Posts by Mary Bowling

Business profiles. While you've been able to create your own blog and/or website on Google for years, it is now touting that it will enable Business profile pages on Google+ at some point. It's not surprising that the Goog is trying to emulate Facebook again, is it? The big question is why do businesses need both a Place page and a Google+ business profile? We'll find out soon.

Business Profiles Update: Google is creating demand for what is essentially an unknown product. It has twice opened up requests to be in the test group for business profiles and both times the response was massive. At the same time, Google is quickly closing down unauthorized profiles for businesses that have already been created. Ho...

What's New In Local Search – July 2011

AdWords Express is the new name for Boost, Google's automated AdWords product designed for small businesses. Once a business has created and claimed its Place page, Google uses information on the Place page to set up and automatically manage its ppc advertising according to the budget given. Other companies have been using automated rules to inexpensively manage ppcs for years, that it's surprising it has taken Google so long to get into this game.

hReview microformatting on a business' own website is beginning to pay off. There are reports that some of those marked-up testimonials appearing as reviews on Place pages. You probably publish comments from happy custom...

The long-awaited update of the Local Search Ranking Factors Survey was released a few weeks ago and things have changed pretty drastically since the last survey 12 months ago! Unless you've had your head buried in the sand, you're well aware of the algorithm shifts that occurred in October of 2010 and the survey will confirm many of your gut feelings and observations, while giving you some new factors to consider when doing Local SEO.

In this year's survey 34 expert Local Search practitioners weighed in with their opinions on 79 possible ranking factors. That's a bellyful of information to try to digest. My advice is not to worry about anything that isn't in the to...

I'll keep it short and to the point the same way I keep you updated on the latest in the local search industry.

I've been involved in owning, operating and marketing local businesses since I was in grade school. (Yep, lemonade stands, recycling, snow shoveling , babysitting, paper delivery and anything else I could make a buck doing.)

I got hooked on internet marketing in 2003 and have been involved with Local Search since before anyone ever gave it a name. As one of the "old-timers" of Local Search, I speak frequently at industry conferences and have been teaching the subject through various venues for years.

See my profile on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter and read my...

Hotel booking via pay-per-click ads is now available directly from the SERPs from both local pack and blended listings. It's not clear just who can advertise in this way or how you can participate, so it is probably a test that will either expand or go away when Google fully implements the ITA technology. Lodging properties should be certain they have an easy-to-use online availability and booking system prominently displayed on all pages of their websites. If I were working in that space, I would be strongly considering promoting a "low price guarantee" to try to capture more direct bookings.

Facebook a...

Google says. At the South by Southwest Interactive conference (SXSW) in Austin in March, Google VP Marissa Meyers said ( paraphrased): ( http://paidcontent.org/article/419-marissa-mayer-why-google-maps-needs-customer-support/ ):

• Google needs to step up its customer service for Google Places. Yeah, this can't happen too soon!
• 40% of Google Maps usage comes from Mobile devices. Are you ready for those users?
• 6 million Place pages have been claimed by business owners. Huge opportunity still exists!

Yelp reviews explode. In mid-March, Yelp announces that it has reached more than 10 million reviews on its site. By mid-April, it says the ...

It's no secret that the Yellow Pages industry has been struggling to keep its head above water. It is now rebranding itself and making a strong push to convince small businesses that the Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) are the solution to all of their internet marketing needs. Up until now, the industry as a whole has never been able to look beyond what it can see through its "we sell advertising to businesses" goggles.

On the other side of the equation are businesses who want affixed- price, one stop solution for making their doors swing and phones ring that requires no effort on their part beyond writing a check every month.

In their newest incarnation, the IYP's are attempting to morph in...