Thursday, September 23Digital Marketing Journals

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Key Learnings from LocalU Advanced, August 2021
18Sep By Claire CarlileNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Key Learnings from LocalU Advanced, August 2021

 I’ll let you into a little secret. If you’re super-duper into local SEO, and you’re not already attending LocalU Advanced you’re missing a trick. This is where the top minds and actual practitioners in the space get together and share ALL-NEW content including research, case studies, how-tos, and much, much more. I got the chance to attend the last event on August 31, and, as always, I bloody loved it. So much that I wrote up the key takeaways from my favorite talks from Joy Hawkins, Rachel Anderson, Greg Gifford, Dana DiTomaso so that you can enjoy them too! Joy Hawkins: Make Your Images Worth a Thousand Words Ah, I do love Sterling Sky’s Joy Hawkins, I always get some great takeaways any time I listen to her speak, and using images more effectively is something I’m always looking to...
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How to Write a Press Release in 2021: Tips for Beginners
17Sep By Melissa MauroNo Comments
Blog, content marketing, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing

How to Write a Press Release in 2021: Tips for Beginners

Press releases should be an integral part of marketing for businesses. You must be wondering why. According to Forbes, press releases can help you achieve a variety of goals such as improving your content marketing and SEO and sending a message. The idea here is not only to increase visibility but also to build brand authority. That being said, if you don’t know how to write a press release, you can find the process somewhat challenging. Hence, here’s a comprehensive guide for beginners along with a few helpful tips that will aid you in drafting an effective press release to boost your brand. Why do Businesses need a Press Release? Press releases often function as news releases and are meant to inform your audience about some kind of event or information. The news you cover i...
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How Social Media Marketers successfully Run Livestream Stores
7Sep By Ray Slater BerryNo Comments
Blog, facebook, facebook marketing, instagram, linkedin, pinterest, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing, tiktok, twitter

How Social Media Marketers successfully Run Livestream Stores

Social Media has come a long way since the days of teaching ourselves basic HTML and editing a top friends list on a MySpace page. Despite the controversial recent changes many platforms are turning social into more of an e-commerce platform—ahem, Instagram—the change is starting to be accepted, utilized, and social media marketers are beginning to make the most of it. In this article, we’ll explore ways to successfully run Livestream stores to increase sales for your business while building trust and engagement with your social following. What is a Livestream store? A Livestream store is a place where someone can buy a product directly from a live video. It means they never have to leave the video to purchase, and they can ask questions or place requests to the presenter of the...
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New Academy Course: How to Master Local Keyword Research
2Sep By Kate Herbert-SmithNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

New Academy Course: How to Master Local Keyword Research

Keyword research is one of the most important activities in SEO—the bread and butter of digital marketing—and should therefor should be up there at the top of your list of priorities when it comes to any digital marketing work.  For the beginners out there, keyword research is the process of finding the words and phrases that customers and potential customers use to find information and solutions to their problems. Essentially, every time somebody searches the internet, they are using keywords.  This means that thorough keyword research is a prerequisite for building an effective local SEO and content strategy. If you don’t know the types of terms people are searching for, how are you going to plan and write content that attracts and converts customers? Even if you’re familiar with key...
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8 Best Website Builders for Small Business in 2021
27Aug By Chandraveer SinghNo Comments
Blog, Small Business, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing

8 Best Website Builders for Small Business in 2021

Does your business have a running website? For some, this question will sound like a cut-out from a decade ago newspaper ad. Yet, among many small businesses, having a website is still not a popular opinion. According to a report, only 64% of small businesses have a functional website. Nonetheless, having a good website acts as an imperative channel for better connectivity with your audience in this digital age. It adds a symbol of credibility and authenticity to your business. Most small businesses either avoid creating a website because their operations are too small or can’t afford a team of people needed to make one. If you fall in the latter category, having a good website builder up your sleeve is your best option. But which website builder is the best for you? Indeed, It’s...
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Increase Your TikTok Followers With These Simple Tips
15Aug By Samantha HackettNo Comments
Blog, Growth Hacks / Tips / Strategies, instagram, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing, tiktok, youtube

Increase Your TikTok Followers With These Simple Tips

Out of the 1.1 billion active users in almost 150 countries, the US TikTok users spend more than 850 minutes monthly on the app. This means 9 out of 10 TikTok users use the app multiple times of the day. This all seems fantastic, but the real question for people starting out on TikTok is: How can you get your content to catch your audience’s attention? Whether it’s marketing for beginners or for brands, the creative ways to gain more TikTok followers are endless. From leveling up your posting schedule to leveraging on the out-of-the-box content creation, you can successfully build your TikTok community and keep your audience engaged with your content consistently. Why is TikTok so popular? TikTok is a level playing field for marketers when it comes to engagement and reach. Getti...
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How to Respond To Negative Reviews
14Aug By Crystal HortonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

How to Respond To Negative Reviews

Approximately 22% of customers will leave a business after receiving just one negative review, whereas around three negative reviews can drive away 59% of customers. Reviews assist consumers in making quick decisions about purchases in their research by providing a clear picture of your company. Studies show that of businesses who respond to bad reviews, 33% turn around and post a good review, and 34% delete the original negative review. Whether a review is good or bad, it makes sense to respond. When someone leaves a negative review about your company, it can be really difficult to know how to respond. There are many ways you could handle the situation, but one of the best responses is simply asking for more information and trying to find out what went wrong. Despite your natural feel...
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A Great Way to Get Customer Pics
14Aug By Claire CarlileNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

A Great Way to Get Customer Pics

In March of this year, Google announced a ‘photo update’ feature that gives Google Maps users on Android devices a new way to upload photos to your Google My Business profile. I’ve only just spotted it being used ‘in the wild’, and haven’t seen much in the way of coverage, so I thought it worth sharing some details on how it works, what you need to know, and what it could mean for the future of GMB (specifically Google Posts). After all, the features you know about but your competitors don’t are the ones that make you stand out when searchers compare businesses. Read on to find out more! What are Google My Business ‘Photo Updates’? We’re all familiar with the contents of the ‘By owner’ tab in the updates section. This is where we see our Google My Business Posts, new photos and updated...
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12 Social Media Metrics You Should Be Tracking
3Aug By Yash ChawlaniNo Comments
Blog, facebook, facebook marketing, Growth Hacks / Tips / Strategies, instagram, linkedin, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, Social Media Engagement, social media marketing, twitter

12 Social Media Metrics You Should Be Tracking

If you’re using social media for sales enablement and to promote your business, you have several metrics you need to track whether you’re a large, medium, or small business.  Otherwise, you aren’t getting the best out of your social media presence. You might not even be getting your money’s worth. These days, social media is complicated, and you might not know which metrics you should track and which ones to ignore.  Here’s a list of the most important social media metrics to watch.  What are Social Media Metrics? In short, social media metrics means using data to determine the impact of your social media marketing efforts on your revenue stream. Without them, you won’t have any idea if your work is driving business or not.  Why are Social Media Metrics Important? Social media’s gr...
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Say Hello to a Bolder, Brighter BrightLocal
29Jul By Kristian BannisterNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

Say Hello to a Bolder, Brighter BrightLocal

You’ve probably noticed that things look a little different around here. That’s because we’ve just launched our new brand identity!Taking our brand forward We’re big believers in the power of brand, which is why we’ve continued to invest in ours over the years. We’re confident that we have one of the most recognized and trusted brands in local SEO, but as with everything we do, we’re not going to rest on our laurels. We have a restless nature that urges us to always question what could be improved and how we can do things better. This isn’t the first time we’ve refreshed our brand. After all, we exist in an industry that is constantly evolving. Sitting still is not an option. Our business is constantly evolving, too. In the years since we last refreshed our brand identity, we’ve welc...
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Google Now Shows ‘Ranking Factors Box’ in SERPs to Explain Results
25Jul By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Google Now Shows ‘Ranking Factors Box’ in SERPs to Explain Results

Want to find out why your competitor’s page is No. 1 in Google organic SERPs? Well, now you can! (To the extent that Google is willing to tell you, anyway.) That’s because Google yesterday announced a feature that shows a selection of reasons for ranking individual pages in SERPs, bringing some much-needed transparency to search.via GIPHY Source: Google This feature is a section called ‘Your search & this result’ but it doesn’t have a catchy name yet, so we’re calling it the ‘Ranking Factors Box’, simply because, well, it’s a box that displays ranking factors! The Ranking Factors Box is an extension of the ‘About this result’ box, which is accessible by clicking the ‘three vertical dots’ at the end of a search result and was originally launched back in February of this year. Wher...
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The Ultimate Guide For Marketers
24Jul By Chandraveer SinghNo Comments
Blog, How To, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing, twitter

The Ultimate Guide For Marketers

The idea must have crossed the head of every single person on Twitter – how to verify my Twitter account?  There is something about that blue tick. Isn’t it? The very thought of standing out as a celebrity on Twitter among 353 million monthly active users worldwide is nearly unearthly. So, how to get that coveted symbol of approval?  In this article, we will take you through the process of verifying your account on Twitter and a few tips that can increase your chances of getting the ultimate blue badge. Why is it essential to verify your Twitter account? Having a Twitter verified symbol can boost your credibility tenfold and also work wonders for brands and businesses marketing on Twitter.  Any prospect on a research spree will be inclined more towards a Twitter account with a Twit...
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What Is The Best Time To Post On TikTok In 2021?
14Jul By Chandraveer SinghNo Comments
Blog, instagram, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing, tiktok

What Is The Best Time To Post On TikTok In 2021?

TikTok can no longer be called a new kid on the block. It came, conquered, surpassed the expectation of every naysayer, and became a household name.With 850 million active users worldwide, most brands are vying to make their TikTok marketing effort a success. If you are also looking to boost your reach and engagement on TikTok, you ought to know the best time to post on TikTok. Posting at the best times ensures that your creative videos get seen by as many people as possible. However, finding when is the best time to post on TikTok can be a tricky quest. Therefore, in this article, we will discuss the tips to find the best time to post on TikTok for your brand. Let’s dive in!Why does the best time to post on TikTok matter? If you have been using TikTok for a while, you would kn...
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What’s New in Local Search Grid? Reasons to Put Rankings on the Map!
2Jul By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

What’s New in Local Search Grid? Reasons to Put Rankings on the Map!

In the months since we launched Local Search Grid, we’ve been hard at work adding new functionality and updates to make it the de facto geo grid of choice. Alongside the usual, subtle quality-of-life updates you’re not supposed to notice, we’ve launched some big new features that take understanding and improving your local search performance to the next level. Here’s why there’s never been a better time to put your rankings on the map! New Key Metrics in Competitor Tables One of the really neat things you can do with Local Search Grid is to track your competitors and find out why their Google My Business profiles might be winning in local SERPs. You can view the business category they’re using on GMB, see the number of reviews and their average review rating, and find out where you mig...
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Google My Business Management 101
24Jun By Kate Herbert-SmithNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Google My Business Management 101

It’s no secret that Google My Business (GMB) is an incredibly popular platform and plays a huge part in influencing local rankings. According to a survey carried out by Whitespark, Google My Business is the number 1 ranking factor for the local pack. But GMB goes beyond rankings. Many call it the homepage for local businesses—the first place customers will find and evaluate your business—whether they are looking at customer reviews, exploring your services, or converting directly from your listing. This is why we’re proud to announce the next free course to land in BrightLocal Academy: Google My Business Management 101. We’ve created this detailed new course in collaboration with local SEO and GMB expert Niki Mosier. Why? Well, we noticed that there’s lots of advice out there about set...
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You Don’t Have an Email Marketing Strategy: Here’s How to Make One
15Jun By Mark de GrasseNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email list, Email Marketing, email marketing strategy series, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing, PPC

You Don’t Have an Email Marketing Strategy: Here’s How to Make One

Email Marketing is a pillar of digital marketing. Not only is it one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, it has also proven to be the most effective in terms of converting views into revenue. As a marketing professional and/or successful business owner, you probably know this.Even so, do you really appreciate how valuable email marketing can be for your business? With appreciation comes dedication and a commitment to the time, money, and development necessary to create a strategy that not only delivers results, but also seamlessly integrates with your overall marketing plan.I’ll give you an incentive to develop your own email marketing strategy. I’ll tell you a story of how a free email newsletter turned into $27 million. It’s the story of The Hustle.The $27 Millio...
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BrightLocal Welcomes Claire Carlile as Local Search Expert
11Jun By Kristian BannisterNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

BrightLocal Welcomes Claire Carlile as Local Search Expert

We’re delighted to announce that Claire Carlile has joined BrightLocal as our in-house Local Search Expert. Claire’s one of the most respected and well-loved people in the local search industry, always bringing a wealth of first-hand experience and unique perspectives to the content she produces and the wisdom she shares. A rare breed, Claire combines a deep understanding of local search and digital with extensive knowledge of the fundamentals of marketing. She boasts an envious academic background in marketing which allows her to approach projects with a strategic and research-driven mindset. We took notice of the great content Claire was creating a couple of years back and jumped at the chance to get her involved in our own content initiatives. Earlier this year, Claire created an am...
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Your Annual Target Audience Check-Up
9Jun By Ally MetroNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

Your Annual Target Audience Check-Up

If you know marketing, then you know: it is absolutely crucial that you are hitting your target audience right in the bullseye, every time. And if you don’t know marketing we are so glad you are here to learn! In this article, we are going to teach you how to do a quick “check-up” on your current target audience to make sure your advertising is being pointed in the right direction! Skeptical about the need to reassess your target audience? Maybe you have more followers on Facebook than all of your competitors combined! Pretty impressive, right?Well, maybe. A high follower count can play into a common misconception that Alexandrea Harrelson, CEO of Harrelson Media, dubbed “the follower fallacy” which is the idea that the number of followers you have determines your influe...
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How to Build Back Customer Loyalty After Covid-19
8Jun By Raul GaleraNo Comments
Blog, content marketing, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services, social media

How to Build Back Customer Loyalty After Covid-19

Improving and measuring customer loyalty is crucial for every business in gaining visibility and profit – allowing businesses to not only retain loyal customers for the long-term, but capitalize on this to attract new customers. But when Covid-19 restrictions began, the importance of customer loyalty became even more apparent. Consumer spending was at an all-time low globally, meaning word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat purchases became crucial for many businesses. 66% of consumers would keep buying from their preferred brand, even if that company is competing against a “more innovative” business, showing how powerful consumer loyalty can be.  In this article, we’ll explore 6 tactics you can use to boost your brand’s customer experience and build brand advocates that last once Co...
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How to Use Snapchat to Grow Your Ecommerce Revenue
3Jun By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing, Social

How to Use Snapchat to Grow Your Ecommerce Revenue

Hungry for more marketing channels to add to your strategy?We can definitely be friends.Marketers are living their best life right now with the number of platforms available. We can tap into so many audiences to find our customer avatars making an omnichannel presence easier than ever before.Savannah Sanchez, the founder of Social Savannah, has become an expert at helping her ecommerce clients market on Snapchat spending $50k-$2M per month on social ads. “Snapchat has robust prospecting and retargeting abilities so ecommerce brands should be taking full advantage of the ease of campaign set up.”Not to mention the platform has 280 million daily active users and is up 22% YoY.Count us in.We’re bringing you Savannah’s expert take on Snapchat marketing so you can...
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How Marketers are Staying Up-to-Date in the Era of the iOS 14 Update
27May By Ally MetroNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How Marketers are Staying Up-to-Date in the Era of the iOS 14 Update

Ever since Apple CEO Tim Cook officially announced the new privacy features included with the iOS 14 update in December of 2020, the marketing world has been plotting our adjustments and strategies for operating under these new guidelines. We had time to prepare, and we did. But now iOS 14 is active, so we get to observe real-life examples of how familiar brands are evolving under the iOS 14 update marketing impact. Just a quick refresher on iOS 14 developments: Apple announced a new privacy initiative last year that gives users the option to opt-out of IDFAs. IDFAs (Identifiers For Advertisers) are third-party trackers that report data about user activity back to the advertisers. The operative effect of this change is a much smaller population of iOS users who will be susceptib...
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3 Strategies For Creating Long-Term Relationships with Influencers
21May By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

3 Strategies For Creating Long-Term Relationships with Influencers

Marketing is just a fancy way of saying that you’re great at building relationships with people.You’re used to creating campaigns that drive awareness and conversions (hello Customer Value Journey!). Sometimes it’s challenging to create these relationships, but for the most part, you’re able to get the job done.As a marketer, we know you’ve peered over at the influencer side of digital marketing and wondered—“Should I be doing that?”That question always leads to… but how? You’re used to building relationships with your customer avatar. What you’re not used to is creating them with influencers. That’s an entirely different ball game, especially if you want to create a long-term relationship.This is where Jamie Lieberman, founder of Hashtag-Legal lends us her marke...
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It’s Just Marketing: You Can Stop Using the Word “Digital” Now
15May By Mark de GrasseNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email list, Email Marketing, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing, PPC

It’s Just Marketing: You Can Stop Using the Word “Digital” Now

Imagine your marketing efforts led to a $3 billion contract for your company. What would that campaign look like? Would it be full of Super Bowl ads, massive postcard mailing campaigns, TV commercials, billboards, and magazine spreads?Would the message be conceived by a genius of marketing methodology, a pillar of the advertising industry who crafted a message so perfect, so undeniably inventive and clever that no decision maker could refute it?OR… would it be some goofy engineer with a twitter account, a genuine interest in his company’s objectives, an aggressive and highly public development strategy, and a willingness to share information (both good and bad) with the world?To the consternation of every old-school marketer in the business, it’s the latter.SpaceX, f...
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Google My Business News: New Features, Updates and Tests from March-May
14May By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google My Business News: New Features, Updates and Tests from March-May

The midway point of the year isn’t far off, and it’s safe to say that a lot has gone on in local SEO already this year.  So far in 2021, we’ve seen big changes to Google Posts, updates to review summaries in Google My Business (GMB), high scores from Local RankFlux, and 2-Packs showing on Google mobile results. But, in the past couple of months alone even more tests and updates have been impacting GMB. In this GMB news roundup, we take a look at the biggest headlines affecting local SEOs recently. Think we’ve left something out? Put it in the comments section down below! Competitor quotes in GMB Messaging It’s often recommended that businesses make use of GMB’s Messaging feature to better communicate with customers. But you might want to hold your horses. LocalU shared  that when sear...
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Keep Your Site and Marketing Safe: Five Monitoring Routines to Set Up
7May By Ann SmartyNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

Keep Your Site and Marketing Safe: Five Monitoring Routines to Set Up

Are you concerned about your site’s security and safety?I hope your answer is yes because online presence is more fragile than many people may think.Websites struggle with malicious attacks, unethical competitive tactics and sudden loss of traffic on a daily basis, and those threats are diverse and plentiful.Setting up a solid monitoring routine will give you peace of mind and make your marketing strategy better informed and more predictable.Here are five monitoring routines to set up:1. Get Alerted When Your Site is DownEvery site however big or small will be down at some point, and there’s no way around it. Even Google and Twitter go broken at times!What matters is how fast a brand is there to fix things and update their customers.This is why monito...
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Apple Maps Ratings: What’s New and What’s Next?
30Apr By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Apple Maps Ratings: What’s New and What’s Next?

UPDATE: The Apple Maps Ratings update was launched in the USA as part of iOS 14.5 on April 26th, 2021 (some territories had access to it earlier). The update functions exactly as described below, back in October 2020. Sometimes it’s nice when there are no surprises, huh? Originally Published October, 2020 At the end of August 2020, Apple revealed it would be launching its very own ratings solutions within Apple Maps. Talk of “Apple reviews” flew around the Twitterverse and, as usual, there was a lot of conjecture about what this new feature might mean. Apple Maps ratings (yep, that’s right — ratings not reviews, though they may be on the way) has been in beta testing in iOS 14 and will soon roll out globally. The update was first spotted by Twitter user, Beau Giles.Source: 9to5mac Cu...
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What is Social Listening? | DigitalMarketer
29Apr By Shannon GoodellNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

What is Social Listening? | DigitalMarketer

Social listening is the new “authentic.” It’s hard to find marketing experts who haven’t said or written the word “social listening” as part of their 2021 strategy. Like authentic content was the marketing term of all terms a few years ago, social listening is now the marketing term of the year.Social listening has risen to so much fame because it’s an absolute necessity in 2021 and beyond. Marketers have been using their social channels to survey their audience for years, asking them what content they want to see or what products they need. Social listening is taking that surveyship to the next level.With social listening, brands can listen for more than content and product ideas. They can figure out what their customer avatar is thinking and talking about.And that’...
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NEW: Manage Local Search Grid at Scale with New Support for Enterprise Plans
28Apr By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

NEW: Manage Local Search Grid at Scale with New Support for Enterprise Plans

Great news for agencies and brands managing 100+ locations: you can now set up custom plans for Local Search Grid credits! This means no more repetitive, manual purchasing of additional credits for businesses using this powerful tool at considerable scale. What’s New? Since launching Local Search Grid in February of this year, we’ve spoken to dozens of agency and brand customers who were excited to use the tool, but were unable to make it work with their otherwise fully-customized BrightLocal Enterprise plans. Now that Local Search Grid has been added to these custom plans, no matter how many Grid Points, keywords, Locations or reports you need each month, you can easily set up recurring, automated purchases of the required credits by speaking to the Enterprise team. Not sure how many ...
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6 Ways to Actually Track Social Media ROI| DigitalMarketer
21Apr By Shannon GoodellNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

6 Ways to Actually Track Social Media ROI| DigitalMarketer

Despite how great the latest marketing tech stack gets, it always feels like there’s room for attribution improvement.We’d know exactly how someone went from finding out about your brand to becoming a happy customer in a perfect world. But it’s not that easy. You know this by now, having realized that tracking social media ROI can be really difficult.Can you confidently say that you know your social ROI?If you said no, you’re with the majority of marketers trying to figure it out (including us!). Here’s what we’re doing to track social media ROI and *attempt* to get the right attribution.#1: Clicks to Website by SourceLet’s start with the basics of website visitors. When someone clicks on your website, they’ve engaged with your brand. They’ve shown a clear intere...
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6 Tactics for Marketing During Covid-19
14Apr By Jonathan BirchNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

6 Tactics for Marketing During Covid-19

The pandemic has taken its toll on businesses across the globe, particularly local businesses that rely on regular footfall. During this time, it’s been more important than ever to have a solid digital strategy and gain visibility online. Here, Jonathan Birch, Creative Director at Glass Digital, shares six ways local businesses can ensure they’re seen online and excel at marketing during Covid-19. With Covid-19 driving businesses into online-only approaches, it’s vital for local businesses to use digital channels to keep their audiences in the know. But, as well as keeping the discussion open, it’s also important that local businesses prepare to make the changes needed to compete in this quickly changing new landscape.  While for some that means making a totally new move to selling onl...
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Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Social Media Marketing
13Apr By Shannon GoodellNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email list, Email Marketing, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing, PPC

Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Social Media Marketing

Companies are making big money on social media.And you can too.The trick to social media marketing is knowing the foundations of what makes it work so well. Making money for your business is a huge pro (and what might be your goal on paper), but social gives companies an opportunity that was harder to come by before smartphones became our best friends.With social media, you can develop a relationship with your audience in a way that wasn’t possible before Facebook went viral. We get to use social media to talk to our audience and show them we really know our stuff. The right social media marketing strategy speaks to your cold, warm, and hot leads on one platform.And that’s what leads to revenue.When people see you as more than a company with a fancy logo and more...
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Local Quizness – What Happened in Local SEO in March?
9Apr By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Quizness, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Local Quizness – What Happened in Local SEO in March?

The world of local marketing never stands still, and staying on top of the trends can take its toll.  That’s why we created Local Quizness – a monthly quiz to help you recap the biggest stories affecting local businesses and marketers. Test your knowledge in 10 quick questions – and rest assured you’re aware of the news that matters most.Happy with your score? Share this on Twitter using the hashtag #LocalQuizness! If there are any you missed, check out all the links below:
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7 Steps to Create Your First Online Challenge
5Apr By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

7 Steps to Create Your First Online Challenge

Have you seen someone running an online challenge and used your marketing brain to realize they were strategically growing their audience and getting customers?That happened to us a few months ago, so we ran our own challenge to see what the fuss was about. Let’s just say things went really well. Our challenge brought in 8 figures in revenue and we realized you needed to be using them too.Online challenges work because they align with why digital marketing exists in the first place. Digital marketing helps you acquire new customers, build lists, and position your brand. It also helps your customer avatars consume your content and actually get results (before they even hire you or buy your products!). We love digital marketing because it creates highly engaged and super l...
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Local 2-Packs Spotted in Google Mobile SERPs
1Apr By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Local 2-Packs Spotted in Google Mobile SERPs

Google’s Local 3-Pack might soon be a Local 2-Pack (on mobile at least). This week, Joy Hawkins at Local U (via Mariano Rodriguez from LawRank) shared findings of 2-Packs being spotted in local search results on mobile.  Since the news was first shared, more and more people have reported seeing a set of just two results when performing local searches on mobile.Seeing a 2-pack on Android Mobile. Anyone else?#localseo pic.twitter.com/bpICh5W2tX — Ben Fisher (@TheSocialDude) March 30, 2021   Both Android and iPhone users are being presented with 2-Pack results:I’ve been seeing it on iPhone/safari: pic.twitter.com/ArBEDQuzJ2 — Frank Olivo (@FrancoOlivo) March 31, 2021What’s new? When performing a local search, users are usually presented with three top results. This is referred to as...
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New Local Search Grid Module Added to BrightLocal Academy
28Mar By Kate Herbert-SmithNo Comments
academy course, Beginner, Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

New Local Search Grid Module Added to BrightLocal Academy

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of a new BrightLocal Academy module all about how to use our latest tool: Local Search Grid. The module is called Put Your Rankings on the Map With Local Search Grid and is part of the ‘Level Up Your Local SEO with BrightLocal’ course. It includes lessons on:How to uncover deeper ranking insights How to set up a report to get the insights you need How to spot opportunities for growth and get ahead of the competitionThe module also has two short quizzes to test your knowledge and understanding. What is the ‘Level Up Your Local SEO with BrightLocal’ course about? The ‘Level Up Your Local SEO with BrightLocal’ course uses the power of interactive content to guide you through the theory of local SEO and shows you how to tackle it more effectively u...
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How to Overcome Email Marketing Fatigue
28Mar By Ann SmartyNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email list, Email Marketing, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How to Overcome Email Marketing Fatigue

Email fatigue is a real thing, especially with the continuing pandemic.Email marketing is far from dead, but it is getting harder and harder to get your branded emails opened and clicked.What is Email Fatigue?As the name suggests, email fatigue is when a person doesn’t want to read emails and feels more willing to delete, unsubscribe or send emails to spam.Email fatigue is something just about anyone feels from time to time.Gone are the days when people would diligently click each and every unread email in their inbox to read what is inside.Gone are the days when people would actually be looking forward to receiving a new email.These days a full inbox is nothing new or exciting. And it has been getting worse.Back in 2017, two thirds of Americans felt ...
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Increase Impressions, Engagement, and Clicks on Your LinkedIn Company Page
20Mar By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

Increase Impressions, Engagement, and Clicks on Your LinkedIn Company Page

You’ve heard LinkedIn is an engagement gold mine.Maybe Gary Vee convinced you it was a good idea, or you heard a few too many people talk about how LinkedIn was their number one source for finding B2B clients.LinkedIn is talked about as an underrated platform. Like TikTok, LinkedIn posts can actually go viral (take the hint Facebook and Instagram). The thing is, you’re not going viral on a platform with all types of users.You’re going viral on a platform where everyone is there to talk about business. Hence, the goldmine.As a B2B business, we can’t ignore the potential of LinkedIn. DigitalMarketer’s Senior Social Media Manager, Shannon Goodell, has been strategizing and implementing on LinkedIn. Recently, she stumbled on some serious success.Over two million impr...
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How to Use On-site Features to Complement Physical Stores
20Mar By Elliot MarkNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

How to Use On-site Features to Complement Physical Stores

In this article, guest contributor Elliot Mark explores how local businesses can create online customer experiences to complement physical brick-and-mortar stores, and provides customer service tips for retailers. Throughout recent years, the growth of the online retail industry has made it increasingly difficult for brick-and-mortar retailers to compete, pushing them to adapt to maintain their viability. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has only added urgency to this process. Unable to carry on as usual, even the staunchest holdouts have had to embrace online operations. While there are some notable distinctions, online and offline retail overlap far more than they differ. Consider what it takes to bring a customer back, for instance. Superb customer service, whether it involves pro...
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How to Land Your First Local SEO Client
13Mar By Kate Herbert-SmithNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, Client Relations, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

How to Land Your First Local SEO Client

We’re incredibly excited to announce the launch of our second free course for BrightLocal Academy, called ‘How to Land Your First Local SEO Client‘. We’ve created this course in collaboration with local SEO specialist Claire Carlile because we realized that while there’s plenty of content out there that helps people learn how to do local SEO, there’s little that helps people get their local SEO agencies off the ground.  Winning that first client is a massive milestone for anyone starting out, but there’s a lot of work needed to get to that point. For the most part, it’s trial and error but early missteps can have negative knock-on effects as your agency grows. For example, you might find yourself in a tricky situation down the line after having underpriced your services at the start, l...
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Local Quizness March 2021 – What’s The Story in Local SEO?
13Mar By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Quizness, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

Local Quizness March 2021 – What’s The Story in Local SEO?

Claim your listing on the new BrightLocal Agency Directory to begin generating leads from businesses that are searching for help with digital marketing right now. Every week, BrightLocal’s Customer Success team receives requests for recommendations of top-rated agencies that can help our local business customers with their digital marketing. And, just as often, we receive… Read More
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How to Host a Wildly Successful Weekly Marketing Call
12Mar By Casey StantonNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How to Host a Wildly Successful Weekly Marketing Call

One of the most valuable things you can do as a marketer is to lead the department through a weekly marketing call. If done well, this call can rally the team together, identify potential issues before they explode, and build a deeper relationship with one another. This in turn can transform your marketing department from scattered fire fighters to calm, successful, and effective marketers.The first process you need to inspect in your marketing department is:Is the Marketing Department Doing Too Many Things?I can’t think of any organization I’ve consulted with as a fractional CMO where the marketing department was doing too few campaigns. Instead, every organization seems to be committed to completing a year’s worth of marketing campaigns “as soon as possible.” This may ...
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The 7-Second Test: How to Make Your Homepage Actually Convert
4Mar By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

The 7-Second Test: How to Make Your Homepage Actually Convert

You had your game plan.You were going to put together a homepage that turned visitors into customers. Those customers were going to become raving fans of your business. They would tell all of their friends, family, and colleagues about you. You would tell your grandkids about your business success and ride off into the sunset on a horse named ROAS.It was beautiful, except… it never was.Your homepage might still be in the construction zone or could be live, but it’s not getting you the results you’d hoped for. You know there’s a little (read: A LOT) wrong with it. You see the pageviews come in—where are the conversions?Traffic and conversion master, and CEO of DigitalMarketer, Ryan Deiss knows.In his DM Lab workshop on Crafting a High-Converting Homepage, Ryan bre...
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Core Web Vitals and the Page Experience Update: What They Mean for Local Businesses
3Mar By James EwanNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Core Web Vitals and the Page Experience Update: What They Mean for Local Businesses

Google is currently putting together the final changes for a search algorithm update that they’ve announced will land in May 2021.  The update is being called the Page Experience update because of its focus on usability rather than things like keywords or search relevance. Google has already provided some information on the update, which aims to measure and potentially rank the experience that a user encounters when visiting a page. The fact that Google have given so much warning about the update says all you need to know about how seriously to take it. We know it’ll impact organic search results but as of yet, there’s no word on whether there will be any specific impact on Google My Business rankings. Although this update is due to hit the algorithm in May, there’s no reason not to ge...
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How 2 Questions Helped This Marketing Agency Make $100,000 in 90 Days
24Feb By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing Agency, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How 2 Questions Helped This Marketing Agency Make $100,000 in 90 Days

In March of 2020, Reneé Boudakian, co-founder and owner of Rubicon Marketing and DM Certified Partner, found herself in the same situation you did. Wondering if her business would be able to ride out this unpredicted storm. It turns out that her business was not only able to survive, but it became a better version of itself. In 90 days, Reneé was able to secure $100,000 from offers that didn’t even exist at the start of 2020.Yes—you read that right. The offers she launched to have a 6-figure quarter weren’t even part of her business pre-pandemic. Using the Customer Value Journey and 2 essential questions, Reneé was able to maneuver through the end of 2020 with a strategy we’re excited to share with you.Before Reneé put the Customer Value Journey to work, her agency’s...
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NEW: Claim Your Agency Directory Listing
19Feb By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, Client Relations, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

NEW: Claim Your Agency Directory Listing

Claim your listing on the new BrightLocal Agency Directory to begin generating leads from businesses that are searching for help with digital marketing right now. Every week, BrightLocal’s Customer Success team receives requests for recommendations of top-rated agencies that can help our local business customers with their digital marketing. And, just as often, we receive requests from agencies and consultants to be added to our legacy lists of Top SEO Agencies. We wanted to help bridge this gap between businesses in need of digital marketing assistance and the many talented agencies and freelancers operating in the US and actively seeking new leads.  Introducing the Agency Directory  Today, we launched the Agency Directory – an in-depth directory of digital marketing agencie...
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5 Things to Do Right Now to Help Your Business Survive the iOS 14 Update
17Feb By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

5 Things to Do Right Now to Help Your Business Survive the iOS 14 Update

“Pretty much everything goes through chaos, but in chaos there’s opportunity.”That’s how Scott Desgrosseilliers, founder of Wicked Reports, sees the upcoming iOS 14 update. Things will change as Apple starts to ask users if they want their data tracked by apps—and marketers have to learn to be okay with that.Yet, we’re a savvy bunch. We know just because changes are on the horizon, that doesn’t mean it’s the end. We’ve lived through platform shifts, algorithm changes and have already questioned whether we need to make a dancing TikTok video to be relevant.Bring on the changes.With Scott’s help, we’re going to show you the 5 things to do right now to help your business survive the iOS 14 update. First, let’s talk about what the update means for iOS users.Here’s Wh...
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Star Rating Now Showing in Google Review Summary
11Feb By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Star Rating Now Showing in Google Review Summary

In the world of local SEO, there’s always something new to keep your eye out for that could be a game-changer. This week, that news is that star ratings are now appearing in review snippet on Google My Business listings.First time I’ve seen the star rating appear with the review snippet here pic.twitter.com/gXoP0mG7hn — Tom Waddington (@tomwaddington8) February 3, 2021Spotted on Twitter by Tom Waddington on February 3rd, 2021, this change is yet another step from Google to bring online reviews front and center.  What’s new with Google review summaries? Previously, when a business’s Knowledge Panel was generated by a local search, Google would highlight potentially relevant keywords. For example, “great service” might be bolded for a restaurant. Now, not only is a searcher presented...
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Local Search Grid: Put Your Rankings on the Map
10Feb By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Local Search Grid: Put Your Rankings on the Map

We’re incredibly excited to announce the launch of Local Search Grid, a brand-new local rankings tool from BrightLocal that allows you to see the bigger picture of search. Without further ado, here’s how awesome it looks.Snazzy, right? There’s a lot I could say about Local Search Grid and what this new tool means for your search strategy (and I will!) but for now I’ll let our launch video do the talking:If that’s piqued your interest and you want to start using Local Search Grid right away, simply:Log in to your BrightLocal account Select a Location from your Clients & Locations dashboard Click ‘Rankings’ in the Location Sidebar menu Click ‘Local Search Grid’ in the dropdown that appearsWant to know more before you dive in? Read on to find out just how Local Search...
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Local Quizness February 2021 – What’s New in Local SEO?
10Feb By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Quizness, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Local Quizness February 2021 – What’s New in Local SEO?

It may have only been the first month of the year, but the local SEO news didn’t ease us in gently!  Test your knowledge of last month’s biggest stories in our monthly local marketing news quiz – Local Quizness!  In just 10 questions, you can challenge your knowledge of the biggest tests, new features, and changes affecting local businesses in January. And as always, you can share your scores over on Twitter using #LocalQuizness. If you wanted to catch up on any of January’s news, we’ve provided links to some great articles exploring the stories. We’ll be back next month with another news quiz – see you then! 
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3 Tools to Build an Effective B2B Marketing Sales Funnel
9Feb By Ann SmartyNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

3 Tools to Build an Effective B2B Marketing Sales Funnel

Are you managing a B2B business that needs more leads?If you’re still reading this, I bet you’re nodding in agreement.Everyone needs more leads, and hence everyone needs a more effective sales funnel.New Challenges B2B Businesses Are FacingAs the web-based marketing is growing and maturing, so do both challenges and opportunities for B2B businesses.On the one hand, more and more brands need services, so there’s definitely a growing demand for B2B businesses, especially now that the COVID-triggered digitalization is disrupting the global economy.Experts are realizing this and have started monetizing their personal brands by providing services. Hence the fast-growing competition.As the competition is becoming more complex and diverse, so do B2B customers....
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Star Rating Now Showing in Google Review Summary
6Feb By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Star Rating Now Showing in Google Review Summary

In the world of local SEO, there’s always something new to keep your eye out for that could be a game-changer. This week, that news is that star ratings are now appearing in review snippet on Google My Business listings.First time I’ve seen the star rating appear with the review snippet here pic.twitter.com/gXoP0mG7hn — Tom Waddington (@tomwaddington8) February 3, 2021Spotted on Twitter by Tom Waddington on February 3rd, 2021, this change is yet another step from Google to bring online reviews front and center.  What’s new with Google review summaries? Previously, when a business’s Knowledge Panel was generated by a local search, Google would highlight potentially relevant keywords. For example, “great service” might be bolded for a restaurant. Now, not only is a searcher presented...
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7 Ways Local Businesses Can Improve Website SEO
3Feb By Ian LoewNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

7 Ways Local Businesses Can Improve Website SEO

Anyone who runs an online business needs to get to grips with search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of working to make your website rank more highly in results pages on search engines such as Google. There are a few strategies you can use to help your site rank better in local search results. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can improve your website SEO through simple WordPress improvements. Why is ranking well for local search queries so important? According to Business Wire, 67% of Americans prefer to shop with local businesses where possible. Additionally, an estimated 46% of all Google searches have local intent. Speaking anecdotally, I have seen the importance of local search results first-hand. 80-90% of the business for my web design agency, Lform Design, c...
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4 Tips for Crafting Your Perfect Website Homepage
1Feb By Caleb MynattNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

4 Tips for Crafting Your Perfect Website Homepage

In the past few years, there’s been a debate about the importance of your website’s homepage.With the variety of ways people navigate the web, some argue that website homepages are seldom the first thing people see anymore. From social media ads that link directly to your landing page or links that go directly to blog content, it’s easy for people to totally circumvent your homepage entirely when they visit your website.But despite all of that, we would argue that your homepage is still extremely important.It’s possible that your homepage isn’t the most profitable part of your website. But, when correctly designed, your homepage is definitely the most powerful part of your site.It’s true.It is a lot easier now to get people directly to your sales or landing pages...
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“Target Hours” Change the Game with Service ROI: How to Find & Implement Them
24Jan By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing Agency, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

“Target Hours” Change the Game with Service ROI: How to Find & Implement Them

When you run a service-based business, like a marketing agency, it’s not clear how many hours you spend working on specific tasks.Designing a website doesn’t always take 12 hours and 47 minutes. Sometimes it can take less, and other times it can take astronomically more (ask us how we know).That’s when things get weird. Figuring out how long you spend on the different services you offer can be tricky, which leads to a lot of unknowns.What service is your profit-driver?Which service do you think is your profit driver, but actually isn’t?What service do you need to remove from your offers because it’s eating up too much of your team’s time without enough revenue to compensate?This is the stage of service-based business (or agency life) where you wonder, “Why are things...
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Google Posts No Longer Expire After Seven Days [NEWS]
23Jan By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Google Posts No Longer Expire After Seven Days [NEWS]

TL;DRGoogle Posts are now visible in the business's Knowledge Panel for more than 7 daysBefore this update, Google Posts expired 7 days after creationGoogle Posts are a great way to communicate with customers directly within SERPsOn Tuesday, January 19th, eagle-eyed SEO Brodie Clark spotted that Google Posts older than seven days were appearing in the local business Knowledge Panel. Nice one for Local SEOs to be aware of. Now seeing standard Posts appears from months back by default. Would show for 7 days previously, then “expire” and become hidden behind the ‘view all’ button. Glad to see more visibility given to Posts – this change makes sense IMO. pic.twitter.com/H3pQTDG5qH — Brodie Clark (@brodieseo) January 20, 2021As Brodie mentions, Posts created within Goog...
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DigitalMarketer 2020 Year in Review [Infographic]
16Jan By DigitalMarketerNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

DigitalMarketer 2020 Year in Review [Infographic]

One of the best ways to continue growing is to reflect on all you’ve accomplished in the past.So, the DigitalMarketer team took a look back at 2020 and rounded up our best achievements of the year.This was DigitalMarketer’s best year yet, and it wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing community—that means YOU!So, take a gander at our annual DigitalMarketer Year in Review Infographic, and join us as we hit new milestones in 2021!
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Local Quizness – Quiz of the Year 2020!
14Jan By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Quizness, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Local Quizness – Quiz of the Year 2020!

In our first webinar of the year, we’ll be joined by local search experts Ben Fisher, Joy Hawkins, and Andrew Shotland (from Steady Demand, Sterling Sky, and Local SEO Guide, respectively) to discuss the key local SEO events and trends of last year and look ahead to what might be coming in 2021. The State of Local Search… Read More
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What is Google My Business ‘Direct Edit’, and What Does It Mean for Agencies?
12Jan By Ben FisherNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

What is Google My Business ‘Direct Edit’, and What Does It Mean for Agencies?

Ben Fisher is a Platinum Product Expert for Google My Business. He’s a master of the spam redressal form, is always on top of the latest news, and loves to share his knowledge with others. Here, he explains the new ‘Direct Edit’ feature in Google My Business, or, as he’s calling it, the Transparent Merchant Experience. In 2017, Google My Business (GMB) launched the ability to update your business information, make posts, upload photos, see how many views you have received, and more, within SERPs. The blog post they released was then titled ‘Manage your business listing without leaving Google Search.’Now fast forward to 2020, and they have upgraded the experience in a blog post titled ‘Update your Business Profile on Google Maps and Search‘. See the difference there? The main change ...
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Expert Local SEO Predictions for 2021
11Jan By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, pagerank, paid search, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Expert Local SEO Predictions for 2021

Now that 2020 is well and truly behind us, we can begin looking forward to bigger, better things. That’s right folks, the time is once again upon us to bring out our BrightLocal crystal ball and enlist some of the local search community’s most well-loved experts to help us with some local SEO predictions for the coming year.  But, before we get started thinking about what’s to come for 2021, how did our experts fare with what they predicted in 2020? Reflecting on 2020’s Local SEO Predictions A lot happened in 2020, but how many of our experts’ local SEO predictions came true?  Unfortunately, a lot of our pros had hoped 2020 would see a reduction in spam, but with the introduction of new Covid-19 support, resources, and features, plus limited Google My Business support, it seems Google ...
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How to Optimize Your Content Strategy for Lead Generation
8Jan By Ann SmartyNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How to Optimize Your Content Strategy for Lead Generation

Digital marketing has evolved far beyond publishing regular blog posts and broadcasting them through brand-owned channels.It used to work pretty well about a decade ago but it will hardly produce just about any results these days.We live in the era of an always multitasking, ever-moving consumer who is hard to impress. These days most brands were forced to up their content creation game and start producing in-depth and interactive content, investing into video creation and designing original graphics.However it is not enough. While content quality is fundamental, your content strategy will fail to have any impact on your company’s bottom line unless it is optimized for capturing and nurturing leads.Step 1: Optimize for the Customers’ Journeys, not Just KeywordsEv...
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How Digital Marketing Will Change: 14 Predictions for 2021
2Jan By Caleb MynattNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How Digital Marketing Will Change: 14 Predictions for 2021

Digital marketing is no stranger to changes, especially after a year like 2020.We have to stay on our toes if we want to stay relevant with the never ending changes to algorithms and regulations—and part of that is positioning ourselves for success.What is digital marketing going to look like in 2021?We had had 14 digital marketers weigh in to let us know what they see on the horizon, so we can all plan accordingly and have a great year of engagement, clicks, and conversions.Here are predictions from 13 of digital marketing’s best minds for 2021.Dan Dillon, Vice President of Marketing at Reveal MobileAs the pandemic subsides, shoppers, diners, tourists and consumers of all kinds are going to go OUT. And when they go, they are going big. Marketers will nee...
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Answer These 3 Questions to Figure Out What Content To Put In Your Newsletter
28Dec By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

Answer These 3 Questions to Figure Out What Content To Put In Your Newsletter

So you’ve read all the hype around newsletters, huh?It’s true, newsletters have made their comeback just like 90’s fashion (who knew bell bottoms would ever become a thing again…). Newsletters are sprouting up like weeds and it feels like the chance to get in on the hype is limited. ⏳But that doesn’t mean you should rush to put together a newsletter. Just like any marketing strategy, you don’t want to duct tape it together and hope it works out. You want to strategize how to curate a newsletter that shifts subscribers into customers.What’s the most useful content you can give subscribers that will ALSO bring them towards your offer?Let’s figure it out by answering 3 questions.#1: What challenges does your customer avatar have around the problem(s) your pro...
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4 Steps To Writing an Engaging Instagram Caption
25Dec By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

4 Steps To Writing an Engaging Instagram Caption

Are you hitting publish on your Instagram posts, waiting patiently for the likes and comments to roll in, and they don’t come? You’re still waiting, waiting a little longer…Getting engagement on Instagram isn’t what it was back in 2010–we can’t expect to hit publish and reach thousands of people the way we used to. Instagram in 2020 requires a bit more strategy, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. 😉We’re marketers, so that means we’re not just going to whip up a creative caption for our audience–we’re going to make sure we’re backing it with some strategy. We’re going to use the worksheets that help us talk to our customers where they are in their experience with the pain point our product solves and write a clear call to action asking them to do something after r...
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How to Get People on Your Podcast
25Dec By Caleb MynattNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How to Get People on Your Podcast

Every time you turn around, someone is starting a podcast. Your friends are starting one, every celebrity has one, even your competitors have their own.It’s natural to find yourself wondering if all the hype is worth it.Turns out, it is.Although podcasting started in early 2000s, it didn’t hit its full stride until the last few years. And now, podcasting is now one of the fastest growing content types in the world. There are 850,000 active podcasts (shows, not episodes) that anyone can download. They also have an audience larger than you may think—roughly half of all U.S. citizens 12+ listen to podcasts.And, most importantly for marketers and businessowners, more than half of podcast listeners say that they’re at least somewhat more likely to buy something after hear...
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12 Women in Marketing to Watch Out For
25Dec By Becky ZieberNo Comments
Blog, business, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, events, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

12 Women in Marketing to Watch Out For

If your morning cup of coffee wasn’t the kick in the butt you needed to get your day started, these women are sure to inspire you to get to work. With millions of dollars in revenue and millions more generated for their clients through their marketing strategies, these women in marketing are inspiring to say the least. They’ve built massive businesses based on their entrepreneurial bug, and many have continued to create 7-figure and viral results for their clients while balancing being a mom. Here’s who you should watch out for because you need to be listening to and learning from all of them. 1. Lisa Nichols CEO of Motivating The MassesAs one of the world’s most requested motivational speakers, Lisa Nichols is known for transforming lives. It all started with changing her own life...
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How To Train Your Content Creators To Create Viral Content
24Dec By Eva GutierrezNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email outreach, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

How To Train Your Content Creators To Create Viral Content

Yes, it’s possible to train your content creators to create viral content.If you’re creating content right now, but it’s not getting the numbers you were looking for… we know exactly what’s going wrong.You don’t know your customer avatar well enoughYou’re not creating content for the right parts of the Customer Value JourneyYou don’t know the difference between a viral article and an average articleWith virality on her resume, DigitalMarketer’s General Manager Erin MacPherson knows what it takes to get traffic and conversions. Even though it might seem like you’d start with the content, we’re actually going to take it a step back first.First, we need to know who your content is for.After that, we’ll make sure you’re creating the right content based on where your ...
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[UPDATED] 101 Best Email Subject Lines
24Dec By Caleb MynattNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, email list, Email Marketing, email outreach, Internet marketing, Most Popular, Online Marketing

[UPDATED] 101 Best Email Subject Lines

Welcome to the 8th annual installment of DigitalMarketer’s 101 Best Email Subject Lines!Within this post, I’ve got 101 PROVEN, swipeable email subject lines that are yours for the taking. And if you’re one of our email subscribers, there’s at least a 20% chance that you played a role in determining what made the list. If that applies to you, please prepare for a little déjà vu. 🙂Though you’re currently reading one of the most aptly titled blog posts of all time, you’ll find more here than just subject lines. I’m going to break down the 8 components of every good subject line AND you’ll get an analysis of our top 10 performing subject lines of 2020.That way, when you’re finished with this post, you can:1. Start deconstructing and reproducing the elements of YOUR b...
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DigitalMarketer Bloopers | 2020 in Review
23Dec By Sam WardellNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

DigitalMarketer Bloopers | 2020 in Review

2020 was another year for massive content creation at DigitalMarketer. From our products to our Facebook and YouTube channels, we’re creating video content on different platforms, in different mediums, each and every day.But… we tend to goof… a lot.This year was a lot. This year, even more than years past, we’re grateful for laughter that every day brings. So, with the year coming to a close, we thought we’d take a look back at all our “finest” moments behind the camera.So sit back and join us for our best outtakes and hilarious screwups…Did you enjoy DigitalMarketer’s 2020 Blooper Reel? Want more content like this? Subscribe to...
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The Metrics that Matter for Your Business (And Where to Find Them)
23Dec By Caleb MynattNo Comments
Blog, Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

The Metrics that Matter for Your Business (And Where to Find Them)

There’s one thing that every business owner has in common: they want their business to succeed.It doesn’t matter what industry they’re in, what product they sell, or what problem they solve. Every business owner wants to rise to the top……But how?Most people know what success feels like… but what does success look like?Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t have to be super complicated to figure out. Because, although success could look slightly different depending on what you do, almost every business can track success with one thing: the right metrics.It’s a methodology for tracking growth that Monique Morrison, Co-Founder of Jeronamo Digital Solutions and a DigitalMarketer ELITE Coach, uses for her clients every day. She spoke at her recent DigitalMarketer wo...
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Get 10% Off LocalU Advanced with BrightLocal
21Dec By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

Get 10% Off LocalU Advanced with BrightLocal

We’re excited to again be partnering with Local University to offer BrightLocal readers 10% off LocalU Advanced Virtual, the online conference filled with advanced local search insights and tactics from the brightest minds and biggest names in the business, this time taking place 9am-5.30pm ET on Tuesday, November 10th. The last virtual event, back in June of this year, was a huge success, and we really enjoyed being part of the experience. We’re confident the team at Local University will be able to follow up with another fantastic selection of speakers and invaluable, actionable topics and Q&As. What is LocalU Advanced Virtual?The world’s leading local search-focused conference, featuring talks from 13 renowned experts in the field, such as David Mihm, Joy Hawkins, and Darren S...
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NEW: Direct-to-Review Makes It Easier for Happy Customers to Leave Reviews
21Dec By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

NEW: Direct-to-Review Makes It Easier for Happy Customers to Leave Reviews

You asked, we listened! Our users wanted a faster, friction-free way to get reviews from their happiest customers, and that’s why today we’re launching the highly anticipated ‘Direct-to-Review’ setting for Get Reviews. It’s a simple change, but one that could make a world of difference to your review generation. With Direct-to-Review switched on, positive reviewers will automatically skip the ‘internal feedback’ step when completing review requests, so they can jump right to leaving you reviews on your preferred sites in just two clicks. That means far fewer dropouts in the Get Reviews process, a shorter journey for your customers, and crucially, more reviews for your business. How does Direct-to-Review work? Here’s the current flow that Get Reviews takes your customers through:Rate ...
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Cindy Krum on Building a Mobile-first, Future-proof SEO Strategy
21Dec By Kristian BannisterNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Cindy Krum on Building a Mobile-first, Future-proof SEO Strategy

I’ve got something to confess. I’m not the most technical SEO. I mean, I have a basic understanding of how crawling and indexing works, and I’ve overseen a few technical SEO projects – from a safe distance! But when it gets down to the nuts and bolts of technical SEO… Well, let’s just say, it’s not exactly lighting my fire. But that’s all changed, and it’s thanks to this month’s ‘Adventure in Local Marketing’ guest Cindy Krum, CEO and Founder of MobileMoxie. Cindy is not only super knowledgeable about the nitty gritty of technical SEO, she also has an amazing knack for making it really accessible and easy-to-understand. Cindy is one of the leading experts in mobile SEO, but her knowledge doesn’t end there. She’s always at the fore when it comes to understanding (and predicting!) what G...
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How Do You Keep Your Clients Engaged?
20Dec By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services, We Asked the Experts

How Do You Keep Your Clients Engaged?

We Asked the Experts is a series designed to provide you with the most relevant insights from local search experts. Each month we’ll cover a different question and share insights from key figures in the local SEO community in an effort to help you further your knowledge and strategy. Have any of the following ever happened to you?You’ve got a handful of clients, but you never or rarely have calls with them You do have calls with your clients but you have to send a bunch of emails before you can get them on the phone You share links to reports with clients, but have no idea if they’re reading them Your client is resistant to your input or ideas Your clients still won’t follow your advice and respond to customer reviewsIf you’re sitting there nodding your head, then I’m afraid to say...
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Local Quizness November 2020 – How Well Do You Know Last Month’s News?
20Dec By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Quizness, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Local Quizness November 2020 – How Well Do You Know Last Month’s News?

October was a bumper month for news – and with so much going on in the ‘real’ world, we wouldn’t blame you if you’d missed some of the stories affecting local marketers. Test out your knowledge of the biggest changes, tests, and bugs hitting headlines in October in the latest edition of Local Quizness – our monthly quickfire quiz created to help you stay on top of the news that matters most. If you wanted to do a bit of revision before attempting the quiz (hey, it’s not cheating, it’s learning!), we’ve included links to all of the stories covered below. Get quizzing now, and for those of you that’d like to share your scores, head over to Twitter using #LocalQuizness.Take a look at the full reading list to brush up and learn more:See you in December for even more quizzing (erk, wher...
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Carrie Hill on Creating Kick-ass Local Content
20Dec By Kristian BannisterNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Carrie Hill on Creating Kick-ass Local Content

There’s no doubt content is key to both ranking high in local search and generating more leads, but there’s a lot of mixed messages about the best ways to approach this. And often what ranks and what converts can be very different beasts. Luckily, we’ve enlisted Sterling Sky’s content creating champion Carrie Hill to get answers to questions such as should local businesses be blogging regularly? What kind of content coverts? And what do you do if great content isn’t ranking? On this episode, Carrie reveals her secrets to make the words (and leads!) flow. Listen to learn:How to do effective content research How to ensure content doesn’t just rank, but also converts The mistakes to avoid when creating content The methods Carrie uses to make writing much easierListen to the episodeS...
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Local Quizness December 2020 – Put Your News Knowledge to the Test!
20Dec By Rosie MurphyNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Quizness, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Local Quizness December 2020 – Put Your News Knowledge to the Test!

It’s time for the last Local Quizness of the year! Every month, we pay close attention to all of the new features, bugs, and trends affecting local marketers – so you don’t have to. Answer 10 quick questions to find out if you spotted some of the biggest stories in local SEO from November, and catch up on any you might have missed in the complete reading list below. Only the most vigilant local news-readers can score more than 6/10 – try your luck, and share with your colleagues and peers to find out who’s the highest scorer!Refresh your memory with all the news below, and don’t forget to share your score on Twitter using #LocalQuizness.We hope you enjoyed this month’s Local Quizness. We’ll be back in the New Year with another challenge!
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a free online school dedicated to local SEO
20Dec By Kate Herbert-SmithNo Comments
Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

a free online school dedicated to local SEO

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and are thrilled to announce the arrival of BrightLocal Academy: a free online school dedicated to teaching you all about local SEO. Built with busy professionals in mind, it will help you to:Make the most of the time you have to learn with short interactive videos. Fill your knowledge gaps by letting you learn what you want, when you want to. Make what you learn really stick, through regular quizzes. Stand out from the crowd with certificates you can add to your CV or LinkedIn profile.  The first course we’re launching is Level Up Your Local SEO with BrightLocal which uses the power of interactive content to guide you through the theory of local SEO and shows you how to put its awesome powers into practice with confidence.  So if y...
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New Features, Updates and Tests Roundup
20Dec By Jamie PitmanNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

New Features, Updates and Tests Roundup

UPDATED December 18th, 2020: Added news of Preview Call History rolling out to Google My Business As we approach Christmas, there seems to be no let-up in the fast pace of updates and tests in Google My Business. At BrightLocal, we may have been busy releasing a detailed piece of research, a complete guide to local SEO and an entire learning Academy, but that won’t stop us catching you up on all the latest Google My Business news over the past month. Between official updates, rumored tests and new features, there’s a lot to cover, so strap in! Google launches Small Business Advisors program In Mid-November, Google served up a new program designed to assist small businesses in the United States with their online marketing (using Google tools throughout, naturally).  For $39.99 per sessi...
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The Year in Local Search – 2020
20Dec By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

The Year in Local Search – 2020

2020 has nearly come to an end (cue sighs of relief!)  While this year presented many challenges, especially for local businesses, it also created the opportunity for triumph. Google My Business introduced more new features than ever, and we saw the good side of many organizations that strived to provide extra resources and relief to those in need. Although we may all be glad to see the back of what’s been a pretty hectic year, we’d be remiss not to look back on all the exciting things that have taken place. For us, it’s been a year filled with GMB news, updates, and changes, and we even had some laughs along the way too, (Four Season Total Landscaping anyone?) So, before we say “so long” to 2020 for good, we invite you to join us in reflecting upon the year in local search.What woul...
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