Clik here to view.
How to Bulk-Identify Prime Yelp Reviewers with Yelp’s “Find Friends” Feature...
You may know about Yelp’s “Find Friends” feature, which allows you to see whether specific customers (or other people) have joined Yelp. This is a great way to encourage customers to write you a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Yelp Elite Saga Ends in Blaze of Glory
After 3 years as an “Elite” Yelper, I get this email out of the blue: I’m only surprised by how long it took them to wisen up. My Yelping was an experiment from the very beginning. Also, since my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Google My Business Mails Verification Postcard to the Wrong Address: What to Do
Did your Google My Business verification postcard end up in the wrong neighborhood? (goo.gl/S6DEks) Yesterday I did a consultation for a guy whose client – an HVAC contractor – had a problem with...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Unverified Google My Business Pages Now Showing in SERPs
Update 4/2/16: This appears to have been a result of a now-resolved bug. Thanks to Priya Chandra for letting me know. How can you tell whether a Google My Business page is unverified? Now Google will...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Most Obscure “Rule” in Google My Business – a Nasty Surprise
A few days ago I wrote about a tricky issue I seem to have figured out based on a hunch: that having two or more Google My Business pages in the “same service” area can cause problems if you need to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Online Scheduling: on the Rise in Google and a Local Search Ranking Factor?
I want to emphasize that I have not tested this – even to the extent you can “test” anything in local search. Rather, I’ve just observed a couple things: 1. Google seems to integrate online “Make an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Send Good Customers to Crappy Review Sites?
Isn’t that a huge waste? Think of how hard you worked to learn your craft, start your business, stay in business, get customers, and do a great job for them and earn those positive reviews. That’s why...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dummy Links: Part of a Smart Local SEO Strategy
What I like to call “dummy links” are links that you can get with a little commitment of resources, but without having to think too hard. You’ll need to earn some good links (from other, relevant...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Yelp Shows Phone Numbers in Local Search Results
Either Yelp or Google – or some combination thereof – has decided your phone number should show up in the search results, rather than just on your Yelp listing. Here’s how a typical listing might have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
5 Years of Local Search Blogging
My first blog post was 5 years ago today. 276 posts ago. Time sure flies. I’d already been in “local” for a couple years by that point. But my posts are the heart and lungs of this thing, so I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Review-Site Sitelinks Just Got More Local?
You might be doing well on reviews, but can you see your business when you search for the review site? More so than I’ve ever seen before, Google’s showing specific local businesses in the sitelinks...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Google Makes Local Knowledge Graph King – for a Day?
When you search for a specific local business, you may no longer see the knowledge graph appear in the right-hand sidebar. Google appears to be testing its position on the SERPs. The knowledge panel...
View ArticleClik here to view.
10 Ways Local SEOs Can Start Helping Their Clients Get Reviews
Most local SEOs don’t help clients on reviews, much or at all. They can’t outsource it, it doesn’t look like a lot of billable hours on paper, it takes tough love, and they’re not even sure what...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My Caveman Painting of a Local Search Engine
Fine, I guess our cavemen ancestors didn’t have search engines to help them find the closest woolly mammoth watering hole or the finest maker of custom wooden clubs this side of Bedrock. I’m afraid I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
12-Week Action Plan for Google Places Visibility
Unless you’re Arnold, furious bursts of action alone probably won’t get you very far. You need a plan for the action. This is especially important if you’re trying to get your business visible in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Microsites for Local SEO: the Pros and Cons
Image courtesy of Stephen Chiang Photography Some business owners think the best way to rank in many cities in the local search is to have many websites. That’s a losing strategy. They build...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How to Cultivate Hearty Local SEO Genes for Your Business
If you’re opening a new business or considering some changes, can you make your business itself local-search-friendly? Can you bless yourself with an inherent advantage in the local rankings – like...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ultimate List of Review Widgets and Badges for Your Local Business Website
What good are your reviews if nobody sees them? Whenever possible, you should show them off on your site by using a review “widget” or badge. Many review sites offer them for the taking. But review...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Keep Your Site, Lose at Local SEO: When Must You Rebuild?
Can your camel’s back take any more straw? Take care of your camel and it’ll take care of you. Give it plenty of food and water, be its buddy, and don’t overwork it. When your camel gets very old,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Can You Repurpose Customers’ Yelp Reviews on Your Website? An Answer from...
Image Credit David Berkowitz flickr.com/photos/davidberkowitz/5923527436/ There’s long been a concern among “local” business owners and marketers that Yelp might filter or otherwise remove your...
View Article