Category: Blog
What attracts people’s attention when presented with Google Places local search results?
4th April
What attracts people’s attention when presented with Google Places local search results?
I stumbled across an excellent post by SEOMoz who were given the opportunity by Mirametrix to use their state of the art eye-tracking technology to study how and where users’ eyes are drawn to on typical search result pages. This technology follows the user’s eyes and creates an image similar to a heat map of the areas on the page where the user’s eyes are focused on most.
They used a couple of variations of a typical search query for pizza (with location settings enabled on their browser) which bring up both blended and “pure” local results.
Let’s take a look at how they got on…
Example 1: Blended Results
The “blended” local results. This query (best pizza in Chicago) returns a complete list of “blended” search results. This is a very common SERP … Read More »
Can Derry & Donegal SMBs benefit from SEO?
30th March
SEO / Local Search Marketing for small businesses in Derry & Donegal – Is it worth their while?
I’ve been out and about with our recent flier campaign and talking to some local small business owners to get some feedback on how they view online / local search marketing. One of the most common views seems to be “Ah sure that wouldn’t be any good to me”
Being involved in online marketing myself for quite a while now, I couldn’t imagine having any sort of business without some sort of online presence. However, the general response I received from small business owners this last week or so:
Surprised me that so many didn’t think increasing their visibility online would benefit their business
Made me wonder whether or not they had a point!
Before I go any further I must point out that I was not … Read More »
Come on Google….We’re waiting on Map Maker…
27th March
Google Map Maker’s recent redesign has made it all the more simple and engaging for users to create and edit aspects of their local maps. It has caused quite a stir in the US since it’s release back in April 2011 and the rapid influx of user generated or “community” content had strained it’s capacity in the early stages of it’s release. This was largely due to the fact that all edits needed to be reviewed by Google’s staff before validation.
Take a look at this time-lapse video of how the map of Baghdad evolved…
The recent aesthetic redesign has also involved a restructuring in the way it validates community edits. Now, instead of having to review each edit themselves, Google now appoints some of the best contributors to Google Maps as delegated moderators. This has … Read More »
Google Places SEO – Google Places Ranking Factors
26th March
We’re all pretty familiar with the Google Places results we receive when we enter a local search query but who or what decides which business deserves the right to get the highly sought after “A” position? Well the answer is simple (and obvious)…Google!
There are however many factors that we know about which help influence Google’s decision…
Places page 100% complete
This may seem a pretty obvious factor and it is, but it is one that we all too often see over-looked. Each area of your Google Places page should be completed in full to provide the user with as much information as possible. This helps the CTR (click through rate) and also shows Google that you have put a bit of effort into it.
Take the time to get ten professional pictures of your business premises or staff and if you … Read More »
Happy birthday Google Maps!
23rd March
Well I think it’s only fair to take a few minutes to wish our old buddy Google Maps a (belated!) very happy 7th birthday today. Considering she has helped me out of many an otherwise panic-stricken situation she and everyone involved with her deserved their celebration.
Google Maps has become an integral part of a lot of our daily lives, in one form or another. I only recently had her to thank for getting me safely to a wedding in Sligo while the purpose-build satellite navigation gadget we had in the car didn’t know where we were! I’ve had her to thank countless times in Australia whilst on my travels, with the “Places” app on my phone I was never lost.
Let’s take a look at the history of Google Maps since it’s inception way back in 2005…….
In 2004 Google … Read More »
Google Places step by step guide
13th March
Google places step by step guide
A simple guide to starting your own Local Search Marketing campaign.
With over 65% of Irish people using the internet to find local products and services, and over 80% of those using Google, it is absolutely essential that every business has an online presence. If your business can’t be found in the search engines, it is simply invisible to these prospective clients. Add to that the fact that by the end of 2012 it is expected that over 50% of mobile phone users in Ireland will own a smartphone and it is becoming more important by the day that your business is visible in the local online search results.
Here is your simple step by step guide to setting up and optimising your Google Places page:
Claim your listing!
This is a pretty obvious … Read More »
Google: 1 Billion People Will Use Mobile As Primary Internet Access Point In 2012
28th February
BIA/Kelsey announced recently that over 50% of mobile phone users in Ireland are expected to own a smartphone by the end of 2012. Are we to expect this level of local online search in Ireland in the near future? I suspect not but it is worth taking note all the same! …………………
Google found that 92 percent of smartphone owners in the US seek local (offline) information via their devices, and that 89 percent of those people took some form of action after such a lookup. Beyond this Google said that 25 percent of people in the US made a purchase after a local lookup. In addition, in the US, 51 percent called a business and 48 percent actually went to the business location.
via Google: 1 Billion People Will Use Mobile As Primary Internet Access Point In 2012.
What is SEO in plain English?
24th February
What is SEO?
Definition:
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is basically the process of improving a website’s visibility in the search engines via the un-paid or “organic” listings.
How it works:
Each search engine (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.) has their own individual algorithm i.e. criteria that determines which websites deserve to rank highly for the keyword or search term that it’s targeting. Understanding these algorithm’s is probably the most important factor when preparing your SEO strategy. Google’s algorithm takes hundreds of factors into account to determine which website deserves the coveted number 1 position. These factors range in their levels of importance and only Google really knows the level of importance given to each SEO factor, it is up to us to figure out what the “Google Bot” likes and doesn’t like!
Major Factors:
Here’s some of the major factors that are widely regarded to influence Google’s … Read More »
Google+ …. A worthy challenger to facebook?
22nd February
Google Plus has finally arrived. The much talked about social layer which is aimed almost entirely at taking over Facebook’s monopoly of social networking is now here. Google are still warning of some bugs and glitches that need ironing out and have delayed it’s full release several times. I have a sneaky suspicion however that this periodic rolling out is more of a creation of suspense and publicity than anything else.
Google + will be omnipresent on it’s products, and you may have noticed the familiar grey strip at the top of all Google pages has turned black with many new features to incorporate the search giant’s latest social offering. Some of these features are very similar to those on Facebook such as the notifications tab which similarly lights up when someone likes a post etc. but Google + then starts … Read More »