Local Search Tools

Local search got a bit more popular & over the last year there was some pretty cool tools that made their way into the local search space.

Citation Building/Tracking

1.WhiteSpark Local Citation Finder


This powerful tool queries Google for citation sources (business name, address, and phone number mentions)  across deep Google search results and a list of competitors. You can even store your searches and check off citations as your build them.

2. SeOverflow Local Search Tool Kit



The Local Search Tool Kit dives into Places Page data to give you the exact citations that your competitors have, review counts, and a lot of other data for comparison across the top 7 listings. It’s a great way to see the citation list that has definitely been nabbed by Google as a trust source. This is also the bomb diggity for checking out competitors on a key phrase.

3. Customized Google Search



While not a tool you would expect, the search results give you a great citation source for tracking your own business data. You can see what citation sources have been indexed in Google (and which ones are the most authoritative) by doing a custom NAP search using Parenthesis and plus signs (p.s. Parenthesis and Plus Signs would make an awesome band name if anyone is looking).

Review Monitoring and Posting

4. MyReviewsPage.com



Yup…Monitor the reviews being left about your client/company on the major review engines. While Google can scrap most of them, you can see it before they do. Email updates and an easy user interface + a wordpress plug in. Doesn’t get much better for SMB reputation management thanks to Don Campbell.

5. Getlisted.org



David Mihm’s Getlisted.org has been the biggest tool in local search. The company has gone beyond just an application, and has become a conference series for training SMB’s across the US. Getlisted.org’s tool will walk a person through the entire listing process from claiming major profiles on Google, Bing, Yahoo, to monitoring reviews left about the company. This is a great one-stop-shop for a local business looking to get their feet wet in local search. Just make sure you hit up a Local University Event while your at it.

6. ReviewBiz



This tool from BrightLocal.com makes navigation to the multiple places for customers to leave reviews a breeze. Simply choose the review sites you want your drop down button to include and set it to display your business page. BrightLocal has a slew of tools coming out over the coming months and I have to say that they are going to be a company to watch in the local search tool space. Great ideas, and great design. A deadly combination.

GEO-Tagging Tools

7. Geo Sitemap and KML Generator



Keyhole Markup Language is the way to speak local to search engines and nothing speaks trusts like KML data. Couple that with a geo-sitemap pointing to the file and you have the ability to point search engines to your exact location and build some major trust/prominence. While coding this yourself would be a nightmare, this tool is a very easy 3 step process.

8. Paneramio



Geo-Tagged images will continue to be a growing user-generated field of local search and right now Google scraps Panoramio pictures for Places profiles. Hmmm…. I wonder why.

Google Places and Maps Tracking Tools

9. MapTracker



Yes. This is my own tool that tracks Map rankings up to 70 positions deep.  You can track generic keywords based on a location or location + generic words. The tool is built for search marketers who want to be able to get quick email reports of ranking movement daily, weekly, or monthly and the dashboard gives a quick overview of your average ranking position and how many keywords are in the top 7 listings. It is free, I am proud, and it is my first attempt into the world of tool building.

10. Authority Labs



Authority Labs is the best quick access, at a glace, SEO Keyword Rank Tracking system I know of. It works perfect for taking a daily look across a mass amount of domains. What A.L. does that many SEO tools need to do is add elements of universal search.

While AuthoirtyLabs doesn’t go to deep into local search rankings, they will display a map symbol on keywords that bring up a 7 pack, and also give you the local pin letter position you are in. While I would like to see this tool expand for more local search information, it is a great start and a great tool that I use a lot.

Credit: SEARCH ENGINE JOURNAL

Search Marketing Basics

Why Search Marketing is important … and difficult," we examine what search marketing is all about. We look at the way search usage is exploding and why search marketing is so valuable to your organization how it can drive visitors to your Web site. You will be convinced that your Web site cannot ignore Web searchers any longer. But before being overcome by irrational exuberance, we also take a cold look at why some companies find search marketing so hard to do and why the larger you’re Web site, the tougher it is.

"How Search Engines Work," dives into how search engines work what happens when someone is looking for a word, where the results on the screen come from, and how your Web site can show up right on that search results page. You will take a guided tour of the leading search engines and learn which ones to pay attention to.

We dig into search marketing methods. We teach you the three basic search marketing techniques, pointing out the benefits of each, so you can start thinking about which ones are most important to you. We also explain how each technique works and review which search companies you will work with for each one.

Peek inside the mind of the searcher. Find out what these folks are really looking for when they type in one or two words. Learn to use your knowledge of searchers to your advantage.

SEO Strategy

SEO Strategy
The process of SEO is not easy to tackle, largely because so many pieces of a site factor into the final results. Promoting a site that writers on the web are unlikely to link to is as deadly as creating a fantastic website no one will see.

SEO is also a long-term process, both in application and results - those who expect quick rankings after completing a few suggestions in this guide will be deeply disappointed.

Search engines can often be frustratingly slow to respond to improvements that will eventually garner significant boosts in traffic.

1. Unique Content - Something that has never before been offered on the web in terms of depth, quality or presentation (i.e. a unique value proposition)


2. Access to an Adoptive Community - Connections or alliances with people/websites in an existing online community that is ready to accept, visit and promote your offering


3. Link-Friendly Formatting - Even the best content may be unlikely to be linked to if it displays ads, particularly those that break up the page content or pop-up when a visitor comes to the site. Use discretion in presenting your material and remember that links are one of the most valuable commodities a site/page can get and they'll last far longer than a pop-up ad's revenue.


4. Establishing Plan - Intelligent systems for monetizing powerful content must exist, or bandwidth, hosting and development costs will eventually overrun your budget.


5. Market Awareness - If your site is targeting highly competitive terms you should make available, an online marketing budget, including funds for link buying, and hire or consult with someone experienced in bringing newer sites to the top of the SERPs.

If you take these steps and have a robust knowledge of the methods described in this guide, you are ready to begin an SEO campaign.