Search engines have sought to increase their advertiser base by
moving aggressively into providing directory information. Applications
such as Google Maps, Yahoo! Local, and Bing Maps have introduced
disruptive technology to local directory information by mashing up maps
with directory listings, reviews/ratings, satellite images, and 3D
modeling—all tied together with keyword search relevancy. This area of
search is still in a lot of flux as evolutionary changes continue to come
hard and fast. However, these innovations have excited users, and the
mapping interfaces are growing in popularity as a result.Despite rapid innovation in search engine technology, the local
information market is still extremely fractured. There is no single
dominant provider of local business information on the Internet. According
to industry metrics, online users are typically going to multiple sources
to locate, research, and select local businesses. Traditional search
engines, local search engines, online Yellow Pages, newspaper websites,
online classifieds, industry-specific “vertical” directories, and review
sites are all sources of information for people trying to find businesses
in their area.
This fractured nature of online local marketing creates considerable
challenges for organizations, whether they’re a small mom and pop business
with only a single location or a large chain store with outlets across the
country.
Yet, success in these efforts is critical. The opportunity for local
search is huge. More than any other form of vertical search, local search
results have come to dominate their place in web search. For example,
Figure 1 shows the results for a
search on minneapolis rental cars.
The regular web search results are not even above the fold. This
means that if you are not in the local search database, you are probably
not getting any traffic from searches similar to this one.
Obviously, the trick is to rank for relevant terms, as most of you
probably don’t offer rental cars in Minneapolis. But if your business has
a local component to it, you need to play the local search game.
1. Foundation: Check Your Local Listings
Today, literally thousands of online directories and websites
offer up guides to local businesses. So, if you have a local business or
a chain of shops, where do you start?
Directories can be built from the local phone company’s database
information, but no one phone company covers the entire country. Because
of this, companies that host nationwide directories are primarily
getting their content from data aggregators to form
the foundation of their guides. Data aggregators build their content
from a variety of sources, such as local area Yellow Pages, to have
information that is as comprehensive as possible.
Three top aggregators exist for U.S. business listings: InfoUSA, Acxiom, and Amacai, as shown in Figure 2.
The first step in managing the online presence of local companies
is to check and update the business’s listing information in each of
these main aggregators. Ensure that the address information, phone
numbers, fax numbers, and any other contact information are
correct.
It is also a good idea to check/update your listing information in
the top Yellow Pages directory sites, vertical directories (directories
that are apropos for your industry), and top local search engines. But
how do you decide what the top local information sites are?
As of this book’s printing, the best guide for Internet Yellow
Pages, vertical directories, and local search engines is the Local Search Guide
provided by the Yellow Pages
Association. Check your listings in each of the sites listed in
the guide, and update where necessary.
Of the search engines listed in the guide, you’ll focus primarily
on their local search or map search sections, and you’ll want to look
for how to add/update/edit your listings in them. For instance, you can
find the interface for updating listings in the Google, Yahoo!, and Bing
search engines at the following URLs:
Google and Microsoft offer methods for validation using automated
phone and fax systems. Yahoo! offers a paid service in which the
business pays for data maintenance and then gets direct control over its
listings.
The major advantage that these systems offer is that you are
validating your data directly with the search engines themselves. You
can bet that they will treat this as highly trusted data. If the address
you validate directly with them is 39 Temple Street and the InfoUSA
address is 41 Temple Street, they are probably going to use the 39
Temple Street address.
1.1. Additional local info guides
Search engines are not the only source for local business
information. Some of the more notable alternatives include the
following.
1.1.1. Additional local online Yellow Pages
In addition to the online directories listed in the Local
Search Guide, check to see that you’ve also updated your information
in any local directory sites that are independent of the Local
Search Guide lists. Other Yellow Pages guides may be dominant for
your area but may not be listed. Check the printed phone books
delivered in the area where your business is located, and see
whether they have URLs printed on their covers where you can
audit/update your information.
1.1.2. Additional vertical directory sites
The Local Search Guide lists only a handful of vertical
directories, so if your industry isn’t represented in that set, you
might do some research to identify ones appropriate for you, and
check them to ensure that your business listing is optimal in
them.
1.1.3. Newspapers
Check the sites of the top newspapers in your area and see
whether they have business directories with a good presence for
you.
1.1.4. Chambers of commerce
Most U.S. cities have a local chamber of commerce to help
promote businesses in the area, and getting listed within it can be
beneficial to you, particularly if the chamber’s site is optimized
for search engines; getting your chamber of commerce listing linked
over to your website can help with your link weight.
1.1.5. Online classifieds and eBay
These sorts of sites can be time-consuming to integrate with,
but users sometimes conduct local-based searches through them for
some types of products and services. Craigslist is the most-used
online classifieds site, although there could be more specialized
ones for particular cities or industries. Figure 3 shows results from an eBay
search for stuffed animals.
EBay’s advanced
search features allow users to search for things offered by sellers
in particular regions/localities. So, for some types of businesses,
it could be helpful or worthwhile to list products on eBay. Listing
items through online classified or auction sites might not be good
for improving direct sales, but it could be worthwhile as another
channel for advertising to local consumers.
1.1.6. Local guides
Loads of local guides are devoted to information about local
areas, so search on your city’s name or zip code and see what sites
appear on the first page of results in each of the main search
engines: Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Review the top local guide sites
for your area and assess whether they’re apropos for your business’s
information.
1.1.7. Specialty Yellow Pages
Many niche Yellow Pages directories are geared toward
particular demographic groups—for instance, special interest groups
or directories in other languages. Consider integrating with the
ones that are right for you and your business. Association with
these specialized guides may position you for more ready acceptance
by the end users of those guides, because it sends them a clear
message that you value their interests and are more directly
sympathetic to their needs and desires. Here are some
examples:
