30-second summary: The need to become a public persona in order to be a successful business owner is overrated Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to create an anonymous digital entity while using a majority of efficient marketing strategies The problem arises when you already have your personal data published and want to delete it – it is neither easy nor possible (given all the variety of archiving tools that are publicly accessible these days) So how do you keep your life private while owning a successful online business? How do you navigate this conundrum as your private content m ..read more

30-second summary: Following pandemic-driven shopping trends, lots of local businesses had to explore online marketing opportunities Google offers a few great ways for a local business to get found through organic search Local 3 Pack is Google’s search element containing top three local businesses based on your search query. To rank in the Local 3 Pack you need to ensure your Google My Business listing is complete and active Third-party local business listings (like Yelp and Tripadvisor) may also drive some organic search visibility so it is a good idea to claim your business there Hyperlocal ..read more

30-second summary: Search engines are laser-focused on improving user experience and voice search plays an increasingly key role With 100+ global languages, people are prone to searching in their native language How do you optimize your website for multilingual search while keeping a natural and conversational tone? Atul Jindal accurately guides you through the process Google is now recognizing 119 different languages on voice search. Which is great for user experience. But it makes ranking a bit more challenging for website owners, especially those who host multi-linguistic traffic. Websit ..read more

30-second summary: Search equity allows for your average business owner to compete on the SERP without being impeded by a lack of SEO-knowledge A more equitable SERP is a necessity for Google from a business and overall web-health perspective Google is pushing for equity on the SERP to a far greater extent The democratization of the SERP represents an enormous paradigm shift that brings certain SEO skills to the fore What would happen if instead of having to jump through hoops to rank your new website, you were given a seat at the SERP straight away? Presumably, that would cause all sorts o ..read more

30-second summary: Reviews are absolutely crucial to a business’s success and need to be acknowledged. Engagement with consumers will positively benefit your business and bring in more reviews in the future. Staying honest with your reviews will pay off in the long run. Take most reviews as honest opinions about your business and work to build on them for a better consumer experience. When a busy day means dinner will be takeout instead of home-cooked, chances are you don’t simply choose a restaurant at random. Most likely, you’ll use Google or Yelp to search for data on locations or types ..read more

30-second summary: Optimizing a small business for local search is a powerful way to boost local traffic and increase sales. With the large majority of web users actively seeking products/services in their vicinity, building local leads is essential. Joseph Dyson offers a step-by-step guide to improving local visibility for small businesses. He focuses on the importance of Google My Business, keyword research and implementation, internal and external links, reviews, and more. Do you want your business to appear in the top local search results on Google? Do you want to attract high-quality t ..read more

30-second summary: Something that all of us in the search industry are guilty of is our over-reliance on Google telling us what is coming next. Understanding Google’s considerations as a business, provide context to many of its recent decisions and provides a sense of what is coming down the road. Global digital agency Croud’s Organic Strategy Director looks discusses the future of Google, right from Google’s antitrust lawsuit to Apple as a future rival, and more. It occurs to me that I am part of a cult. Or at least, something that displays the hallmarks of one. An unchallenged authoritari ..read more

30-second summary: 60% of consumers have been shopping online more often since COVID-19. Making your local SEO strategy a top priority for small retailers and those with multiple locations. Shoppers are browsing more frequently and making more purchases, although they are smaller in value. Local retailers should focus on creating in-store experiences online and pick up. Understanding your local audience and optimizing at the hyper-local level is key. Jim Yu, Founder and CEO of BrightEdge highlights five great ways your business can use local SEO to dominate search and translate it into sales ..read more

30-second summary: Although a business phone number isn’t as tough on your SEO as a complete rebrand, changing it can have an impact on your SEO. Preserving NAP consistency should be your primary goal when changing your phone number. Your marketing strategy can help make the transition easier for your customers, too, as you can notify them of the change ahead of time. The key goal in addition to retaining your ranking should be to not lose the trust of your customers by changing your information – hence the need to approach the process carefully. Much like all other aspects of digital marke ..read more

A review rating increase of just 0.1 stars can boost a location’s online conversion rates – such as phone calls, website clicks or requests for directions – by 25%, according to new report from location marketing firm Uberall released yesterday. A 25% rise in conversion can “also mean a 25% increase in foot traffic every day,” said Uberall SVP of Marketing Norman Rohr in a statement. The “Reputation Management Revolution Report” [free, registration required] also finds that a jump from a 3.5-star rating to 3.7 can see a disproportionate jump in conversions of 120%, the highest growth jump avai ..read more