David Mihm-Bulletproofing Your Local Search Presence for 2015 and Beyond

Transcript

1. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm David Mihm @davidmihm davidm@moz.com Bulletproofing Your Local Search Presence for 2015+! 
 David Mihm! ! davidm@moz.com / @davidmihm! ! 27 October 2014
2. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm What local search means to Google 1 Key local developments at Google Long-haul local tactics What I’ll Be Talking About Making Your Mark in Google’s Local World A closer look at Pigeon 2 2a 3 Recap 4
3. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 1. What does local search
 mean to Google?
4. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm frequency + engagement + purchase intent= Mobile. 25% 75% 50%
5. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Image: Joi Ito, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schmidt-Brin-Page-20080520.jpg $ $ $
6. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm SEOs’ vision of local search
7. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
8. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google’s vision of local search
9. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm “ $ ?” “ ?”
10. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm The foundation for all of this is
 ALREADY HERE.
11. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Knowledge Graph
12. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 August 2013
13. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 Somewhat recent
14. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/12/22/local-authoritative-onebox-im-feeling-lucky-or-not/ 
 December 2007 (!)
15. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm http://searchengineland.com/google-glass-diary-part-4-local-search-navigation-160785 
 Evolution of the Auth. OneBox
16. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Sentiment
17. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 October 2009
18. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 October 2009
19. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Hat tip: Michael Cottam 
 October 2010
20. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 May 2013
21. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 June 2014 (?)
22. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Transaction
23. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 July 2011
24. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm http://searchengineland.com/google-tests-new-car-leads-product-126070 
 June 2012
25. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm http://searchengineland.com/google-tests-new-car-leads-product-126070 
 October 2013

26. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm http://searchengineland.com/google-tests-new-car-leads-product-126070 
 October 2013

27. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Closing the Loop
28. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 June 2009

29. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 June 2010 Patent Filed

30. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm How do you provide “number of website hits”
 in a world where no one visits your website?
31. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm How do you provide “ranking reports” in a world: - without search results? - where everyone has different results?
32. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Local SEOs need to adapt and evolve.
33. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Adjust your mindset to pre-website conversion Help Google create knowledge cards for your business(es) ! Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion ! (Diversify your marketing so you’re NOT reliant on Google) How do you adapt to this world?
34. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 2. Key local developments at Google
35. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm SEOs Google Pigeon! Google+ Failed! Google My Business Released! Hummingbird. Google+ Served Its Purpose. Backend Is Unified.
36. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
37. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Unified login Personalized results Cross-device tracking Spam prevention
38. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
39. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 2012 2014 - Realtime updates now possible. - Unified Mapmaker backend; many more countries - Static listing IDs - No more custom categories
40. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 2a. A closer look / sneak peek at Pigeon
41. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google told us that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more. ! In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters. http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778 TL;DR Web ranking signals Knowledge Graph Distance : location
42. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Mozcast data
43. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm What Mozcast Says
44. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
45. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
46. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
47. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google told us that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more. ! In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters. http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778 TL;DR Web ranking signals Knowledge Graph Distance : location
48. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm *Note: across both
 pack and localized
 organic results. 2014 LSRF Factors INCREASING in importance since Pigeon
49. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google told us that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more. ! In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters. http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778 TL;DR Web ranking signals Knowledge Graph Distance : location
50. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14 Breakdown of Changes Among Branded and Geo-Modified Terms Terms that GAINED Packs/Carousels Terms that GAINED Local AOBs Terms that SWITCHED from Packs/Carousels to Local AOBs Terms whose Packs CHANGED numbers Terms that SWITCHED from Local AOBs to Packs/Carousels Terms that LOST Local AOBs Terms that LOST Packs/Carousels
51. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14 Breakdown of Changes Among Branded and Geo-Modified Terms
 (Knowledge Graph adjustments) TLDR;
 Fairly even breakdown of gains and losses on these terms.
52. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14 Breakdown of Changes Among Geo-Modified Terms ß Many of these are 

53. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm ß Lots of gains among branded terms Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14 Breakdown of Changes Among Geo-Modified Terms
54. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
55. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
56. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
57. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
58. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google told us that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more. ! In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters. http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778 TL;DR Web ranking signals Knowledge Graph Distance : location
59. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Distance : Location
60. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
61. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm *Note: across both
 pack and localized
 organic results. 2014 LSRF Factors INCREASING in importance since Pigeon
62. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm “Convenience Store” Tighter radius to location of search
 for generic phrases.
63. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Wider radius to location of search
 for geomodified phrases. “Convenience Store Portland”
64. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google told us that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more. ! In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters. http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778 TL;DR Web ranking signals Knowledge Graph Distance : location
65. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm SEOs Google Pigeon! Google+ Failed! Google My Business Released! Hummingbird. Google+ Served Its Purpose. Backend Is Unified.
66. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Photo credit: P. Slawinski 
 http://pslawinski.smugmug.com/
67. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 1.Search results in search results 2.Well-optimized regional-vertical directories 3.Less blending http://moz.com/blog/local-hummingbird-results
68. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm “Brands are how you sort out the
 cesspool of the Internet.” ! --Eric Schmidt, Oct. 2008
69. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm “This is what you’re left with when you try to do that in Local.” ! --David Mihm, Oct. 2014 "Père-Lachaise - Divison 90 - Lahovary 09" by Antonin Mercié. Wikimedia Commons. { pigeon poo }
70. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Why does this… http://searchengineland.com/expedia-becomes-new-york-city-hotel-googles-pigeon-local-update-198339
71. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm …and this… http://blumenthals.com/blog/2014/07/31/google-pigeon-poo/
72. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm …and this…
73. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Chris Silver Smith
 http://searchengineland.com/optimizing-business-internet-yellow-pages-directories-202414 …and this…
74. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Chris Silver Smith
 http://searchengineland.com/optimizing-business-internet-yellow-pages-directories-202414 …and this…
75. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm (From my 
 December 2013
 post) …and this…
76. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm …happen? BRAND preference. Web signals, i.e. links, have NEVER been good at identifying worthy local businesses. ! Directories’ internal links are more powerful than all but a handful of inbound links to local
77. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Photo credit: P. Slawinski 
 http://pslawinski.smugmug.com/ 3. Long-haul Local Tactics
78. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm (Core ranking factors have not changed THAT much.) One that has: Clickthrough rate / behavior
79. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Help Google generate knowledge cards for your business(es) Site Architecture Structured Data Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion Get Reviews Photos and Snippets Barnacle onto Brands Long-Haul Local Tactics
80. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Site Architecture • Crawlable, traditional directories • Unique page for each location Home Stores • Optimize for conversions • Title: “Brand – Keyword(s) in City, ST” • Full “NAP” for each location in Schema • Rich content Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, IL Domino’s Pizza 1415 W Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60613 (773) 871-3030 Get Driving Directions Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside! Open Daily
 1030 am – 130 am PLACE AN ORDER (From the Manager) Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, IL Domino’s Pizza 1415 W Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60613 (773) 871-3030 Get Driving Directions Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside! Open Daily
 1030 am – 130 am PLACE AN ORDER (From the Manager) Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, IL Domino’s Pizza 1415 W Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60613 (773) 871-3030 Get Driving Directions Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside! Open Daily
 1030 am – 130 am PLACE AN ORDER (From the Manager) Help Google generate knowledge cards
81. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Help Google generate knowledge cards
82. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Structured Data Google My Business https://www.google.com/local/manage/ Help Google generate knowledge cards
83. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Google My Business
 is only part of the
 equation. Source: Google Patent Application 60658214
 “Generating Structured Information” Structured Data Help Google generate knowledge cards
84. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm What this: really looks like…
85. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Interesting Post-Pigeon Data Point
86. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
87. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
88. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Get Reviews. Why? • 79% of people trust reviews as
 much as personal recommendations! • Visual impact on clickthrough rate! • Snippets and relevance! • (Also, rankings!) Source: http://searchengineland.com/2013-study-79-of-consumers-trust-online-reviews-as-much-as-personal-recommendations-164565 Source: http://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion
89. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Get Reviews. Where? Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion
90. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm (Another) Interesting Post-Pigeon Data Point Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion
91. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm
92. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion http://glassalmanac.com/zip-code-glass-experience/1143/ http://www.localseoguide.com/new-google-mobile-local-results/ Photos
93. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion http://glassalmanac.com/zip-code-glass-experience/1143/ http://www.localseoguide.com/new-google-mobile-local-results/ Photos
94. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Barnacle onto Brands h/t Will Scott and Justin Sanger for the term “Barnacle” in Local
95. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 4. Recap
96. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm GMB SIGNALS SEARCHER CENTROID BEHAVIORAL LINKS ON-PAGE REVIEWS CITATIONS Algorithmic
 Evolution 2008 – 10 Pack Introduction 2012 – Stability Post-Venice 2014 – Pigeon
97. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Algorithmic
 Evolution 2008 – 10 Pack Introduction 2012 – Stability Post-Venice 2014 – Pigeon GMB SIGNALS SEARCHER CENTROID BEHAVIORAL LINKS ON-PAGE REVIEWS CITATIONS 2015+ – My Prediction
98. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Recap Google is thinking way beyond your website. Rankings and on-site conversions are now just directional indicators of success. ! Need a a broader overall business impact assessment than web analytics provides.
99. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Recap Proximity is shifting dramatically towards searcher. Content, authority can pull-in geomodifying searchers where the radius is wider.
100. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Recap Brand signals are on the rise. This rewards 1. Directories (Consider barnacling for success) 2. National brands with strong Local SEO 3. Branded anchor text 4. Branded searches 5. Clickthrough rate
101. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Recap Reviews continue to grow in importance. Google seems to be using review content to assess categorical relevance.
102. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Pigeon is coming. Take screenshots of your top keywords NOW to assess before-and-after. ! When it hits…study—don’t complain about—the crazy Authoritative OneBoxes. These are valuable learning opportunities (Jack Regan, Leucadia); the algorithm will mature eventually.
103. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm Order of Operations Prioritize" Conversion" ! Photos! ! (Barnacle) Optimize Your" Review Process" 
 Research top
 industry sites! ! Integrate into CRM Manage
 Location Data" 
 Google My
 Business! ! Major
 aggregators! ! ! Important
 directories Optimize Store 
 Locator" 
 Crawlable structure! ! 
 One location,
 one page! 
 Title Tags! 
 NAP in Schema.org
 Optimize for
 converstions
104. © SEOmoz, Inc. 2014 @davidmihm 
 Thank you!
 davidm@moz.com
 moz.com/local Ongoing Resources! Moz.com/blog