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Guide to leveraging Apple Business Connect for local discoverability

… a set of APIs early in 2023, giving enterprise brands access to streamlined local listings management via select partners, like Rio SEO. This integration gives multi-location brands, franchises, and the agencies who serve them a direct method of publishing critical business information and updates to place cards across the Apple ecosystem, including Maps, Siri, Wallet, Safari, and more. Apple Maps is the default map application on Apple devices, the brand of choice for 60% of mobile users i…

Managing local reviews at scale: A guide for multi-location brands

… can heavily influence purchasing decisions. In fact, a recent Rio SEO study revealed online reviews are somewhat or much more trusted than personal recommendations for 35% of local consumers, and their value extends beyond conversion. Reviews also have a direct impact on the visibility, credibility, and conversions of each location, ultimately affecting each customer’s experience and your brand’s overall profitability. Review management can make monumental waves in a business’ botto…

Apple Business Connect getting started guide for enterprise brands

…Apple Business Connect getting started guide for enterprise brands The news of Apple Business Connect API in early January solidifies Apple's commitment to improving information distribution for multi-location brands. This is now possible through an integration with a few select partners, including Rio SEO. The integration enables easy and quick publishing of accurate, up-to-date business location information to Apple Maps and across all Apple apps. Much in the same way as …

4 research-backed SEO findings to guide your local strategy

…4 research-backed SEO findings to guide your local strategy Being a brand with multiple locations comes with its own inherent SEO challenges. To start, a business may use the same content for each of its location pages. Search engines, in turn, may not favor these pages in the search engine results pages (SERPS) because it sees the content as duplicate content and isn’t providing the best experience for the end user.  Next, managing SEO at scale can be a timely en…

Boost your local SEO with Location Page Schema: A complete guide

…up for multi-location brands Now, here’s where it gets challenging for multi-location brands and franchises. Implementing schema markup for hundreds or thousands of location pages is a daunting task. Keeping those pages up-to-date as their content changes is an additional challenge in itself. Hours of operation, products, and services, physical location, number of employees, ethics and diversity policies, and payments accepted are just a few examples of the types of key business data tha……Boost your local SEO with Location Page Schema: A complete guide Structured data is a standardized way of providing information in addition to the actual content of the page to help search engines, like Google, better understand it. Google says these “explicit clues” about the page’s content, communicated via schema markup, also help make search results more engaging to users via rich results. This is particularly important for businesses with multiple locations, in w…

Surviving the storm: a step-by-step guide to protect your local listings

…Surviving the storm: a step-by-step guide to protect your local listings Content The calm before the storm Protecting your digital presence during natural disasters Assessing the aftermath Recovery mode: bouncing back after  How Rio SEO helped its clients weather the storm Knowing customers are more eager than ever to find pertinent business location information during times of crisis, such as natural disasters like hurricanes or fires, it’s impe…

Guide to Local Curbside Pickup Marketing for Enterprise Brands

… or temporary closures.  Delivery options – these include delivery, pickup, and in-store shopping.  Health and safety – letting customers know about any safety measures in place, including masks to be worn. Google Posts – these are great for providing information about any extra services not otherwise covered and whether customers can expect any delays.  Contact information – to allow customers to speak to someone onsite.  Messaging – this provides customers with another ……If you found your brand in sudden need of low-contact order fulfillment methods with the onset of COVID-19, you’re not alone. Restaurants, retailers, and other local businesses were left scrambling to establish new ways of doing business as consumers were forced out of shops, workplaces, and routines.  Curbside pickup, in particular, became an attractive option for customers looking to have their needs met without potential exposure to the virus. Early on in the pandemic, in April 2020, Goog…

3 Ways to Grow Your Marketing Agency with Local SEO

…hout travel. Local SEO offers marketing agencies a massive opportunity to not only build their own business but to help clients through COVID-19 recovery quicker and more effectively, as well.  We asked Pat Fallon, Director of Agency Partnerships here at Rio SEO, to share his tips for marketing agencies looking to recoup lost business and even grow revenue in this critical post-pandemic phase. Here are his top recommendations: 1. Help your clients protect their local listings profile. The acc……It may seem like a strange time to talk about how to grow your marketing agency, given that the marketing budget is usually one of the first casualties when cuts come down the pipe. In the fallout from COVID-19, even Google is slashing its marketing budget by half for the remainder of 2020.  If you’re experiencing a loss of revenue due to clients pulling back on spending (or worse—going out of business entirely) as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, you are not alone. For many, it’s a…

Top steakhouse grills the local competition with streamlined local listings management

…Top steakhouse grills the local competition with streamlined local listings management Tools used Local Listings About A popular American steakhouse chain, powered by Rio SEO, has made massive gains in their local search performance and online customer experience The restaurant chain improved its online visibility and presence across hundreds of restaurant locations, driving 19% more click-to-calls and 47% more clicks-for-directions across the brand YOY for August 2…

Google Analytics 4: Benefits and challenges for multi-location businesses

…Google Analytics 4: Benefits and challenges for multi-location businesses There has been much anticipation about the upcoming transition from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4. (GA4) All standard UA properties will cease data processing on July 1, 2023, with few exceptions. In turn, multi-location brands using Google Analytics solutions need a plan today to manage the upcoming changes in reporting. In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits and challenges th…

The go-to guide for selecting an enterprise local marketing solution

…The go-to guide for selecting an enterprise local marketing solution Potential customers are searching for your services locally, but is your brand being found? In today’s highly competitive local search landscape, having a recognizable brand name, impeccable reputation, and close proximity to customers simply is no longer enough. Now that nearly half of all Google searches taking place are users seeking local information, it’s more important than ever for ente……th a vendor that will fully support your brand’s unique needs, you must find a reputable partner. By working with the right partner, your business benefits from: Access to invaluable, knowledge experts High-level visibility into your brand’s performance metrics by location, all within a centralized dashboard A dedicated support team when challenges or concerns arise Allows you to shift focus to other aspects of your business Sets your local SEO strategies up for success from …

Guide to Google Search updates

…Guide to Google Search updates In today’s competitive landscape, understanding the intricacies of Google Search updates is essential for enterprise marketers who want to improve visibility and gain an edge. From keyword relevance to content quality, Google’s algorithms evaluate numerous factors to rank web pages. With regular algorithm shifts—like the rollout of the Map Pack and the Pigeon update—staying ahead means more than just knowing the basics; it means havi…

An enterprise guide to location extensions

…ge of every possible opportunity for locations to stand out. Google has done a great job constantly iterating and updating its Business Profile listings in organic local search and MapPack results so they capture searchers’ attention and draw them in. Location photos and videos, local customer reviews, vertical-specific attributes, and more all help differentiate your Google Business Profile (GBP) from those of your nearest competitors. But, how can your locations stand out in local search …

Google’s MUM Update: What This Means For Local Marketers According to the Experts

…Google recently announced its latest endeavor to revolutionize its Search technology. The forthcoming MUM update (Multitask Unified Model) is expected to significantly improve the search process—delivering better results to queries and giving searchers the answers they need quickly. Google says that with this new technology they’re “getting closer to helping you with complex needs. So in the future you’ll need fewer searches to get things done”. While the MUM update will be similar to……Google recently announced its latest endeavor to revolutionize its Search technology. The forthcoming MUM update (Multitask Unified Model) is expected to significantly improve the search process—delivering better results to queries and giving searchers the answers they need quickly. Google says that with this new technology they’re “getting closer to helping you with complex needs. So in the future you’ll need fewer searches to get things done”. While the MUM update will be similar to……Google[/caption] With this impactful update on the horizon (“MUM-powered features and improvements” will be coming to Google’s products “in the coming months and years”), we reached out to experts in the marketing industry to gather their insights on how this impact will impact local businesses, why marketers should care, and any advice they have for preparing for the impending update.  Here is what they had to say: Derek Hawkins, Manager SEO, Reprise Digital Marketers, both local…

Streamline your restaurant goals with reserve with Google: The ultimate reservation solution

…Streamline your restaurant goals with reserve with Google: The ultimate reservation solution Eighty-nine percent of people research restaurants online before visiting the establishment, booking a table, or placing an order. Establishing a solid presence online and utilizing every available feature possible to get leads from Google can make a significant difference in a restaurant's bottom line. Google has developed different tools and features that enable restaurant owne…

Google’s product reviews updates: Boost your business with trustworthy feedback

…marketers are hailing this as the final blow to affiliate websites that produce numerous product roundup blogs littered with affiliate links and keywords without any useful content. Others are asking questions related to the nitty-gritty of Google's guidance. When you want product review content but don’t have the expertise or hands-on experience with the products, it’s best to crowdsource reviews from actual users so that your information is factual and original. Commenters……Google's product reviews updates: Boost your business with trustworthy feedback On February 23, 2023, Google announced the rollout of its latest product reviews updates. This is the sixth iteration of Google’s latest guidelines for product review content. Google made the official announcement via its Search Central Twitter account: Today we released the February 2023 product reviews update, which applies to these languages globally: English, Spanish, German, French……Search Central guidelines, “The product reviews system aims to better reward high-quality product reviews, which is content that provides insightful analysis and original research and is written by experts or enthusiasts who know the topic well.” In other words, Google wants to reward high-quality reviews that are genuine, based on expert opinion or original research/enthusiasm in the niche the product belongs to. These reviews should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the product s…

Transforming content creation with machine learning: Google’s official stance on the AI revolution

…lue to their target audience while enhancing online visibility for each location, in every market served. Like other content tools, ChatGPT and conversational AIs like it can help with repetitive tasks, data analysis, and even some coding. But, as of now, our personal opinion is they simply can't fully replace human content writers and the rich, authoritative information they bring to your audience. Related resources Newsletter Get industry insights that matter,……Transforming content creation with machine learning: Google's official stance on the AI revolution Since ChatGPT upended the marketing scene in November 2022, marketers have been scrambling to figure out the best ways to use conversational AI in SEO. The great debate began, can AI be used for the purpose of content creation? The ambiguity surrounding Google's official stance on the AI revolution and content creation with machine learning has become more clear. In early F…

Why your Google Business Profile website link matters for your customer’s experience

… convert more searchers to customers. Why the ‘website’ field in Google Business Profile is so important Consumers are far more likely to seek more information on their own than to call and ask. A website is one of the most searched pieces of local business information among consumers who use Google Search and Maps. In fact, 54% of consumers say a business' website is what they’re most commonly looking for. Additionally, your target audience is looking for local reviews, business ……e website link matters for your customer's experience Google Business Profile offers a plethora of conversion opportunities for brands. One field that a business can leverage is the website field. This helps guide customers down the sales funnel and click through to your website of choice. However, when a business has multiple different locations a common question we receive is how can a multi-location business best use the Google Business Profile website link for each of i…

6 foolproof Google Shopping strategies to boost your products’ visibility

… image guidelines to get products featured on Google Shopping. Each product should have a comprehensive product description as well to further streamline your customer's product search experience. Ask customers to leave product ratings too as these appear prominently in Google Shopping and can provide social proof to encourage searchers to move forward with purchasing that product.` 4. Link Google Ads account When consumers search for products via Google, they will see Google Shopping d……cts' visibility Content What is Google Shopping? Google Shopping highlights Why use Google Shopping? How does Google Shopping work? Google Shopping is part of the Google Merchant Center, which allows retailers to sell products via Google Search and other platforms. It accounts for over $1 billion dollars in annual revenue and has become one of the most effective platforms for retailers to promote their brands. The platform is popular among consumers be…