Local Content, Local SearchLocal Content, Local Search

Chris Sherman, Executive Editor

SearchEngineLand.com

May 1, 2009

Chris Sherman, Executive Editor

SearchEngineLand.com

May 1, 2009

Let’s Start With Some StatsLet’s Start With Some Stats

Search Is Now HabitualSearch Is Now Habitual

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

Flavors Of Local SearchFlavors Of Local Search

Major search engines maps/local Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) & city guides “Local/Social” search sites that combine things like

business listings, classified ads, reviews & ratings, comments and “community”

“Vertical” or niche sites focusing on specific categories (real estate, service providers (florist, lawyer, plumber), retailers, restaurants, etc)

You can easily reach searchers through all of these channels

Major search engines maps/local Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) & city guides “Local/Social” search sites that combine things like

business listings, classified ads, reviews & ratings, comments and “community”

“Vertical” or niche sites focusing on specific categories (real estate, service providers (florist, lawyer, plumber), retailers, restaurants, etc)

You can easily reach searchers through all of these channels

Local Search Is Bigger Than You ThinkLocal Search Is Bigger Than You Think

March 2009: 14b total queries at major search engines (comScore)

Depending on which stats you believe, 20-40% of all search queries have local intent

That’s roughly 300-600 million local search queries per month, and that doesn’t include searches on IYPs, local/map sites, or other local verticals

March 2009: 14b total queries at major search engines (comScore)

Depending on which stats you believe, 20-40% of all search queries have local intent

That’s roughly 300-600 million local search queries per month, and that doesn’t include searches on IYPs, local/map sites, or other local verticals

Local Search Is Growing FastLocal Search Is Growing Fast

Traffic to “pure” local search/map sites grew 58 percent in 2008, reaching an annual total of 15.7 billion searches

By comparison, overall U.S. Web core searches grew at a much smaller rate of 21 percent year-over-year, nearing 137 billion searches by the end of 2008 (comScore, YPA)

Traffic to “pure” local search/map sites grew 58 percent in 2008, reaching an annual total of 15.7 billion searches

By comparison, overall U.S. Web core searches grew at a much smaller rate of 21 percent year-over-year, nearing 137 billion searches by the end of 2008 (comScore, YPA)

Why Search Is ImportantWhy Search Is Important

89% of consumers making in-store purchases have conducted research online (BIG Research)

82% of people using local search sites followed up with an offline action, e.g., in-store visit, phone call (TMP Directional Marketing)

77% searched the Internet for real estate related information during their research process compared to 34 percent for print (Yahoo)

89% of consumers making in-store purchases have conducted research online (BIG Research)

82% of people using local search sites followed up with an offline action, e.g., in-store visit, phone call (TMP Directional Marketing)

77% searched the Internet for real estate related information during their research process compared to 34 percent for print (Yahoo)

Google Search Term PopularityGoogle Search Term Popularity

Searcher Behavior Is Growing More SophisticatedSearcher Behavior Is Growing More Sophisticated

Searcher queries are longer - 2 to 4 words More “tail” queries (specific rather than general) Searchers are increasingly using niche, vertical, or

“local/social search” sites Surprisingly, Internet Yellow Pages sites are gaining

traction as well

Searcher queries are longer - 2 to 4 words More “tail” queries (specific rather than general) Searchers are increasingly using niche, vertical, or

“local/social search” sites Surprisingly, Internet Yellow Pages sites are gaining

traction as well

Types of Local SearchTypes of Local Search

Explicit: “denver apartments” “colorado housing”

Implicit: “property manager” “apartment rentals”

Search engines can serve up targeted results for either explicit or implicit queries thanks to geotargeting capabilities

Explicit: “denver apartments” “colorado housing”

Implicit: “property manager” “apartment rentals”

Search engines can serve up targeted results for either explicit or implicit queries thanks to geotargeting capabilities

Natural vs. Paid ListingsNatural vs. Paid Listings

Search Engine VisibilitySearch Engine Visibility

You can improve your odds of being found in general search results by “optimizing” your content and conducting a link building campaign

And if you’re willing to pay, you can also get visibility through search advertising

A well-balanced search marketing campaign uses both approaches

You can improve your odds of being found in general search results by “optimizing” your content and conducting a link building campaign

And if you’re willing to pay, you can also get visibility through search advertising

A well-balanced search marketing campaign uses both approaches

Local Search Ranking FactorsLocal Search Ranking Factors

Business name in title tag <title> Similar business name or category keyword in

domain name Local address on web pages or contact us page Phone number on web pages or contact us page # of user ratings (also not having negative ratings) Business categorizations in Yellow Pages Business site tied to Google Maps listing

Business name in title tag <title> Similar business name or category keyword in

domain name Local address on web pages or contact us page Phone number on web pages or contact us page # of user ratings (also not having negative ratings) Business categorizations in Yellow Pages Business site tied to Google Maps listing

Links: The Most Important Ranking FactorLinks: The Most Important Ranking Factor

Chamber of Commerce Local government & community guides Colleges & Universities (.edu “gold”) Local libraries Local and regional newspapers and online

magazines Blogs about the area Targeted vertical directories

Chamber of Commerce Local government & community guides Colleges & Universities (.edu “gold”) Local libraries Local and regional newspapers and online

magazines Blogs about the area Targeted vertical directories

Even More Targeted: Local/Maps ResultsEven More Targeted: Local/Maps Results

Maps are emerging as a key interface for interacting with many types of information

All major search engines have local/maps “catalogs” that let searchers search specifically for local information

And people aren’t just using them for local search – Google Maps is the #1 travel site (Hitwise)

Maps are emerging as a key interface for interacting with many types of information

All major search engines have local/maps “catalogs” that let searchers search specifically for local information

And people aren’t just using them for local search – Google Maps is the #1 travel site (Hitwise)

Showing Up On Maps: Business ListingsShowing Up On Maps: Business Listings

Business listings are yellow-page like company info Be sure to claim your business listing! If you don’t,

someone else may, or it may be inaccurate How?

Google: www.google.com/local/add MSN: https://llc.local.live.com/ListingCenter.aspx Yahoo: http://listings.local.yahoo.com/

Business listings are yellow-page like company info Be sure to claim your business listing! If you don’t,

someone else may, or it may be inaccurate How?

Google: www.google.com/local/add MSN: https://llc.local.live.com/ListingCenter.aspx Yahoo: http://listings.local.yahoo.com/

Google Business ListingsGoogle Business Listings

Advertising On Google MapsAdvertising On Google Maps

“Local business ads” appear directly on Google maps results, associated with a specific address

Can be icons or images Great for showing pictures of locations Not yet available on Yahoo or Microsoft (well, kinda) How?

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=34033

“Local business ads” appear directly on Google maps results, associated with a specific address

Can be icons or images Great for showing pictures of locations Not yet available on Yahoo or Microsoft (well, kinda) How?

http://adwords.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=34033

Google Maps Sponsored ListingGoogle Maps Sponsored Listing

Where You Want To Be ListedWhere You Want To Be Listed

Search engines: Google, Yahoo!, MSN /

Live.com, Citysearch, Local.com

“Local-social" search sites: Craigslist, Insider Pages,

OpenList, Yelp, Topix

Search engines: Google, Yahoo!, MSN /

Live.com, Citysearch, Local.com

“Local-social" search sites: Craigslist, Insider Pages,

OpenList, Yelp, Topix

IYPs: YellowPages.com,

SuperPages, WhitePages, InfoSpace/Idearc, Dex, Yellow Book, Yellow Page City

Business data aggregators: infoUSA Express

Update, Acxiom

IYPs: YellowPages.com,

SuperPages, WhitePages, InfoSpace/Idearc, Dex, Yellow Book, Yellow Page City

Business data aggregators: infoUSA Express

Update, Acxiom

Consider Apartment-Specific SitesConsider Apartment-Specific Sites

Rent.com (#7 real estate site – Hitwise) Apartments.com (#15 real estate site – Hitwise) ForRent.com DenverApartments.com StapletonApartments.com Bonus: Link to your listings from your own website,

blog, social media sites, etc. for added search engine visibility

Rent.com (#7 real estate site – Hitwise) Apartments.com (#15 real estate site – Hitwise) ForRent.com DenverApartments.com StapletonApartments.com Bonus: Link to your listings from your own website,

blog, social media sites, etc. for added search engine visibility

The Value Of Local BlogsThe Value Of Local Blogs

Local blogs can serve two purposes: Valuable source of links pointing to your sites Good word-of-mouth marketing

Consider starting your own blog. Local blogs may not be interested in linking to your corporate/sales site, but will link to interesting/compelling content on your blog

Local blogs can serve two purposes: Valuable source of links pointing to your sites Good word-of-mouth marketing

Consider starting your own blog. Local blogs may not be interested in linking to your corporate/sales site, but will link to interesting/compelling content on your blog

Other Online Marketing ChannelsOther Online Marketing Channels

Upload videos of your rentals to YouTube Engage with social media sites (carefully!)

Twitter Facebook MySpace

Consider mobile advertising

Upload videos of your rentals to YouTube Engage with social media sites (carefully!)

Twitter Facebook MySpace

Consider mobile advertising

Future Trends: Search Engines vs. MLSFuture Trends: Search Engines vs. MLS

Already The #2 Real Estate SiteAlready The #2 Real Estate Site

Take AwaysTake Aways

Search, and specifically local search, is a huge marketing opportunity for the multifamily industry

Local search opportunities come in many flavors, and many are extremely cost effective compared with other types of marketing and advertising

Be creative in your approach, by exploring lots of different channels and embracing “new media” such as blogs, video and social media sites

Search, and specifically local search, is a huge marketing opportunity for the multifamily industry

Local search opportunities come in many flavors, and many are extremely cost effective compared with other types of marketing and advertising

Be creative in your approach, by exploring lots of different channels and embracing “new media” such as blogs, video and social media sites