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Google Listing Scams

Google Listing, Google My Business, Google “Map Pack,” Google Knowledge Box, and Google Maps listings are all based on the same data.  Do not fall victim to a random fishing call stating that there is something wrong with your Google My Business Listing (or Google Listing).  Many of our clients have contacted us stating that they have received a phone call from an “unknown” number, or a random phone number attempting to get information from them to update their listing.  The caller is either a recording or a person stating that their Google Listing is unverified, and they must take action immediately.  This is a scam.

Your current marketing provider should be updating your business page as needed.  Additionally, once your business is verified with Google, there is no need for this process to happen again.  So, let’s talk a little bit about Google and how businesses appear on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) based on the information Google has.

Google verifies brick-and-mortar businesses (even if they provide services to the home, like Carpet Cleaning or AC Repair) via postcard.  The purpose of this is two-fold.  One purpose is to validate the business address so that it appears correctly in Google “Map” Pack on a SERP.  Additionally, this information is included in Google Maps, with a unique ID number assigned to your business location.

The Google Knowledge Box (the info on the right had side of a SERP which usually includes customer service number, images, logo, name of business owner, etc.) is based on a little bit different set of information that Google pulls from the website or product listing page of a website.  However, having your Google My Business information and Google Location information all in synch helps improve the chance your info will appear in a Knowledge Box.

If you have any questions about how to ensure your Google Listing is optimized, or if you want any help making sure your local business is showing up in the most relevant SERP listings possible, please contact us today.  We WILL HELP YOU! 727-742-6473.

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Using chat can help you qualify leads and turn browsers into buyers!
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Qualifying Leads Using Chat and Chatbots

Push leads down the sales funnel using chat (Chatbots)

In business and in marketing – it’s all about the leads. But today, with so many choices, options and research available, getting the average visitor to take action is a lot more challenging than it used to be.

Take a step back and look at ways to educate, rather than persuade the customer. At this point in the funnel, they’re not looking seriously at solutions. They’re involved in the discovery process – learning what’s out there and what options they have available. You need to prove you’re even worth listening to by illustrating your expertise in a way that’s helpful and knowledgeable, not pushy

The first thing you should do is use chatbots as analytic tools. This allows you to effectively develop bot scripts optimized for conversions.

Using chat can help you qualify leads and turn browsers into buyers!

Using chat can help you qualify leads and turn browsers into buyers!

Chatbots can be programmed to track purchasing patterns and monitor data from consumers. This tells a company which products to market differently, which to market more and which to redevelop for relaunch.

Most digital marketing platforms and campaigns have countless data sets. However, a chatbot can sift through that data at lightning speed, picking out the most relevant bits.

Once you have collected your chatbot analytics, you can optimize it by writing sales funnel minded scripts. This can be done using different messages to see which ones fuel the most engagement, and thus more likely to lead consumers down the sales funnel.

Using email integration, chatbots can nurture leads and push customers farther down the sales funnel. This is due to their versatility and ability to compile valuable consumer data in an effective and efficient way.

This greatly speeds the time it takes to nurture leads. Did you know it takes a human eight hours, on average, to follow up with a lead and 50 percent of leads are never followed up on. That is a lot of potential sales lost.

Automating your follow up efforts via chatbots ensures all leads are attended to. They can also qualify leads based on the consumer data they collect, including location, product preferences, buying habits, age, gender, etc.

If you’re a small business owner seeking digital marketing help, contact us here at Savvy Sister Marketing. Whether you’re looking to understand your marketing ROI, increase market share, achieve on social, or just feel more confident about your online presence, give us a call today!

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Requirements for SSL Certificates Vary By Search Engine
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SSL Certificate Requirements Vary by Search Engine

Don’t be intimidated by email saying your site won’t work without an SSL.  While there is a grain of truth to this, there’s no reason to panic, and there’s certainly no reason to pay more than necessary for an SSL for your site.

Your Current Internet Host can Provide Security Cert – You don’t Need to Hire another Outside Service.

If you’re a small business owner, and the admin email attached to your site is your own, you’re probably getting an abundance of emails telling you your site needs a security certificate.  There’s alot of phishing going on, and it will be very easy for small business owners to pay too much for this, but hopefully this information will help you understand WHY you need an SSL on your site now, and WHY you don’t have to be intimidated by aggressive emails stating your site will no longer show in a SERP.

In recent years there has been a growing debate on just how important SSL certificates are, and whether or not they are needed for every website. Google itself have recently stated that they are beginning to prioritise secure websites (https) over non-secure websites (http) in their search algorithms. This is all part of Google’s wider campaign to encourage safe transmission of all information across the web. While they claim such preference is only minimal, a number of companies are now paying more attention to the importance of SSL security, with several other big name corporations such as WC3 and Facebook encouraging every website to use SSL encryption.

What is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL (secure sockets layer) certificate is a digital certificate that both authenticates the identity of a website, and encrypts sensitive information so that any passwords, addresses or credit card numbers can not be intercepted or read by anyone other than the intended recipient.

How they work

In the same way that we use keys to lock and unlock doors, SSL certificates use keys to validate and protect sensitive information. A certificate signing request or CSR must also be created on the server. This creates a pair of public and private keys. The public key is used to encrypt (lock) the sensitive information, whilst the private key is used to decrypt (unlock) the information provided and restore it to its original format so that it can be read.

Requirements for SSL Certificates Vary By Search Engine

Requirements for SSL Certificates Vary By Search Engine

Why are SSL Certificates Important?

When you use a website http messages are flying around over the network.  When you fill in a contact form or simply click a link a small packet of information in text format gets sent over the network by your computer.  If you put your email address into a contact form and hit submit the packet of information (very similar to a plain text file) will contain your email address within it.  This packet will then get sent to every machine on the network. If you happen to be using wireless then this information will be sent over the air.  This means that anyone can sniff the air or plug into the network and read these unencrypted packets of information. If this information is simply a request to go to another webpage it’s probably not a problem, but if it happens to contain your credit card information then we could have a serious problem.

Unfortunately the internet and more specifically the http protocol is not secure by default, https however is secure because each of these packets gets encrypted before it is sent, meaning only the intended recipient can decrypt and read the message.

There are a number of reasons why SSL security is important:

  • Online payments: – A secure connection is required for websites that take any form of online payments, be it through credit card payments or third-party payment processors such as Worldpay or PayPal. In recent months, however, the web has also seen an increasing number of non-ecommerce websites using ssl encryption on their websites, with big players such as the BBC, Facebook and Google also endorsing the change, even though they do not directly sell through their websites.
  • Data security: It’s not just credit card details that are vulnerable to attacks online. Other personal information such as email addresses and social media messaging are also at risk. SSL encryption allows for the safe passage of this information, blocking it from any potential third-party access or unwanted hacks. If your website encourages its visitors to sign up to any memberships, or fill out any contact forms, then SSL encryption should be considered in order to safe guard this information.
  • Site verification: – SSL certificates authenticate and verify the owner of a website, preventing that site from any potential phishing attacks, where third-party hackers often impersonate a website in order to obtain personal information.
  • Verification of information: – SSL certificates also provide verification of the information that is listed on websites. This is particularly apparent on news sites such as the BBC or Guardian, and further prevents a users content from being altered by any third-parties.

Conclusion

If you run a small brochure site, or do not require any personal information to access certain areas of your website then you are in no major rush to upgrade to an ssl certificate. While Google has announced that they are beginning to favour secure websites over non-secure websites in search rankings, the implications are still small, and Firefox is yet to stop displaying non-secure websites.

However, if your website does require any level of personal information then online security is particularly important especially when shopping online. Even if you are simply entering an email address over wireless connection, this information can be vulnerable to third party access if your site simply operates on http access. Securing this information with SSL encryption (https) immediately combats any risk of unwanted sharing of your information. “Privacy by Default” is the new internet mantra and this is a message that companies such as Google and Facebook have began to endorse.

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Does a user want the movie, or information about bee population? Google is learning to determine user intent.
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User Intent and Organic Ranking

Is your website content  adequately addressing user intent?

Busy small business owners may understand bits and pieces of good digital marketing strategy, but as search engine algorithms become smarter, adequate keyword ratio on your website may no longer be enough to keep your site competitive organically.
You may have already heard about the concept of “user intent” in search engines – the goal of returning web page results that match what the user wants, not necessarily the exact words they are searching for. As with so many things, it’s a good idea to start with Google: While the search engine giant is typically inscrutable when it comes to the nuts and bolts of page results, there is an unmistakable turn away from what you might call pure keyword page ranking, and toward the intent of the user.
Google can do this because it has access to a gargantuan amount of data on searches and internet users. The company is trying to tweak its search engine with that data to make it more predictive and utilitarian. You may search for “new furnace vents” but Google knows that you are probably looking for “grills” and “registers” too, so it includes those in its top results (it’s worth noting that other search engines, like Bing, stay away from these interpretations, and so return very different results). You can spot the SEO keyword strategy problem here – companies that put “furnace vents” in their keywords are being crowded out by those who use “grills” and “registers” separately or in addition to “vents.”
It’s a paltry example, but you get the point. The consumer is clearly right here: They know what they are searching for, and if intent algorithms can help them find it, so much the better. But where does that leave your SEO efforts?
PROVIDE CONTENT FOR INTENT
“Well, if that’s where Google is going, shouldn’t I follow?” is a reasonable response here. But intent of user strategies can take a lot of work, plus a new perspective at how you use keywords (hint: they are becoming less important). If you really want to jump aboard the intent train, here are a few important points you should know.
 
Usability: Intent and native advertising are good bedfellows. People want real information, advice, explanations, contacts, and results. Native advertising is all about creating content that’s worthwhile to read. As a result, more focus on creating full, native content means better user intent ratings.
 
Analytics: To study intent of user, you have to know what searches consumers are making, what specifically is drawing them to your site – and probably what your competitors are using, too. Evaluating referral and keyword source analytics will help.
 
Longer Searches: Most searches are between 3 and 5 words, depending on how specific people get. This means Google favors keyword phrases that are longer and more specific, because that’s how consumers are searching to get past the clutter they don’t want.
Does a user want the movie, or information about bee population? Google is learning to determine user intent.

Does a user want the movie, or information about bee population? Google is learning to determine user intent.

 
Related Words: Instead of just picking up keywords, Google is beginning to look at words throughout the content. If certain words throughout the article/page chime with the search (furnace, thermal, duct, HVAC, efficiency, etc.), that site will be ranked higher. All your words are becoming important.
 
Time: Google is getting better at intent. That doesn’t mean it’s good at it, not yet. User intent is improving, but it will take time to see the full shift, and how much it will change. Prediction and inference are notoriously difficult tigers to tame.
MOVING FORWARD
The paradigm of user intent is both fascinating and a little frightening for marketing teams: It’s hard to know just how big the impact will be, and how it will affect foundational keyword practices. But like with all SEO, the key is careful, continuous adaptation. In addition to incorporating a few of the tips mentioned, keep your eye on user intent as a metric.
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How many SSL security certificates do you need?
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How Many SSL Certificates Do I Need

How many SSL Certificates does my website need and why should I care about SSL?

Every small business owner understands the importance of their website.  With regard to marketing and good Search Engine Page Results (SERP), most small business owners know a solid website is essential.  However, there are many elements that factor into organic rankings on a SERP, as well as credibility and building trust with potential customers.  One of these factors is the security of your website.  This is described in technical terms as Secure Socket Layer or SSL.

SSL IS a big deal, and for almost every type of website an SSL certificate is essential, however, depending on the function of your website and the types of products or services you offer, different levels or layers of SSL are recommended (if not required by search engines in order for your site to rank on their results page).

So what is SSL?

  • SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is the security for your website.  Think of it like an alarm system for your house.  In the same way you secure your home so that no one is able to poke around without your consent, an SSL certificate functions like a security system for your website.  SSL can prevent your site from being hacked, which would allow the hacker to collect data on your subscribers and publish content or add outbound links without your awareness.  However just putting an SSL certificate on your website doesn’t 100% guarantee your site won’t be hacked.
  • There are 3 levels of user trust for SSL Certificates and it depends on what your site will be providing to your customers or users as to which one to install.

So how many levels of SSL does your website need?  In other words, how many SSL certifications should you consider?

o    Domain Validated certificates (DV):  These certificates check against your domain register to confirm the validity of the connection.

o    Organization Validated certificates (OV): These certificates are strictly authenticated by real agents against business registry databases hosted by governments.

o    Extended Validation certificates (EV): These certificates are the highest level of trust and require more validation to ensure the person buying the certificate owns and manages the website the certificate will be installed on your site.

For any of these levels of security, you will likely need the assistance of your domain host to install the SSL Certificate, and get the proper amount of SSL Certificates on your site.

 

Does my website need an SSL Certificate

  • The short answer is YES but which one do you need.  The following guidelines should help you when choosing the right certificate for your website.
  • For sites where security isn’t an issue like an internally hosted website for your business or a public facing information only (no personal information is collected, which includes email address for newsletter subscriptions or contact forms) then an EV certificate would be ok.
  • If your site is used for transmitting personal data like email, address, credit card information then you would want to move up to the OV certificate at the least.
  • The highest level of security and most expensive is the EV certificate.  This type of certificate has the most rigorous validation process.  The EV certificate use the Green bar you’ll see on some of the bigger sites like Amazon, Google, Wal-mart, target and more.

If you have any questions about the security of your website, please contact the team at SavvySisterMarketing.com for help.  Our IT guru, Robert will be happy to help you.

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avoiding pop up ads makes a better user experience - woman sitting at computer smiling
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User Experience and the Coalition for Better Ads

User experience is paramount in the new Chrome.

By way of explaining this, let’s travel back in time to the 1900s. Waaaaaay back in the early 1990s when AOL, Earthlink, and Yahoo were what people were using to browse the web, online advertising was in its infancy. Ads were strictly placement ads on specific websites, and sites were, believe it or not, actually indexed by human beings who would read content on a page and determine what type of query that page would satisfy. It was the wild west for online advertising because anything flashy, huge, multi-colored, and attention-grabbing was permitted.

avoiding pop up ads makes a better user experience - woman sitting at computer smiling

For best user experience, avoid pop-up ads and promotions on your site as much as possible.

Fast forward to late 1990s and early 2000, some genius college students realized what a horrible experience browsing the web was and decided to change that. Introducing Google. Google search engine was groundbreaking in that it would not show results that were paid, it would show results that were RELEVANT to the query.

Without getting into the AdWords bidding system, let’s just say that the algorithm scored “documents” (landing pages) based on their relevance to a query, and the amount that webpage owner was bidding to show their ad was a factor, but not the deciding factor. This immediately raised the bar for user experience. No longer were users at the mercy of the highest bidder. Google was the first browser to be user-centric and, therefore, rapidly became the most popular browser in the online world.

Since then, Google has set the standard for not only what is a good user experience, but what is an appropriate ad. Ads can no longer make outrageous guarantees or bait-and-switch. Advertisers are held to a fairly high standard because it’s built into the search engine algorithm that if the query does not match the information (images and text) on the page, that page ranks very low in both paid and organic results.

Now, a new level of filtering is coming into play, and it’s largely due to the findings of the Coalition for Better Ads. The role of the Coalition for Better Ads is to, like Google, ensure that the internet is a PLEASANT experience for users, users find search results helpful, and advertisers are held to a very high standard of integrity and ad quality.

The Coalition for Better Ads has actually indexed sites that offer poor user experiences, and the new Google Chrome Ad Filter, which is built right into the browser, is utilizing this data to determine which ads show and which don’t. In other words, if your site offers a terrible user experience because of pop-ups, flashing text or distracting animations, or if your site has videos that auto-play, or prestitial ads with a countdown (the ad covers the page until the countdown ends), the Coalition for Better Ads has probably deemed your site “correlated with an increased propensity for consumers to adopt ad blockers.” That’s a mouthful, but it basically means the site is annoying, misleading or distracting to a user, and, therefore, is NOT offering a good user experience.

In summary, do NOT put pop-ups on your site.

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Websites That Work With Assistive Technology
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Five Signs Your Site May Not Be Accessible

Accessible websites are becoming increasingly important.  A recent ruling in a South Florida District Court held that if a store is online, accessibility laws apply just as they would a brick and mortar location. In other words, the same accessibility guidelines that apply to a brick-and-mortar location also apply to that business’ website.

Many do-it-yourself web hosting services are addressing this issue, but if your site is dated, you may need to update some elements to ensure your site meets accessibility guidelines.  Here are five signs your site may not be accessible.

  1. There is no “ring” or “focus ring” around the selected element; Meaning, when an element on the page is selected, there is no visual or auditory cue to alert the user. Web Accessibility Guidelines specifically state that the element selected must indicate to the user that the currently selected element has focus.  Worried about style?  No problem – use a box shadow, or underline text if it’s a menu item.  Those options can fit with any style, and will keep your site compliant and still looking classy.
  2. Radio buttons and dropdown menus for choosing specific attributes of an item, (like toppings on a pizza, or the size of t-shirt) may not always work with the user’s browser screenreader or other screenreader technology.  If you are not sure whether your radio buttons or menu choices are accessible, it might be a good idea to reach out to a webmaster who is versed in accessibility semantics.  Paying for an audit of your site, and potentially some minor surgery, will be worth it to bring your site up to date and in compliance with accessibility guidelines.
  3. If you cannot tab through your site, OR you hit tab and you no longer know where the focus is, your site is inaccessible to a user with keyboard-only capability.  Can you tab through your menu?  If not, that’s a definite sign your site is not accessible.  A user’s ability to use keyboard shortcuts is vital for a site to be accessible.  Users with a disability that prevents using a mouse, or those who must use blow tubes to navigate a site need elements that can be selected via keyboard input and not just click input.
  4. Low contrast, justified text, and crowded elements can make sites difficult to read and navigate for individuals with vision or motor disabilities.  If elements are too close together, someone who has difficulty using a mouse may struggle with navigation.  Red and green as well as blue and yellow are indistinguishable to individuals with color blindness.  If you’re in doubt, seek guidance from a local disability advocacy group, and, more often than not, they will thank you for reaching out and making sure that your site is accessible to all.
  5. Minimal design helps those with cognitive difficulties like ADD, Dyslexia and Autism.  Minimizing the number of elements can help reduce their need to “zoom” and manually reduce the amount of information on a page.  If you think it’s busy, it’s too busy.

Hopefully these tips can help you determine if your site needs some improvement to make it accessible to all.  More importantly than following the law, a site that is built to accessibility guidelines is a solid website, free of major problems, and actually creates a better experience for all users, not just those with disabilities.

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Responding to Negative Reviews

It’s going to happen. There are individuals who truly believe that the internet is the appropriate place for them to vent their personal grievances against a business owner or their employee(s). Thankfully, most review sites have some policy guidelines that give business owners recourse to have these reviews removed, but if a review – regardless of whether it was true or valid – doesn’t necessarily violate the policies of the site on which it was posted, a response may be required. Here are some guidelines to help small business owners respond to negative reviews.

Don’t – If the review is truly a “rant” when people read it they will likely determine on their own that this is not necessarily a person from whom they can get an accurate assessment of the quality of products and services they can expect from your business. If the review is emotional, extremely long, and full of misspelled words and grammatical errors, it is probably best to let be its own best testimonial. Some people make it clear from their own words that they are unreasonable and/or not believable.

Keep It Professional – Do NOT make personal statements or offer any criticism about the client / customer who left the review. A great advantage to getting a negative review is that it can be an opportunity to showcase your customer relation skills, and demonstrate that you are committed to client satisfaction. State that plainly and clearly, and you will be likely be admired by potential customers regardless of the legitimacy of the review.

Offer A Solution – If the review is actually legitimate, it’s likely that it can be easily resolved. Offer a coupon, free shipping, free appetizer, a face-to-face meeting with the person, whatever is appropriate for the type of products and services you offer. The outcome may not necessarily be that you win that customer back, but it may demonstrate to potential customers that you are a business owner who cares about the opinion of your clients.

Don’t Explain Yourself – Don’t re-hash conversations you may have had with this person to resolve the issue. The chances of winning them over after you have tried to come to an agreement face-to-face or by phone or email are very slim, so don’t bother publishing your efforts on social media. Explaining your “side” will likely make potential customers feel as if you are not someone who listens and rather that you are someone who needs to have the last word. Don’t bother.

Apologize – If the review is legitimate, if you have truly tried to resolve the issue with this person, if you offered some type of recompense, it’s ok to just agree to disagree and let them express that they had a bad experience. This is so very, very rare. Most people are reasonable, and truly want resolution and peace, but there will be times when it’s just impossible. It’s ok to just offer a public apology and wish that person all the best.

By taking the high road, bad reviews can actually be an opportunity to show potential customers that you truly care, and that you are professional, educated, and willing to admit wrongs and try to make things right. It is a chance to be the bigger person and bring a little peace to your small corner of the world.

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Accessible websites CAN be affordable for small business owners.
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Accessible Websites – Is Your Site Compliant?

Accessible websites are becoming increasingly important.  Small business owners, especially those who have an online store, a brick and mortar location, or restaurant with online ordering capability.  A recent ruling in a South Florida District Court statedcthat if a store is online, handicap accessibility laws apply just as they would a brick and mortar location.

Many do-it-yourself web hosting services are addressing this issue, but if your site is outdated, you may need to update some elements to make it accessible to all.  Here are five signs your site may not be accessible:

  • There is no “ring” or “focus ring” around the selected element.  In other words, if you cannot visually tell where your cursor is on the site, or what element is selected either via color change or some type of highlighting ring around that element, you don’t know which element is “in focus.” Web Accessibility Guidelines specifically state that the element selected must have an indication which element has focus.  Worried about style?  No problem – use a box shadow, or underline text if it’s a menu item.  Those options can fit with any style, and will keep your site compliant and still looking classy.
  • Radio buttons and dropdown menus for choosing specific attributes of an item, (like toppings on a pizza, or size of t-shirt) may not always work with the user’s browser screenreader or other screenreader technology.  If you’re not sure if your radio buttons or menu choices are accessible, it might be a good idea to reach out to a webmaster who is versed in accessibility semantics.  Paying for an audit of your site, and some minor surgery will be worth it to bring your site up to date and be in compliance with accessibility guidelines.  More importantly, it will keep your customers happy, and returning.
  • You can’t tab through your site, OR you hit tab and you no longer know where the focus is. The basic accessibility principle here is that your site must be navigable via keyboard and not exclusively relying on using mouse/click to navigate to different elements on the site. Here’s a quick way to check that. Can you use the tab button on the keyboard to move through your menu?  If not, that’s a definite sign your site is not accessible.  A user’s ability to use keyboard shortcuts is vital for a site to be accessible.  Users with a disability that prevents using a mouse, or those who must use blow tubes to navigate a site need elements that can be selected via keyboard and not just click.
  • Low contrast, justified text, and crowded elements can make sites difficult to read and navigate for individuals with vision or motor disabilities.  If elements are too close together, someone who has difficulty using a mouse may struggle with navigation.  Red and green as well as blue and yellow are indistinguishable to individuals with color blindness.  If you’re in doubt, seek guidance from a local disability advocacy group, and, more often than not, they will thank you for reaching out and making sure that your site is accessible to all.
  • Minimal design helps those with cognitive difficulties like ADD, Dyslexia and Autism.  Minimizing the number of elements can help reduce their need to “zoom” and manually reduce the amount of information on a page.  If you think it’s busy, it’s too busy.

    • 2018 is bringing changes in ADA Accessibility / Website Accessibility guidelines, but thankfully, there is technology and experts out there who can bring your site into compliance and create a great user experience for individuals with disabilities. Hopefully these tips can help you determine if your site needs some improvement to make it accessible to all.  More importantly than following the law, a site that is built to accessibility guidelines is a solid website, free of major problems, and actually creates a better experience for all users, not just those with disabilities.

    If you would like more information on bringing your site into compliance with current Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) contact Savvy Sister Marketing today! We Will Help You!

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    Local SEO Best Practices
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    Smart Local SEO Practices for Small Business

    The query “…Near Me” has become one of the most prolific search queries within the past couple of years.  If you are a brick and mortar business, it is absolutely essential that you understand local SEO and how your business is showing in a SERP.  Location specific queries are managed differently by search engines, so it’s important to understand which elements of your website are the most important with regard to local SEO.

    When search engines, specifically Google, determine that the user is searching for something geographically near them, the results page has a “local pack” showing the data that Google has on file about relevant businesses in a specific geographic region.  This information is geography based, and the listed choices are featured on a map to the right.  Below the “pack” local organic results appear based on page rank as determined by that search engine at the time of that query.  The search engines are using the data that is currently on your website to display this information, so if your business is not updated with current info, phone number, hours of operation, and service description, you may be losing a sale.

    Because it is still the most widely-used search engine, making sure that your Google My Business page is current is foundational to local SEO.  (If you don’t know how to update, edit, post, and reply to rankings on your Google My Business Page, become a member now for an in-depth tutorial on Google My Business or contact Savvy Sister Marketing for help.)

    Local directory sites such as your local Chamber of Commerce website, BBB, Patch.com, Local.com, and the local online paper are important as well.

    Contextually relevant citations in review sites like HomeAdvisor, BBB, Yelp, Manta, Trip Advisor, Wix, and FourSquare should be consistent across all sites.  Another important element is having “on-page signals” for the search engines that alert them to your physical location.  Your site should list the names of the cities, counties, zip codes, and regions that you service.

    If your location is incorrect in Google maps, and you provide goods and/or services at your brick-and-mortar location, this must be addressed immediately.  If you have customers telling you that their GPS sent them to the wrong location, or they cannot find your location in their GPS, correcting this is also a priority.  For more in-depth information on how to ensure your business is showing properly in maps and GPS systems, become a member to access our tutorial, or contact Savvy Sister Marketing today.  Don’t put this off – you’re losing customers.

    Getting good local SEO established can be very time consuming, and if you’re a busy business owner, it may be worth it to source this out so that you are certain it is done correctly and consistently across all relevant platforms.  Good local SEO depends on good website content as well as relevant inbound links, reviews, and citations.  It can seem an overwhelming task, but when done correctly it can be a game-changer for a local small-business owner in dominating the local SERP.

    If you want an audit of your “local” presence, or if you want help making sure you’re listing properly in local relevant sites, contact Savvy Sister Marketing today.  We Will Help You!

     

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