G-M-B Gone A-W-R-Y

As a local business, one of the most basic things you need to master would be your Google My Business (GMB) listing. But believe me when I say that there are so many businesses that are still doing the wrong things when it comes to GMB. Read on to see if you are also doing some questionable things regarding your GMB so you can rectify them ASAP.

What are those words in your GMB?
The tendency and temptation among those who manage and maintain websites for local businesses would be to put really good keywords in the site in the belief that their presence will make Google rank the website higher in search results. However, the opposite may actually happen.

Moreover, some local businesses have also this tendency to stuff irrelevant keywords on their website, thinking that those popular keywords can be discovered by the search engines' crawlers and prop that website into first-page popularity. However, this move is very risky because search engine crawlers may realize that those keywords, although popular, may not be relevant to your local business at all. This is an obvious cause for your website to be penalized.

Google has added guidelines that consider putting extraneous keywords in your Google My Business (GMB) listing as gross violations which may cause your business' listing to be penalized. What exactly are these penalties? They usually come in the form of suspensions.

Soft Suspension = This is when the business owner/agency loses the ability to manage the listing inside Google My Business but the listing is still live on Google Maps. Normally in theses cases, the ranking of the listing is unaffected.
Hard Suspension = The listing (along with all the reviews) is completely removed from GMB and Google Maps
(Via: https://abundantlifestyle.io/how-does-google-my-business-penalize-keyword-stuffing-50-examples-case-study/)

When pushing the GMB envelope goes too far
For years, there have been local businesses that have tried to one-up Google thinking that their tricks might just propel them to search engine success. One of these tricks is to set up as many GMB pages for supposedly various locations of the business, hoping that all of them will figure well in Google rankings. However, it has been discovered that some of these GMB listings do not actually correspond to an active office location, and instead are just PO boxes, virtual offices, and even residences of the owners of the business as long as they can receive the verification mail that Google sends them that as the name implies, is supposed to verify a physical location of a business.

When Google discovers these empty or fake GMB listings, these would be in violation of their rules, as there are guidelines that state that remote addresses, virtual offices, and PO Boxes are not accepted. The discovery of these inconsistencies also affects the consistency of Name, Address, Phone Number (NAPs), which means these businesses will also be penalized and they can kiss their hopes of ranking locally goodbye.

NAP inconsistencies can adversely affect your local SEO because search engines won’t be confident about the information you are providing. Basically, search engines won’t trust you.
(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/02/04/the-importance-of-name-address-and-phone-number-consistency-for-local-seo/?sh=30ab0a902c0d)

Wrong categories on your GMB will also cost your business
As with the point on keyword stuffing mentioned earlier, there also is this practice among local businesses to prefer using more general categories instead of using specific categories as their primary category. It is thought that general categories can make GMB listing more attractive, although businesses forget that more general categories also expose the business to more competition from other businesses that use the same categories. Thus, it is important that categories should be specific and are directly related to your business.

Never add categories that don’t relate to your business. For example, if you’re marketing a pizza place, you obviously shouldn’t add hair salon as a category, or it can totally confuse Google, your customers, and even harm your rankings.
(Via: https://moz.com/blog/how-to-choose-google-my-business-categories#:~:text=When%20and%20where%20to%20choose%20Google%20categories&text=Once%20you%20have%20access%20to,select%20up%20to%2010%20categories.)

 

Interested to learn more about local SEO marketing? Read here.

G-M-B Gone A-W-R-Y was initially seen on All Systems Go Marketing Blog

https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com/local-seo/g-m-b-gone-a-w-r-y

Defining Effective SEO For HVAC Company Owners

Defining good SEO is pretty easy - it basically tends to mean a site that is well marked up, written well, loads fast and most critically, RANKS for keywords either locally in the map pack (for local businesses) or in the below-the-ads section nationally (for larger concerns).

But HVAC SEO isn't simple on-page stuff, like ensuring the term "AC installation" shows up as 3.4% of the time on a page. It isn't naming your images something like "furnace-installer-near-me.gif" or buying tons of crappy links from "directories" that no one ever sees. It certainly isn't stuffing keywords into Meta tags and calling it a day.

It isn't buying a "website kit" from a provider that claims "all the SEO is complete." It isn't throwing down hundreds of dollars on weak Fiverr gigs that Google is just dying to ban your website because of.

Nope, those ideas are 10, 15 and 20 years old. They were pretty sweet in their time, back when things were far less complicated (the good ol' times!); but now, not so much. Now, those ideas work about as well as a Yellow Pages listing, which if you're under 70, is unlikely to be your go to.

Having run SEO campaigns for over 20 years, one thing this insider can tell you is this: good SEO is getting more and more complicated, has quite a few more elements than it ever has and is a continual process. There are more assets to maintain, more links to "juice", and more content to be written.

Even five or 10 years ago, you could put up your brochure-lite website, and pull local leads just by submitting your site to Google Places, as it was known back then.

That has changed markedly as well.

Are You Content With Your Content?

Today's well-ranked website all but requires a strong content strategy. Google cares far more about "activity" on your website as well, meaning they care that visitors are interested in what you're putting out there. This means the old "put up a site and redesign in 3 years"-adage that many business owners have gone with for so long is now just ridiculously obsolete.

Nope, you need to get your message out there with solid consistency. Google will reward websites that don't let the tumbleweeds gather.

Ask yourself this: if you're never saying anything new with your website, why should Google want to feature it?

The Maps 3 Pack Should Be Your SEO Goal

Nowadays, with Mobile search such a major part of Google's algorithm, a slot in the local "3 pack" can mean a continual lead flow - a virtual license to print money that is NOT subject to the insane bidding process that Google Ads can create- particularly during peak heating or cooling season.

One of the most interesting parts about talking to HVAC contractors all over the world is that many of them share a sad, unfortunate view of SEO and Digital Marketing. The reason is simple. They've been burned.

I've even talked to people who were paying into the five figure range for monthly SEO, even while the "specialist" they were working with NEVER EVEN ASKED FOR THE WEBSITE's PASSWORD!

No wonder SEO gets a brutal rap.

Sadly, many HVAC owners are sold on the concepts and potential success in a well SEO'd site, only to hire someone (oftentimes a web designer with no idea of anything SEO except that they can "add it to the bill") that lets them down.

This makes it difficult for bona fide SEO warriors to take on new clients, but not impossible. In fact, for the right business owners that are willing to take on the right digital marketing agency, it can mean rewards beyond their wildest dreams, and enough HVAC leads that there is never any inconsistencies when it comes to generating sales.

It's all about picking the right agency. Tune in next week when I tell you what to look for in an SEO agency that virtually guarantees you're picking a winner.

The article Defining Effective SEO For HVAC Company Owners was originally seen on ASGM

https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com/hvac-seo/defining-effective-seo-for-hvac-owners

Take Note of These Local SEO Pointers

Are you interested in trying your hand on local SEO for your business? Here are some tips on doing it right.

Patience is a virtue in local SEO
The thing about local SEO is that the results that you will reap from putting your efforts on it will eventually be yielded to you, with emphasis on eventually. You cannot expect your local SEO efforts to bear fruit overnight, days after, weeks after, or even a month after your initial salvo. There are three things that you need to get the ball rolling when it comes to your local SEO and social media efforts: strategy, perseverance, and time – all of which takes patience. Imagine, national and multinational brands take substantial time for their accounts to take off and make a difference in their businesses. If these big brands need to exercise patience before seeing any changes in their companies, how much more with your local business?

Having said that, there is indeed a need to invest substantial effort for your local SEO and social media to pay off. If you’re doing this because everybody else is doing it and you have serious FOMO (fear of missing out) without identifying a real strategy tailor-made for your business, then you need to set your expectations at a minimum.

Before you start running reports, decide which metrics matter to you and your business. Don’t get caught up on “vanity metrics” — metrics that make you feel good but don’t help you make decisions, take action, or judge value. While it’s tempting to obsess over followers and likes, those metrics don’t necessarily serve your business goals. For instance, local businesses get more out of a small, local following than a large following that includes people who will never visit the businesses’ physical stores.
(Via: https://buffer.com/library/social-media-for-small-business/)

Local SEO and Social Media = Local Content
There is that temptation to pattern your content such as our promotions, articles, messages, etc. after the established brands, because you’re thinking, “If these types of content worked for them, it surely should work for you as well.” However, to totally base your messages and content on these multinational companies is a huge risk to local businesses because these messages may actually alienate your audience instead of making them identify more with your brand. The purpose of your content, whether on social media or on your website, is to make your business more relatable and relevant to the needs of your target audience, which is ideally the people in your locality. You may not necessarily be successful with that if your messaging is almost copied from big brands. Content marketing is a vital component in local SEO, so make sure to make your count.

Only 30% of small businesses have an SEO optimization strategy, which means over two-thirds are neglecting this vital marketing tool. SEO is crucial to help your blog rank high in search engine results for specific queries and terms, helping more people to discover your content.
(Via: https://smallbiztrends.com/2020/10/how-to-make-content-marketing-work-small-business.html)

Local social media needs to be regular
To make sure your social media assets stay relevant to your target audience, you need to make sure that you post regularly. Absence in the case of local SEO and social media efforts does not really make your target audience’s hearts grow fonder of you; in fact, you might run the risk of them forgetting you if they do not see you that active in sharing content on your social media platforms and website.

If you think that you don’t have the perseverance to stick to a schedule when posting content to your social media accounts, don’t worry. There are social sharing apps that will allow you to make a ton of social media posts and automate them so they will be posted on a regular schedule.

But having said those points above, you still should make it a point that you post relevant matters as elaborated in the second point earlier. Do not sacrifice quality for quantity. Make sure you strike a balance between the quality of your posts and how regular your posts are.

Your social media posting frequency shouldn’t be overwhelming, and it shouldn’t be fluffy. Think about it this way: you shouldn’t be posting just to prove that you have a presence. It is always better to have no presence than to have a negative, dated or out-of-touch existence on social media. If you’re wondering how often to post on Instagram, Facebook, or any other social platform, note that it may actually be better to do less on social.
(Via: https://www.ballantine.com/how-often-to-post-on-social-media-for-business-in-2020/)

 

Get your fix of local SEO information here.

The following blog article Take Note of These Local SEO Pointers was initially published to https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com

from All Systems Go Marketing – Feed https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com/local-seo/take-note-of-these-local-seo-pointers

Take Note of These Local SEO Pointers

Are you interested in trying your hand on local SEO for your business? Here are some tips on doing it right.

Patience is a virtue in local SEO
The thing about local SEO is that the results that you will reap from putting your efforts on it will eventually be yielded to you, with emphasis on eventually. You cannot expect your local SEO efforts to bear fruit overnight, days after, weeks after, or even a month after your initial salvo. There are three things that you need to get the ball rolling when it comes to your local SEO and social media efforts: strategy, perseverance, and time - all of which takes patience. Imagine, national and multinational brands take substantial time for their accounts to take off and make a difference in their businesses. If these big brands need to exercise patience before seeing any changes in their companies, how much more with your local business?

Having said that, there is indeed a need to invest substantial effort for your local SEO and social media to pay off. If you're doing this because everybody else is doing it and you have serious FOMO (fear of missing out) without identifying a real strategy tailor-made for your business, then you need to set your expectations at a minimum.

Before you start running reports, decide which metrics matter to you and your business. Don’t get caught up on “vanity metrics” — metrics that make you feel good but don’t help you make decisions, take action, or judge value. While it’s tempting to obsess over followers and likes, those metrics don’t necessarily serve your business goals. For instance, local businesses get more out of a small, local following than a large following that includes people who will never visit the businesses’ physical stores.
(Via: https://buffer.com/library/social-media-for-small-business/)

Local SEO and Social Media = Local Content
There is that temptation to pattern your content such as our promotions, articles, messages, etc. after the established brands, because you're thinking, "If these types of content worked for them, it surely should work for you as well." However, to totally base your messages and content on these multinational companies is a huge risk to local businesses because these messages may actually alienate your audience instead of making them identify more with your brand. The purpose of your content, whether on social media or on your website, is to make your business more relatable and relevant to the needs of your target audience, which is ideally the people in your locality. You may not necessarily be successful with that if your messaging is almost copied from big brands. Content marketing is a vital component in local SEO, so make sure to make your count.

Only 30% of small businesses have an SEO optimization strategy, which means over two-thirds are neglecting this vital marketing tool. SEO is crucial to help your blog rank high in search engine results for specific queries and terms, helping more people to discover your content.
(Via: https://smallbiztrends.com/2020/10/how-to-make-content-marketing-work-small-business.html)

Local social media needs to be regular
To make sure your social media assets stay relevant to your target audience, you need to make sure that you post regularly. Absence in the case of local SEO and social media efforts does not really make your target audience's hearts grow fonder of you; in fact, you might run the risk of them forgetting you if they do not see you that active in sharing content on your social media platforms and website.

If you think that you don't have the perseverance to stick to a schedule when posting content to your social media accounts, don't worry. There are social sharing apps that will allow you to make a ton of social media posts and automate them so they will be posted on a regular schedule.

But having said those points above, you still should make it a point that you post relevant matters as elaborated in the second point earlier. Do not sacrifice quality for quantity. Make sure you strike a balance between the quality of your posts and how regular your posts are.

Your social media posting frequency shouldn’t be overwhelming, and it shouldn’t be fluffy. Think about it this way: you shouldn’t be posting just to prove that you have a presence. It is always better to have no presence than to have a negative, dated or out-of-touch existence on social media. If you’re wondering how often to post on Instagram, Facebook, or any other social platform, note that it may actually be better to do less on social.
(Via: https://www.ballantine.com/how-often-to-post-on-social-media-for-business-in-2020/)

 

Get your fix of local SEO information here.

Take Note of These Local SEO Pointers Read more on: www.allsystemsgomarketing.com

https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com/local-seo/take-note-of-these-local-seo-pointers

So your local business got a negative review. What are you going to do?

If you are thinking of just ignoring it and letting it blow over “the next news cycle” until a new problem comes along, you are definitely going to suffer the consequences of that inaction. This is because Google does not let things slide. Its crawlers do not forget things that have already been posted on the Internet, so unless that comment or review has been taken down, you cannot just ignore it. On the other hand, people, especially those frequenting reviews and social media accounts of local businesses, will notice if a comment has been removed. They are that keen when it comes to following local businesses.

Be quick
Customers these days have this expectation that things should be done instantly, es1pecially if happening online. So, you don’t really have the luxury of just sitting the entire matter out until hopefully, people forget. Finally, they will expect you to understand their concerns, so rude replies will reflect badly on your reputation that has already been tarnished by that negative review.

The faster the manager responds to a negative online review, the faster the reviewer is appeased and prospective reviewers can see that the manager and the firm are dedicated to solving customer complaints in a timely fashion.
(Via: https://hbr.org/2020/05/5-principles-for-responding-to-customer-reviews)

Be a pro
Hold that temper! Yes, negative reviews sting bad, especially for local business owners like you who more or less assume all roles for your company to run. But getting angry at those negative reviews will not really go change anything. If you react badly, people in your network will most likely get wind of your reaction and will earn you an unfavorable reputation. Remember that your business caters to a small audience – a local community, so news tends to spread at lightning speed. Be a professional about the review.

Don’t ever go berserk over a negative review. Or else, you will lose everything your small business has established. Using fire against fire does not always have the best results. It will be unwise to do that. Sit back, try to relax as much as you can, and take a deep breath to process what you just read. That’s how a smart business owner or an online reputation manager acts.
(Via: https://www.meegle.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-negative-reviews/)

Consider getting in touch with the negative reviewer offline
There are some issues that are best handled on the same platform. But in a majority of cases, an offline manner of handling the issue has proven to be more effective. After all, to cite an old adage, washing one’s dirty laundry in public is almost never a good idea.

Sometimes a minor issue can be resolved with a quick phone call or email. If you have the ability to do this and you feel that reaching out to this person directly will be the best approach, go for it. It all depends on how comfortable you are with this approach, how well you can take a tongue lashing without getting angry, and how good of a rapport you have with the reviewer.
(Via: https://www.outboundengine.com/blog/how-to-handle-a-bad-online-review-the-right-way/)

 

If you need more information on how to run your local SEO efforts, look no further! Read more here.

So your local business got a negative review. What are you going to do? was originally published on ASGM Blog

from All Systems Go Marketing – Feed https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com/local-seo/so-your-local-business-got-a-negative-review-what-are-you-going-to-do

So your local business got a negative review. What are you going to do?

If you are thinking of just ignoring it and letting it blow over "the next news cycle" until a new problem comes along, you are definitely going to suffer the consequences of that inaction. This is because Google does not let things slide. Its crawlers do not forget things that have already been posted on the Internet, so unless that comment or review has been taken down, you cannot just ignore it. On the other hand, people, especially those frequenting reviews and social media accounts of local businesses, will notice if a comment has been removed. They are that keen when it comes to following local businesses.

Be quick
Customers these days have this expectation that things should be done instantly, es1pecially if happening online. So, you don't really have the luxury of just sitting the entire matter out until hopefully, people forget. Finally, they will expect you to understand their concerns, so rude replies will reflect badly on your reputation that has already been tarnished by that negative review.

The faster the manager responds to a negative online review, the faster the reviewer is appeased and prospective reviewers can see that the manager and the firm are dedicated to solving customer complaints in a timely fashion.
(Via: https://hbr.org/2020/05/5-principles-for-responding-to-customer-reviews)

Be a pro
Hold that temper! Yes, negative reviews sting bad, especially for local business owners like you who more or less assume all roles for your company to run. But getting angry at those negative reviews will not really go change anything. If you react badly, people in your network will most likely get wind of your reaction and will earn you an unfavorable reputation. Remember that your business caters to a small audience - a local community, so news tends to spread at lightning speed. Be a professional about the review.

Don’t ever go berserk over a negative review. Or else, you will lose everything your small business has established. Using fire against fire does not always have the best results. It will be unwise to do that. Sit back, try to relax as much as you can, and take a deep breath to process what you just read. That’s how a smart business owner or an online reputation manager acts.
(Via: https://www.meegle.com/blog/how-to-respond-to-negative-reviews/)

Consider getting in touch with the negative reviewer offline
There are some issues that are best handled on the same platform. But in a majority of cases, an offline manner of handling the issue has proven to be more effective. After all, to cite an old adage, washing one's dirty laundry in public is almost never a good idea.

Sometimes a minor issue can be resolved with a quick phone call or email. If you have the ability to do this and you feel that reaching out to this person directly will be the best approach, go for it. It all depends on how comfortable you are with this approach, how well you can take a tongue lashing without getting angry, and how good of a rapport you have with the reviewer.
(Via: https://www.outboundengine.com/blog/how-to-handle-a-bad-online-review-the-right-way/)

 

If you need more information on how to run your local SEO efforts, look no further! Read more here.

The post So your local business got a negative review. What are you going to do? is available on The All Systems Go Marketing Blog

https://www.allsystemsgomarketing.com/local-seo/so-your-local-business-got-a-negative-review-what-are-you-going-to-do