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COVID-19 and the Future of Local Marketing [Webinar Recap]

… about your business, especially anything related to the pandemic. For example, if you are a restaurant brand and you receive a review from a customer providing feedback about your staff not wearing masks while serving them, consider implementing these suggestions as you continue to improve your safety protocols. Next, determine the medium in which you will respond to your customer’s feedback. Will your team proactively reply to all new reviews you receive? Will you use a COVID-19 Google Po……For over two months, our world and the way we shop, interact with others and consume media has been drastically altered. At first, fear and uncertainty struck us as a health crisis became a global pandemic and subsequent stay-at-home orders were mandated. Next, businesses had to adapt to new methods of operating and generating revenue to accommodate the lack of in-store traffic. And now, as stores begin to reopen in some states, we must find ways to stay safe while being around others again. Wi……heir doors, they must consider how to communicate and market new services and safety practices to local consumers. In a recent webinar, COVID-19 and the Future of Local Marketing, our local marketing experts Krystal Taing, Director of Local Strategy, Lauren Abramson, Account Director, and Tyler Ludwig, Director of Enterprise Solutions, shared their insights regarding which COVID-related trends are impacting brands and how local marketers can prepare for ongoing or intermittent business interrupt…

9 Key Takeaways from the 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors Report

…so you’re not using the same keywords every time Reviews Are Rising in Importance Reviews and specifically the content within those reviews are becoming an increasingly powerful ranking factor. We asked our panel for advice on how brands can get reviewers to mention specific keywords in their reviews while still adhering to Google’s guidelines. Amanda recommends prompting your customers with questions or statements that will help them think of their entire experience with your brand rath……Whitespark published its 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors annual report at the tail end of last year. Recently, we were joined by a fantastic panel of digital marketing and SEO experts to answer some of the top questions that have come from the report live on a webinar. [fusion_button link="https://go.rioseo.com/2021-local-search-ranking-factors-january-2022-OnDemand.html" text_transform="uppercase" title="" target="_blank" link_attributes="" alignment_medium="" alignment_small="" alignment=""……Whitespark published its 2021 Local Search Ranking Factors annual report at the tail end of last year. Recently, we were joined by a fantastic panel of digital marketing and SEO experts to answer some of the top questions that have come from the report live on a webinar. [fusion_button link="https://go.rioseo.com/2021-local-search-ranking-factors-january-2022-OnDemand.html" text_transform="uppercase" title="" target="_blank" link_attributes="" alignment_medium="" alignment_small="" alignment=""…

6 key takeaways from LocalU Advanced Denver

…mmendations Joy makes include: Encourage customers to write longer reviews (100+ words) Encourage customers to upvote reviews they find helpful Encourage customers to leave photos with their reviews Ask customers who've left a negative review in the past to update their review if you've fixed the issue Incorporate Text into Your Local Marketing Strategy Quick, efficient communication is rapidly becoming the norm in every facet of life. This includes when a customer needs or wants to communicat……LocalU Advanced Denver kicked off last week in Denver at The Curtis Hotel in downtown Denver and brought together some of the brightest minds in local search and SEO. In this one-day advanced training, session topics included a comprehensive range of topics, from an in-depth exploration of Google Discover to hottest opportunities currently for content and SEO. Panelists included LocalU Faculty members, such as Greg Gifford, Carrie Hill, Lily Ray, Aaron Weiche, and more. In this post, we will exp…

Elevating your brand’s local customer experience from search to sale

…Elevating your brand’s local customer experience from search to sale Today’s digitally savvy, constantly connected customers have high expectations of their interactions with local businesses. From the moment they search for a product or service, customers want a seamless and personalized experience. Local businesses have plenty of opportunities to create personal connections and build lasting relationships with their customers through their search presence, often be…

8 Best Practices We Learned from Analyzing KPIs on 200+ Brands’ Local Listings During COVID-19 [Webinar Recap]

…The past few months have brought massive change to the local marketing landscape. Temporary store closures, regulatory and public health requirements, changes to hours of operation and staffing, GMB updates, and more have wreaked havoc with local business communications and operations. In order to help brands understand how the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted consumer behavior, we analyzed search data for nearly 200,000 U.S. business locations over a ten-week period from February 24 to April …

Top local search updates to future-proof your 2025 strategy

…Top local search updates to future-proof your 2025 strategy Stay ahead of local search: your ultimate guide to 2024’s biggest updates Navigating the ever-changing landscape of local search rankings can feel overwhelming, but the stakes are too high to ignore. For enterprise businesses managing multiple locations or relying on agency support, every update to local search algorithms can significantly impact visibility and bottom lines. Why this guide matters In 2024…

2023 local search predictions: The future of local marketing

…man behavior. Universal search results are increasingly important. Today, brands have opportunities to be discovered in voice search results, “position zero,” featured answers and People Also Ask, and other types of prominent search results. Your brand’s presence in every area matters, from Maps to Image Search to organic and paid search listings, voice results, and more. What’s next in local search, and where should enterprise brands like yours focus their efforts and budget in ……2023 local search predictions: The future of local marketing Introduction Google is progressively getting closer to understanding what drives search behaviors and delivers better experiences. Its technology is starting to emulate the way people process information, and in turn, search is becoming progressively more visual, interactive, and exploratory. Most people are visual learners, and now technology is catching up to human behavior. Universal search results are in……uld enterprise brands like yours focus their efforts and budget in 2023? Rio SEO recently hosted a webinar on predictions for the future of local marketing, featuring a panel of digital marketing experts including Sherry Bonelli, Steve Wiideman, and Stefan Somborac. You can watch the full webinar on-demand here. In this guide, we’ll share their expert predictions and top takeaways to help guide your local marketing strategy for the year ahead – and beyond. Read eBook …

Reputation can’t be faked: what the FTC’s fake review ban means for you

…ive, ensure your ORM strategy aligns with the FTC’s new rule. Additionally, certain review platforms have further varying restrictions, like Trustpilot banning incentivized reviews and Yelp banning asking altogether, so ensure your strategy complies with every platform. Avoid shortcuts and focus on delivering real value through tangible customer experiences. It’s crucial to ensure your review management practices are both compliant and easily understandable. The new regulation allow……Reputation can’t be faked: what the FTC’s fake review ban means for you Content What does the FTC rule include? How this impacts your online reputation management strategy Prepare your brand for compliance How we can help “Fake reviews not only waste people’s time and money but also pollute the marketplace and divert business away from honest competitors,” - FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. These powerful, yet impactful, words solidify the …

Local search ranking & conversion factors to know for 2023

…om other content on the website helps search engines and local consumers alike discover and navigate to those pages. The survey’s structure changed for 2023, too. Respondents had traditionally been asked to choose and rank the 20 most impactful factors in each category. Shaw wanted to improve the quality of all results and give marketers a more robust view of the perceived value of all ranking factors. This year, the expert panel was asked to rank each of the 149 potential factors on a scale o……ing Factors survey and produces a report that provides great insight into what local marketers believe matters most to Google. Originally launched by David Mihm in 2008, this survey has become one of the industry’s most cited and respected resources for understanding which current specific elements most likely factor into Google’s local search ranking algorithms. In this year’s survey, Whitespark surveyed 44 of the best and brightest local search practitioners about 149 potential local ran…

5 Best Practices for Boosting Your Reputation Management Post-Pandemic

…ble. A notification system should be in place for these types of reviews, and you should have a strategy in place for how to respond to negative reviews and how they will be escalated if necessary. Ask Happy Customers to Leave Your Business a Review Satisfied customers are your best resource for building a stellar online presence. They’re happy with your customer service, have a positive perception of your business, and are likely to be an advocate for your product or service. Reach out to t……and boosting your reputation management efforts is a key area of focus for local marketers, however, best practices for doing so are constantly evolving. Shopping experiences have vastly changed over the past year, and in turn, so have customers' expectations of local businesses. Review sentiment has shifted based on updates to store hours, closures, health safety measures, and more. While your online reputation management strategy may not have been a top priority amid the pandemic, now is the …… local businesses refine and rebuild their brand’s online reputation as pre-pandemic consumer shopping behavior begins to resume. We were joined by a panel of local marketing and Google My Business experts who shared their insights into how brands can build a stellar online reputation post-pandemic. The panel included Sherry Bonelli, Owner of Early Bird Digital Marketing, Jason Brown, Founder of Review Fraud, and Nigel Atkinson, Account Director at Rio SEO. [fusion_button link="https://go.ri…

5 Local Marketing Predictions for 2022

…ding a reviews platform that enables you to aggregate and respond to reviews when managing multiple locations, to ensure a review is never overlooked. Q&A: Google’s Q&A allows a searcher to ask your business any question. Anyone has the ability to answer the question. However, if the business owner answers the question themselves, this helps build your authority and trust with your customers. Brands should be actively monitoring any questions they receive and should respond accordingly……likely already well into planning your 2022 marketing strategy. From drastic shifts in consumer behavior to technology advancing, it’s safe to assume your 2021 strategy will look much different for the new year to come. Taking current trends into consideration, our experts’ local marketing predictions for 2022 can help you solidify your strategy. Our own research we conduct for 8 different industries on a monthly basis paints a clear picture of just how many changes have taken place in the l…… drastic shifts in consumer behavior to technology advancing, it’s safe to assume your 2021 strategy will look much different for the new year to come. Taking current trends into consideration, our experts’ local marketing predictions for 2022 can help you solidify your strategy. Our own research we conduct for 8 different industries on a monthly basis paints a clear picture of just how many changes have taken place in the last year alone. When comparing year-over-year trends from 2020 to 20…

Apple Maps Reviews: What this Means for Multi-Location Businesses

…bsp; Ryan Weber, Director of Client Success, notes that Apple also pulls in Yelp reviews to help give a more robust view of user sentiment — but this may indicate that could be changing. Apple is asking for enhanced, higher resolution images of your products, services, and locations, he says. Weber adds, “Apple is now giving brands some control over uploading photos, which will complement Yelp's mostly user-generated content from both reviews and photos. Embellishing the listing as m……Last September, Apple gave local customers a new way to leave feedback about the stores, restaurants, and other businesses they visited with the launch of the Apple Maps rating system. Local consumers could give a thumbs up or down, as well as share photos to help others understand the type of experience they might expect to have at that location. Now, we’re seeing that Apple has added a secondary level to its review functionality by enabling customers to leave a thumbs up or down for specif…

10 Expert-Driven Reputation Management Recommendations for 2022

…Your online reputation matters now more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shifted customer expectations, and in turn, businesses have been tasked with meeting those new expectations. Businesses in every vertical have been tasked with adapting and working to protect their online reputation, understanding their customers' challenges, and mining for common sentiment to improve their operations. Taking the time to truly understand customer concerns and leading with empathy has become co……Your online reputation matters now more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shifted customer expectations, and in turn, businesses have been tasked with meeting those new expectations. Businesses in every vertical have been tasked with adapting and working to protect their online reputation, understanding their customers' challenges, and mining for common sentiment to improve their operations. Taking the time to truly understand customer concerns and leading with empathy has become co……r to the pandemic. Tailoring your customer service strategy across all channels is key to retaining and gaining happy customers. Recently, we were joined by a panel of online reputation management experts to help us discuss how to create an exceptional online brand presence by building your online reputation. Our webinar panel included: Karen Pace, Director of Social and Content Marketing at Randstad US Nigel Atkinson, Account Director at Rio SEO Scott McNulty, Regional Director …

Local Link Building 101: Best Practices and Strategies for Success

…enders. Do your research, see who has resource pages, and then reach out and see if they’d add you. Search For Online Mentions Find places people are already talking about your company or brand and ask them to link your business. Some sites may have misspelled your business or quoted it but haven’t linked it yet. Sponsor Teams & Events Many teams and events link to their sponsors, which is a great way not just to get a link but build brand awareness and loyalty in the community. Create a……Google My Business (now known as Google Business Profile) and other online business listings are essential aspects of your local SEO strategy – but they're not the only game in town. Although the MapPack results are prominent when Google perceives local intent behind the query (especially on mobile), you can't ignore those traditional ten blue links. Links are still an important ranking factor in Google's organic search results. That makes having a link building strategy for your brand a must…… offers its Disavow Tool as a way to let the search engine know when you do not want your website associated with an incoming link. When the tool first launched, there was a flurry of activity as SEO experts raced to disavow spammy links and those from websites with lower Domain Authority. However, the best practice today is to only disavow links when there is a solid indication that the links in question are harming your SEO. If Google believes you may have purchased links, for example, you ma…

Debunking the Top 16 Common SEO Myths Once and For All

…n, or worse. Additionally, as Jason shares keywords in the reviews itself can also help boost ranking. To do so, first, your business should have a review acquisition strategy in place. Next, you can ask leading questions to encourage your customers to naturally use your desired keywords in reviews. For example, say you're a San Diego-based barber shop targeting the term "men's haircut San Diego". You could ask your customers, "How would you describe your men's haircust experience today at our S……s are persistent and are too often believable. Once a myth is born, it spreads like wildfire and can cause destruction across an entire site, leading to a lower organic ranking and worse, lost sales. These common SEO myths are further perpetuated by Google's ongoing search ranking algorithm updates. This begs the question, how do you know if these misconceptions about SEO are fact or fiction? To help you discern which myths to worry about and dispel the myths you shouldn't pay attention to, we p……know if these misconceptions about SEO are fact or fiction? To help you discern which myths to worry about and dispel the myths you shouldn't pay attention to, we put together a panel of SEO industry experts for an in-depth discussion. During the webinar, we discussed 16 common SEO misconceptions, to put these myths to rest once and for all. Panelists included: Jason Brown, SEO Manager for Over the Top Marketing and Founder of Review Fraud Chad Klingensmith, Senior SEO Strategist at Rio SEO Le…

Demystifying Apple showcases: Tips for creating visual content that converts

…now is the time to start. In this post, you’ll learn how to use Showcases to boost engagement, drive more conversions, and amplify your brand presence. We’ll also answer frequently asked questions we encounter regarding Showcases. Let’s start by defining what exactly an Apple Showcase is. What is an Apple Showcase? A Showcase is a module on the place card and a promotional post companies can use via Apple Business Connect to highlight and promote timely, relevant offer……Demystifying Apple showcases: Tips for creating visual content that converts Meeting customers in their decision-making moments is essential to create a positive local experience at every touchpoint. Often, the first time they’ll engage with your brand is when they find it in the search results. When we think of search results, we commonly associate this with the content we find in Google Search, but it’s important to consider other popular search platforms as well. F…

Local Search predictions for 2022

…Local Search predictions for 2022 Introduction Any hopes of 2022 ushering in some semblance of a “new normal” have been dashed as the Coronavirus persists. Varying levels of vaccination uptake, the discovery of new variants, and ongoing travel restrictions and health regulations around the globe are all keeping local marketers on their toes as we plan for the year ahead. Consumer needs and behaviors are changing, and the sheer volume of content and informatio…

Local search ranking & conversion factors to know for 2022

…Local search ranking and conversion factors to know for 2022 Introduction We know that Google Search is the place to be when you want to be seen by local searchers in their moments of need, as 83% of local consumers use Google to find information about nearby businesses. These consumers are searching with the intent to take action, too, and 90% will make a purchase within one week of their initial search. However, the top of Google’s local organic search and MapPack …

8 Tips For Optimizing Yelp Listings for Social Distancing Terms

…s & safety measures. There are several safety attributes listed under the COVID-19 section on Yelp. Businesses can check off the appropriate protocols they are enforcing including mandatory face masks, contactless payment, and sanitizing high-contact surfaces between customers. New fields/attributes were added in late March at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to allow businesses to better highlight safety protocols they have in place and updates in their services to accommodate the need f……Consumers are on the hunt for clear COVID-19 protocols for any business they plan to visit. Optimizing Yelp listings for social distancing terms is now a must for all enterprise brands. Now, when searchers visit a location on Yelp, Yelp has prominently placed this information at the top of every business page. They’ll see a new informational section positioned between the company name and reviews, under “COVID-19 Updates”. This area highlights public health precautions and social dist…

Post-Vaccine Local Consumer Behavior Trends and Tips for Brands

…rmation up-to-date. Consider adding an FAQs page if you don’t already have one so customers can find all the important information in one spot. Customers may also be utilizing Google Q&A to ask your store questions regarding store policies, such as if masks are required. Ensure you’re actively responding to these queries to provide searchers with accurate information. Be active on social media Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media channels are a simple way to communicat……COVID-19 changed every facet of life for millions globally and disrupted local search trends for the majority of the past year. Businesses were forced to close their brick-and-mortar locations, workplaces went fully remote and consumers were subject to strict stay-at-home orders, and the world turned inward. Rio SEO has been tracking changes in local search behavior month-by-month and has noticed new trends as more people receive vaccines and global restrictions start to ease. You can find th…