This is one of a series of posts in which I will be highlighting each member of the Search Bloggers list, with commentary on one of their posts (new or old). Look for this series to continue once or twice a week for the next couple of months.
Meet Steve Gerencser, the Search Blogger of the Day. Steve's brand used to be Large Orange Pop, but it's now Metal Monster Marketing. I like that better. 🙂 But that's neither here nor there. Today I want to highlight one of Steve's posts that particularly resonates with me. In his post, It's hard to find a great place to sleep, Steve gives voice to a frustration that I'm sure all of face on a regular basis. Finding local businesses via search is tough to do. Local search is still terrible, mainly because businesses haven't yet caught on. If they even have a web site (and so many still don't), they aren't optimizing for local searches. If you have a business that could benefit from local searches, or have clients who could benefit, or even if neither of those apply, go read Steve's post. Think about it. Take action on it. It's probably one of the easiest, and yet most critical actions you can take in your search optimization strategy.
If you want to know more about today's Search Blogger of the Day, check out Steve's about page.
That's the Search Blogger of the Day. If you are a search blogger, and aren't on the list yet, go here to find out how to be included. I plan to promote everyone on the list in various ways. Some will be informative, and some will be just plain fun. Don't miss out.
Fun blog piece to read. I’m one of those people who have been focusing on local oriented SEO. I’m also one who complains about problems in it in google. In fact (this is parenthetical–I think we got them to make a change when we were publicly getting close to one of their Maps/algo issues).
Regardless of the complaints, every year brings more local businesses to the web in one form or another.
I’m sure the web resources for local businesses are lousier in rural areas than in urban areas. I’m sure lots of businesses don’t have websites…and when they do…they might not be optimizing for local visibility.
There also is a “scaling” issue for web work for local businesses. Scaling means…..how much is it worth it to the business owner….and how much can I make with regard to building and/or optimizing a local business web site?
I was speaking to a business owner today with 3 locations for a small business with a website that covers the 3 locations. We weren’t speaking about web work specifically but about business items.
I’m guessing the guy’s 3 locations make somewhere between $600,000 to $1.2 million. I bet (with some knowledge) that 60-75% of his leads and business comes from the web.
I think, off the top of my head it might make sense for the guy to be willing to spend $10-15,000 for a cracker jack site that is highly optimized for appropriate keywords. Even with that the guy has to be willing to spend significant funds monthly on PPC. (the guy’s site is okay–but he could pick up a lot of optimization tips that would improve rankings and traffic and usability skills that would increase customer activity) and usability .
If I’m an SEO trying to pick up business I have to work endlessly to sell to as many clients as possible…..and then amass a steady stream of customers to make my work worthwhile.
Its a big job….and takes a lot of time, expertise, etc.
I do think the web is spreading for local businesses. Its just not as fast as we may like it….and it definitely lags in rural areas.
If you live in a rural area…..:D Keep your hard cover Yellow Pages handy for a few more years.
Dave
Actually I wanted to restate my comments a bit.
Google Maps, and I assume Yahoo Local, have done a very comprehensive job of capturing enormous amounts of information from Yellow Page books around the country. The information is loaded into Google Maps. The information came from numerous copies of Yellow Page books and other sources.
If I were in a rural area and/or traveling to a new area, I’d look first at Google Maps or Yahoo Local.
The two services have more than enough problems associated with them, but frankly they scanned in so much data from so many sources they well might be the BEST sources for this information right now.
If Google Maps doesn’t have the information, its likely you couldn’t find the info in hard copy yellow pages….at which case you’d probably never find the information in the first place.
Dave
Great stuff DD…. keep spreading the love doll!!
I have known Steve for a few years now and he’s always been one of my fav peeps in search. Glad to see him getting some attention….
Yer da best babe!
I keep coming back here. Sorry to be so repetitive….and that my thinking is so disjointed…but it interested me. I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on Local SEO.
First Steve’s piece is fun to read. It made me want to visit New Buffalo. A casino, the lake, a nifty place to stay, good food, charter fishing. What’s not to like?
I know Steve’s post resonates with something you posted a while ago, Donna….about how the web fails with regard to local businesses.
I think it works best in either Google Maps or Yahoo Local as I referenced above. In reading Steve’s piece he referenced Google Maps….but did it in lower case….and his usage of Google Maps via the blog piece didn’t register with me.
Google Maps is a great reference for Local Businesses. As a user you can get to it by clicking on the tab off the Google home page.
You may get its vast resources from a google search….but that is a BIG Maybe. The vagueries of Universal Search May insert a Maps version into the search and may not often dependant on the search phrase.
Not Many of us go directly to Google Maps. Last I checked the market research….about 1% of Google users initiate their search efforts here. Subsequent market research suggested its usage was up….but I’m pretty sure that is a result of Maps appearing in organic searches…..and depending on the terms one uses….a map may or may not turn up.
I used Google Maps for a couple of searches in New Buffalo. Searching for Hotels, Motels, Inns in New Buffalo, Michigan….The first 10 places showing were all places to stay (I hope they are all open)….and they were all located in New Buffalo. Of the next ten places, 9 of them were in nearby towns and another one was in New Buffalo. The maps were pretty cool. I could have identified the address of the Casino and found out which of the places to stay was closest and generated driving directions from each place.
Google Maps gives me two options of information for each place. If the business has a website…there is a link to the website next to the business. Alternatively, even if I didn’t have a website….there could be basic information on the business including address and phone number. Alternatively, I could “Take Control” of the Google Maps Local Business Entry (as the business owner) and supply lots of vital and fun information including pictures and videos….and even coupons! And all that without a website.
I searched in Maps for Charter Fishing in New Buffalo and like Steve referenced there weren’t any. Maps did reference charter fishing places in different nearby towns. (I did find fishing stores in New Buffalo though).
Yet there are charter fishing boats and businesses in New Buffalo, according to Steve. Ooops. Something is amiss.
Steve suggested there are opportunities for an SEO there….and who am I to disagree. But there are a bunch of ways to skin the cat…..and the easiest cheapest way is to get those businesses entered into Google Maps. In fact I think there is a way to do it for small businesses in a pretty easy way that wouldn’t involve relatively expensive costs for the small businesses.
Over the past 1.5 years I’ve been one of the loud mouths that complain and point to errors throughout Google Maps and Yahoo Local. (And there are plenty of them). But the article pointed me to how effective Maps can be.
Its aggregation of reams of data on millions of businesses makes it a better source of info on local businesses then Google Search itself. It needs lots of additional data and improvements….but it offers a lot of opportunity. Having been both a marketer and a small business owner makes me aware of both sides.
I’d suggest clicking on that Maps tab on the upper left hand of Google’s home page to see if there is better information available for local businesses.
Meanwhile, thanks to Steve’s nifty article I’m planning a fishing trip for a Summer Weekend.
Dave
Donna, please forgive me for taking so long to say thank you for posting about me 🙂 What can I say?? How about too much drama and too much work in my life these days to remember to be polite and thank people like I should.. Thank you..
Dave, I did some unscientific research around here and was amazed at how blind some users are to the map, or that there is even an option to get to Google Maps from the home page.. So while Maps is a great thing, I think that it may be a while before users evolve enough to make it the first stop for local search..
What killed me most about the search was how poor the results were for many smaller towns.. I’m sure that there is some relationship between small towns and developing modern websites and Google, but it just reinforces my opinion all the more that small businesses have got to be proactive online.. Especially when it’s so easy to rank in your home market..
And for the record, for fishing in Lake Michigan you are better off heading 30 minutes north to St. Joe and getting a charter there.. The water is too shallow that far south 🙂