Authority In Local Search

Authority In Authority In Local SearchLocal Search

Michael W. Dobson PhDMichael W. Dobson PhDPresidentPresident

TeleMapics LLCTeleMapics [email protected]@telemapics.com

1 949 305 71561 949 305 7156

blog.telemapics.com [email protected]

Authority And LocationAuthority And Location

AuthorityAuthority Of acknowledged accuracy or excellenceOf acknowledged accuracy or excellence Highly reliable, trustworthyHighly reliable, trustworthy

LocationLocation A place where something is located; a A place where something is located; a

sitesite A positionA position


Local SearchLocal Search

An attempt to search a database of An attempt to search a database of business listings to determine the business listings to determine the locationlocation of those businesses meeting of those businesses meeting the conditions stipulated by someone the conditions stipulated by someone trying to find one nearbytrying to find one nearby Connecting the location of the business Connecting the location of the business

with the searcher is the ultimate goal of with the searcher is the ultimate goal of the processthe process


Local Search ServicesLocal Search Services

Will be advertising or fee-drivenWill be advertising or fee-driven Advertisers and users will expect the Advertisers and users will expect the

process to be process to be authoritativeauthoritative People can find what they are looking for in People can find what they are looking for in

the listingsthe listings People can find the location in the real worldPeople can find the location in the real world The location provides the good or service The location provides the good or service

desireddesired


Authority?Authority?



Is Local Search Is Local Search Authoritative?Authoritative?

No – far from itNo – far from it



Error Sources In Local Error Sources In Local SearchSearch

Map/navigation databaseMap/navigation database Business listings databaseBusiness listings database Geospatial functionalityGeospatial functionality

GeocodingGeocoding Mapping techniquesMapping techniques Projection selection/translationProjection selection/translation Datum selection/translationDatum selection/translation

Search functionalitySearch functionality


So, Who Are The So, Who Are The Authorities?Authorities?

MappingMapping Navteq?Navteq? TeleAtlas?TeleAtlas? US census?US census? ESRI?ESRI? OpenStreetMap?OpenStreetMap? Google Map Maker?Google Map Maker? Business owners?Business owners?


Authoritative?Authoritative?






Who Are The Authorities?Who Are The Authorities?

Business listingsBusiness listings infoUSA?infoUSA? Axciom?Axciom? D&B?D&B? Amacai?Amacai? Business owners?Business owners?



GeocodingGeocoding Navteq?Navteq? TeleAtlas?TeleAtlas? deCarta?deCarta? ESRI?ESRI? Microsoft?Microsoft? Google?Google? Yahoo?Yahoo? Ask?Ask? Business owners?Business owners?


More On GeocodingMore On Geocoding

Geocoding errorsGeocoding errors Average in residential areas is 25 to 168 Average in residential areas is 25 to 168

metersmeters Major errors commonMajor errors common Vendor address match rates (98%,82%, Vendor address match rates (98%,82%,

81%, 30%)81%, 30%) Average error distance in meters (1809, Average error distance in meters (1809,

748, 704, 228)748, 704, 228)


In Other WordsIn Other Words

““You have no idea how bad these You have no idea how bad these data are.”data are.” John Hanke (product director John Hanke (product director

Earth/Maps/Sketchup – Google )Earth/Maps/Sketchup – Google ) During his presentation at ILM conference in During his presentation at ILM conference in

20072007


What Is Authoritative?What Is Authoritative?

Search functionalitySearch functionality Classification of businessClassification of business Specialization of businessSpecialization of business What search terms should be used to What search terms should be used to

find the business?find the business? What details about the business should What details about the business should

be presented to the searcher?be presented to the searcher? Service and product Service and product

taxonomies/folksonomiestaxonomies/folksonomies



Search functionalitySearch functionality Google?Google? Yahoo?Yahoo? Microsoft?Microsoft? Companies that data mine their search Companies that data mine their search

click streams?click streams? Business owners?Business owners?


Sources Of ErrorSources Of Error


Who Knows More Of The Who Knows More Of The Answers Than Anyone Else?Answers Than Anyone Else? Business owners Business owners

Know where they are located (street Know where they are located (street address, next to bank of America, at the address, next to bank of America, at the intersection of, mall entrance 2 east, intersection of, mall entrance 2 east, etc)etc)

Know their business specialtiesKnow their business specialties Know the client they want to attractKnow the client they want to attract

And can provide relevant keywords and And can provide relevant keywords and information to do soinformation to do so


Where Is The Business Where Is The Business Owner?Owner?


Why Do Business Owners Why Do Business Owners Care About Local Search?Care About Local Search?

Local search and mobile local search Local search and mobile local search are replacing the yellow pagesare replacing the yellow pages Listings information is not being Listings information is not being

controlled to benefit the businesscontrolled to benefit the business Correcting listing information requires Correcting listing information requires

significant effort, if it can be significant effort, if it can be accomplished at allaccomplished at all

Lost connects result in lost businessLost connects result in lost business


How To Improve Process?How To Improve Process?

Owner generated contentOwner generated content Substitute owner-informed positioning Substitute owner-informed positioning

for geocoding.for geocoding. Involve business owner as curator of name, Involve business owner as curator of name,

address, contact information. address, contact information. Product/service specialization and location.Product/service specialization and location.

Create a business registry - partner with the Create a business registry - partner with the business ownerbusiness owner

Now, let’s talk about how.Now, let’s talk about how.


Financial ConsiderationsFinancial Considerations

Many of the major companies that Many of the major companies that currently license business listings currently license business listings datadata Collect/generate business listings as a Collect/generate business listings as a

sideline made possible by other data sideline made possible by other data collection activitiescollection activities Business listings internet revenue appears Business listings internet revenue appears

not to be a viable method of creating a not to be a viable method of creating a company based solely on business listingscompany based solely on business listings

Are there UGC alternatives?Are there UGC alternatives? UnlikelyUnlikely


AlternativesAlternatives

Create an enterprise that partners Create an enterprise that partners with the business owner to perform with the business owner to perform these functions:these functions: Business listings registry Business listings registry (authoritative)(authoritative)

Business listings registry distributionBusiness listings registry distribution Eventually real-timeEventually real-time

Business listing SEOBusiness listing SEO Business website GeotaggingBusiness website Geotagging

Authoring, assistance, hosting, SEO, Authoring, assistance, hosting, SEO, advertising, etc.advertising, etc.


AlternativesAlternatives

Revenue SourcesRevenue Sources Business owner subscriptionBusiness owner subscription

Tiered subscription depending on servicesTiered subscription depending on services Subscriptions both a revenue source and a Subscriptions both a revenue source and a

measure of “time to live” for contact info.measure of “time to live” for contact info. periodic contactperiodic contact

Modest distribution fee from online Modest distribution fee from online advertisingadvertising

Possible additional services.Possible additional services.


Who Is Going Take This Who Is Going Take This Challenge?Challenge?

Intuit?Intuit? Acquired BooRahAcquired BooRah Has a relationship with business ownersHas a relationship with business owners Already provides accounting and web Already provides accounting and web

services to SMBsservices to SMBs Intellistry?Intellistry? infoUSA?infoUSA? Amacai?Amacai?


One Final NoteOne Final Note

In some ways working with the In some ways working with the business owner to create a registry business owner to create a registry of business listings is the correlate of of business listings is the correlate of driving the streets to create driving the streets to create navigation databases.navigation databases. Data mining is not sufficient to create Data mining is not sufficient to create

navigation databases navigation databases Data mining is not sufficient to create Data mining is not sufficient to create

authoritative directories of business authoritative directories of business listingslistings


For More For More

See our blog See our blog Exploring LocalExploring Local

http://blog.telemapics.comhttp://blog.telemapics.com

Technology

Authority In Local Search