Local Search Marketing Tactics

This session looks at ways search marketers are tapping into an audience using local search engines, online yellow pages and other local search methods.

Moderator:

• Jon Myers, Head of Search, MediaVest

Speakers:

• Gregg Stewart, Senior Vice President, Interactive, TMP Directional Marketing
• Steve Espinosa, Director of Product Development and Management, eLocal Listing, LLC

8 out 0f 10 consumers are using local to research products and services, but local is only 4% of business marketing $$.

Note to self: why must conf speakers compete to see who can talk the fastest?  Is there a prize?  Is it self-selection?  Maybe I just type too slowly… <sigh>

Yes, you need to optimize your mobile sites (if you have one, or are planning to have one soon).

Use Yahoo!  marketing solutions, and for Google, use their Local Business Center.

Use A/B variant teesting, negative keywords and Social Media (e.g. digg, MySpace).

To help with tracking, use online coupons!

Automotive, Legal, Restaurants, Home Improvement, Real Estate, and Healthcare are the top categories.

<nice chart>

On a website, if you have a video on it’s own page, even if no one ever watches it, it may rank in the Top 10 search results and push a competitor down on to the second page.

What’s coming: Google TV AdWords.

Don’t forget User ratings and reviews – they’re an important factor for the user. (Yelp, Angie’s list)

If you get a bad review, try to work it out directly with that customer. Hey!  If you just can’t, be sure to post a comment / rebuttal telling your side of the story (once – dpn’t start an argument online!).

No one has ever written a review for their own business, right?   

Tracking:  Google Analytics – Lead generation forms – Call tracking – call back surveys – online coupons used in store.

<technical stuff>

QnA

<end of session>

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