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Local Search Citations: What They Are and How to Get Them

Friday, January 6th, 2012

If you are a brick-and-mortar business, the importance of local SEO cannot be overstated. More than 20 percent of Google searches are for a local business, according to Erin Everhart of Search Engine Land, and that figure doubles with searches on mobile devices. Looking at the figure below (a heat map constructed based on visitor eye-tracking data compiled by Mirametrix), it’s clear that having a high-ranked Google Places listing is essential for driving business to your storefront.

There are numerous variables that make up Google’s local ranking algorithm, but today we’d like to focus on just one of those factors – citations, i.e. online “references” to your business. We’ll start by briefly discussing what local search citations are, why they are important, and then will finish off with a review of two tools that significantly simply the process of getting them for your business.

What are local search citations, and why are they important?

It helps to think of citations as “mentions” of your business name and address online. If your business is listed in a directory like Yelp, Urbanspoon, or TripAdvisor, for example, that’s a citation. If the local chamber of commerce maintains a list of member businesses and you are on that list, that’s also a citation, as is any reference to your business in a newspaper article. In SEO parlance, citations are to local SEO what inbound links are to more traditional SEO. The more consistent references there are on the Internet to your business, the more confident Google and other search engines can be that your business actually exists, and that the information they provide to searchers is accurate. In David Mihm’s annual review of the most important local search ranking factors, citations came in at number four!

So, where can I get these citations for my business?

Glad you asked! To get started, head over to GetListed.org, enter your business name and zip code in the fields provided, and click the blue Check My Listings button. Within a minute (usually less, depending on the speed of your connection), you should see a list of popular citation directories and information on whether your business has an owner-verified listing in each one.

 

There is no reason for you to not have a 100 percent completion score, so use the links provided to create and/or verify a profile for your business in each of the listed directories. Note that it can take a while for search engine spiders to register any changes you make, so if you create a profile and GetListed.org is still showing that you haven’t done so, don’t freak out!

The next tool – Local Citation Finder – comes from the awesome folks at Whitespark, an SEO and web development agency in Edmonton, Canada, and is the Swiss army knife of business owners who are serious about building up their citation volume.  Just enter basic demographic information about where your business is located (i.e. country, state, and city) and what product or service-related keyword phrase you’d like to rank for and LCF will scavenge the Internet for a list of the most common directories where businesses which are currently ranking for the keyword that you entered are listed.

 

In terms of pricing, there are several plans available, depending on your needs. The free version, for example, caps the number of searches at 3 per day, and limits the number of citations that it displays per each search. If you are a small business owner, the $20/month plan will likely prove more useful – you get 20 searches per day, and the app will show a complete list of the citations that it finds.

Finally, be sure to take a look at this article from Search Engine Land’s Myles Anderson, which contains a list of the top 50 search citation sources for UK and U.S. businesses. Accompanying each listing is information on whether the directory is free or paid, and what types of businesses and venues it’s most useful for.

Before you go…

I’d like to wrap this up with a friendly reminder that although citation volume is important, it’s not the holy grail of acquiring a top ranking in Google Places listing. Don’t spend all of your time submitting your business to local directories at the cost of ignoring things like making sure that your business address is listed on your website in a search engine spider-friendly format (i.e. text) and acquiring inbound links from authoritative domains. Local SEO is a discipline that cannot be learned overnight or for the cost of $20 per month, so treat it as such.

Have you tried using Local Citation Finder and/or GetListed.org? Did you find the information that these apps provided useful? We’d love to hear about your experience acquiring citations for your business in the comments.

Posted in SEO Strategies | No Comments »

When it comes to local businesses, SEO trumps social media

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

It’s true –social media is a great way to engage your clients and customers, nurture leads, and expand your company’s mindshare. That said, numbers don’t lie, and when it comes to getting information about local businesses, the data is pretty clear – more people say they rely on search engines than Facebook, Twitter, and other popular social platforms.

That’s at least what researchers over at the Pew Research Center found after surveying 2,251 adults about whether they get news and information about local businesses and what medium they use most frequently to do so. Of the people surveyed, 55 percent said that they get news and information about local restaurants, bars, and clubs; 60 percent said they get news about businesses other than restaurants and bars. Here’s where it gets interesting, though: of those 55 percent, 38 percent say that they rely on search engines for information; only 3 percent report using social networking websites. Similarly, of the 60 percent of people who receive news about businesses other than restaurants and clubs, 36 percent use search engines; only 1 percent gets its information from social networking sites.

In other words, for all the fanfare around Google+, Twitter, and Tumblr, most people still rely on good ol’ Google search. What does that mean if you are a small business owner with a brick-and-mortar store? It goes back to basics. If you haven’t yet, head over to Google Places and claim your listing – Google gives more weight to listings that have been verified. And while you’re at it, don’t get stingy with the amount of content that you provide. Upload photos of the storefront and your staff, include links to your website and social media profiles, respond to user reviews (both positive and negative!), advertise special promotions, etc. If your Places page is a ghost-town, prospective customers will treat your business accordingly. And if you are feeling adventurous, check out this comprehensive list of local search ranking factors, put together (and updated annually!) by SEO guru David Mihm. It can be a bit overwhelming, so if nothing else, pay special attention to the Overall Top Ten section.

Beyond optimizing your Places page, don’t forget about your website. Obviously, you can’t learn everything there is to know about SEO in one day – we wouldn’t be in business for very long if you could – but there are plenty of existing resources to get you started. If you are completely clueless, take a look at the Search Engine Optimization Guide from Google, as well as this Beginner’s Guide to SEO from SEOmoz. And if you get hooked and want to learn more, head over to the Webhead Facebook Page, which we update every day with helpful tips, tricks, and industry highlights.

What medium – search engines, social networking sites, newspapers, TV, etc. do YOU rely on to get news and information about local businesses? Let us know in the comments! 

Posted in SEO Strategies, Social Media Marketing | No Comments »

SEO’s Best Kept Secret Is Still SEO

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

The timeless battle between advertisers and the Search Engines rages on in 2011 and everyone has an opinion. But who’s right?  In 2010 we learned that Social Media, like Twitter and Facebook, do indeed have an impact on where you land on the SERP’s (Search Engine Results Page).  This, of course, has set a mad scramble into play with every business on the planet attempting to gain precious Social Media Real Estate.  So now in 2011, everyone wants to know what is the best form of advertising to put your money into; SEO (Search Engine Optimization), PPC (Google Adwords Pay-Per-Click) or Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?

 I think, at this point, we have all established the extreme importance of gaining relevance in the Social Media landscape.  To become a hot commodity on Facebook or Twitter will inevitably raise your brand awareness, solidify you as an expert in your field, and ultimately increase your traffic, sales, customer base, etc.  This is a no brainer at this point and if you are one of the few hanging back to see if Social Media is “worth it,” you’re missing out!

 Then, of course, is the perpetual question of PPC or SEO? While PPC is a substantial way to kick-start a new website or product, it is not (or should not) be a long-term solution.  At the risk of sounding like a broken record, SEO is still the best long-term goal for any website.  You can’t beat its impact or cost on your bottom line. However, businesses continue to drag their feet when it comes to SEO. At the end of 2010, SEOmoz said,

 “In 2010, estimates are that between Bing and Google there’s going to be about 20 billion advertising dollars spent on paid search and that receives about, maybe around 15% of all the clicks, so 15% of traffic. SEO, which receives about 85% of all the clicks, the spend is predicted by some people to be around $2 billion, maybe a little under $2 billion this year.”

 This is a profound and incredible statement and although I haven’t yet seen the bottom line numbers for 2011, I would guess that the results will be quite similar this year.  So, where’s the disconnect?

 I believe the disconnect comes with a lack of definitive answers and a constant changing of the Search Engine algorithm. However, the art of SEO has proven time and time again that even without these definitive answers, SEO is the clear leader in web marketing.  Having said that, the biggest take away from here is this; Social Media, PPC and SEO are not enemies, but instead they work together to ensure that the consumer is satisfied and the best results are displayed on the SERP’s.

 

 

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Posted in PPC Strategies, SEO Strategies, Social Media Marketing | No Comments »

Google’s Keeping it Fresh…What Does the New Google Update Mean for Your Business?

Friday, November 4th, 2011

 

 

 

Let me start off by saying, I sometimes feel a bit like a broken record answering SEO questions.

 

What is the biggest thing Google looks for when ranking my site?
Relevancy.

Why do I need a dynamic social media presence?
Relevancy.

Why can’t I just cram a bunch of keywords in my meta descriptions tag and do whatever I want on the rest of my site? 
I think you get the picture.

 

So it really shouldn’t come as too big a surprise to anyone that Google just announced that their rankings algorithm will take into account the “freshness”of your content, and serve up the most recent results associated with your search query.

This also comes on the heels of their official acknowledgement that they will indeed begin indexing Facebook comments in the SERPs.  Coincidence? I think not.

What do these two announcements have in common?  They both indicate that Google is looking more than ever at your site’s overall online presence.  Not just your meta tags. Not just your blog.  Your online everything.  And everyone else’s online everything.  And who’s gonna win the #1 spot for a search term?  The site whose “everything” Google finds the most relevant.

RELEVANCY! Oh snap.

So what does that mean for your business?  For one, it means that fresh, meaningful content is more important than ever.  It also means that how your consumers, clients, fans, friends, and followers interact with your content means just as much.  And really, if your content it topical and timely, your visitors will be that much more likely to engage with it now won’t they?

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Posted in SEO Strategies, Social Media Marketing | 1 Comment »

Your Business Website Is Not a Digital Brochure: Importance of Link-Worthy Content

Monday, August 15th, 2011

When it comes down to it, most business websites are not that different. There are the usual “contact”, “about us”, and “our products” pages, and if the owners are feeling creative, you might find a photo gallery and maybe a printable coupon or two. It’s a setup that we have seen time and time again, and one that, quite frankly, seems logical – it has everything that a prospective customer might want, doesn’t it?

It is true that the “contact” and “about us” pages usually receive a high proportion of the overall website traffic, especially when it comes to brick-and-mortar businesses. But let’s think about this question from a different perspective.

Your search ranking – where your website shows up in a Google/Yahoo/Bing search results page – depends on two factors: on-page optimization and backlink popularity.  The former refers to factors like whether your page title includes the keywords that you are targeting and whether you have a properly optimized URL structure (e.g. no session ID’s, no dynamically generated parameters, etc.). By most estimates, on-page factors account for up to 30 percent of your overall ranking score. The other 70 percent consists entirely of backlink popularity, i.e. how many links there are on other websites pointing to your website and the quality of those websites. A link from a reputable website that is relevant to your industry, for example, is usually much more valuable in the eyes of a search engine than one originating from a free link directory.

The key takeaway here is that in order to rank highly in search results pages for terms that are not variations of your business name (and even then, there are numerous exceptions), you must have backlinks.

So then the question becomes, why would anyone link to your page? Sure, you might have the occasional customer who mentions you on his/her blog, and maybe once in a blue moon you score a link in the online version of your regional newspaper, but beyond that, if your website is just a digital brochure, why would people link to you?

The best, time-tested way of acquiring links is actually pretty simple: publish content that other people will find valuable and interesting. If you own a restaurant, feature a different recipe every week. If you repair computers, write daily/weekly/monthly “how-to” articles. If you are a car dealership, write a “10 things to know before buying a car” article. You get the idea – the goal is to produce content that is worth linking to because it’s valuable, i.e. it helps people solve some kind of a problem. That said, there is no need to limit yourself to writing articles; infographics, videos, and even podcasts are all appropriate channels of disseminating your content. Just make sure that the one you pick is best suited for your business/industry (this might take some trial and error), and don’t forget to feature your new content on your website homepage!

Do you regularly update your business website with new and valuable content? What channels (written, videos, podcasts, infographics) do you use to share your content, and why? Discuss in the comments below.

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Posted in SEO Strategies | No Comments »

Three Common SEO Mistakes and How to Fix Them, Part 1

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

When you’ve been doing SEO for as long as we have, it’s only expected that after a while, you begin to notice a pattern in the types of mistakes that you tend to find on your prospective clients’ websites. To be sure, part of the reason why we don’t offer pre-priced SEO packages is because we genuinely believe that each clients’ needs are unique. But there is no harm in admitting that during many of our initial free SEO evaluations, we generally start off by looking for specific mistakes simply because experience tells us that your website probably has them.

To help your website stand out from the crowd, we put together a list of three common SEO mistakes, why they are hurting your search engine rankings, and what to do about it.

WWW/non-WWW Canonical Problem

Despite popular belief, from a technical perspective, http://webheadinteractive.com, http://webheadinteractive.com/index.php, and http://www.webheadinteractive.com are actually not the same website. Although most search engines are sophisticated enough to realize that your main website and its non-www counterpart are not two separate pages with duplicate content, it’s worth your time to pick a single URL and set up 301 permanent redirects from all of the other URL variations. With a 301 redirect, if someone links to your page using a URL other than the one that you usually use, you run no risk of losing valuable link juice, i.e. link ranking power.

Setting up a 301 redirect is usually an easy technical modification. If you need help, ask your web developer, search online, or hire Webhead to do it for you!

Not Including Keywords in the Page Title

Your page title is the second most important on-page optimization factor (overall content is first), and is prime real estate for your primary and secondary keywords. It shows up as the main link on Search Engine Results Pages (SERP’s), as well as in the top of your web browser:

Webhead-Tampa-SEO-SERP

Webhead-Tampa-SEO-Browser-Title

Notice that rather than writing “Webhead Interactive” or “Welcome to Webhead”, our title includes the high-level keywords that we are targeting, i.e. “Tampa SEO”, “Tampa Search Engine Optimization”, and “Florida SEO”. Independent tests have also shown that the earlier the keyword appears in the title, the better. That said, feel free to include your company name in the title for branding purposes, but if you are just starting out, the recommended title structure is:

Primary Keyword | Secondary Keyword | Company Name

Most search engines truncate a title that is too long (see the ellipses in the screenshot above), so try to keep it under 65 characters wherever possible. Use this website to calculate the number of characters.

Ignoring Image Alt Tags

Despite rapid advances in semantic technology, for now and the foreseeable future, search engines can’t read text embedded within images. Unfortunately, if the search engine “spider” can’t read the text, it can’t understand it, and if it can’t understand it, it has a hard time deciding if the image is relevant to the user’s search query. This problem is especially acute for photography blogs and websites that contain a large number of infographics.

Fortunately, one can provide a text-based description of the image within the website code using the so-called “alt” tag. From an SEO perspective, it’s helpful to make sure that the image descriptions are keyword-enriched, i.e. they contain the relevant keywords that you are targeting. Very few websites that we evaluate have properly coded alt tags, and of those that do, virtually none have tags that are SEO-optimized.

Have you checked your own website for the three common mistakes outlined above? If so, have you seen an increase in your search engine ranking performance? Discuss in the comments below!

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Posted in SEO Strategies | No Comments »

Cheap SEO: The Truth Behind Automatic Link Building

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

It’s a deal to die for: 10,000 keyword-enriched backlinks, delivered within two days, and for only $5. Or how about 500 blog comments on 500 unique domains?

Think we’re making this up? Think again:

cheap-links-screenshot1

Cheap Links Screenshot #2

Both screenshots come from Fiverr.com, a recently launched online portal that allows individuals to post and search for five-dollar “gigs”.

From a search engine perspective, it’s hard to overstate the importance of quality inbound links. Independent tests have shown that backlink popularity is the most important website ranking factor, by some estimates constituting roughly 70 percent of Google’s algorithm.

500 links for $5 sounds like some serious link-lovin’, but are “verdox” and “rippa911” promising something that’s too good to be true? At Webhead, we have a common saying, “If it looks like a spammer, smells like a spammer, and quacks like a spammer, it’s a spammer.”

How exactly does automatic link building work, and is it worth your time and money?

In most cases, it’s all about downloading the right software. Programs like ScapeBox and SE Nuke X make it easy to compile a list of websites and blogs that are relevant to specified keywords and which accept comments. From there, it’s just a matter of loading the desired keyword-enriched link, which the program will auto-submit to the list of specified websites.

The whole process sounds like a link builder’s dream come true, so what are the drawbacks?

First, it’s very unlikely that your auto-submitted comment will ever actually make it onto the website. Most popular blogging platforms like WordPress have built-in spam protection and the comments section on quality blogs is almost always moderated by a living human being.

Second, platforms like WordPress automatically “no-follow” links submitted via comments. What does that mean? As Google’s Matt Cutts explains very explicitly on his blog, “nofollow links don’t help sites rank higher in Google’s search results.”

Third, Google employs a group of PhD statisticians who are trained to look for unnatural link building patterns. If you think that auto-submitted links blasted to thousands of blogs won’t stick out like a sore thumb, you’re wrong. In the best case scenario, your website will receive a temporary boost in search engine rankings. In the worst case, you’ll be penalized and your site’s ranking will drop.

The key takeaway is pretty clear here, folks: link building done via automation tools is a waste of time and money. When hiring an SEO consultant, always demand to get a clear explanation of the company’s tactics and strategies. And remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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Posted in SEO Strategies | 3 Comments »

In SEO, One Size Fits None

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

My job is pretty amusing sometimes. Yesterday we got an organic lead from our website which had us all chuckling a bit. As a Tampa SEO company, we have tried to practice what we preach and, as a result, have established some kick-butt local rankings that serve to be a great source of leads (as well as a good showcase of our own competency – doesn’t get much more competitive in the SEO world than competing against other SEO’s). But sometimes, we get an inquiry that really makes us shake our heads. Yesterday’s was one of those: a gmail address as the only valid contact information, with the question: “how exactly would you optimize a website.”

Was this simply a case of spam? Maybe. Someone fishing for free tips? Probably. But frankly, it got me thinking…rather, stewing. How can it be that someone would think search engine optimization is achieved by a simple set of steps that we can just regurgitate without ANY information regarding the site, industry, business goals…anything? To me – someone who spends every day entrenched in SEO strategy – I was a bit incredulous, and maybe even a tad insulted, at first. But the thing is, as silly and spammy as this lead seemed, it’s not really that far off from a lot of people’s perception of the SEO process.

An effective SEO strategy is composed of many elements, both on and off site. And there is no good “one size fits all” strategy. While there are of course some basic common elements and best practices, a good SEO strategy will be based on many different factors that are unique to every individual client and website.

The problem is, there are too many “SEO companies” out there who take the one size fits all approach, most often to the detriment of their clients. That combined with the overwhelming amount of “how to” information available online can lead the average prospect to believe that there’s a quick formula that just needs to be applied and, poof! You’re at the top of Google.

There are so many factors that go into an effective SEO strategy, so make sure you keep this in mind when feeling out potential providers. If an SEO company offers up pricing or a package without taking the time to analyze your site, industry, competitive landscape, or really ask you about your ultimate business goals, move on.

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Posted in SEO Strategies | 3 Comments »

Google Cracks Down on Spam with New Algorithm Change

Monday, January 31st, 2011

A couple days ago Google rolled out a new algorithm update aimed at filtering out “spam” and duplicate content, and favoring original content. This comes in the wake of much criticism that Google was allowing spammy blogs and other sites who scrape content from other sources to rank, in many instances, higher for said content than the original sources.

Who will this change affect? Well, most directly, those sites that have been scraping content from others – sites without unique, original content should expect to see their rankings plummet, based on this new algorithm which will favor the original source of the content and “weed out” the duplicate. This will also obviously have positive affect on any reputable site that had once fallen victim to content theft, as they’ll now no longer have to fight for their rightful place on the SERP (search engine results page) amongst shifty competition.

To a certain extent, this is also just a good PR move for Google, who has been taking heat as of late for the vast number of spammy sites it’s been allowing in its top results – from searchers and site owners alike. I had one client who experienced this sort of “content jacking” first hand; to say that he was frustrated that another fly-by-night blog was getting credit for his hard work would be a serious understatement. Many authors like him will be glad to know that content theft is now not just a nuisance, but a sure recipe for landing on Google’s black list.

This also underscores the need to make sure your site is not committing any of the “duplicte content sins.” Now would be a good time to fix broken links, get rid of duplicate content across multiple platforms, and make sure your domain uses solid 301 redirects to ensure you continue to get full credit for all your on and off-site SEO efforts. (Shameless plug: you can contact Webhead if you want us to do a free audit of your site…just saying…)

While this tweak is welcome news to most, it really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who practices above-the-board SEO and has been even mildly paying attention to the super power search engine over the years. Ultimately, this algorithm change is just another step Google is taking to combat “cheaters” in the vastly evolving and over-saturated online landscape. As long as Google has been the dominant search engine, there have always been those who try to circumvent the hard work and investment that it can take to get natural, long term top rankings. Remember keyword stuffing? Or link farms? There’s not a reputable SEO on the planet today that would recommend either of those strategies, but they were at one point widely used “tricks” to getting top rankings.

What’s the big lesson here: in good SEO, there really is no way around good, original content, and hard work over time. Always be wary of any company or individual who promises top organic rankings in an unrealistic time frame or for a too-low-to-be-true price point. If you put in the time and effort it takes to work your way up the ranks in a natural and above-the-board way, ultimately, Google will reward you.

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Posted in SEO Strategies | 4 Comments »

Google’s “new” Keyword Tool Comes Out of Beta & SEOs Couldn’t Be Less Satisfied

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

A few weeks ago, I jumped into the Google Keyword Tool to do a new keyword search and was frustrated to see that the “previous interface” button was no longer an option.  Now, I have seen the Keyword Tool  for months now but have been successfully avoiding it and going straight to the old tool each and every time.  Now forced to try out the new tool, I found myself immediately discouraged.  While it is no secret that the keyword tool is not meant to enhance SEO, but rather promote Google’s tools, it is still an essential part of SEO.  This new tool lacks several fundamental functions that were essential for both PPC (Google Adwords) and SEO.

One of my biggest concerns is the lack of relevant keyword variations within the search results.  You have to basically export the data and sift through all 800 options before finding a handful of relevant terms.  The old keyword tool would list results in groups, listing the closest related keywords to your search query first, then follow it with a grouping of other closely related ideas.  Adding insult to injury is the added frustration of the filters that seem to “filter” out every single result once you uncheck a box.  I watched my search results go from 800 to 20 simply by unclicking one box.  After testing out the results with each box checked and then unchecked, I decided that the filters are so sporadic that it was best to just export and start manually filtering. 

Another common problem seems to be the apparent glitch in selecting match forms.  Half the time when I change the results from exact match, to phrase match, to broad match I lose a good chunk of the search results. Not to mention, the “negative match” option seems to be a thing of the past.  For a Google’s Adwords account manager, the loss of the negative match option is a substantial shortfall.  Like most others who have been complaining for the last month about the new Google Keyword tool, I haven’t the slightest idea what is causing these issues but I, for one, hope that Google fixes these problems ASAP.   

My colleague and I recently decided to try Google’s “search based keyword tool” in hopes that it would offer better and/or more relevant results.  Noticing the complete lack of consistency in data between the beta tool and the search based tool, we went searching for answers from Google. 

“You may also notice that some of the data (like such as the monthly search volume) may vary slightly between the two tools, which is due to different methods of calculation at this time.”

Um…well, thank you for that clarification Google, that makes much more sense now.  So far this seems to be the theme in looking for answers and/or explanations to the shortfalls of this new Keyword Tool.  So, for now, I will continue to search for answers and hope that these bugs will work themselves out. Most importantly, I have to hope that Google is hearing these major concerns for their new tool from the SEO experts that are stuck using it and are counting on its results each and every day.

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Posted in SEO Strategies | 3 Comments »

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