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How COVID-19 Has Changed Local Consumer Search Behavior [Infographic]

…retail locations are up more than in any other vertical we evaluated, with 337% more clicks to call a store from a GMB listing. Consumers are picking up the phone to call and inquire about inventory, ask questions about social distancing, double-check store hours, and more. Consumers are looking for reassuring, accurate information to help them understand how best to shop, dine, and do business with nearby businesses. Check out more consumer behavior insights below:……The Coronavirus pandemic is driving dramatic shifts in consumer behavior—that much is clear. Consumers are having to put more thought into everyday decisions such as where to shop, what time of day to visit a local store, or how to procure necessary items without having to go inside a store to get them. How are changes in the way we do business at the local level impacting consumers’ search behaviors? And what are the key takeaways businesses should focus on? New data from our analysis of s…

Ghost Kitchens: How Does a Ghost Kitchen Work and What do Local Marketers Need to Know?

…r virtual brand It’s Just Wings, according to CNBC. But, how do ghost kitchens drive local business so quickly and successfully from launch? In this article, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about local marketing for ghost kitchens, particularly for multi-location brands managing this innovative foodservice format at scale. What is a Ghost Kitchen? A ghost kitchen is a virtual restaurant or food production brand that doesn’t operate out of its own physical brick-and-mo……The rise of ghost kitchens took off during the pandemic, as businesses saw a new opportunity to deliver on rapidly changing customer needs. Big brands are getting in on the action — Chili’s, for example, generated an additional $150M per year in revenue with their virtual brand It’s Just Wings, according to CNBC. But, how do ghost kitchens drive local business so quickly and successfully from launch? In this article, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about local marke…

How to level up your 2023 content marketing strategy

…ame tone and compassion a human could. That's just one reason why robots won't be replacing content marketers any time soon. Our panel, however, does note that AI can help significantly with some tasks for content creators such as creating outlines, finding useful stats, and analyzing existing content. It can also help draw inspiration, find out which keywords can help bolster your content, and discover content topics to write about. Just as with other digital marketing trends and strategi……How to level up your 2023 content marketing strategy Content Create unique and personalized content Optimize content for mobile Word length doesn’t matter There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to measuring content performance Don’t neglect optimizing existing content Don’t rely too heavily on AI Google continues to make it abundantly clear it rewards website content that's relevant and satisfying for readers. This has long been a priority…… We can’t predict the future of content marketing, but we can focus now on the content strategies winning in the competitive search landscape by leaning on the advice of content marketing and SEO experts. Recently we hosted a webinar and were joined by a panel of industry experts who shared their expertise on how to create valuable content, write content for people rather than search engines, the role artificial intelligence (AI) is playing in content creation, and much more. Watch…

Apple Business Connect gets an upgrade: How enterprise brands can maximize visibility

…Apple Business Connect gets an upgrade: How enterprise brands can maximize visibility Content Maximize the impact of Apple Business Connect Amplify visibility with Apple’s new branding tools Simplify multi-location management with expert solutions How to get started Make Apple Business Connect work for you Apple’s Business Connect has just made it easier than ever to control your brand’s presence across its powerful ecosystem. With over a billion …

How Search Engines Adapted to Local Marketing Changes Due to COVID-19

… terms have been trending as consumers seek ways to stay out of indoor spaces and, in many cases, can no longer take in-store shopping options as a given. Information on safety protocols such as mask-wearing and temperature check requirements for customers, as well as transparency around staff safety requirements, provide insight into both customer experience and employee welfare. This information satisfies customer curiosities around how they might engage with a brand or business in the new……We’ve all heard bold statements about how the world will never be the same following the current pandemic. And while it’s certainly true to say that the global marketplace has experienced unprecedented shifts in consumer behavior over the last year, it’s worth noting that global, of course, also entails local. In a time characterized by continuous change, we have witnessed not only health but also economic, leadership, social justice, and climate crises worldwide – and certainly at th…

How to Support Your Local Rankings with Organic SEO

…The fact that 97% of consumers use search to find local businesses is old news—that finding from BIA Kelsey dates back to a decade ago now. Yet over the past ten years, the importance of both organic and local search in discovery, engagement, and driving motivated buyers into your locations has only grown. In that time, organic and local search have melded together in many ways, too. Gone are the ten plain blue links. Both organic and local results have become more visually interesting, inter……m. 4. Create new, optimized local content on a regular basis. Keep feeding search engines and consumers fresh, relevant content to consider. Tap into your local knowledge base and subject matter experts. Use high-quality images and videos in blog posts, local pages, Google Posts, and social media. Focus on incorporating local context by mentioning landmarks that help consumers picture the location, working in local trends and lingo, showcasing local accolades and community service, and …

How to support your Local Search rankings with organic SEO

…How to support your Local Search rankings with organic SEO Content What's the difference between organic and local SEO? Does organic SEO have an impact on local rankings? Organic and local SEO are just better together Even with the most exceptional offline customer experience, local businesses face the persistent challenge of attracting the attention of potential consumers. Local SEO has proven to be a game-changer for multi-location brands, enabling busin……who perceive you as a trusted and knowledgeable entity. To create relevant content that will attract and engage motivated customers: Tap into your local knowledge base and subject matter experts. Use high-quality images and videos in blog posts, local pages, Google Posts, Google Business Profiles (and other online listings), and social media. Focus on incorporating local context by mentioning landmarks that help consumers picture the location, working in local trends…

How to Perfect Your Local Strategy for New Restaurant Services

…t to eat for dinner. You’ve now become well-accustomed to ordering food for delivery or swinging by your favorite restaurant for curbside pickup. While going out for a nice dinner out may be out of the question, consumers are undeniably still interested in getting food to go from restaurants despite the current pandemic. While the foodservice industry has dramatically had to shift its operations significantly to adapt to a new era of consumerism, many have been quick to adapt to new trends. N…

Google search algorithm updates: How to prepare, predict, and protect your website

…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 Google search algorithm updates: How to prepare, predict, and protect your website On-demand webinarDuration: 45 minutes Grab your seat today and join us as we demy…

The local experience: How customer experiences are redefining local marketing online and offline

…WEBINAR The local experience: How customer experiences are redefining local marketing online and offline On-demand webinarDuration: 45 minutes About the event Your customer’s experience with your brand begins the moment they are in need of your products or services. Often this takes place well before they ever visit a physical location in the search results. If you’re not positioned well for these critical first steps, it very well could be the last steps that customer takes w…

How to Ace the Google Page Experience Update and Maximize Your Website’s Potential

…Google’s much-anticipated Page Experience update is set to roll out in May 2021. Jeffrey Jose, Product Manager on Search at Google, explained in a recent announcement that, “The new page experience signals combine Core Web Vitals with our existing search signals including mobile-friendliness, safe-browsing, HTTPS-security, and intrusive interstitial guidelines.” The good news is that none of these considerations are new; the factors Google considers part of Core Web Vitals and Page Experi…

How the Google My Business Product Approval Process Works

…Having a firm understanding of the Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business Products) approval process can ensure a seamless launch and mitigate potential issues. It can also help you build your online presence, share your product inventory digitally, and is a powerful sales tool not to miss out on. In this blog post, we will explore the Google Business Profile product approval process. We'll also dive into the benefits of adding your products to your local listings. What ar…

Bing Search Benefits: How to Maximize Your Search Engine Presence

…Search is a rapidly changing space, and you need to focus your digital marketing efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact. For most brands, that means thinking “Google first” when it comes to their search strategy. The undisputed market leader, Google had a search engine market share of over 86% worldwide in December 2021 while Microsoft’s Bing accounted for about 7%. However, when it comes to local search, it’s essential that brands understand every place local consumers are se…

5 Tips to Protect Your Google Business Profile Hours From Unwanted Updates

…ia, it will likely predict your temporary hours based on other businesses or not update it at all. This will confuse your customers. Keeping this collection of times up-to-date can be a challenging task. Still, it’s critical to keep your customers in the loop when you have varied or temporary closing hours or if your business is undergoing an extended closure. 5. Monitor for changes to location hours at scale Google is not the only option available to search for local businesses online. Custo……Have you ever been offput by an initial impression? Whether a person or a business, a first impression can be a lasting impression — both good or bad. As a business, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is essentially the first point of contact most local customers have with your brand. It's your first opportunity to build trust, develop a relationship, and ultimately prompt a consumer to take action. Or, it could drive customers to your competitors instead. Unreliable information on a GBP …

What’s New With Google: Review Attributes, Top-Rated Labels, Hotel Attributes

…minently highlight both the positive and negative feedback your business receives to better inform potential customers. In an effort to do bring this critical information to the surface, Google began asking customers to select both positive and negative attributes any time they leave a review for your business (unless they leave a 3-star review). When a customer leaves a 4 or 5-star review for your business. Google will then prompt users to select positive attributes to better describe their ……Google continues to focus on being the first and only destination searchers need to turn to during their time of need. In order to achieve this, they must, in turn, consistently refine their technology to better meet consumers’ evolving needs. Lately, it appears Google has been hard at work doing just that, quietly pushing out new functionality with Review attributes and in the Local Pack, as well as adding new features for the hospitality industry. In this blog post, we will dive into what ……ocal Pack, as well as adding new features for the hospitality industry. In this blog post, we will dive into what each of these new updates entails, as well as recommendations from our local search experts on how to make the most of Google’s latest enhancements for local businesses. Let's find out what's new with Google. Review Attributes Expand Google seeks to prominently highlight both the positive and negative feedback your business receives to better inform potential customers. In an e…

The Latest Google My Business Updates Hotel Brands Can’t Miss

…y, languages spoken, concierge, 24-hour front desk, etc. Google also released new health and safety attributes to all business categories to display whether staff receive temperature checks, wear masks, etc. Note: Google has advised that there is currently a known issue with updating hotel attributes via the API and spreadsheets. Please contact your Rio SEO Account Director if you have any questions. COVID-19 Responder Policy This hotel-specific attribute enables you to display that y……The Coronavirus pandemic brought with it sweeping, wide-ranging, and impactful local marketing disruptions for all brands, with hospitality one of the hardest hit. In November, while tracking local search metrics in GMB for over 200,000 locations each month to better bring to light the impact of the pandemic, we found that hospitality brands’ metrics were down across the board by double digits. Search views, search volume, clicks and various types of conversions from local search were all d…

Best Practices for Local SEO for Hotel Brands as Travel Restrictions Ease

…evisit the health and safety attributes added to the platform in late 2020 to help searchers find the information they need. These attributes include characteristics including appointments required, masks required, and staff requirements to wear masks and complete temperature checks. Google continues to add more all the time. Now, there are nearly 100 attributes to provide important, decision-informing information including special interests like wellness, all-inclusive, and amenities such ……As travel advisories are relaxing and some U.S. markets are opening up for the summer tourism season, now is the ideal time to optimize your hotel brand’s local presence. In turn, optimizing local SEO for hotel brands has become crucial as travel restrictions and interest eases. According to a recent Harris Poll, 77% of Americans plan to travel this summer (29% remain cautious but optimistic). Additionally, 42% cite health and safety factors as a barrier to travel. Conditions are right for …

PG Forsta hosts 12th annual Community Day, second worldwide event

…PG Forsta, the renowned leader in transforming the Human Experience (HX) across the healthcare ecosystem of patient, employee, member, consumer, and customer journeys, held its twelfth annual Community Day on Tuesday, September 12. This year marks the second-ever Community Day held by the unified PG Forsta company on a global scale. Community Day represents a $1,000,000 investment by the company annually. In South Bend, Indiana, approximately 500 employees based in PG Forsta’s flagship o…

National pharmacy brand prescribed a hyperlocal content strategy to cure local rankings

…National pharmacy brand prescribed a hyperlocal content strategy to cure local rankings Tools used Local Reporting Hyperlocal Content The challenge A major pharmacy retailer sought a comprehensive local SEO strategy to increase organic and local visibility across its thousands of locations. The brand had a solid foundation of optimized landing pages and accurate local listings, and needed an extra push to gain visibility in under-performing markets, particularly i…

Guide to Google Business Profiles for hospitality brands

… 70% more likely to visit and 50% more likely to consider purchasing from businesses with a complete Business Profile. For hotel brands, Google listings can help build brand trust and authority in the communities you serve, surface your hotel higher in Google Maps and the Local Pack, and highlight your property’s features and amenities to convert searchers to satisfied customers. Your local listing on Google is a consolidated snapshot of the essential information customers need to know t…