Orlando Local Search Engine Optimization | “Why The YouTube Keyword Tool Is So Amazing For Link Building”

Source       : searchengineland
By               : Julie Joyce
Category  :  Local SEO Search Orlando, Orlando Local Search Engine Optimization

Orlando Local Search Engine Optimization

Debra Mastaler mentioned the YouTube keyword tool again recently, and I don’t think I’ve been this excited about keywords in, well… ever. I confess to only now realizing how much of a help it can be. Never mind the awesome fact that you can get keywords and easily import them into Google AdWords for your PPC campaigns. What’s really fantastic for me is that you can generate the truly random and crazy search terms that help you find those hidden gems on the Internet — the sites that might not yet be inundated with link requests or spammed up with paid links. You can find a void and fill it.

At first, as I was discussing this tool with my link builders, I thought being shown a keyword with an associated “Not enough data” message would be one that we might want to avoid using, but then I realized that those were the opportunities. Whereas you might think since most people aren’t using YouTube to sell products, the data you get from this tool would be useless, I think that it’s actually a giant hot mess of opportunity. Let’s say that you were working with a site that sold fishing equipment. The keyword [fishing] has over a million searches a month but the keyword [fishing accidents] doesn’t have enough data.

Let’s Look Those Keywords Up In Google

[Fishing] shows me around 375 million results. The idea of wading (sorry) through those SERPs in order to find a good site that we’d reach out to depresses me. [Fishing accidents] shows me less than 25k results. To me, that says I’ll spend less time finding good sites (hopefully!), and maybe I won’t be contacting the same ones that have been contacted by every other person trying to build links for sites selling fishing equipment. Definitely opportunity here (maybe some content to be written about ways to avoid certain common fishing accidents, interviews with people who have survived truly horrific fishing accidents, etc.), but I want something that’s even less competitive.

Let’s Look At Another Relevant Keyword

[Antique fishing equipment] has not enough data. In Google, I see 5,760 results for that phrase — amazing opportunity, in other words. I’d see this as something to create content for: perhaps a Pinterest board, or a cool video series where each video went into detail on a piece of equipment that was once used but now has a much better replacement (and that replacement would obviously be something my client’s site sold). On the landing page for that product, I’d write some content about the evolution of the product and include a link to the video. I’d try to find a piece of antique fishing equipment and use it as the prize in a contest for something like the 50,000th person to like the company’s page on Facebook, or the 5,000th Twitter follower. Now, obviously you could find these ideas through any keyword tool, but what I like about the one from YouTube is that it’s specific to a medium that in itself has great marketing potential, as people love video. Therefore, information that comes out of video searches is definitely valuable, right?

A search on YouTube for [“antique fishing equipment”] gives me 30 results. One without the quotes gives me close to 25k as it brings in loads of other related results. Let’s look at the exact match results: First, note the dates of the videos. The most recent one is 3 years old. To me, that says there is a void to fill, as there’s not a lot being produced about the topic currently. Of course, it also could say that there’s not much interest… but let’s look at the number of views on each video. The least popular one still has around 15k views, and the most popular one has over 121k views. Here is the problem that I found with this, though: after watching the videos (well, skimming them) it seems that they aren’t truly about “antique” fishing equipment at all. No matter. If I’m using this information in order to find something that isn’t all over the place and create it, this doesn’t really bother me.

My concern is with finding something unique to create, and maybe I’ll decide videos about this narrow topic aren’t the best way to go but Pinterest is – or interviews with antique dealers who specialize in antique marine products is a good plan. Maybe through watching the videos that aren’t exactly about the topic, I’ll get some other ideas. Maybe I’ll think more about how annoying it is to be led to a result that doesn’t match what I’m actually searching for, and it will help me write better content that matches up with how it’s marketed. That’s never a bad thing. I’ll admit this is a very random and vague way to get ideas for content to create, but I’ll also admit that running into the same thing being done everywhere is annoying as heck. If everyone’s trying to do the same thing — create great sites for users and engines — then we all need to find the thing that sets us apart, don’t we? Sometimes, random, vague, and/or roundabout methods are what get you to that point.

Quick Guide For Example Plan

•     Type a general search into the YouTube keyword tool.
•     Look for longer-tailed phrases with “not enough data” listed.
•     Check those phrases in Google and look for the ones with the least amount of results returned.
•     Check those phrases in YouTube. (Yes, you can just skip Step 3 and go straight here, but I like to do the Google bit. Call me crazy.)
•     Look at the dates and views to help you determine whether there’s a need for new content surrounding the phrase.
•     If you find that trifecta of “old + many views + low results,” try creating something with it.

Found Your Idea? Then Try:

Create a video about the topic, posting it on YouTube and embedding it/linking to it from your site. If you send out an email newsletter, include a link to the video there. Post it on other video sites as well.

Create a landing page for the content, even if it’s just a new blog post telling your readers what’s new on the site. If you did sell fishing equipment but not antique fishing equipment, you could still easily create a landing page about the antiques because it might interest your users. I would advise that you don’t do this for tons of micro-topics, of course, so don’t go crazy creating a gazillion pages where the content could be condensed into one or just a few pages. Otherwise, you’ll dilute your site with nonsense and probably start running into internal duplicate content issues.

Socialize it and show it to people who might be interested. Check the people who’ve liked the related videos on YouTube and see if they list their social information, for example, and point out your new content to them. Use Followerwonk to find people with related interests in their Twitter bios and interact with them so they can see it.

Keep an eye on the stats for whatever you produce. See where you’re doing well (is it from Twitter? Organic search? Referrals?) and use that information to help you with your next project so that you know what to focus on first.

Thank anyone who helps you promote your content.

The basic idea of this weaving path to content ideas is this: everyone has the same dilemma of finding something that will generate interest but not be the same thing everyone else is doing. One key to that is finding something that isn’t being overdone and connecting it to whatever it is that you need to promote.  Happy fishing!

Source : searchengineland.com/why-the-youtube-keyword-tool-is-so-amazing-for-link-building-173766

Best Orlando SEO Company | “Don’t Believe The hype: Google+ Does Not Mean Great SEO”

Source      : E-consultancy
By              : Henry Elliss
Category  : Local SEO Services, Best Orlando SEO Company

Best Orlando-SEO-Company

Yesterday, I had a rather heated debate with a fellow online marketer, on one of the most popular topics within SEO at the moment: Namely, the impact of Google+ (and its +1s) on search rankings – or lack of, to be more precise.  Let me start this post with a couple of caveats. First up, whilst I’m very much on record as not being a fan of Google+ (I *may* have called it ‘The King’s New Clothes of Social Networking’ a few times) my opinion about the topic in question is entirely unrelated to this.

I may not be a fan, but I certainly recognise the impressive offering Google have developed in the fight against Facebook. I have a Google Plus profile, I encourage our clients to use it too and I pop on there at least once a week to see what’s what. Secondly, and this one goes without saying I suppose,  this post is based on my opinion. But frankly, most of the opposing arguments are also based on opinion. Search all you might (‘scuse the pun), there is almost no plausible or credible proof that +1s have any impact on SERPs or search visibility.

Whilst I firmly believe that, I should also point out what I am not saying. I’m not saying brands (or webmasters) shouldn’t have Google+ profiles. Far from it, as the branded-search coverage alone makes this worthwhile. After all, who doesn’t want a little extra Google real estate when people search your brand? I’m also not saying that Google doesn’t factor ‘social signals’ in to search rankings. Far from it, as I’ve long been an advocate of the integration of Search and Social, and can give you plenty of examples of when the two have worked together to give a better result. Finally, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t keep a close eye on how Google develops Plus or +1s in the algorithm in future. What I am saying is that you shouldn’t let passionate or argumentative SEOs convince you that Google+ should be a key part of your site’s strategy. Sadly, this is exactly what I see happening far too much. As a blogger myself (I’m one of the dreaded ‘dad bloggers’ in my spare time!) I’m a member of a number of blogging communities, where my fellow bloggers and I can discuss our plans, opinions, tactics and ideas.

Not a week goes by without one of them reporting that they’ve been told (or they’ve read) that Google+ needs to be central to their strategy, sometimes even going as so far as to say they shouldn’t bother with any other social networks in their social strategy.  Upon further research, very few of these blog posts, slideshares or stories ever actually include any evidence or facts. They’re essentially hearsay and opinion painted as fact. Get into an argument with one of these passionate writers and you’ll be told things like “Everyone says it, it must be true” and “Prove it doesn’t make a difference!”

The second of these comebacks is baffling to me. As somebody saying it doesn’t have an impact, surely the impetus isn’t on me to provide proof. That would be like asking an Atheist to ‘prove’ that there isn’t a God: can you ever truly prove something doesn’t exist? No, you can’t. As a hardy sceptic (and a casual atheist) I take the same view of Google+ as I do to God: prove it to me categorically and I’ll take you seriously.

Of course, I wouldn’t be any better than them if I didn’t provide any proof of my own. And what better proof than Google itself?
The evidence against… Despite the fact that Google probably benefits massively from this argument (after all, marketers are telling anybody who will listen that they need to use Google+ more, what isn’t there to love for Google in that?) it has actually been very open and honest about this.

Just last week at PubCon in Las Vegas, Matt Cutts explained that social signals like Likes, retweets and +1s will have no short-term impact on your search performance. They won’t help you rank better, in other words. While he did say that a long-term haul of these social signals ‘could’ have an impact on your influence, the fact remains that Cutts clearly stated social signals from Facebook and Twitter would be just as likely to have this affect as +1s. In other words, Google+ doesn’t need to be the central hub of your social strategy. There have also been a number of third party studies looking into the effects of Google Plus on rankings.  This one, by Cyrus Shepard on Moz.com, finds a strong correlation between +1s and rankings though, as the author says, it doesn’t constitute proof in itself. Also, this study reported on Search Engine Land can find no evidence that G+ means better rankings. Google Plus isn’t big enough to use as a ranking signal , And let’s face it, in all honesty, how could Google hope to maintain a respectable and competitive search engine if it took data from what is undoubtedly still a very small social network?

Google claims to have almost 250m ‘active’ users – compared to Facebook’s 1bn+ (though how it defines ‘active’ is clearly very debatable), but even the most anecdotal of evidence will tell you that Google+ is used by only a small proportion of users. Take my own Facebook friend list for instance. I’ve spent some time working out how many of my 700+ Facebook friends are also active on Google+. By basic logic alone, you’d assume it must be at least 150 – if not 200. But how many of them are actually active on Google+? My best estimate said no more than 20, and I’m being quite generous in my definition of active there. The simple truth is, very few people are using Google+ in any great capacity at the moment, so Google would be utterly bonkers to make data from it anything but the tiniest, inconsequential factor in search rankings. And if anybody tells you otherwise, ask them for proof. And I mean proper proof – not signed-in, short-term boosts – I mean long-term, available to all ranking changes which will have actual impacts on the average webmaster.

Source : econsultancy.com/np/blog/63665-don-t-believe-the-hype-google-does-not-mean-great-seo?utm_medium=feeds&utm_source=blog

Local SEO Services | “Lenovo Announces “Convertible” Yoga Tablets With 18-Hour Battery Life”

Source       : News Lenovo
By                : Brandon Hill (Blog)
Category   : Local SEO Services, Orlando Local SEO

Local SEO Serviceso Orlando

Lenovo’s new 8″ and 10″ Android tablets feature three operating modes- That tablet wars are starting to heat up. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen a couple of fresh Windows 8.1-based tablets enter the market along with second generation. Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets. We’ve even seen a Windows RT-based entry from Nokia along with the new iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display from Apple. Now it’s Lenovo’s turn (again), and the hardware maker is looking to turn a few heads with its new Yoga Tablet. The Yoga Tablet lives up to its namesake by including three modes of operation:

Hold Mode: Makes it easier to handle the device when reading, making the device more akin to holding a magazine or a book.

Stand Mode: By rotating the cylindrical portion of the tablet’s body, a stand pops out that provides an adjustable viewing angle from 110 degrees to 135 degrees. This mode is beneficial when watching movies or interacting with the tablet on a hard surface.

Tilt Mode: In this mode, the Yoga Tablet can be placed on a desk to allow for easier typing, internet surfing, and playing games. Under the hood, the Yoga Tablet packs in a 1.2GHz Cortex-A7-derived quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and your choice of either 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage (a microSD slot is included for additional storage expansion). Other features include 5MP rear camera, a front-facing camera, and optional 3G connectivity. Unfortunately, the Android-based tablets — which are available in 8” and 10” varieties — only come with a 1280×800 display. Also, the Android 4.2.2 operating system is a step behind Google’s most recent offerings.

The Yoga Tablet weighs in a 1.35 pounds for the 10” model, and a 0.88 pounds for the 8” model. Both are good for up to 18 hours of battery life. The Yoga Tablets will be available on October 30, with the 8” model going for $249 and the 10” model coming in a $299.

Source : news.lenovo.com/news+releases/yoga-tablet.htm

Local SEO Services – Orlando | “How Google Updates Will Prompt SEO Strategy Changes”

Source    : itworldcanada.com
By            : Nestor E. Arellano
Category  : Local SEO Services, Orlando Local SEO

Local SEO Services Orlando

Web site operators will have to recalibrate their search engine optimization strategies as the impact of three recent big updates issued by Google Inc. begin to kick in.  The upgrades include: Google Hummingbird; the encryption of all search data; and the shift to a new Keyword Planner tool. These three changes accentuate the increasing significance of: Optimizing for natural language and mobile search; avoiding emphasis on keywords for SEO; and regularly publishing high-quality content. These changes make it more important for firms to develop a solid content marketing strategy, according to Jayson DeMers, founder of SEO and social media services company AudienceBloom.

Here’s how the updates will impact existing SEO practices:

Hummingbird – Google called its reworked search engine algorithm Hummingbird because the company says its “fast and precise.” According to DeMers the upgrade does a better job at understanding the intent of long-tail search queries (queries that include more than a few words) as well as spoken and natural language search queries (like questions asked by users on their smart phones). For example if a user asked: What’s the closest place to buy an iPhone 5s to my home? a traditional search engine might focus on the words “buy” and “iPhone 5s.” Hummingbird will like understand better the actual location of the users home (if the user shared that with Google) and that “place” means an actual brick-and-mortar store, said Danny Sullivan of online technology publication Search Engine Land. He said Hummingbird goes beyond finding Web pages with matching words.

Google’s SEO dictum of original, high-quality content remains, but this could mean that the Google will be looking for content and Web sites that deliver better mobile experienced, said DeMers. This means companies need to up their mobile content game, he said.

Content is still king, said Adam Stetzer writer for search engine online publication Search Engine Watch, but it is important for Web site to be able to answer specific questions because Hummingbird is good at matching long-tail queries. Search data encryption – Except for clicks on Google AdWords, Google is also now encrypting all search query data. This means that keywords typed in a Google query are protected by SSL encryption even if the user is not signed into their Google account. This move could be to block spying but some SEO experts also believe that Google is now curtailing access to its free data about keywords and encouraging SEO professionals to take out paid AdWords campaign instead. Before the move Google Analytics showed the number of visits each keyword or search phrase received in a site during a certain period of time; percentage of new visits resulting from the keyword phrase; bounce rate and other data.

Source :: itworldcanada.com/post/how-google-updates-will-prompt-seo-strategy-changes#ixzz2iWGrqLhs

Local SEO Services – Orlando | “5 Social Media Tips To Boost Your SEO”

Source      : heartifb.com
By              : Deanne Yee
Category   : Local SEO Services, Orlando Local SEO

Social Media-Local SEO Search Orlando

These days, leveraging social media channels to syndicate content from your blog is an important factor for boosting SEO rankings.  According to a recent study, outlets such as Facebook and Twitter are hugely important for SEO ranking.  Here are five top social media channels you should be using on a regular basis:

1. Google+
Since most people conduct online searches via Google, it only makes sense that the social media channel Google+ should be at the top of your list when thinking through links back to your blog.  Be sure to set up a profile for yourself on Google+, start building your following on the channel and posting links back to blog posts on a regular basis.  Since engagement on the channel also contributes to SEO ranking, be sure to leverage best practices such as posting something with a compelling image to boost engagement and drive up +1s and comments on your Google+ page.

2. Facebook
Another top driver for SEO rankings is Facebook – which has innately high search engine authority.  Set up a Facebook page for your blog, grow your following and be sure to post links to blog posts on the social media channel on a regular basis.  Similar to the way you should be posting on Google+, use a compelling image to drive engagement: likes, shares and comments also contribute to your SEO ranking.

3. Twitter
Twitter is a conversational social media tool, but it should also be leveraged as an RSS feed of sorts for your blog content.  Use compelling copy and a shortened link to your blog post to drive traffic back to your blog.  As long as it is relevant to your audience, you can post about your blog posts more than once in a day, and also link back to older content, which also boosts SEO for your blog.

4. Pinterest
The social media community Pinterest is not only a great way to share on-brand visual content, but also to link back to your blog posts and to boost SEO as a result.  To encourage repins, likes and comments on Pinterest, use the most compelling imagery from your blog post and use popular tags to encourage discovery.

5. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is not only a great way to build your professional network and contacts, but a great way to broadcast blog posts to your professional peers.  Since the social media channel also has great SEO authority, linking out to your blog posts through LinkedIn broadcasts will also build good SEO ranking for your blog.

Source : heartifb.com/2013/07/29/5-social-media-tips-to-boost-your-seo/

Local SEO Search Orlando | “What Does Google’s Hummingbird Update Mean For Your SEO Efforts? Nothing”

Source      : forbes.com
By               :  Joshua Steimle, Contributor
Category   : Local SEO Search Orlando

Local SEO Search Orlando

Yesterday the news broke at a Google press event that the largest upgrade to its search algorithm since 2001, dubbed Hummingbird, had already rolled out last month. “Algorithm?” you ask. “Isn’t that the thing the determines how websites are ranked? And you say this is the biggest change in their algorithm in 12 years?! What about all my SEO work? Is it ruined? Do I have to change everything?” Rest easy, you don’t have to change anything about your SEO efforts, at least not if you’re already doing what you should have been doing all these years.

If you’re looking to get all the details on the Hummingbird update then head straight on over to Danny Sullivan’s Hummingbird FAQ at Search Engine Land or read the post by my fellow Forbes contributor Robert Hof. But if you just want to know what you need to do about Hummingbird, then I’ll save you the task of reading Sullivan or Hof’s posts (although I do highly encourage you read them, they’re both quite interesting) and cut to the chase. It comes near the end where Sullivan asks the question “Does this mean SEO is dead?” He answers:

No, SEO is not yet again dead. In fact, Google’s saying there’s nothing new or different SEOs or publishers need to worry about. Guidance remains the same, it says: have original, high-quality content. Signals that have been important in the past remain important; Hummingbird just allows Google to process them in new and hopefully better ways.

Nothing has changed. If you have original, high-quality content, and you have high-quality and relevant websites linking to your own website, then your website is still going to rank well. If anything, your website’s rankings will improve just as they should have after the Penguin and Panda updates rolled out.

The key to making the right decisions about SEO is to understand where Google is going. Google’s goal is that when someone creates a new search, what Google shows that person is exactly what the person wants or needs. We’ve all had the experience of searching on Google and seeing websites come up that obviously aren’t what we want. We don’t even need to click on the link to figure that out, because what Google shows us is enough. When this happens to me I think “Good heavens, why in the world would Google think that’s what I wanted when I typed in those words?” Google wants to get to the point where I never think that again. To lose sight of this goal would be the death of Google. This is, in part, why Google employs a few thousand PhDs.

Many people have been frustrated by Panda and Penguin, and they’ll now see Hummingbird in a negative light. Don’t fall into that trap. If you’re the best at what you do, these updates Google has been rolling out are opportunities to separate yourself from your competition. They may have been engaging in spammy tactics to get good rankings, but if you’ve been focusing on creating content that provides real value to potential customers, their days are numbered. These changes will help you rise above, and the good news, as mentioned above, is if you’ve been doing the right things for your SEO you don’t need to change a thing.

Have you seen any impact to your website(s) as a result of the Hummingbird update? Do you see any details in the update you feel will give you an advantage?

Update: After contacting Google’s press department I was informed that Google has been running Hummingbird “for a few months,” not just since last month. The press department also reiterated their guidance for those doing SEO, “Our guidance to webmasters is the same as always — we encourage original, high-quality content, since that’s what’s best for web users.”

Source : forbes.com/sites/joshsteimle/2013/09/27/what-does-googles-hummingbird-update-mean-for-your-seo-efforts-nothing/

Orlando Local Search Engine Optimization | “Google Recently Made A Silent Shift To A New Search Algorithm, “Hummingbird””

Source       : Techcrunch.com
By               : Greg Kumparak – Press Release
Category  : Best Orlando SEO Company, Orlando Local Search Engine Optimization

Local SEO Search Orlando

Have you noticed recently that Google has gotten a bit better at offering up direct answers to questions? If so, there’s a reason for it: they recently flipped the switch on a new search algorithm they call “Hummingbird”, which focuses on parsing searches as complex questions. Google mentioned the new algorithm for the first time today, at an event that was (in a confusing surprise to everyone who arrived at  google HQ and was put on a bus) hosted in the garage that Larry and Sergey rented as Google started to prove successful. Other things announced include a tweak to Google’s Knowledge Graph to allow it to handle comparison questions (“Which is better for me — olive oil or butter?”), and Push Notifications for Google Now on iOS.

Despite a good amount of questioning from the audience on just how Hummingbird worked, Google avoiding getting too technical. While they did say that this was the biggest overhaul to their engine since the 2009 “Caffeine” overhaul (which focused on speed and integrating social network results into search) and that it affects “around 90% of searches”, there wasn’t much offered in terms of technical details.

The main focus, and something that went repeated many a time, was that the new algorithm allows Google to more quickly parse full questions (as opposed to parsing searches word-by-word), and to identify and rank answers to those questions from the content they’ve indexed. As for how it’ll affect results, moving forward (the ears of a zillion SEO dudes/dudettes just perked): the engine overhaul was silently put in place weeks ago, right under all of our noses. If you haven’t noticed any huge jumps or drops in your search engine placement, you probably won’t any time soon — at least, not as a result of the new algorithm.

Source : Techcrunch.com/2013/09/26/google-recently-made-a-silent-shift-to-a-new-search-algorithm-hummingbird/

Local SEO Search FL | “LinkedIn Denies Harvesting User Email Accounts Without Permission”

Source       : pcworld.com
By            : John Ribeiro, IDG News Service
Category  : Local SEO Search FL , Orlando Local SEO

Local SEO Services FL

LinkedIn denied over the weekend charges that the company breaks into the email accounts of its members without permission to harvest contacts’ addresses. A class action complaint by four users has charged the professional networking site with hacking into their external email accounts and downloading addresses of their contacts for monetary gain by repeatedly promoting its services to these contacts.

Paul Perkins, Pennie Sempell, Ann Brandwein, and Erin Eggers charged LinkedIn with breaking into “its users’ third party email accounts, downloading email addresses that appear in the account, and then sending out multiple reminder emails ostensibly on behalf of the user advertising LinkedIn to non-members.” The so-called hacking of the user’s email account and download of addresses is done without “clearly notifying the user or obtaining his or her consent,” which is likely to emerge as the crux of the case.

LinkedIn does not access a user’s email account without the user’s permission, and claims that it hacks or breaks into members’ accounts are false, Blake Lawit, senior director of litigation at LinkedIn wrote in a blog post on Saturday. LinkedIn never deceives by “pretending to be you” in order to access the user’s email account, Lawit wrote. “We never send messages or invitations to join LinkedIn on your behalf to anyone unless you have given us permission to do so,” he added.

New users signing in to LinkedIn are asked for the external email address as their user name, though they aren’t told what it will be used for, according to the complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If a LinkedIn user leaves an external email account open, LinkedIn is said to pretend to be that user and downloads the email addresses in that account to LinkedIn servers, according to the complaint. Linkedln is able to download the addresses without requesting the password for the external email accounts or obtaining users’ consent, according to the complaint.

If the LinkedIn user has logged out from his email applications, the network requests the user name and password of an external email account to ostensibly verify the identity of the user, and then, without notice or consent, attempts to access the user’s external email account to download email addresses, according to the complaint. Linkedln does not inform its users that email addresses harvested from a user’s external email account will be sent multiple emails inviting the recipient to join Linkedln with the user’s endorsement, the complaint said. Users have complained to Linkedln about its “unethical harvesting” of email addresses and repeated spamming of those addresses, according to the complaint, which asks the court for damages and an order prohibiting LinkedIn from continuing its “wrongful and unlawful acts.”

Source : pcworld.com/article/2049220/linkedin-denies-harvesting-user-email-accounts-without-permission.html

Local SEO Search | “Local Search and Why SEO is at the Heart of Your Future Business Success”

Source      : Business 2 Community
By              : Brenan Gale
Category  : Local SEO Search, Orlando Local SEO

Local SEO Services

The 2013 Moz Survey revealed what search engine optimization (SEO) pros around the world have long been suspecting: Local is more important than ever. According to David Mihm, a local SEO expert based in Portland, Oregon, and the statistical brains behind this epic survey, the complexity of Google’s local search results are getting trickier than ever. In the past year, there have been more people searching from mobile devices as well as more local organic results—but what does that mean for business owners?

Google’s SEO algorithm secrets rival a certain company’s baked bean recipe, but one thing’s crystal clear: There is definitely not a sole Google local algorithm now (if there ever was). Local search is confusing, at best, for small business owners, and they don’t have the time to try and figure it out. However, there are some key points to take away from this survey, which is broken down into bite sized pieces of SEO pie. Local Search and Why SEO is at the Heart of Your Future Business Success image MOZ 2013 Local Search Ranking Factors That’s One Complex Pie Mihm broke the survey results into General Ranking Factors, Specific Ranking Factors and Negative Ranking Factors. For General, participants gave a percentage point to eight thematic clusters, which were all considered under three types of local results which included organic, carousel and maps. You may have noticed the Google carousel, which is a new way local searches are displayed—if you Google “Charlotte yogurt shop,” there’s a “carousel” of local results making rounds at the top of the search results.

The Specific results had participants pinpoint 20 unique factors out of 104 that would best benefit a make believe brick and mortar business that was just dipping their toes in the local search pool. Part two of the Specific piece had the participants re-rank the factors, this time assuming the business already had a local search foundation. Finally, with the Negative factor, participants listed the top 30 negative factors that might impact a business. This is all pretty basic, but things get interesting when a slew of experts start to weigh in on the results of the survey. According to Experts Andrew Shotland of Local SEO Guide sums up the results neater than a Google Analytics report. “Between Pandas, Penguins, Pluses & Carousels, the trend seems pretty clear to me:

1. National SEO will continue to get trickier

2. Google will continue to take over more and more SERP (search engine results pages) real estate for its own products

3. More and more queries will be classified as having ‘local intent’

4. Amidst all of this, Local SEO will continue to be the growth engine of SEO opportunity,” he says. In other words, business owners are picking up on the importance of local, but that doesn’t mean general SEO is getting simpler with age. Internet marketer Ed Reese says, “Google’s addition of carousel makes it possible for a much higher number of small businesses to be found via local search,” and that’s a great thing. There’s a reason carousels are at the entrance of many amusement parks—they catch the eye and draw you in. That’s exactly what Google Carousel does for local businesses, with the annoying carnival music thankfully left out. Professional Help One expert is not quite yet convinced about the changes in store for people depending more on mobile devices to search, but he’s open to the possibilities.

James Svoboda, the CEO of WebRanking, says “To date, we’re seeing very little difference between Desktop and Mobile SERPs for local listings. However, we fully expect that to change in the near future as Google’s algorithm starts to adjust more for mobile engagement metrics like clicks for calls and driving directions.” Basically, there are the expected growing pains, but Google is king when it comes to setting the pace for technology changes, trends and evolutions. Another SEO expert, Mary Bowling, says the study is evidence that customization is still imperative. “Personalization includes providing the searcher with the results that are most relevant for them while they are within a particular geographic location,” Bowling says. We may depend on algorithms and technology to make the perfect match between searcher and local business, but business basics can’t be forgotten. SEO and local SEO is a tool to be used as a kind of matchmaking service, but it can’t be depended on alone—which is why having a reputable company that specializes in local SEO is that trick up the sleeve every business owner should have.

Read more : business2community.com/seo/local-search-seo-heart-future-business-success-0619475#4QL2vt2GxjG3bUrz.99

Local Search Engine Optimization | “Best Practices for Maximizing Your Local Search Engine Optimization”

Source    : semrush.com
By        : Michelle Brown
Category  : Local Search Engine Optimization, Orlando Local SEO

Local Search Engine Optimization

Every local business wants to be ranked on the first page of Google’s search results, and rightly so. 75% of search engines visitors never make it past the first page of results, and 40% of searches have local intent. The days of simply adding meta keywords to pages are long gone, which is great news for folks frustrated with search engine results. For local businesses however, SEO has become a complex science of great web development, great content and great tagging to get – and maintain – top search engine rankings. Here are some tips for what to do in order to achieve your local search engine optimization goals.

Local SEO Tip 1: Local SEO must be stated as a priority early on If being highly ranked on local SEO terms is one of your end-goals with your web development project, you need to plan for it before you even select a web vendor, a content management system or determine your budget. From the very first meeting you should discuss your website goals, understand your teams’ collective SEO goals and make sure that each of your choices supports those goals.

Local SEO Tip 2: Decide your local SEO focus and develop your plan around it Hate to break it to you, but being on the first page of Google and Bing for all of your search terms isn’t going to happen. Instead, start with an initial plan for the top terms you want to optimize for and craft your SEO strategy around it. If the strategy you develop is scalable, you can expand your focus as your site evolves over time. A good SEO agency will be able to do initial and ongoing keyword research and tell you exactly what local terms and phrases specific to your business people are searching for so you take advantage of the best opportunities to generate traffic.

Local SEO Tip 3: Look at your site from both a user and search engine view You know you are in Boise. Your customers know you are in Boise. But, search engines don’t know you’re in Boise unless you overtly tell them. Your website needs to clearly indicate your geographic coverage area on every single page. Yes, every single page. Additionally, search engines don’t easily read graphics so be sure your HTML content reflects your geographic coverage.

Local SEO Tip 4: Local, fresh content makes search engines happy Everybody is talking about content, and as a local business it’s in your best interest to listen closely. Great, local, fresh content is very appealing to search engines. If you are a bakery in Boston, write about the most popular dessert indulgences in Boston. If you are a bank in San Francisco, write about the top money concerns of residents in San Francisco. The point is to write, write and write more. And before you write, do your keyword research and weave key terms with high search volumes into your content in a natural way. Remember, you are first writing for humans and secondarily for search engines so be authentic with just a tad bit of selfish optimization.

Local SEO Tip 5: Localize your content and SEO tagging strategy Your meta titles and descriptions should contain geographically-specific references so that search engines and potential visitors understand where you are. Someone looking for a plumber in Chicago is more likely to click on your website when the title tag says something like “Chicago Plumber | 24 Hour Plumber Chicago IL | Joe’s Plumbing” as opposed to something generic. Likewise, your meta description should also support your geographically focused keywords. Although this is an effective strategy, tagging alone won’t get you to the top of search engine results. Your content must also be rich with geographically-specific references. Have I said that already?

Local SEO Tip 6: Say Hello to Google Places and Bing Local Much of the top real estate on Google and Bing is taken up by “local results.” These listings are driven by Google Places and Bing Local so be sure that you not only claim your business, but also optimize your listings. Ensure that your contact information is correct, select as many category associations as appropriate, upload great images and add any other details that might help you differentiate your business from the local competition.

Local SEO Tip 7: Online reviews are a tremendous asset According to Nielsen research, 70% of customers trust the opinions of online strangers who they will never meet. Enlist the power of online reviews provided by local directories like Google Places, as well as directory sites like Yelp or industry-specific sites. Search engines prioritize business name mentions and location mentions, which theoretically increases your visibility, credibility and authority. Once listed, be sure you do your part to solicit customer reviews.

Local SEO Tip 8: Get local with social media Social media and SEO are very much intertwined, and it’s important as a local business that all of your social profiles – Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn – contain your geographic coverage area. Descriptions get indexed, as does other select content from your feed, so be sure to connect with as many other local businesses and people as you can and create great, sharable local content.

Local SEO Tip 9: Pay attention to your analytics If you are redesigning your website and have existing site analytics, take a look at where visitors are from and what they are searching for on your site. Based on this information, develop a content strategy that caters to each of your audiences and the geographic area in which they reside.

Local SEO Tip 10: Trust the experts The SEO world has evolved, and for search engine visitors that has hopefully created a better experience. Local businesses, however, need to understand that the SEO industry changes daily and it truly takes an expert to guide you in the right direction. Talk to a web development company that has proven expertise in designing great websites that are a tremendous local inbound marketing tool. The results you will reap will far surpass your initial investment.

Source : business2community.com/seo/best-practices-for-maximizing-your-local-search-engine-optimization-0595100#Gay8mRQs6iHkB2hk.99