SearchLove London | David Mihm, 'Bulletproofing Your Local Search Presence in 2015

David Mihm@davidmihm

davidm@moz.com

Bulletproofing Your Local Search Presence for 2015+David Mihm davidm@moz.com / @davidmihm 27

October 2014

What local search means to Google1Key local developments at Google

Long-haul local tactics

What I’ll Be Talking About

Making Your Mark in Google’s Local World

A closer look at Pigeon22a3

Recap4

1. What does local searchmean to Google?

frequency+ engagement+ purchase intent=Mobile.

25% 75%50%

SEOs’ vision of local search

Google’s vision of local search

“ $ ?” “ ?”

The foundation for all of this isALREADY HERE.

Knowledge Graph

Sentiment

Hat tip: Michael Cottam

October 2010

Transaction

June 2012

October 2013

Closing the Loop

How do you provide “number of website hits”

in a world where no one visits your website?

How do you provide “ranking reports” in a world:

- without search results? - where everyone has different results?

Local SEOs need to adapt and evolve.

Adjust your mindset to pre-website conversionHelp Google create knowledge cards for your business(es)

Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion

(Diversify your marketing so you’re NOT reliant on Google)

How do you adapt to this world?

2. Key local developments at Google

SEOs Google

Pigeon!

Google+ Failed!

Google My Business Released!

Hummingbird.

Google+ Served Its Purpose.

Backend Is Unified.

Unified loginPersonalized resultsCross-device trackingSpam prevention

2012 2014

- Realtime updates now possible.- Unified Mapmaker backend; many more

countries- Static listing IDs- No more custom categories

2a. A closer look / sneak peek at Pigeon

Google told us that the new local search algorithm ties deeper into their web search capabilities, including the hundreds of ranking signals they use in web search along with search features such as Knowledge Graph, spelling correction, synonyms and more.

In addition, Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters.

http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778

TL;DRWeb ranking

signalsKnowledge

GraphDistance :

location

Mozcast data

WhatMozcastSays

TL;DRWeb ranking

signalsKnowledge

GraphDistance :

location

*Note: across bothpack and localizedorganic results.

2014 LSRFFactors INCREASINGin importancesince Pigeon

TL;DRWeb ranking

signalsKnowledge

GraphDistance :

location

Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14Breakdown of Changes Among Branded and Geo-Modified Terms

Terms that GAINED Packs/Carousels

Terms that GAINED Local AOBs

Terms that SWITCHED from Packs/Carousels to Local AOBsTerms whose Packs CHANGED numbers

Terms that SWITCHED from Local AOBs to Packs/Carousels

Terms that LOST Local AOBs

Terms that LOST Packs/Carousels

Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14Breakdown of Changes Among Branded and Geo-Modified Terms

(Knowledge Graph adjustments)

TLDR;Fairly even breakdown of gains and losses on these terms.

Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14Breakdown of Changes Among Geo-Modified Terms

Many of these are real estate related

Lots of gains among branded terms

Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14Breakdown of Changes Among Geo-Modified Terms

TL;DRWeb ranking

signalsKnowledge

GraphDistance :

location

Distance : Location

*Note: across bothpack and localizedorganic results.

2014 LSRFFactors INCREASINGin importancesince Pigeon

“Convenience Store”Tighter radius to location of searchfor generic phrases.

Wider radius to location of searchfor geomodified phrases.

“Convenience Store Portland”

TL;DRWeb ranking

signalsKnowledge

GraphDistance :

location

SEOs Google

Pigeon!

Google+ Failed!

Google My Business Released!

Hummingbird.

Google+ Served Its Purpose.

Backend Is Unified.

http://pslawinski.smugmug.com/

1.Search results in search results 2.Well-optimized regional-vertical directories3.Less blendinghttp://moz.com/blog/local-hummingbird-results

“Brands are how you sort out the cesspool of the Internet.”

--Eric Schmidt, Oct. 2008

“This is what you’re left with when you try to do that in Local.”

--David Mihm, Oct. 2014

"Père-Lachaise - Divison 90 - Lahovary 09" by Antonin Mercié. Wikimedia Commons.

{ pigeon poo }

Why does this…

http://searchengineland.com/expedia-becomes-new-york-city-hotel-googles-pigeon-local-update-198339

…and this…

http://blumenthals.com/blog/2014/07/31/google-pigeon-poo/

…and this…

Chris Silver Smithhttp://searchengineland.com/optimizing-business-internet-yellow-pages-directories-202414

…and this…

Chris Silver Smithhttp://searchengineland.com/optimizing-business-internet-yellow-pages-directories-202414

…and this…

(From my December 2013post)

…and this…

…happen?BRAND preference.

Web signals, i.e. links, have NEVER been good at identifying worthy local businesses.

Directories’ internal links are more powerful than all but a handful of inbound links to local businesses.

http://pslawinski.smugmug.com/

3. Long-haul Local Tactics

(Core ranking factors have not changed THAT much.)

One that has:Clickthrough rate / behavior

Help Google generate knowledge cards for your business(es)Site ArchitectureStructured Data

Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversionGet ReviewsPhotos and Snippets

Barnacle onto Brands

Long-Haul Local Tactics

Site Architecture• Crawlable, traditional directories

• Unique page for each location

HomeStores

• Optimize for conversions

• Title: “Brand – Keyword(s) in City, ST”• Full “NAP” for each location in Schema• Rich content

Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL

Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, ILDomino’s Pizza1415 W Irving Park RdChicago, IL 60613(773) 871-3030

Get Driving Directions

Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside!

Open Daily1030 am – 130 am

PLACE AN ORDER

(From the Manager)

PLACE AN ORDER

(From the Manager)

PLACE AN ORDER

(From the Manager)

Help Google generate knowledge cards

Structured DataGoogle My Business

https://www.google.com/local/manage/

Google My Businessis only part of theequation.

Source: Google Patent Application 60658214

“Generating Structured Information”

Structured Data

What this:

really looks like…

Interesting Post-Pigeon Data Point

Get Reviews. Why?• 79% of people trust reviews as much as personal recommendations

• Visual impact on clickthrough rate• Snippets and relevance• (Also, rankings!)Source: http://searchengineland.com/2013-study-79-of-consumers-trust-online-reviews-as-much-as-personal-recommendations-164565Source: http://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors

Get Reviews. Where?

(Another) Interesting Post-Pigeon Data Point

http://glassalmanac.com/zip-code-glass-experience/1143/http://www.localseoguide.com/new-google-mobile-local-results/

Photos

http://glassalmanac.com/zip-code-glass-experience/1143/http://www.localseoguide.com/new-google-mobile-local-results/

Photos

Barnacle onto Brands

h/t Will Scott and Justin Sanger for the term “Barnacle” in Local

4. Recap

GMB SIGNALS

SEARCHERCENTROID

BEHAVIORAL

ON-PAGE REVIEWS

CITATIONS

AlgorithmicEvolution

2008 – 10 Pack Introduction2012 – Stability Post-Venice2014 – Pigeon

AlgorithmicEvolution

2008 – 10 Pack Introduction2012 – Stability Post-Venice2014 – Pigeon

GMB SIGNALS

SEARCHERCENTROID

BEHAVIORAL

ON-PAGE REVIEWS

CITATIONS

2015+ – My Prediction

RecapGoogle is thinking way beyond your website.

Rankings and on-site conversions are now just directional indicators of success.

Need a a broader overall business impact assessment than web analytics provides.

RecapProximity is shifting dramatically towards searcher.

Content, authority can pull-in geomodifying searchers where the radius is wider.

RecapBrand signals are on the rise.

This rewards1. Directories

(Consider barnacling for success)2. National brands with strong Local SEO3. Branded anchor text4. Branded searches5. Clickthrough rate

RecapReviews continue to grow in importance.

Google seems to be using review content to assess categorical relevance.

Pigeon is coming.Take screenshots of your top keywords NOW to assess before-and-after.

When it hits…study—don’t complain about—the crazy Authoritative OneBoxes.

These are valuable learning opportunities (Jack Regan, Leucadia);the algorithm will mature eventually.

Order of Operations

PrioritizeConversion

Photos

(Barnacle)

Optimize YourReview Process

Research topindustry sites

Integrate into CRM

ManageLocation Data

Google MyBusiness

Majoraggregators

Importantdirectories

Optimize Store Locator

Crawlable structure

One location,one page

Title Tags

NAP in Schema.org

Optimize forconverstions

Thank you!davidm@moz.com

moz.com/local

Ongoing ResourcesMoz.com/blog

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