This presentation was given to a local chamber of commerce, and is purely for the non-technical user. It shows how and where to begin setting up local listings for better visibility in search.

1. Getting Your Local
Business Found Online
August 20, 2013
Presented by:
Scott Hendison

2. About Me
• I started marketing online in 1999, as the
owner of a computer repair & software store
• I began internet marketing full time in 2004
with Search Commander, Inc.
• In 2007, I founded SEO Automatic, a set of
end user & “white label“ Internet Marketing
tools & WordPress plugins.

3. What we‘ll cover
• Search Results & Evolution
• Consistency of Information
• Before You Edit in Google
• Google
– G+ Personal
– G+ for Business
– Google Places for Business
– Google Offers
• Reviews overall

4. Search Results & Evolution

5. Search Results
• Actual results are personalized. They vary by:
– Geographic location
– Users web browser history
– User signed in or not
– What device is in use (as of June 2013)
• The presentation of the results also vary by:
– Industry
– Device
– Geographic location
– Inexplicable whim

6. Layout

7. Layout

8. Layout

9. Layout

10. Layout

11. Layout

12. Search Results
• There are no “normal“ search results
• Two people will almost never see the exact
same set of 10 search results for a phrase.
• Google changes and tests results on the fly,
based on their best guess at user intent.
• Sometimes you‘ll see different layouts in
the same day or on two different pc‘s
• It will be changing again tomorrow, so don‘t
get too used to it...

13. Consistent Information

14. Your Business Infomation
• Comes from multiple sources
• Not just from your website
– Other websites
– Web directories
– Review sites
– Membership sites
– Business organizations
• That‘s why the single most important thing
you can deliver is...

15. Business Fact Sheet
• Before you go to the internet, put together a
consistent message
• Establish all of your facts, info, and style and
submission guidelines like the big brands do
• From logos to marketing messages, to printed
advertizements, the search engines (and your
customers) value consistency.

16. Business Fact Sheet
• Getting everything into a single document
means there will never be incomplete data.
• Include online images, descriptions, history,
and key personel bios, profile links, etc.
• Everything you might need for your listings
should be in one place.

17. Business Fact Sheet
• It all starts with your NAP – your Name,
Address and Phone
• It should be identical everywhere at every
data source on the web.
• You‘ll be amazed at the inconsistencies you
can find from site to site

18. NAP - Name
• How are you registered? What do the bills
say? Using a legal business name is
important, and may be worth a $50 dba.
• Subtle differences actually matter – i.e.
Greta‘s Grocer vs. Gretas Grocer, etc.
• NEVER EVER stuff a key phrase into your biz
name, despite what you see from others.

19. NAP – Address - Start at USPS

20. NAP - Address
• USPS generally uses all caps
• USPS has no consistency on address abreviation,
so see how they have your address listed
• USPS uses punctuation ONLY for biz names
• USPS always uses Zip+4

21. NAP - Phone
• Which is better 503- or (503) ?
• Most directories use (503)
• WWGD? Google uses (503)
• So why differ?

22. NAP - Name, Address and Phone
• Change your website to match the USPS
• Single location biz - Use main NAP on every
page, in the footer, or sidebar, etc.
• NAP must be in text – not an image of text! Can
you click, copy and paste it? Then it‘s text.
• Multi location biz - Ensure a separate page is
available on your website for each location,
but just use one sitewide NAP.

23. Business Fact Sheet
• Complete a Business Fact Sheet in it‘s entirety,
skipping nothing - http://bit.ly/bizsheet
• Include key personel for your company
• Take the time to do it right, so that you can
delegate future submissions to others.
• It‘s the foundation for everything you‘ll do.

24. Business Fact Sheet
http://bit.ly/bizsheet

25. Business Fact Sheet

26. Business Fact Sheet
After your worksheet is complete...

27. After your fact sheet is complete...

28. Unless you complete them all VERY
quickly, the order in which you
work in actually matters.

29. Where Should You Start?

30. Not where you might think!

31. Infogroup # 1

32. Infogroup # 1
http://ExpressUpdateUSA.com

33. Infogroup # 1
http://ExpressUpdateUSA.com

34. Infogroup # 1
http://ExpressUpdateUSA.com

35. Infogroup # 1
http://ExpressUpdateUSA.com

36. What Next?

37. Localeze # 2

38. Localeze # 2
http://bit.ly/localeze

39. Localeze # 2
http://bit.ly/localeze

40. Localeze # 2
http://bit.ly/localeze

41. After Localeze ?

42. Acxiom # 3

43. Acxiom # 3
http://MyBusinessListingManager.com

44. Acxiom # 3
http://MyBusinessListingManager.com

45. Acxiom # 3

46. Pre-Google Action Items
• Check USPS for correct address format
• Put that NAP on your website
• Complete your http://bit.ly/bizsheet
• #1 go to Infogroup (ExpressUpdateUSA)
• #2 go to Localeze
• #3 go to Acxiom
• Then...
• Go to Google?

47. Google

48. Get a personal Google Account
• You already have one if you have...
– Gmail Address
– Google Docs / Google Drive
– Youtube account
– Google Analytics
– Webmaster Tools
– Any other Google services

49. Sign In to Google

50. Go to Your Account

51. If you see “Join Google+“, do it

52. Go to Account > Products

53. Google Places will be there... Or not.

54. Google For Your Business

55. Google

56. August 8, 2013 both are still live

57. Which Should You Choose?
• Use Google Places for Business – Yes, OLD one,
Because you‘re probably already there.
• Google+ Business is already migrating pages
• Google+ Business should not be used unless
you‘re a brand spanking new business.
• Google Places will be gone soon enough
http://www.google.com/places/

58. Google Places for Business
http://www.google.com/places/

59. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/

60. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
Pre existing “claimed“ businesses see this...

61. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• EDIT to go into the existing business

62. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• If you see option to ADD a business, you will
proceed into to the NEW + system anyway

63. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• Onsite service? Pay close attention to...

64. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• If you check the box saying you visit customers
then you‘ll see more choices...

65. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• Submit then determine if you match...

66. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• Choose continue and VERIFY LATER...

67. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
Once you are in the business editing area...
• NAP
• Description, hours, parking, credit cards, etc.
• Fill out everything you can from your biz sheet
• Use all ten photo uploads and link to videos –
cell phone videos to a YouTube acct is easy.
• Fill out all legitimate category opportunities
• Be careful with Service Areas & Locations
Served

68. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/

69. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/

70. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/

71. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/

72. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• Add all 10 photos
• 1st one added is main
• Stock images suck
• Use your phone camera
• Got Videos? Add links to
your YouTube videos too

73. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/

74. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
Two areas to be REALLY careful with...
1. The categories you choose
2. Service area and location setting

75. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
Categories:
• NEVER use a geographic location in the
categories, despite what you see from others
• Always use as many categories as you can by
hitting “Add Another Category“, BUT...
• Improper use or “category spamming“ can get
your listing suspended from Google.

76. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
Service Area and Location Settings:

77. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• If you ONLY serve customers at their location,
you MUST check “Do not show my address...“

78. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• If you have a PO Box or other type of maildrop,
you MUST check “Do not show my address...“

79. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• If you live on a residential street w/ no biz sign,
you MUST check “Do not show my address...“

80. Google Places Page
What happens if you don‘t hide the address
when you are supposed to?

81. Google Places

82. Google Places Page
http://www.google.com/places/
• Every time you edit, moderators will review
• No business is safe from scrutiny
• Biz name, categories, street view, etc. are all
looked at again, no matter how long the listing
has been live and receiving traffic.
• Any prior “bad acts“ are held against you
• Most common cause of listing suspension –
someone makes changes, and listing gets
disabled for older TOS violations.

83. Google Places
http://www.google.com/places/
• After making changes, you will often have to
verify ownership again.
• Sometimes by phone, sometimes by postcard
• Phone verification requires auto-answering to
be turned off – This is critical
• Even after verification, changes you‘ve made
can take literally weeks to appear!

84. Google Places
http://bit.ly/googlelocalhelp
If you are logged in, you can get help by phone

85. Google Places
http://bit.ly/googlelocalhelp

86. Google Places
http://bit.ly/googlelocalhelp
Add your info, and your phone will ring...

87. Google Places
http://bit.ly/googlelocalhelp
• You cannot get to the ‘call‘ link any other way
• It does not have to be the business line, or
even the business owner initiating the call
• I‘ve talked to Google reps many times, and
each time I‘ve found them to be very helpful
• The less you know, the more they‘ll help
• Even some suspended listings have returned
within 48 hours after phoning

88. Then who should use Google+ Business?
http://www.google.com/+/business/

89. Then who should use Google+ Business?
http://www.google.com/+/business/

90. Google+ Business Page
http://www.google.com/+/business/

91. Google+ Business Page
http://www.google.com/+/business/

92. Google+ Business Page
http://www.google.com/+/business/

93. Google+ Business Page
http://www.google.com/+/business/

97. What if you end up with BOTH?

98. Originally You Could Not Merge

99. Then You Could Merge
• Although some have done it successfully,
others have seen problems, including lost
reviews, and temporarily disapearing listings
• Opinions differ on whether or not merging
should be done
• I say do not merge - Google is sorting it out

100. 5 months later I still say NO

101. Google Offers

102. http://www.google.com/places/
Google Offers

103. Less than 5% of businesses use Google offers*
• Opportunity to stand out
• Costs you nothing (for now)
• Reach new customers
• Reach more devices
• Chance to be daring and creative
• Put disclaimers right in the offer
* Unimpeachable Source: Well, okay, I made it up, but I‘ll bet it‘s even lower than that.
How many of you have even HEARD of it before? There ya go.
Google Offers

104. http://www.google.com/places/
Google Offers

105. Google Offers

106. Google Offers

107. Google Offers

108. Google Offers

109. Google Offers

110. Google Offers

111. Google Offers

112. Google Offers

113. • Must not be for specific services*
• Must be printable
• Must be “real world“ – no online offers
• You get to reach new customers
• It‘s your chance to be daring and creative,
and put a disclaimer right on the coupon
• Does Google favor businesses using offers?
* Academic aids, adult services, alcohol, gambling, drugs, fireworks, hacking, health care,
medicine, intelectual property, regulated goods, tobacco, radar detectors, weapons, or
anything else that Google might add in the future.
Google Offers

114. Reviews

115. • Reviews are critical – Quantity, diversity,
velocity, etc. but not necessarily the quality
• You (or AOYB) should *not* gather the
reviews then create accounts and post them.
• Employees and owners of businesses may not
even leave reviews according to Googles TOS
• Never leave fake reviews, or hire services
that get you illegitimate reviews
Google Reviews

116. http://www.pdxtc.com/wpblog/google/how-to-get-fake-reviews/
Google Reviews

117. http://consumerist.com/2010/04/14/how-you-spot-fake-online-reviews/
Fake Reviews

118. • Always take time to respond to a customer
complaint or a negative review, whether on
Google, Yelp or elsewhere. Make things right.
• Responding to positive reviews too, is a trust
signal to your customers. Appreciate them.
• Report any of the fake reviews to the
service, AND call it out right there on that
page as a fake, if its suspicious.
Google Reviews

119. https://support.google.com/places/answer/184271?hl=en
How To Respond to Reviews

120. • It‘s helpful to encourage, nag, induce or even
incentivize* people into leaving reviews
through postcards, emails, contests etc.
• Kiosks in your business for leaving reviews
are *not* a good idea (same IP address)
• FOLLOW UP - Send users to a page on your
site designed to facilitate getting more
reviews, linking to your profiles.
Get More Reviews

121. • Encourage people to leave reviews in their
own account from their own devices
Get More Reviews

122. Get More Reviews

123. Get More Reviews
• QR codes are easy
• Popularity is gaining slowly
• Send code to specicic URLs
• Put them on receipts, exit door
stickers, counter cards, menus,
vehicles, business cards, T-
shirts, print ads, or even on
products themselves.
Ever scanned one before?

124. http://bit.ly/scottsqr

125. GetListed.org

126. GetListed.org

127. GetListed.org

128. • Match your website with USPS text NAP
• Create your business profile sheet
• Claim the major three data providers
• Get a personal Google+ account
• Complete Google listings
• Try Google Offers while it‘s still free
• Gather, encourage and respond to reviews
• Make more money
Summing Up

129. Thank You
This presentation is available here
http://bit.ly/2013-08-20-scott
Contact me...
Scott Hendison
scott@searchcommander.com

130. Easter eggs?
Bonus slides?
Stay an extra hour?

131. GEEK ALERT - Schema

132. What‘s Schema?
• Having a text NAP alone is not enough, and it
should be properly formatted on your website.
• Plain text or older standardized web formats
like vCard, or hCard are acceptable but...
• The search and data industries have come
together in a scheme to standardize things,
and make the sharing of information simpler.

133. What‘s Schema?
• Schema.org provides a collection of html tags
so webmasters can markup their pages in ways
recognized by major search providers.
• ‘Search providers‘ means not only G, Y and B,
but everything from Global Positioning Systems
like TomTom to services like Apple Maps
• Schema-Creator.org helps your web designer
easily add the correct to your site

134. What‘s Schema?

135. What‘s Schema?

136. Measuring Traffic

137. Measuring Traffic
• Is what you‘re doing worth the effort?
• How do you justify the time or money spent?
• Where can you get quick snapshots of
performance metrics?

138. Measuring Traffic
• Google Places Dashboard
• Google Analytics

139. Google Places Dashboard
http://www.google.com/places/

140. Google Places Dashboard
http://www.google.com/places/

141. http://www.google.com/places/
Google Places Dashboard

142. Google Analytics can easily show you...
• Nothing about traffic from your profiles
• There is no easy way to see it at a glance
• You CAN...
• Use a custom page in your profile
• Set up advanced segmenting
Google Analytics

143. • You can create a distinct URL, such as
www.yoursite.com/localcontact and list that
as the URL people click from profile pages
• Or you can apend the URLs with a “tag“ so
they are easily tracked in Analytics by
creating one at http://bit.ly/urlbuilder
• Or you can create an “advanced segment“...
Google Analytics

144. Which might make your head explode...
Step by step Advanced Segmenting
http://bit.ly/trackinggooglelocal
Google Analytics