appears in the SERPs, people usually see: HTML Page title URL HTML metadescription Page title + Meta description + URL = “Free Ad” in the SERPs Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  30. Check Your Ads! Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  31. Make Your Ads Enticing • Focus on the searcher, who’s thinking: • What’s in it for me? • What problem can this help me solve? • Why should I go to this page instead of another? • Include a call to action : call today, get a free quote, get help, learn how, download , etc. • Ads read better if they are not cut off in the search results. Guidelines-including spaces and punctuation: • Page Title: No more than 65 characters • Meta Description: No more than 130 characters. Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  32. Local Tips for Your Web Site Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  33. Make Location Unmistakable Place your business name, full street address and local phone number on all pages of your website in text form Consider using www.Schema.orgmicrodata format for this: Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  34. Check Web Site Crawlability If the Search Engines can’t find or crawl your pages, they cannot appear in the Search Results Is there is a large discrepancy between what Google sees and what you know is on the site? Can you find all of your most important pages? Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  35. See What Google “Sees” Check your home page and all other important pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  36. Internal Link Text • When linking from one of your pages to another, use descriptive link text to tell SE’s what page is about • Replace click here, view more, learn more, etc to location+keywordterms to point to the page optimized for those terms. • For a page optimized for DallasAccounting, change Click Hereto See all of our Dallas accounting servicesor Tax advice in Dallas and Plano • Mix up link text – don’t use the exact same term(s) over and over Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  37. Recap:On Site Optimization • Pick the right keyword phrases • Map keywords to pages • Implement keywords on chosen pages • Make your “ads” enticing • Put location information in text form • Use internal links but don’t over do link text • Check site crawlability • Look at how Google “sees” your important pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  38. Off-Site Optimization (aka Link building) Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  39. Off-Page Optimization = Links Incoming Links Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  40. Link = Votes • The more votes you get, the better, but quality counts and links from crummy sites hurt you Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  41. Improve Existing Links • You can see links with this free tool: http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/ • Look at the pages that link to you • Is all the information correct? • Can you add more detail? Description, photos, videos, services, hours, payment types, etc. • Are you in the right categories? • Can you add a link? • Can you improve the link text? Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  42. Links from Relationships • Business groups • Social groups • Charities • Sponsorships • Local school and college websites • Clients and partners • Businesses you already have referral relationships with Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  43. Links from Local Directories • Yelp • Kudzu • CitySearch • InsiderPages • DiscoverOurTown • Topix • WCities • AngiesList • CitySquares • MerchantCircle • CityVoter • JudysBook • Foursquare • Internet Yellow Pages Pages Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  44. Links from Local Sites • Better Business Bureau • Convention & Visitor’s Bureau • Local Media - Newspapers, Magazines, TV • Chamber of Commerce • Local Business Directories • Local city guides • Local blogs • Local and regional tourism sites Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  45. Links from Niche Sites • Free Wifi • ATM • Minority-owned • Woman-owned • Non-profit • Other Languages • Maps • Adult only • Handicapped accessible • Blog Directories • Product Directories • Videos • Images • Coupons • In something • Near something • Kid-friendly • Pet friendly Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  46. Links from Social Sites • Set Up Social Media Profiles here: • LinkedIn • Flickr • Facebook Fan Page • Twitter • FourSquare • YouTube Channel • Google+ profile Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  47. Recap: The SEO Process • Pick the right keyword phrases • Decide which pages to optimize for which terms • Implement the keyword phrases appropriately on your pages • Link between your own pages using good words • Make sure the Search Engines can see your pages and what’s on them • Gain links from other websites – you cannot ignore this step! Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  48. THANKS! • Mary Bowling • Twitter: @MaryBowling • Blog: www.MaryBowling.com • Google+: MaryBBowling@gmail.co • Get checklists: http://www.IgnitorDigital.com/DataManagement Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  49. Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

  50. Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + MaryBBowling@gmail.com

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