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Issue #023: Tips For Local
----------------------------------------------------------------- SearchReturn Discussion List "Understanding Internet Search Technology" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Moderator: Published by: Disa Johnson SearchReturn http://www.searchreturn.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- December 20, 2005 Issue #023 ----------------------------------------------------------------- SEND POSTS: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Refer a friend: http://www.searchreturn.com/subscribe.shtml ----------------------------------------------------------------- .....IN THIS DIGEST..... // -- FEATURED POST -- // "Local Search Marketing" ~ Jeff Hinds // -- CONTINUING DISCUSSION -- // "Local Search Marketing" ~ Jake Baillie ~ Lee Odden // -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- // "AOL Google" "Yahoo! Update" "Effect on Offline Sales" ----------------------------------------------------------------- // -- FEATURED POST -- // ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> TOPIC: LOCAL SEARCH MARKETING "I have a potential client who is a dentist. Obviously, it is a local market he is after, and I recommended PPC to start and wait on any time intensive natural SEO. Are there any resources which show user stats for his industry?" From: Jeff Hinds On Local Search: I would start by doing keyword research to find out if people are actually searching for [dentist your city] and any other variations of your target market. I would also do some competitive analysis to see if other local dentists have websites and are currently optimizing their site or doing PPC. In my city there are a lot of dentists doing PPC but I didn't find any dentists with personal sites in the Google top 30. Jeff Hinds Search Engine Marketing Specialist LaGarde-StoreFront The Leader in E-Business Solutions www.storefront.net ----------------------------------------------------------------- // -- CONTINUING DISCUSSION -- // ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> LOCAL SEARCH MARKETING "Obviously, it is a local market he is after, and I recommended PPC to start. It's clear to me that a website is his best option." From: Jake Baillie Most of the local engines are starting to let businesses do PPC and Pay-Per-Call without a website. Yahoo Local, for example, allows a business to participate via a free "business profile" page. So a website may not be required. Just a thought. "I need some data to prove it." Investigate instances of keywords + geo terms, like "chicago dentist". You can easily do that with existing inventory tools. For geo terms, don't forget zip codes and possibly neighborhoods (if you're in a large urban market). -- jake ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> TOPIC: LOCAL SEARCH MARKETING From: Lee Odden We've purchased reports from Hitwise to gauge the potential market for specific categories. That might be an option for you. ComScore also offers this type of data, but is rather spendy. Lee Odden TopRank Online Marketing http://www.toprankresults.com Online Marketing News http://www.toprankblog.com Moderator Comment: It may have bias towards Google, one place you can find stats is here: http://www.google.com/ads/metrics_health.html A local campaign would be appropriate. Consider adding Virginia in all your geo-targeted campaigns for local AOL proxy users. ----------------------------------------------------------------- // -- ESSENTIAL NEWS -- // ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> AOL Google http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/051216-124401 Also see: http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/051219-161144 Essentials: It looks like AOL search results will continue to be powered by Google. Major AOL investor Carl Icahn is not happy. Carl has written an open letter and reportedly has plans to derail the deal. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> Yahoo! Update http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000226.html Essentials: Update was completed last Thursday. Ranking changes have been observed. Additionally, Yahoo! has made recent changes to SERPs. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> Effect on Offline Sales http://www.dmnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=35110 Essentials: Yahoo! launched a new service in partnership with Marketing Management Analytics Inc., allowing advertisers to analyze offline sales in combination with data from Yahoo!. After evaluating these data, clients have reportedly increased their online marketing budgets from a few percent to as much as 18%. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Essential Headlines: http://www.searchreturn.com/newsworthy.shtml Archives: http://www.searchreturn.com/digest-archive.shtml Alternate formats: http://www.searchreturn.com/info-formats.shtml Manage Subscriptions: http://www.searchreturn.com/help/manage-subs.shtml Problems unsubscribing? 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