Local Brand Building With a Website Google Loves

Local Search Algorithms

Does the business provide the services, products or answers that the searcher is asking for?

Is the business well-known and well-regarded within its local market area?

proximity

Is business close enough to searcher Is business close enough to searcher* to be considered a good answer for the search query? *or area specified

Goal: model the real world

Best businesses rank best

Brands

“The internet is a cesspool where false information thrives.” Google CEO Eric Schmidt, 2008

"Brands are how you sort out the cesspool." Google CEO Eric Schmidt, 2008

LOCAL

Local Awareness + Local Reputation

Business Website Your Brand’s Online Home

You own & control it!

Most authoritative web document Repository of detailed information Teaches Google & searchers about biz Info needs to match GMB info Google looks for verification in other trusted places

Google Knowledge Graph “…we’ve been working on an intelligent model—in geek-speak, a “graph”—that understands real-world entities and their relationships to one another: things, not strings.” Google Google Knowledge Graph

Entities Relationships (Things) (Connections) Fred Flintstone lives in Bedrock Fred Flintstone is married to Wilma Fred Flintstone is a parent of Pebbles Pebbles is married to Bamm-Bamm Rubble

Brands/businesses ranked, not websites or web pages Ranking Entities

Business/brand is an entity that has relationships with many other entities People Location(s) Events Images, videos Service areas Categories Subcategories Products Services Customers

The more Google knows about your business, the more answers it can give to searchers

Brand Knowledge Graph Pages Entities = Relationships = Links (Things) Joe’s Propane is owned by offers is located in performs performed in Joe Smith Delivery Spokane WA located in Relationships = Links (Connections) Entities = (Things) Pages Brand Knowledge Graph

Relationships = Links (Connections) Entities = (Things) Pages Joe’s Propane is owned by offers Joe Smith Services is located at are is a performs performed at Delivery Spokane WA Certified Tech Inspect Install located at Relationships = Links (Connections) Entities = (Things) Pages

Multi-Location Websites One unique page for each location (location landing page - LLP) 2-5 (or so) locations – list and link to all LLPs in footer 5-20 (or so) locations – create a “locations” page and list and link to all LLPs from there 21+ locations –best to have some kind of store finder system on your site Multi-Location Websites

Site Structure for Store Finders Push ranking power down to LLPs via links at the top level of the site structure not competing with too many other links Prominent to visitors Easy to spot on all pages Super-crawlable for Search Engines text links breadcrumbs copious internal linking Site Structure for Store Finders

for Searchers and Search Engines Optimize Your Free Ads for Searchers and Search Engines

Organic Results

site: full URL copied and pasted from your home page

Page Title Meta Description <title>Propane Delivery - Bakersfield, CA – Valley Propane of Bakersfield<title> Page Title <meta name="description" content="Make smart and efficient energy choices when using commercial propane. Call up Valley Propane of Bakersfield for a quote at (661) 323-4427."/> Meta Description

Focus on Customer

Boost Your Local Brand & Rankings

Join Local Groups

Join Industry Groups

Dealer Directory Listings

Become a Barnacle

Move Referrals Online

Earn Community Karma

Earn Community Karma

Get Online Recognition

Get Awards

Get Media Attention

Co-host/Sponsor Events

Host Events

Be the Best

“The key for us is to remember, SEO was never really about the search engines. It's always been about optimizing the business.” Will Scott LocalU

THANKS! Host Events