Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Entries Written By Mike Blumenthal
Related Places Moving to Main Search Results?
It appears that on certain search results that Related Places, that have been typically showing at the bottom of a business’s Places page, are being moved to the main search results and showing up under “similar pages” results at the bottom of the page. The new results are not widely returned. I was only able …
Google Places Alert: Another Ugly Bug That Could Nuke Your Listing
There is a reported service area bug in the Google Places Dashboard that has an easy work around but terrible results if you aren’t aware of it. (Thanks to Steve King of Simpartners for also highlighting the issue to me.) When a business selects service area the “Do not show my business address on my …
How Much Does ATT Suck? Let me count the ways
I decided to order a new iPhone 4s today. I thought that the most hassle free order method was to just go to my local ATT store. It was the obvious choice. There is never a line, the staff is friendly. The affable salesman knows me by first name and is an avid iPhone owner …
Local SEO: A Free Tool to Build GEO Sitemap and Schema.org Compliant Files
There are two simple ways of telling Google and the other search engines where your business is located via your website. One is to create a KML file and an attendant geo-sitemap. The other is to provide your full business contact information in rich snippet format on the site. Now there is a way to …
Eye Tracking Study
SEOMoz was given a chance to test a Mirmetrix eye tracking device. The used the opportunity to analyze the impact of Universal results generated by Blended results, the 7-pack, shopping and videos inserted in the SERPS. I was of course most interested in the Local results. Their conclusion? These results also suggest that the in-page …
Siri – A Metaphor That Defines The Future Of Local Search (And Everything Else)
This is not a tribute to Steve Jobs directly. Although in the end it may be one of his greatest legacies. Will Siri become the new Qwerty? I have been in the technology field for over 30 years. I have seen a number of radical changes that became metaphors for how things were supposed to …
Local News of the Weird
I don’t hvae time to write a post today, even though I have tons of things to write about. So I will provide you with this gem. I have no idea what will replace the local newspaper in the future. For now though, it is an endless source of pleasure. This article in the local …
Will Siri Change the Face of Local Search?
With Apple’s announcement of the release of the new iPhone 4s and iOS5 came the expected announcement of the tight hardware and software integration of their Siri natural speech technology. It appears to be integrated at the highest level of the user interface. Mobile search on the iPhone has been broken. Google offers up voice …
Google Places Dashboard Call for Help
To reinforce the critques in the article I republished from March 2009 about the Google Places customer service experience, I wanted to show a typical, current Dashboard screen shot. The screenshot demonstrates both the lack of meaningful help and the problems that still exist with seeking it out by the small business person. *** I …
Google Places: What might customer service look like?
Google has recently upgraded their help files and are receiving kudos for their effort. I find the effort, while laudable, very little and very late. I still find the whole Google Places “customer service experience” sorely failing at its primary task: convincing business owners that they are appreciated for something other than their credit card. …
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