inside local--local-search-importance-sept2013

The Following Slide Presentation is Adapted From a RecentLocal Search Webinar. (Sept. 2013)

Why attention to Local Search is important to SMB’s

Data to support claims

Expert opinions regarding data and trends

Contents:

Section 1

So why Citations?!(Citations are mentions of one or more parts of your businesses NAP

NAP = Name, Address & Phone Number)

‘Enhanced Listings for Local Search Greatness’

Myles AndersonLocal Search Expert

Data drives internet & mobile

All local sites & services need data

Location Based Services & apps

need a data layer

Same data sources feed into web & mobile

More data sources & outlets than ever before

More local searches than ever before

Mobile driving growth in local searches

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 20160

20

40

60

80

100

120

Mobile Desktop

BIA/Kelsey Local Commerce Monitor (LCM) Survey, Wave 16, November 2012

Scale = billion searches/year

169,000,000,000‘LOCAL’ SEARCHES IN 2015

BIA/Kelsey Local Commerce Monitor (LCM) Survey, Wave 16, November 2012

(169 Billion searches projected worldwide)

Citations remain ‘the key’ factor in local search

2008From Quantity

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013To Quality

#6 ‘Validation with third-party providers’

#2 ‘Citations from Major Data Providers’

#4 Volume of structured Citations

#7 Quality of structured Citations from

#10 Quality of unstructured citations

#11 Volume of unstructured citations

#4 Volume of structured Citations

#5 Volume of unstructured Citations

#5 Quantity of Structured Citations

#8 Quality & Authority of Structured Citations

#3 Consistency of Structured Citations

#4 Quality & Authority of Structured Citations

#6 Quantity of Structured Citations

#14, 16, 25, 39

Source: Local Search Ranking Factors Study – 2008-2013

Expert Citation Survey 2013

17 local search experts

11 questions

Key & common questions

A big thank you to…

Expert Citation Survey - PanelistsMike Blumenthal

Andrew Shotland

Nyagoslav Zhekov

David Moceri

Mike Ramsey

Phil Rozek

Laura Betterley

Casey Meraz

Susan Hallam

Mike Bellasco

Matthew Hunt

Brian Coryat

Damian Rollinson

Don Campbell

Jon Keel

Phil Britton

Myles Anderson

How important are accurate Citations to local search ranking?

Critical Very Important Quite Important Not Important0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

69%

19%12%

0%

Are Citations getting more or less important to local search ranking?

More Important The Same Less Important0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

44%50%

6%

What is more important - quantity or quality of Citations?

Quality Quantity Same Importance0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

63%

19% 18%

Which type of sites are most valuable for Citations?

Local Dir National Dir Niche/Industry All the same0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

19%

31%

25% 25%

Is it more important to update existing wrong citations or build new citations?

Existing New Mix of both0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

38%

6%

56%

How important is it to merge or delete duplicate citations?

Essential Very Important Quite Important Not Very Important0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

31%

19%

38%

13%

Do you think it's best to build citations quickly or steadily over time?

Build st

eadily

(3-6 m

onths)

Depends on quan

tity of e

xisting

Build quick

ly (1-2 m

onths)

Build as

man

y as y

ou can now!

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

53%

27%13%

7%

“We know building citations quickly for new sites is essential; but equally, citation building is an ongoing steady process, not a one hit wonder. A steady approach always wins with Google! ”

Susan Hallam

“Citation building should be an on-going process and never end.”

Mike Blumenthal

Does address formatting need to be 100% perfect? (or do small differences not matter? )

100% Perfect Important but not critical Formatting not an issue0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

31%

50%

19%

“As far as address formatting goes, different sites tend to use different standards of abbreviation. This forces sites like Google to use they're own standardized matching algorithms to yield better, more unified results. …Moral of the story is, don't intentionally alternate between Road and Rd, but don't stress over it if it happens..”

Phil Britten

How important is 'richness' of citations?(I.E. adding 'description', 'photos', 'opening hours’ etc…)

Very Important Quite Important Not Important0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

56%

31%

13%

How important is it to use different descriptions across different sites?

Not importa

nt now but m

ay be in fu

ture

Importa

nt to do on high value dire

ctorie

s

Not importa

nt & time co

nsuming

Useful to help cit

ations rank higher

Importa

nt to avoid dupe co

ntent penalties

Importa

nt beca

use some sit

es check

for u

nique content

Don't bother!

0%

10%

20%

30%30%

26%

17%

3% 4% 4% 4%

Only 40% say it’s important to do….

Not importa

nt now but m

ay be in fu

ture

Importa

nt to do on high value dire

ctorie

s

Not importa

nt & time co

nsuming

Useful to help cit

ations rank higher

Importa

nt to avoid dupe co

ntent penalties

Importa

nt beca

use some sit

es check

for u

nique content

Don't bother!

0%

10%

20%

30%30%

26%

17%

3% 4% 4% 4%