Although it may seem that I am only referring to local, small business when I speak of bad data issues, the reality is that brands of all sizes have problems too. It all starts with citations.

The Most Common Citation Complications

Managing citations can be complicated for one location. When a brand has multiple locations, the difficulty increases by the number of locations they have. Some of the biggest challenges for brands specifically include:

• Discrepancies in the way the location names, addresses, and phone numbers (NAP) are displayed online.
• Name changes due to mergers, acquisitions, or rebranding.
• New phone numbers or addresses due to location changes or closures.
• Duplicate or incomplete listings resulting from lost passwords or limited account access.

Simply put, inconsistent local citations are bad for SEO and bad for business. It’s extremely important for multi-location brands to monitor their local citations for accuracy. Dirty citation data can cause real problems for brands and their customers.

Studies have shown that 67 percent of consumers lose trust in a brand if they get lost en route to a location due to an incorrect address online, and 73 percent lose trust in businesses that exhibit inconsistent location details.

If consumers can’t find the location, store or restaurant, how can they spend their money there? Furthermore, when they can’t find the business, they move on to the next business that they can find. Plus, now they no longer trust the first business. This should be alarming to businesses and brands, and the problems are all caused by bad data.

I picked a random brand and generated our online visibility report for just one of their locations. Their overall visibility score for this location was 51 percent. Can you imagine what the other locations’ visibility scores are? I removed their name for anonymity.

Even if only some locations are misrepresented online, having outdated, inconsistent citations or inaccurate information on the web can have a significant impact on the brand’s credibility with consumers.

Brands Create Their Own Bad Data

As mentioned earlier, while that is not intentional, whenever a business moves, rebrands or merges with another company it can create duplicate listings or incorrect citations.

Listings on Google, Yelp and Bing are extremely important.

As shown here, this same brand’s location doesn’t have a consistent NAP on their Google My Business Listing or Yelp, and neither listing is 100 percent optimized.

The image shows this location is only listed in 15 of the 39 directories our visibility report checked, and their NAP was only consistent in 7 percent of those directories. Without more research, I can’t attest to specifically how this brands data became corrupt, but they definitely have some issues that need to be resolved.

A person wouldn’t move without giving the post office their new address. Essentially, failing to update business information on citations is the same as moving and failing to file a forwarding address.

One of the more common examples of brands creating their own bad data is when an employee creates a listing under their own email account and then later leaves the company. Down the line, the company realizes the listing is now out of date, but instead of taking the necessary steps to gain access to the existing listing, they just create a new one. Problem solved, right? Wrong! Now they have a duplicate listing issue. This could be the case with this brand’s location shown above.

What Is the Solution to Correct This Bad Data?

It would be great if I could tell you to take one or two steps and all the above problems would be eliminated, but I can’t because it just doesn’t work that way. It’s a process that requires a citation cleanup. I can’t even tell you that cleaning up citations is easy, because it’s not. Here’s an in-depth guide, “The Complete How-To Guide for Citation Audit and Cleanup” if you want to take a stab at it.

Most times, the best solution in the long run for multi-location brands is to hire a local presence management solution provider.

Common #Citation Issues – #Brands Have Bad Data Problems, Too by @BernieColeman #RocksDigital
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Are you working with a multi-location brand on their online presence? Bad data is an issue we can all solve, and it starts with partnering together.

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Beyond business listings containing a consistent NAP (name, address, phone number), complete business listings must contain many other important pieces of information such as business category, business description, website link, products, services, images, and more. Not all business listings will allow for this information, but the most important component is that they are completed fully.

I regularly tell my team at Advice Local to make sure they do everything they can to help our partners and clients verify, complete and optimize their Google My Business, Bing and Yelp listings. Just adding a business name, address and phone number is not enough.

Instead of sharing how to optimize a listing in today’s rant — I mean article — I will try and convince you with little known facts (secrets) why complete verified business listings are so important. So here it goes…

Facts About 100% Complete Verified Listings – For the Consumer

1. It saves the consumer money.

Consumers can find the information they need faster. The fact is, they would save 0.74 minutes per search if they saw a verified listing. It is estimated that this could be worth around $9 to a consumer over a year for each type of business they find. Cha Ching!

2. It saves the consumer time.

It reduces the time spent searching for information on a business in an environment where time is increasingly valuable.

3. It gives the consumer confidence.

Consumers have greater confidence in a business they see when the listing is verified. Businesses whose listings are verified are twice as likely to be considered “reputable.” By also supplying them with more information, a verified listing thereby increases confidence that a business is legitimate or still exists.

4. It helps the consumer find what they want.

79% of users report they can find a product or service that better matches what they are looking for if it shows up on the search engine results page. It also gives them the opportunity to compare offerings or discover new businesses offering a service they are looking for.

Facts About Complete Verified Listings – For the Business

1. It increase site traffic for the business.

Analysis shows that complete listings are associated with at least a 30% increase in homepage click through.

2. The business saves on customer acquisition.

Complete listings with enhanced data are associated with additional online activity. If the cost of a click is worth $0.62, this could be worth around $250 a year per business. In small communities, the additional traffic could be worth between $140,000 and $315,000 a year, while in large cities it could be between $850,000 and $7M a year. Again, Cha Ching!

3. It helps the business stand out.

Optimized business listings (especially those including images) help the business to better differentiate itself from its competitors, increasing revenues and profits. This will help the business acquire new customers at a lower cost than before, making the business more efficient and productive.

Beyond the Optimized Listing – Time Savings is a Big Winner for Everyone Involved

I don’t know about you, but for me, any opportunity for me to save time is a blessing, especially as we become busier as a society. The more information on a listing, like “Hours of Operations,” the more time that could be spent on other leisure activities or working harder to make more money. I’m not the only one who feels that way. Look at the chart below…

As you know, user reviews, which provide third-party credibility and additional information about a retailer or service, are associated with large increases in online activity. But, did you know that having a link to a website is also associated with large differences in online activity, and businesses that include a URL have 60% more direction requests than those that do not? So do you want more business?

Make Sure All Optimized Business Listings Include the Following

Are You Ready to Start Creating Optimized Business Listings?

I know there are a lot of numbers in this article, but after reading this, you should be convinced that there are many benefits for both businesses and consumers if we would all just take the time to completely fill out, optimize and verify business listings in the Google My Business directory and any other important directories or profiles that are available online.

We would improve the financial and non-financial outcomes for every community, just by adding all the information we can to our business listings. Chew on that!

The Secret Benefits to Complete #Business Listings by @BernieColeman #RocksDigital #SEO
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Any stats in this article pop out for you? What steps are you going to do differently starting today?

The post The Secret Benefits to Complete Business Listings are Not So Secret After All appeared first on Rocks Digital.

It’s no surprise that many businesses struggle with local presence management today, as there’s a lot of outdated and just-plain-wrong data linked to businesses online. When a customer accesses that bad data then gets lost trying to reach a location, 67% of them will lose trust in the business. The multi-location business faces the same challenges as businesses with only one location, and they must also manage online data for each of their stores or locations. Whether a business has two locations or two thousand, there’s a lot to think about at once.

So what’s a multi-location business to do? For starters, add a store locator map to the website. A good store locator makes it fast and convenient for customers find directions to the nearest location – and a great store locator generates unique landing pages to improve the business’ local SEO.

How Multi-Location Businesses Can Use Location Landing Pages as Microsites

Creating a landing page for each location is a definite step in the right direction. However, to get the most value from these landing pages, multi-location businesses should treat them as a microsite for each location.

Simply generating a page for each location is not enough; each page should have dynamic content that store owners can edit, individual location data specific to the store, and a unique URL that search engines can index.

When creating these landing pages it’s important to make sure you’re not actually creating doorway pages. If you don’t know what a doorway page is (or how to avoid them), you need to do your research!

Getting Started with Location Landing Pages

1. Give Each Landing Page Its Own URL

Generating individual landing pages with unique URLs makes it easier for Google to find and index business information and location data – especially if the pages are SEO-optimized for their specific location. This helps the business perform better in local search results when potential customers search for them online. The increased visibility allows more searchers to discover nearby locations, thereby driving web traffic to the landing page as well as foot traffic to the physical store.

2. Place NAP Data on the Landing Page

Each location should have its own name, address, and phone number listed on the landing page. As always, it’s important to keep NAP data consistent and accurate across all business listings for the location (including local directories and Google My Business listings).

By allowing business owners to easily update location details, multi-location businesses minimize data inconsistencies that damage online presence, making it easier for customers to find nearby stores, get in touch, or drop by.

At my company, Advice Local, our Store Locator product makes it easy for multi-location businesses to create and manage location landing pages.

3. Offer Location-Specific Promotions and Coupons

There are plenty of reasons multi-location brands should have a unique landing page for each location, but here’s an often-overlooked benefit – the ability to drive local sales. Location landing pages can contain photos, team bios, and the other details that make a location unique, and they can also highlight special offers.

When a customer visits the landing page for their local store, they should be able to instantly see if a promotion is still valid and if there are any specials they should come in to take advantage of.

Note that phrase above: come in to take advantage of. Again, this demonstrates why it’s important for location data to be accurate. And “close” is not good enough here, go for 100% accuracy every time.

To ensure accuracy and get those customers-to-be through the right door, ensure you have a complete local landing page. Take advantage of the different types of content the business can showcase.

What to Include on a Location Landing Page

• Location-specific info – address, manager name, products sold, etc.
• Images of the location
• Store-specific offers, coupons, and notice of upcoming events
• Customer reviews for the location
• Areas serviced by the location
• Hours of operation (include pertinent holiday or seasonal hours)

Now that you know all about the benefits of creating location landing pages and what kinds of information to include, it’s time to start creating some great landing pages! Local presence management for a multi-location business is doable with the right tools and process in place.

Leveraging Location Landing Pages to Create Microsites by @BernieColeman #RocksDigital #SEO
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 Are you convinced of the necessity of having a landing page for each location? Yes or no? Share your point of view in the comments below!

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I’m sure you have read many blogs about why you should practice link building for SEO purposes, and some about why you shouldn’t. The simple fact is that building links, having a backlink strategy, etc. is just smart – and necessary.

This doesn’t mean you go out and spam people to get links, or that you want a link from just any website. Links matter, but the right links matter more! The wrong link can definitely impact you negatively. (These are links Google frowns upon and that usually come from a spammy website.) In Google Search Console you can identify who is linking to the website, and to which page. You will definitely want to do everything you can to remove spammy links. You might even need to disavow a few backlinks. If you are not familiar with which links are good or bad, and which ones to disavow, definitely consult an expert.

Backlink Building Strategies that Work

Today I want to talk with you about 10 backlink techniques you may want to consider adding to your arsenal. Some you probably know and do, and a few you might not have considered – at least not recently!

1. Identifying Competitor Backlinks

A major part of SEO is knowing what your competitors are doing. Think about how many links you could have if every time a competitor gains a new backlink, you could drop and an email to the site administrator and possibly get the same link. This is indeed possible, and it starts with identifying competitor backlinks. These types of links could be highly relevant and powerful. There are so many tools out there to help look at your link profile and competitor link profiles that I couldn’t pick just one. Test these out – several have free trials:

• Linkody
• Ahrefs
• Majestic
• Open Site Explorer

2. Get Listed on Quality Directories

Do I really need to tell you about leveraging directories? I know my stuff when it comes to local SEO and the best directories, because at my company, Advice Local, this is one of our specialties.

There are numerous directories available and many of them are free to get listed on. When it comes to building citations you need to focus on quality, not quantity. Look for the best general directories plus niche-specific ones to build authority and relevance. Evaluate each carefully for quality.

3. Guest Post on Quality Sites

While some may think guest posting is a thing of the past, it is still one of the best ways to build relevant backlinks and drive site traffic to your content pieces. For ideas on where you should guest post look to sites that curate niche content from the popular sites, such as Alltop. Avoid guest posting on sites that are happy to take content from anyone, and that do not offer contibutor guidelines for you to review.

I guest blog today on sites like Rocks Digital, Social Media Today, Search Engine Journal, Local Search Association, Search Engine People and many others to build up my brand and authority in the space – and if I’m lucky, get a backlink or two to Advice Local.

4. Forums

Participating in forums is a great way to add to the overall link profile. Most niches won’t have an abundance of popular forums, so focus on the limited number that are credible. When posting in forums it is important to add value when commenting; don’t just drop links for the sake of sharing a link. Only post links that are relevant to the discussion and that add value. It’s not about selling a product or service, but about adding to the conversation.

5. Resource Pages

Niche sites sometimes feature a link or resource page to share websites and content that readers could benefit from. Since these types of pages can be prone to spam, make sure the site owner uses discernment with what they feature. If you provide good quality, you shouldn’t have a problem being added to the list. Remember to focus on adding value when you pitch to be included.

6. Giveaways and Product Reviews

Giveaways are a different option because they can quickly gain popularity, resulting in links from all kinds of sites. If you sell a product, you can simply offer it as a prize. Blogs will need to be more creative, but anything related to the niche can work. For best results, ask entrants to repost on social media before they can enter the giveaway.

One way for brands to build up their link profile is to give away products to mom bloggers and other influencers. Most of the time they will write a review about the product and publish on their blog and/or share on social media. (If you implement this method, make sure that you and the influencer follow all the proper guidelines to avoid a ding from Google for paid links.)

7. Charities & Sponsorships

This method lets you gain a powerful backlink, while also performing a positive service. Many charities will link to your site if you can give a donation or drum up support from your followers. Sponsoring events, whether with money or goods, can also result in backlinks from authority sites when they write about your support or sponsorship, and share about the business on social media.

8. Bring Back Blog Commenting

While blog comments have a negative reputation due to automated spam tools, it is possible to leverage this strategy in a safe way. Focus in on relevant niche sites that don’t allow spam, post comments that contribute to the conversation, ask questions, and build a reputation as a valuable commenter. When you add value, you can often build relationships with the site owner, potentially leading to guest posting opportunities and other types of joint ventures.

9. Press Release Submissions

Publishing press releases is a great way to build a brand, announce a new product, and gain a quality link on authoritative sites. It’s important to craft an interesting story so that the PR service can get your content into the inboxes of the niche site owners and general news platforms. News sites are always looking for interesting stories to share and people to interview.

In addition, many of the online press release services syndicate across a number of relevant platforms, so you could potentially build additional links and spread the news even more.

10. Social Media Optimization and Utilization

No, I didn’t forget about social media as a way to get a backlink! The best part is it’s a signal that search engines pay attention to, and it leads to wider content syndication. This is exactly why it is important to have a well optimized social media profile on the popular sites. Don’t just create the profile or page, but optimize it for search.

Along with posting links to content, make sure you contribute to conversations and repost to other relevant sites. Create images, videos, and have fun with it. Forging relationships on social media can lead to content being featured across a variety of sites you may not have targeted, like Reddit.

SEO Will Evolve and So Will Link Building

SEO is continuously evolving and along with it, the process and techniques to build quality backlinks. If you want to focus on avoiding site penalties and achieve longevity you must build quality links, and that takes time and effort to create. Be wary of using automated tools or vendors that build links in bulk and promise quick turnarounds.

Avoid short-term thinking and take the safer route to the top of the search engines.

10 Backlink Building Techniques by @BernieColeman #SEO #RocksDigital
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Have you tried out any of the backlink methods listed above? Do you have a favorite? Let’s discuss.

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Google often changes things up, as it is constantly fine-tuning its powerful search algorithms. Observant SEO pros can determine when something new is added to the mix, but what about everyone else? Google doesn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops whenever they update or launch a new algorithm. In the case of the AI (artificial intelligence) RankBrain algorithm, Google broke tradition and verified that it is indeed operating – and affecting search results.

Google is Shaking up Search with RankBrain

RankBrain is not just another Google tweak to be ignored. RankBrain uses machine learning to improve search results and goes beyond the keywords that are searched for, factoring in the intent of the user when delivering search results.

RankBrain’s Artificial Intelligence (AI):

• examines how and why people carry out certain searches
• is learning and evolving constantly
• focuses on user intent to deliver stronger search results

The Workings of RankBrain and Local Search

At this point, RankBrain affects less than one quarter of search results. This figure is estimated at around 15–20%, but we can safely say it will increase as the RankBrain algorithm keeps learning. Andrey Lipattsev of Google puts RankBrain in the top three most important ranking factors. That’s huge because the other two top factors are links and content! Once again, RankBrain is another Google tweak, but a very important one, and it has to be considered when creating and publishing content.

Black-hat SEO tactics – spam, keyword stuffing, link farming – will continue to impact website placement in search results. But keep in mind that Google rewards marketers and businesses that play by their rules. Be consistent in providing a quality experience for searchers and customers that will please RankBrain, and therefore Google.

What Does RankBrain Want Most?

It may help to think of RankBrain as a consumer itself. And what does the consumer want? High quality content! Google is big on the concept of E-A-T content, just like searchers, just like the consumer. E-A-T is defined as Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness, and E-A-T content exhibits a high level of each component. Google looks at a website and measures these characteristics, evaluating website quality and basically putting itself in a searcher’s shoes. Is the site helpful and informative? Is it trustworthy?

Everyone wants accurate, high quality, trustworthy results and content to solve their “I-want-to” moments: I want to do, I want to go, I want to learn, I want to buy. These “I-want-to” interludes are called micro-moments (as defined by Google). Every content producer should strive for content that provides reliable information people can learn from and use to fulfill their needs. Such content not only answers questions and solves problems, but it saves time. Go ahead – next time you run a search gauge the amount of high-quality results you see. It seems RankBrain is indeed helping deliver more meaty results with less spam.

Creating Content that RankBrain Likes

1. The Key to Keyword Use

The strong focus on user intent doesn’t put keyword research out of business. On-page optimization and keywords remain an important part of local SEO. Historically, the focus has been on shorter, keyword-heavy content. However, the content producer should no longer focus on a single keyword, but instead, choose a main keyword phrase supplemented with a few related search terms. Content that goes more in-depth is rewarded in the RankBrain world.

2. Put People First

RankBrain’s AI core is looking for content obviously directed at real people. This is definitely a case where “the customer is always right” as Google rewards natural-sounding content directed towards the searcher. When creating content always keep the target audience in mind. As a creator yet also a consumer, what would you like to see? Write and create with this mindset.

3. Remember the Local Aspect

In creating this deep-focused content for real people, include the local aspect. You have perhaps heard the expression, “all politics is local.” Accordingly, the needs of the local consumer take priority, so be sure to include localized content and keywords aimed at a specific audience. Do this consistently and RankBrain will take notice, helping to get a business found via higher rankings and improved visibility.

How to Optimize for Local #Search for #Google’s #RankBrain by @BernieColeman #RocksDigital
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So now that you understand RankBrain’s intentions and preferences, are you ready to produce better content? Calculate the next best steps and get started!

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Businesses that want to capitalize on mobile marketing should think about when their customers are most likely to be online, how mobile impacts purchasing decisions, and how they can offer a more user-friendly mobile experience. The more a business knows about these consumer behaviors, the better it can leverage those behaviors to connect with potential customers.

When it comes to understanding the growing reliance on smartphones, businesses should consider both how and when their audience is connected.

Mobile Facts and Consumer Behavior

1. How Often Do Consumers Check Their Phones?

There’s no doubt that smartphones are an integral part of daily life for mobile users. But just how much time do we spend on our phones each day?

The average consumer checks their smartphone 150 times per day. This year, American adults are expected to spend just under six hours each day on digital media. Of that screen time, adult consumers will spend over half (about 3 hours and 15 minutes daily) on mobile devices.

Additionally, 65% of all searches are performed on mobile devices, placing desktop on the backburner in terms of search as well as overall use.

2. When Does Mobile Activity Peak?

 What do half of all people do first thing in the morning? Here’s a hint: it’s not saying good morning to their partner.

A recent study found that 61% of smartphone users check their phones within five minutes of waking up each morning. If that doesn’t tell business owners where consumers’ place their priorities, I’m not sure what will. That same study also found that within 30 minutes of waking up, 88% of smartphone owners check their phones and almost everyone – 96% of users to be exact – checks their phone within the first hour of their day.

Additionally, 74% of people check their phones about 15 minutes before going to bed at night.

3. How Heavily Does Mobile Impact Consumer Decisions?

 You and I both know that mobile devices influence choices in just about every aspect of our lives, from what we eat and where we shop to what we buy and how much we spend. Consumers rely on information found on mobile devices (such as online reviews, social media recommendations, and Google searches to compare similar products and prices) when making a good deal of their purchasing decisions. These are known as micro-moments.

Here are a few stats that demonstrate just how powerful mobile and these micro-moments can be when it comes to influencing consumer choices:

• 50% of mobile consumers who use their smartphones for local search visit a store within 24 hours – and 18% of those local searches result in a same-day purchase.
• 82% of consumers turn to their smartphones for help making purchasing decisions in-store.
• On average, mobile ads receive 3X more clicks than traditional PPC ads.
• Mobile influenced almost $1 trillion in sales in 2015 alone.

4. How Is Mobile Screen Time Split Between Apps and Websites?

It’s no secret that mobile-friendly websites convert more visitors into customers, especially when compared to websites that don’t load quickly on smartphones. But how do mobile apps stack up?

According to comScore, about 90% of time spent on mobile devices takes place within mobile apps. That’s because mobile apps are not only more user-friendly than many mobile websites, but they also allow businesses to connect with consumers by sending push notifications directly to their phone.

A well-designed mobile app is a valuable asset to any business looking to increase engagement, brand loyalty, and sales – even if the business already has a mobile-friendly website.

Mobilizing Resources to Satisfy Demands of Local, Voice, Wearable Tech and more

Mobile search certainly isn’t going away, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t changing. We can expect to see mobile search evolve as certain trends gain prominence this year, including voice search, wearable devices, and a preference for local search results.

Voice Search

Mobile voice search is becoming popular because consumers want fast access to information on-the-go. This means websites that feature natural-sounding language will be most effective as this trend continues to grow.

Businesses should consider writing content that answers the specific questions consumers are asking about their industry and integrate long-tail keyword phrases into their SEO strategy to bring in traffic from voice search.

Wearable Tech

Smartphones and tablets aren’t the only mobile devices consumers are using. Though wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers have been around for a few years now, we’re finally seeing them gain traction among mainstream consumers.

The majority of people who use wearable tech these days are millennials (48% are between 18 and 34) and the most popular devices are smartwatches.

Local Search

With Google’s new divided index prioritizing mobile search over desktop, mobile search results are becoming more targeted and more local. I can’t stress this enough: it’s now more important than ever for businesses to craft an online presence that caters to local customers and is easily accessible by mobile consumers.

Businesses that want to leverage consumer mobile activity should continually re-evaluate the effectiveness of their mobile marketing and think of new ways to connect with local customers.

As you know, I’m all about providing a resource to go along with great content. To learn more about mobile marketing download my complimentary eBook, Making the Most of the Mobile Experience.

#Mobile Stats Reveal Where #Business Can Meet Consumer Needs by @BernieColeman #RocksDigital
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What are you going to do differently to compete in this mobile-driven world? Comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

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