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Best Practices for Preparing for Google Search Algorithm Updates

…formation than a government website that covers the same topic. Focus On Easy Wins When Improving Page Experience Optimizing each of your web pages for the Page Experience update can be a daunting task for local marketers and agencies. However, our panel agreed that although this update has been highly publicized, they don’t anticipate this update will be as significant as marketers are predicting it to be. For example, minor improvements in site speed won’t necessarily be rewarded with th……Google recently announced two back-to-back core updates that rolled out in June and July 2021, as well as the highly anticipated Page Experience update, which is rolling out through August 2021. These Google search algorithm updates are often noticeable to local marketers as they can cause changes to their rankings in search results. Google also recently announced the upcoming MUM update, which will help deliver even more relevant results for complex search queries. With the bevy of recent Goog……e updates. And, what action, if any, do they need to take should their search rankings suffer after one of these updates. We recently assembled a panel of local search and Google My Business (GMB) experts to help us answer your pressing questions, break down what these updates mean for marketers and how to solidify your local marketing strategy for the future of search. Our panel included Joy Hawkins, Owner of Sterling Sky, Inc., Ezekireal Thomas, Senior SEO Strategist with MediaHub, and Aman…

Benefits of Facebook Local Marketing: Go-To-Guide

… where people are looking specifically for your brand, but also in front of people who are looking for products and services like yours. In this post, you will learn everything you need to know about the benefits of Facebook marketing for enterprise and multi-location brands, including: How to get started How to verify your page Tips for engaging local customers with Facebook Content Getting Started: How to Create a Facebook Page Creating hundreds or thousands of pages is a time-consuming ende…

Google Search algorithm updates explained: what you need to stay ahead

…Google Search algorithm updates explained: what you need to stay ahead Content A brief history of Google Search algorithm updates The impact of search updates on local SEO How core and spam updates shape search strategies Best practices to stay ahead of Google updates Next steps for staying search-ready Google search algorithm updates are constant, and for enterprise brands, these changes can shake up visibility and rankings overnight. Google tweaks, te…

Best Practices to Avoid GMB Listing Filtering for Financial Services Brands

…With each local search opportunity comes unique challenges, and the finance industry is no exception. Such is the case for financial institutions that have a branch listing and agents (with their own listings) associated with the branch. There has historically been a tendency to treat all entities in finance the same. Mortgage brokers and agents, insurance companies, bank branches, and head office—each of these is an entity with a name, an address, a phone number, a business description, et…

GMB ‘FoodMenus’ Cheat Sheet for Enterprise Brands

…Google My Business (GMB) ‘FoodMenus’ help customers learn more about your restaurant’s menu choices. Now, there’s a more structured way to share the specific attributes your menu selections have to offer by submitting your locations’ menu data to GMB via API. It is important for restaurant brands to keep menu data up to date in GMB—if you don’t, the wrong information may be displayed to searchers. Google explains, “Both you and your customers can add photos and names of dishes…

Mastering GMB Attributes for Restaurant Brands

…mers are searching for restaurants or quick-service meals nearby, your locations have just seconds to make an impression. Google My Business Attributes give restaurant brands additional tools to help their listings stand out and proactively answer diners’ questions at the very moment they are deciding where to pick up dinner tonight or book a reservation for lunch tomorrow. Most restaurant queries are happening as consumers are on-the-go; in fact, 89% of dining research prior to visiting a re…

Rio SEO launches new Local Experience (LX) platform, streamlining customer experiences for global multi-location brands

…New offerings bring top tier customer experience and local marketing solutions together as part of Forsta’s Human Experience (HX) Platform CHICAGO – June 5, 2023 – Rio SEO, the leading provider of local marketing solutions for enterprise brands today announced the launch of its Local Experience (LX) Platform, a comprehensive, seamlessly integrated suite of local marketing and customer experience solutions enabling multi-location brands to create meaningful, memorable, and cohesive cus…

Mastering GMB Attributes for Retail Brands

…re or online only? Is curbside, contactless pickup available? Now, in light of the pandemic and social issues, such as a greater awareness of racial injustice and the upcoming election, people are asking more questions. Increasingly, customers also want to know things like: Who am I spending my money with? Do the values of this brand align with my own? Where can I shop so that I’m consciously supporting people and causes that matter most to me? What is this store doing to protect m……Demand fluctuations, supply challenges and rapidly shifting customer needs and expectations are all a part of the new, COVID-affected reality for retail brands. It’s become clear that these changes are here to stay, if not forever then at least over an extended period of time. The in-store shopping experience has become fraught with health and safety concerns and, in many cases, social anxiety and confusion. The adoption of e-commerce, contactless payment, and alternative service delivery m…

GMB Partner Links and Food Ordering Updates For Restaurant Brands

…rketing best practices: How to Perfect Your Local Strategy for New Restaurant Services How Restaurants Can Drive Sales During COVID-19 Through SEO Restaurant Brands: 3 Critical Local Presence Tasks for Coronavirus-related Restaurant Closures……Quick-service restaurants and restaurants alike continue to muddle through the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic. As closures and reopenings for businesses continue to waver at both the county and state levels across the board, the restaurant industry has been particularly hit hard as shut down orders for indoor dining have once again affected many parts of the nation. Inevitable closures necessitate creativity--prompting many restaurant brands to adopt new services, such as ghost kitche……the number of partner links per section (Menu link, Order ahead links, Reservation links). For restaurant brands that have their own ordering, reservation, and menu services, our local marketing experts recommend adding these links to your listing and mark them as preferred to ensure customers engage with your brand directly rather than a third-party application. Preferred links will then display first in your listing in the specified section along with the text “preferred by this busines…

Google Becomes the Transaction Layer Between Businesses and Consumers

…new customers online. As Google furthers its strategy of being the transactional layer of the web, brands need to factor this aspect of each locations’ online visibility into their marketing plans. Ask yourself: Are you aware of which competitors are using transactional elements in their local listings? How do you rank in local search in each location for your target keywords? What opportunities do you have to make booking, ordering online or otherwise transacting with your business ……Remember way back when Google Analytics (or another site analytics tool) gave you a pretty decent look at how customers were interacting with your brand? Long gone are those days when a consumer’s path to purchase started with a search that drove a person to your website to consider the information there and make a decision. Today, the vast majority of interactions happen outside of your own online properties—in fact, a customer may never visit your site at all. In our research, we’ve f…

Google Business Profile

…Google Business Profile Google continues to dominate the search engine marketplace as the number one platform searchers turn to to find information. Boosting your brand’s presence on Google by having a well-optimized Google Business Profile is one of the easiest ways to grow your visibility and sales. Additionally, brands can improve their engagement by responding to customer reviews. Rio SEO is a Google Business Profile Featured Partner. This allows you to …

Top 10 Google Organic & Google Business Profile updates of 2022

…Top 10 Google Organic & Google Business Profile updates of 2022 Introduction Google is constantly looking for ways to improve the local search experience and add new Google Business Profile features. When rolling out, Google updates can cause significant uncertainty. Seeing large fluctuations in search views or traffic can strike fear in the hearts of even the most experienced marketers. It can be difficult to diagnose what caused the change, and given how many update…

Top Google My Business updates of 2021

…dates of 2021 Introduction Google is constantly developing, testing, and launching new features to improve consumers’ experience with search. As a brand, taking advantage of these features can help your locations stand out in search, provide important information to compel conversions, and help differentiate your location in those key moments when an on-the-go consumer is deciding which business listing best suits their needs. Many of these features and attributes ar…

Navigating the top Google algorithm updates: Unlocking the secrets of search

…Navigating the top Google algorithm updates: Unlocking the secrets of search As a marketer, the great mystery behind Google’s consistent algorithm updates can be both frustrating and intriguing at the same time. Google typically announces large algorithm updates in advance which, in turn, prompts discussion and speculation among SEOs and website owners. This can lead to misinformation, confusion, and false guidance. It’s crucial to pinpoint how these updates impact y…

Google My Business Adds Video Appointment Functionality to Platform

…The COVID-19 pandemic has catapulted a massive shift to virtual offerings and their popularity only continues to grow as people increasingly favor digital experiences over in-person interaction. As uncertainty and fear continue to linger, businesses across all verticals must be nimble to adopt new ways of operating to accommodate consumers' concerns. Business may not be as usual, however, Google continues to alter its technology to enable brands to better communicate any special social distancin…

Mastering GMB Attributes for Financial Services Brands

…More often than not, your customers’ experience begins with a local search: Where can I find this product or service to meet my needs? From there, searchers consider the additional information they are offered as they decide which branch or office to visit. The attributes available to you inside Google My Business are a key element of that first interaction you have with a financial services customer. As they weigh their options, searchers look to GMB attributes for financial services brands,…

Future-proofing local search: top strategies and trends for 2025

…nds need to optimize their websites for these longer, more conversational queries. What does this mean for your strategy? Ensure your website answers specific, long-tail questions customers are asking with content structured to meet nuanced search intent. Updating your website frequently to reflect real-time changes—like updated menu items or seasonal promotions—will help maintain your visibility. Learn more: Explore our full guide on how ChatGPT impacts SEO to dig deeper into this ……volving consumer expectations, local search has never been more dynamic or critical to your bottom line. As we approach 2025, keeping your brand visible across all your locations means adapting to these changes. This post will unpack the top trends reshaping local search and what they mean for your strategy. From AI-driven search to enhanced structured data, we’ll cover the changes you can’t afford to ignore as you craft your marketing strategy for the next year and beyond. Long-tail k……ters. In doing this, you signal to both Google and your customers that your business is trustworthy and knowledgeable. What does this mean for your strategy? Make sure your content is backed by experts who have real-world experience in your industry. This is critical for building credibility with both search engines and customers. Search Console remains a critical tool for marketers Google Search Console (GSC) continues to evolve, offering new tools and reports that help marketers ga…

The Future of Zero-Click Search and Local Marketing Strategy [Webinar Recap]

…Should Enterprise Brands Care About Zero-Click Searches? INFOGRAPHIC: 10 Compelling Insights That Prove the Opportunities Zero-Click Searches Present Local Search Trends and Predictions for 2021: Ask the Experts Hear More Expert Insights and Watch the Webinar On-Demand Now MktoForms2.loadForm("//go.binaryfountain.com", "425-FDD-771", 2421);…

The future of Local Marketing: Year end recap and actionable takeaways for 2023

…A multi-ethnic group of nursing students are attending class together. They are seated at a long table in a classroom. The individuals are working in pairs on a project. The two women seated closest to the camera are being assisted by their female professor who is showing them something on a digital tablet. WEBINAR The Future of Local Marketing: Year End Recap and Actionable Takeaways For 2023 On-demand webinarDuration: 60 minutes About this webinar Grab your seat and join …

The future of local search marketing: Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond

…The future of local search marketing: Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond Content Google Search is evolving and you need to as well Go beyond the search Search will continue to be the best way to be found Incorporate hyperlocal marketing into your digital strategy Keep searchers on your page and not back to Google search The end of the year is often synonymous with relaxation and resetting. As marketers and SEOs, you know the ever evolving search landsca……et. Instead, for 2023 we recommend integrating a healthy mix of fundamental and emerging marketing tactics to come out on top. Recently, we were joined by renowned SEO and marketing industry experts to discuss the numerous search engine updates that took place over the course of 2022, how those updates are impacting the state of local search, and what this means for the future. We’ll also dive into: The most impactful search engine updates from 2022, and why they matter. What m…