Local Search
A Heat Map Click Study For Google’s Local Carousel Results
Last week I published a post where we recorded 10 random people’s reaction to Google Local Carousel results. I really found some great takeaways by looking at qualitative instead of quantitative behavior of searchers. After the study though, I wondered what the Click Through Rates of Carousel might be. In our study of 10 we found only…
Read MoreHave You Tried Google Support for Local Lately?
Since the dawn of Local Search, getting meaningful support for problems with local business listings on Google has been hit or miss. For a long time, the attitude seemed to be that a free product didn’t warrant any support, but the problems that so many SMBs experienced with their listings were so dire that it…
Read MoreFor Restaurant Owners, There May Be Nothing More Important Than Local Search
Not a week goes by that I don’t see one of my friends/contacts on Twitter complaining about the state of restaurant websites. Poor usability and hard-to-find information are usually the big problems — specifically, either the lack of a current menu or a menu that’s only available in PDF form. That’s a real problem because,…
Read MoreHow Do Consumers Find a B & B?
We just finished a LocalU seminar for people attending the MidAtlantic Innkeepers Conference, a regional conference dedicated to helping and training operators of inns and B & Bs. We conducted a survey to help these folks better understand how people were finding them. You can download a copy of this report in PDF format here.…
Read MoreShould I Hide My Address at Just Google Or Everywhere?
A reader recently sent in this question that’s relevant to service providers that work from home: I know that for local businesses that do not have an office Google requires that the address be hidden on Google+ Local. In light of this, what is the correct way to list the business info on a website…
Read MoreFacebook Graph Search: What Local U Faculty Members Think
Facebook search is getting an upgrade and overhaul, and the local search aspects of it are worth watching. It’s called Facebook Graph Search. It’s considered a work-in-progress (ergo the “beta” label that Facebook gave it) and only a small percentage of Facebook users can access it right now. In a nutshell, Graph Search is a…
Read MoreLocal University – Our 4th Year Together
Local University is growing up and we are starting our 4th year together. We have a new website, a new name but we have the same great people and the same great job. The job? Helping businesses small and large understand the opportunities for sustained and successful local marketing via the internet. In late 2009,…
Read More