Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Entries Written By Mike Blumenthal
Local Links of Interest
Google News’ New Local Angle – Greg Sterling, SEL detailing Google’s new local news service, similar to topix.com In CBS Test, Mobile Ads Find Users – Laura Holson, NY Times CBS plans to announce on Wednesday that it is trying one of the first serious experiments with cellphone advertising that is customized for a person’s …
Google Experimental Interface Upgrade
I am of the opinion that Google Maps in all of its forms is the future look and feel of search for Google, particularly in the mobile world. There has been a number of subtle and not so subtle changes that have increased Maps integration into general search as well over the past month: • …
Where does a Psychic turn when they need an answer? Google Maps
On late Monday afternoon I received a call from Elissa Heyman, a Psychic Counselor from Santa Fe, NM inquiring as to how she might show up in the Local OneBox for Psychic in Santa Fe, NM. I was intrigued that a pyschic would turn to me from results she found in Google. After a bit …
MerchantCircle makes me feel…
Last week I received an automated email from Yahoo Local that hit the target for automated communications. It sent me relevant information in a timely fashion about something that I cared about. I was impressed. I had encouraged Google to follow a similar path. But alas not all surveys work equally well. MerchantCircle must have …
Google Maps Category Mystery Part 2: Backgound
On of the long standing mysteries in managing a Local Business Center business listing for Google Maps has been:“Why does my listing not show up in the same category as my competitor?”. There has not been a topic more frequently raised in the Google Maps for Business Group and one that has been more evasively …
Local Links of Interest
Semmy’s Local Search Winner: Anatomy & Optimization Of A Local Business Profile – Chris Silver Smith, Search Engine Land. The official results are at the SEMMYs website. If you haven’t read this article yet, it well worth a read. A Local Look At Microsoft’s Bid For Yahoo – Greg Sterling, SearchEngineLand Microsoft: “We have not …
Google Maps Category Mystery Part I: The Problem
One of the longstanding mysteries in the world of Google Maps is summed up in the question:“Why does my listing not show up in the same category as my competitor?”. There has not been a topic more frequently raised in the Maps Group and one that has been more evasively answered by the Google staff …
Yahoo Local makes me feel good
Many small business people feel embattled, besieged and forgotten. The move toward the “free” business listings of the Internet has removed one monkey from their back – the FUD of the Yellow Pages only to replace it with the inscrutable Google Maps. Small business people hate standing in line and begging for help ala Google …
Google Experimental Map View: A look into the future of local search
The new Google Experimental Map View provides an intriguing look into the future of local search (as envisioned by Google). Between the the Google Maps API being used by a large number of vertical search engines like Trulia and their widespread indexing of geotagged information, Google has a significant trove of geo referenced data to …
Google Coupon results in Main SERPS Part II
Yesterday I noted that Google Coupon results were showing up in the main search results page for coupon related search phrases. Miriam Ellis who writes a local oriented blog SEO Igloo asked whether using coupons for non-retail oriented deals was a useful strategy. I have several local search clients that have added service oriented coupons …
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