12 Jan 2012

Why YouTube is changing and why you should care | Moneytized

http://www.moneytized.com/youtube-changing-you-should-care/

Sent from my Kindle Fire
28 Dec 2011

India Court Rules On Social Network Comments, Apple TV For Q2 2012?, Google Tablet Coming In Six Months

I think this article can reflect how powerful social media is.

India Court Rules On Social Network Comments, Apple TV For Q2 2012?, Google Tablet Coming In Six Months
FAST COMPANY | DECEMBER 27, 2011
http://pulse.me/s/4nRRL

Breaking news from your editors at Fast Company, with updates all day. **Christmas Is For Online Shopping Too**. In a sign that online shopping is an... read more

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http://pulse.me

Sent from my Kindle Fire
25 Dec 2011

Facebook Subscriber # > Twitter Follower # ? The ongoing debate

A fascinating article between Facebook and twitter.  If you needs help deciding this article will definately lean you towards Facebook.  I believe both has a place in business depending on the goal. 

Facebook Subscriber # > Twitter Follower # ?
TECHCRUNCH | DECEMBER 23, 2011
http://pulse.me/s/4hjZS

Where do you publish first if you have more Facebook subscribers than Twitter followers?  That's a question more and more journalists are going to be ... read more

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http://pulse.me

20 Mar 2011

Latest article about the benefits of a facebook page for businesses

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/10836/3-Ways-to-Maximize-the-Value-of-Your-Facebook-Fans.aspx?utm_source=Web&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HubSpot+%28HubSpot%29

3 Feb 2011

sylviaunlimited@gmail.com has shared: 2-D Codes: The 10 Commandments for Marketers

QR CODES - Do you know what they are and how they can take your business to the next level? Read this article to understand and then Call me to employ some of the great marketing ideas I have.
2-D Codes: The 10 Commandments for Marketers
Source: mashable.com

Thinking about testing the waters with 2-D codes? Check out these great examples and best practices for smartphone/location marketing.

 
sylviaunlimited@gmail.com sent this using ShareThis.
14 Jun 2010

Facebook is Number Two - What does that mean for you?

Well Mr. and Ms. Small and Local business owner it means you better get with the program and get a Facebook account.  Not just a personal one but a Fan Page so that customers can find you, recommend you and you can let them know specials and display your knowledge and products.

Facebook is a great way to connect with your customers, current and potential.  Here is an idea, your facebook fan page could be your initial internet presence if you don't have a website yet.

Lot's of ideas flowing here so check back.  Good luck!

 Link to this post:
 http://www.google.com/buzz/101849747879612982297/DDfuM78Yu1E/Facebook-Overtakes-Yahoo-Now-the-Second-Most

Feb 17 Mashable -: Facebook Overtakes Yahoo: Now the Second Most Visited Site in U.S. - http://bit.ly/c2Em4l

1 May 2010

Optimizing Your Business Listing for Local Search Supremacy

Has your business done this? Important first step. Do it now or hire a professional to do it for you.


by Dave Cosper

If I was to take a crack at Google's local search algorithm and reduce it to a Layman's equation, it would perhaps look something like this:

Ranking = Location + Information + Corroboration + Input + X

Understanding these variables is a critical part of successfully marketing your business online. SMB's have just two meaningful representations in the local search space: a website and a business listing or "LBL". I'm dismissing social media presence because it is primarily a representation of a single user rather than what we conceive as a traditional brick and mortar business -- functioning as more of compliment to website SEO anyway. The latter of the two local search presences is worth discussing in detail.
 
Business listing optimization and improving your "findability" in the local search space is the hot market right now. Local search is mainstream. And If you're not already convinced of this, all you have to do is measure the real estate Google allots to their Map-packs (listings that appear adjacent to the large map of business locations) in the universal results - on many screens almost pushing the index-based results below the fold -- the 7-pack being the most frequently seen. Last year, the major engines saw a whopping 2.6 billion local searches conducted per month1.
 
But surprisingly, only about 11% of SMB's have even claimed their business listings. And roughly 25% of the existing NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) representations floating around online are incorrect. These NAP's appear primarily in local results. To be more specific, local results are the product of online consumers looking to find qualified local businesses, by entering "top of mind" keywords, phrases and geographic modifiers on major search engines, IYP's (Internet Yellow Pages) and other online directories.
 
Let's take a look at the anatomy of a local search results page and see where local business listings fit in. For this example I did a Google search for "cleaners boston ma"...

Jing-Search-Results-Anatomy.jpg
With this kind of first-page exposure for local listings, there is a reason they call it the Lucky 7. For any local search, the major search engines (e.g., Google Maps, Yahoo! Local, Bing Local) all use their own "black box" algorithms to deliver results they determine are most-to-least relevant. From what I can tell, the 7-Pack algorithm is mostly based on the Maps algo, but also has a layer of Universal on top of it. From extensive research in local search optimization, I've found a handful of factors that influence rankings.

LBL-Google-Results.png

Ranking Factors: What Determines the Ranking Results in Local Search?

Back to my equation: Ranking = Location + Information + Corroboration + Input + X; X being defined as the consistent unknown and ever-evolving factor contributing to the unpredictability we see in results. The definition of X might as well be stored in the same vault as the Coca-Cola recipe. The other criteria of the local search equation are better understood.

1. Location: Distance from "Centroid" (the geographic center of the area searched) - the closer your business is, the higher you rank -- well kind of. This factor has been reduced in weight recently as in many cases relevancy has been proven arbitrary to fixed geographic center points. However new geolocation tools based on user IP addresses and mobile apps delivering hyper-local results could have future implications on this location factor. At a minimum, claim your basic listing and make sure business name, address and telephone numbers are accurate and complete to take advantage of this location factor. Only a few days ago Google updated their Maps and Local Business Center to include expanded areas served and location settings - this being particularly important for service-orientated businesses targeting customers outside their established locale.

2. Information: Listings containing more robust information and links rank higher in results (e.g., a website link, keyword-rich content, media, etc). Enhance your listing with keyword-rich content targeting the top keyword phrases prospective consumers may use to find you. Consider using variations of the most popular terms like "painters" and "painting". Listing "brands carried" is a good way to target popular keywords. Businesses with product/service keywords in their LBL title get an extra boost (some businesses actually change their name specifically for this reason). Run some tests using Google Analytics available in the GLBC (Google Local Business Center) to narrow down your keyword focus. Be sure to add media to your listing: a company logo and multiple store/product photos go a long way - video is a bonus. I also suggest supplementing your listing with as many "extras" as possible. One example would be adding a custom coupon, which is available on many IYP sites. Many of these "extras" may not directly influence ranking, however if they can successfully draw clicks/conversions they are certainly worth adding.

3. Corroboration: How many other local search engines or directories have your same listing published? Each time the information contained in your listing matches the NAP and description on other "relevant" sites, your listing gets a "citation" (award) -- the more citations you have, the higher your business ranks. This corroboration between relevant sites builds trust, and the trust factor is critical to high-ranking. Build out your LBL with enhanced content on at least one site, and use this as a template to manually distribute your information to as many relevant sites as possible (see my list of notable sites below). Remember, online local consumers are fragmented -- the use of robust, broad content distribution will maximize reach. Here's an example of a business with multiple citations.

4. "Objective" Consumer Input: How many consumer reviews/ratings or other sources of user input does your business have on "relevant" sites? How many are positive/negative? To maximize citations and achieve the highest possible ranking you need to get as much positive feedback as possible. Encourage your happy customers to go online and give you a positive review on multiple sites. Here are four easy tips on how to get more reviews. Be aware that Google favors citations differently across various industries so it is important to solicit reviews on sites specific to your vertical. The top three review sites for restaurants (based on Google citations as of today) are Citysearch, TripAdvisor and Zagat, while businesses in the service industry are benefiting mostly from Citysearch, InsiderPages and Kudzu. And yes, Google recognizes unique and non-unique URL's within the review section - so don't think you can get carried away with rating your own business.

Negative ranking factors: Avoid using an 800# or multiple phone numbers across listings for tracking purposes (consistency in NAP is key); non-local area code; use of a P.O. Box; multiple LBLs with same phone number and/or DBA and/or address; stuffing geo-targeted keywords into non-related categories or fields; high percentage of bad reviews.
 
To avoid getting bogged down with explaining the step-by-step process of claiming your business, I'll point you to a recent blog on that very topic: How To Claim Your Google Maps Listing. You can start with your Google Maps listing and in a similar fashion work your way through the roughly 100 other search engines, IYP directories, maps, mobile sites and niche local/social sites. And yes, this is a laborious process which requires time and some web expertise - prior SEO knowledge a plus.
 
Below is a list of the more notable sites to submit your business to. I gave link juice to the sites I particularly like.
 
Local Maps:

Local Listings Sites:
Citysearch, InsiderPages, MerchantCircle, Yelp, Cityvoter, EZlocal, Yellowpages, YellowBot, Yellowbook, Manta, Best of the Web, Superpages, Hotfrog, DexKnows, CitySquares, Kudzu, Brownbook, OpenList, GetFave, Judy's Book, Angieslist, Switchboard, AnyWho, InfoSpace, ServiceMagic, TripAdvisor, UrbanSpoon, Zagat, VirtualTourist, Praized, Local, Tupalo, DiscoverOurTown, Tyloon, Mojopages, Genieknows, Wcities, Metrobot, Magic Yellow, Whitepages , 411, AssistGuide, Topix, Menu Network, Decidio, Go2


Business Networks:
Entrepreneur Connect, Intuit Business, PartnerUp, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, BizJournals

Passive Submission Sites:
Localeze, InfoUSA, Acxiom, iBegin, EZlocal, GetListed
 
Tip: Create a spreadsheet to keep track of usernames and passwords used with each respective site. Comes handy when the time comes to update your information.

Even after you have built out a robust business profile and painstakenly gone through the manual submission process, page one ranking is never a lock. Unlike more traditional local advertising methods (TV, radio, yellow pages), guaranteeing placement in local search is nearly impossible. Local search engines hold their proprietary search logic "close to the vest" so businesses cannot easily game the system. For the very same reason they also change the rules often. And just like us, their logic isn't perfect.

In short, local search engines are a prominent, and increasingly popular component of the local search landscape. And factors like regency, accuracy, "certificate of trust" and depth of content are the critical elements to supporting a business' image, increasing "findability" and generating qualified, ready-to-buy local customers.


If I've missed any notable submission sites or any specific local SEO tricks of the trade, feel free to add your thoughts. Thanks :)

Sources:
1  comScore/Yellow Pages Association 2009

Be sure and visit our small business news site.

21 Mar 2010

Yelp about it!

Great article about how your business can use YELP.
http://www.google.com/reader/i/?hl=en&gl=us#stream/user%2F01114314828030111828%2Fstate%2Fcom.google%2Freading-list


Smiles+abundance, Sylvia
Sent from itouch = typos

21 Mar 2010

HOW TO: Make Your Small Business Geolocation-Ready

http://www.google.com/gwt/n?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmashable.com%2F2010%2F02%2F19%2Fbu...


Smiles+abundance, Sylvia
Sent from itouch = typos

3 Mar 2010

What To Do When Reviewers Lie About You

Here is a great article on what local business should do when unreasonable customers leave a unfavorable review.


by Mike Moran

When my friend called me, there was a little panic in his voice. He owned a successful, customer-friendly small business, and was generally an easygoing person. But he didn't know what to do. A long-time and loyal customer alerted him to a savage review of his business on an Internet Yellow Pages site. And so now he was turning to me to find out what he could do about it.

I asked him for the details and he ruefully related the story. When he read the review, he immediately knew who the unhappy client was, recognizing some details in the story. He told me that this client had been impossible, constantly changing her mind about what she wanted with no notice, and although he did his best to satisfy her, at the end he had to tell her that he had done all he could for what he had been paid.

Image representing Yelp as depicted in CrunchBase

Image via CrunchBase

He would have understood if she had honestly expressed her disappointment in him in the review (even though he felt she was expecting way too much), but what irked him no end was that her review attributed egregious bits of behavior to him that were completely made up from whole cloth. He had objective proof that some of her comments were lies.


This isn't an isolated case. Although most reviews are factual, and some small businesses have it coming, there's nothing stopping dissatisfied customers from responding in extreme ways. And the services that post such reviews, such as Yahoo! Yellow Pages and Yelp, don't want to be in the position of having to discern who's telling the truth, letting the "wisdom of crowds" sort things out.

So, what's a small business to do? First, treat your customers well, remembering that they have more power than you think. Encourage your happy customers to post reviews online, so that the wisdom of your crowd is in evidence--that will dilute the power of any one negative review. (Yesterday, I posted some small business social media success stories that you can emulate.) When someone posts a bad review, consider engaging that person online to try to make amends.

Unfortunately, it might require that you develop a thicker skin, because the rudeness of some online reviews might be more than you can bear. One San Francisco bookstore owner was arrested for battery after responding to a Yelp reviewer.

But that's no reason to accept outright lies. When it clearly goes beyond a difference of opinion, and you can prove you've been wronged, go to the review site and plead your case. Show them that it's a lie and ask them to remove it.

That's what my friend did, and Yahoo! Yellow Pages, to their credit, did remove the dishonest review. But my friend learned form the situation. Now, he solicits good reviews and he works harder to satisfy even the nut jobs. It's a different world out there, so make sure you know how to make your way through it.

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