local search marketing stacy williams stacy@prominentplacement.com december 5, 2006

Local Search MarketingStacy Williams

stacy@prominentplacement.com

December 5, 2006

Holy Fragmentation, Batman!

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

Holy Fragmentation, Batman!

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

Holy Fragmentation, Batman!

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

Usage of Main Search Results vs. Local + Maps

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Google MSN

All Others

LocalSearch +Maps

Main Search

Source: Hitwise (Bill Tancer’s blog May 18 & 19, 2006: http://weblogs.hitwise.com/bill-tancer)

Less than 1% for each of the three big engines!

Yahoo

Big Search Engines

Local / Map Results

• Add physical address to bottom of every page

Main Results

• Optimize site using geo-targeted search terms (“Atlanta massage school”)

Add physical address to bottom of every page

Big Search Engines

Local / Map Results

• Add physical address to bottom of every page

• Submit business profile directly

Main Results

• Optimize site using geo-targeted search terms (“Atlanta massage school”)

The Almighty Business Profile

Be prepared with this information:

• Basic business info (company name, address, phone, fax, toll-free, contact person, email address, website URL)

• Descriptions of varying lengths (include search terms, but don’t overdo it):

100, 150, 200, 250, 400, 500, 1000

• Ideas for up to 5 different types of categories that are appropriate

The Almighty Business Profile

• Year established / years in business

• Operating hours

• Payment methods accepted (including which credit cards)

• Languages spoken

• Products / brand names carried

• Services offered

• Professional associations / certifications / affiliations / licenses

• Specials

• Areas served

The Almighty Business Profile

• Security: Have an email address you can access, think of a general user ID and password to use

• Credit card with a billing address matching the business address (for SuperPages only)

• Track everything you do

• Even if profile is correct, find something to change (“Dr.” to “Drive”) – often, you can then add additional information to your profile

• Review times range from 5 – 60 days

Big Search Engines

www.google.com/local/add

http://listings.local.yahoo.com (Free, $10/mo. or $25/mo.)

Can’t submit directly (through Amacai)

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

www.local.com/advertise.aspx(free, $10 or $40/mo.)

www.truelocal.com/getlisted.aspx(free via business data providers, or email

info@truelocal.com, or $5/mo.+)

Local-Only Search Engines

They’ll tell you how many

impressions & clicks you can expect in your

category and zip code

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

www.superpages.com/about/new_chg_listing.html(you will need a credit card with a billing address that matches the

business address, even if you only want a free listing)

www.yellowpages.com/sp/advertise

Data from Acxiom, but you can use their Contact Us form (select “Find a Business/Yellow Pages” from the dropdown menu) for updates

Internet Yellow Pages

Internet Yellow Pages

Data from InfoUsa but you can call 800.422.1234 to update info

www.yellowbook.com/ContactUs

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

Business Data Providers

On www.infousa.com, scroll down…

Step 1: Find your existing listing –

print it out

Step 2: Enter your current listing and

then enter updates

Business Data Providers

http://bcb.acxiom.com/start.pl

You must know exactly how your company is currently listed, but there’s no way to look it up on their site. Use SuperPages (before

you change the listing), Lycos YP, DogPile YP or InfoSpace

www.localeze.com/manage

Type of Listing

Big Search Engines (main results)

Big Search Engines (local results)

Local-Only Search Engines

Internet Yellow Pages

Business Data Providers

Review Sites

Editorial / Free

Adver-tising / Paid

Review Sites

www.insiderpages.com/advertiser/sign_up_more.html

http://atlanta.citysearch.com/corrections/enter_a_location.html

Substitute your city

Review Sites

http://www.judysbook.com/merchant/signup

Search in your category. Whether or

not there are any results, scroll down and you’ll see the option to

add your business profile

Why Bother?

• Be found by local prospects

• Ensure online data is accurate

• Ensure online data is complete

• Build links to site

• Dominate SERPs

SERP Domination!

Local Listing

2 Organic Listings

CitySearch Listing

PPC Ad

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back, or email me: stacy@prominentplacement.com