Tag Archives: dallas seo guru

Facebook Places vs Google Places, who will win the local search battle?

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Dallas Google Guru says Facebook will be the new yellow pages, can Google compete with social?Out of websites on the internet, Facebook is the number 2 site, outpacing Yahoo for the prized spot behind Google. Facebook just recently announced a new feature, one we all knew was coming, called Facebook Places, something Facebook hopes can take a social media shot at Google’s Places,  (aka: maps, formerly called Local Business Listings. Not to be confused with Google Earth.)  Facebook has already planned to compete with Wikipedia on the meaning of words and information on branded terms.

A few years ago local directories owned most of the local search share, mostly do to strong SEO and traffic from traditional print users shifting to digital and remaining loyal to the telephone companies who sent phone books to their homes. Then Google and other search engines started displaying map results, the internet yellow page companies fought back by offering maps, which was an obvious move considering that most folks wanted to find the products and service providers nearest them.  Yet slowly the web traffic monopolies shifted away from the yellow pages publishers. No longer do you see phone book results from just sites like YellowPages.com, Switchboard.com, SuperPages.com, or Local.com at the top organic (natural) results of major search engines.

That bring us to Today. The biggest change in local search since Google Maps. Facebook is incorporating check-ins like FourSquare and Gowalla, likely going to include group buying like Groupon, and with ownership of the ratings and review space….

Side note: The trouble with ratings and reviews has always been authenticity and trust. Do we trust reviews. How can we influence positive real and authoritative reviews? Facebook’s “Like” button fixes the trust issue. I believe Facebook will OWN reviews. It will also continue to own the social space. Many sites and brands have more traffic to Facebook fan pages than to their actual websites.

Facebook is set to dominate local search. Will it be a monopoly like the Bell Yellow Pages of yesteryear? Most likely. How do businesses prepare?

Couple suggestions:
-Take a tour of Facebook
-Claim your Facebook (and Google) Place
-Start a blog about your product or service
-Meet with a local search expert and social media marketing consultant.
-Optimize your existing Facebook business profile before the conversion to Facebook Places
-Share your Facebook favorites (your business page) as a suggestion to friends and family. When you get 25 likes you can add a custom url to your page.
- and last, but certainly not least, start interacting with the community

Facebook will be the new yellowpages, just wait and see.

Google AdWords is now offering Location Extentions, here’s how to transfer from Google Local Business Center Ads

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Google AdWords is now offering Location Extentions here is how to transfer from Local Business Center PPC Ads.

Google has further improved ability to target ads. Great for small and medium-sized location based businesses who want to target ads on both PC and mobile smartphone internet browsers.  Here are some of the advantages of transfering your localized ads from LBC to Location Extentions.  (this is better targeting than Phone Book Directory Distribution isn’t it?)

  • allow you to show an address with your text ads.
  • same ad can be used for multiple locations.
  • no longer required to only use your name as the headline, which was a restriction on LBC ads.
  • no longer have to wait for LBC ads to appear before connecting Adwords to a location based LBC ad. so your ads get launched faster!
  • previous ads on LBC only appeared based on radius, location extentions appear based on relevency and results.

You can transfer your ads over in just 5 easy steps. Watch this video to learn more about Google Location Extentions in AdWords.Here is a video from Google on how to transfer from LBL ads.

Did you know that Google tracks the IP (Internet Protocol) address as well as geo-location and history of searchers to determine how to offer search results? They began to offer localized results to this extreme in late 2009!

Here is an example or screenshot of a Google AdWords Location Extention settings page:

smbSEO is sponsoring the DFWSEM.org meeting on May 19th, topic is LOCAL SEARCH!

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smbSEO is sponsoring the DFWSEM meeting for May 19th. Topic is local search. I couldn’t be more excited! See ya there!

We are sending out invites to select local business owners this week. If you didn’t get one, you can view it here:

DFWSEM.org invite for Local Search Marketing Panel on May 19th

For more information on this local search marketing training in Dallas, go to www.DFWSEM.org! Just click here.

*EDIT:
here is a picture from the event!
DSC00862

Affordable SEO, PPC & Website Design

Why use smbSEO?

  • We help you rank on search engines by creating great content.
  • Increase your ROI with well constructed and optimized paid search (PPC) campaigns
  • Internet Marketing that doesn’t break your company’s financials
  • An agency that doesn’t hold the work over your head or hostage. You pay Us for it, You own it!

Technical SEO is no longer enough to increase traffic to your site. A holistic and comprehensive search engine marketing solution is the only way for your business to be profitable online. The internet today requires an SEO Company that can keep up with the social, local, mobile, and personalized shifts in the World Wide Web.  smbSEO has proven strategic and tactical SEO experience.  We want understand the inner workings of your business from risk management, to marketing, creative problem solving and resource allocation.

If you are looking to generate more traffic to your website, you need to be on the 1st page of Google organically, locally, and in the paid search (ads) results.  If you found your competitor above you on the list, it’s because they used a company like smbSEO to help them improve their ranking in the search engine listing results.

Small business owners should develop a comprehensive search marketing solutions to maximize search engine traffic.  This is one of the most cost effective ways for small business owners to market themselves. However, simply generating traffic is not enough.That’s why we recommend working with us one-on-one to develop a thorough plan for your company. This plan is based on your resources, marketing objectives, competitive activity, goals, and category dynamics of your business.

By getting to know your business & marketing goals, this helps smbSEO to make sound recommendations.

If you’re looking for a Dallas SEO firm try smbSEO.  Our team team experienced marketing professionals can serve your business needs.

What is the next step in getting started? Just call smbSEO at 214-267-9553. For a free web rankings report or visit our SMB SEO contact page.

Mike Stewart

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Mike Stewart the "Dallas Google Guru"
 

Mike Stewart is an experienced advertising and internet marketing professional. In 2000 Mike Stewart began his career as a sales consultant for Verizon Directories and SuperPages.com.

Mike has strategized media plans for the best and most successful small and medium-sized companies in DFW.
Mike’s expertise in online marketing began in 2002, when he channeled his passion for search engine marketing to help his print and online yellow pages clients get ahead of the competition and achieve rapid growth.
“Helping small businesses grow becomes very addictive.” -Mike Stewart
Mike is a passionate online marketer. You can find him at many Dallas area internet marketing meetups, networking sessions, and SEO industy conferences. He speaks on the topic of local search marketing, has been an expert witness on Google, and was a contributor on AllExperts.com’s SEO discussion while working at Verizon Yellow Pages. Mike is a Board of Directors Member of the oldest search engine marketing group or association, the DFWSEM (Dallas Search Engine Marketing Assocation) which meets regularly once a month in Richardson. Mike has been with DFWSEM since 2008.
Mike married his high school sweatheart Mary. They have 2 kids, Jonathan and Kaitlyn. Mary is the Vice President of the Great Dane Rescue of North Texas where they have fostered over a hundred of the gentle giants.
You can find Mike on Twitter, Facebook, or read the recommendations he has accumulated over the years on LinkedIn.com.