9 Common Mistakes Business Owners Make in Google Local Listings
Most people who run small local businesses haven’t spent much time studying internet marketing. As a result, they often make mistakes.
These mistakes could be small and simply result in lower rankings or appearing less professional However, more costly mistakes could result in your listing not appearing in Google entirely.
Here are nine of the most common ways business owners mess up their Google local rankings.
#1 – Placing Directions in the Address
If you add directions like “between the red and blue building” in your address, Google won’t be able to tell where you really are.
Google’s mapping technology only understands real addresses. Instead of putting directions in the address, add them to the description box. Or just let Google maps handle it.
#2 – Using a P.O. Box 
Google doesn’t like P.O. boxes. Yes, for many legitimate businesses, it simply doesn’t make sense to hire real office space. P.O. boxes are great for those businesses, as it gives them a real address without having to rent office space.
Unfortunately, Google frowns upon this practice, most likely because it’s so easy to rent P.O. boxes. Even people who don’t own real local businesses can use P.O. boxes to get rankings.
Avoid using a P.O. box. Use your home address if you have to.
#3 – Not Displaying an Address
Google Places gives you the option to not display your address if you don’t want to. Unfortunately, what Google doesn’t tell you is that if you don’t display your address, your chances of getting ranked are nearly zero.
When’s the last time you saw a Google Places listing with no address? It almost never happens, because any listing that has no address is rarely ever displayed.
Don’t make the mistake of checking this box.
#4 – Not Using Your Main Phone Number
Some people choose to use 1-800 phone numbers or different phone lines for different places with regards to their business. For example, some people will use one phone number for the main line, another for online orders and a third of the Yellow Pages. This allows them to track which sources of advertising brings in the most leads.
Google doesn’t like this, because they want to be able to independently verify your phone number. They want you to use your main number so they can determine if you’re really who you say you are.
Not using your main phone number can affect your chances at a good ranking.
Building a Brand is an Underlooked Source of Traffic
When it comes to traffic, people tend to focus on traffic generated online. They’ll focus on SEO, on PPC, on social media traffic. These are all highly effective methods of getting traffic; but they miss one crucial component: Authority.
Having authority does two things. First of all, it helps you get more traffic. Authority in and of itself will help you get type-in traffic from people who know your brand. Second, it helps you increase your conversions.
Think about it. Let’s say there’s a person who’s interested in buying an MP3 player. They land on two websites. These two websites sell the exact same product for the exact same price.
One website is an unknown website. The other website is Amazon.com. Who are they more likely to buy from? Amazon, naturally. Why? Because they have more authority. They’re a known brand. There’s more trust established.
Learning to build authority will help you get more conversions, as people will already trust your brand. It’ll help you get more traffic from every aspect of your marketing funnel, as people will be more likely to click on your listing in the search engines and in PPC placements because they recognize your domain.
Finally, you’ll get people typing in your website, or people Googling you or your brand’s name.
So how do you build more authority?
Create a Strong Brand Identity
What do you stand for? If people are to trust in your brand, they need to know what your brand stands for. 
When people think of you, your brand or your website, they should think of just one thing. Is it speed? Is it expertise in a certain area? Is it customer service? Is it uniqueness of thought?
What should people think of when they think of your brand? Cultivate that brand deliberately.
Get Press Attention
Someone who’s been seen on TV, on the radio or in print media is going to have a lot more authority than someone who just put up a website.
Getting press attention isn’t as difficult as most people think it is. Remember: Journalists need good stories just as badly as entrepreneurs want to be in those stories. Getting featured is a win-win relationship.
To get in the press, join services like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) to find potential press opportunities. Make sure that before you contact any press you have a clear story to pitch them with.
The story should have a clear hook and have a headline that turns heads. In other words, it should be something so unique that reporters will really want to have it in their publications.
10 Weird Things that Influence Customers Online
Sometimes what causes customers to change their behaviours are the strangest things in the world. At times customer psychology might make total sense, but at other times they can seem like a completely different species.
These are ten strange and bizarre things that can influence customers online. These are things you probably wouldn’t think to test for, but they make a difference.
1. The Phone Number They Never Call
A lot of webmasters have found that if they put a phone number on their website, it increases their web conversions.
What’s funny is that very few people ever actually call the number. Just the fact that there is a real person on the other end is enough for them to feel more confident about buying.
2. Putting a Period in the Headline
Sometimes being grammatically correct doesn’t pay. In numerous split tests marketers have found that placing periods in headlines and subheads almost always reduces conversions. Commas sometimes also have the same effect.
A period gets people to stop reading rather than continue reading. Even if it’s grammatically correct, you might want to consider dropping to period.
3. Credibility Buttons
You know those “As Seen on TV” or “Seen on Oprah & MSN” logos? Those do a lot for increasing conversions. 
What’s funny however is that consumers often don’t actually check who’s on the logo. A credibility button that says “As seen on Bing & Google” works almost as well as “As Seen on CNN.” And just about any site on the planet is seen on Bing & Google.
4. Big & Unusual Buy Buttons
When Amazon was first getting started, they tested all kinds of different buttons to see what got the best result. They found that the “Add to Cart” button they use to be most effective.
Today however, everyone is used to the standard buttons. What marketers are finding more and more is that big and unusual buttons tend to do quite well.
5. The Refund Timing
Did you know that the number of refunds you get tends to go down as the refund window goes up? 
If someone only has 30 days to return something, they’re more likely to keep close tabs on when the refund date is. If the refund date is 3 months however, they’re more likely to keep even looser tabs.
Some companies that offer one year refund windows have found that this window actually drastically cuts down refunds. Read more
The 3 Most Critical Aspects to Consider When Choosing a Web Hosting Provider
Choosing a good webhosting provider involves balancing a variety of different features with their respective costs. A startup business with very little traffic will need very different web hosting solutions than an established business running complicated software with hundreds of thousands of visitors. Here are some of the most important things you should consider when you’re choosing a web hosting service.
Service
Service is a
n extremely important component of web hosting. If your website goes down and you don’t have an in-house tech, the technical support department of your web hosting company becomes the people you rely on. The technical support department of your web host should be both responsive and knowledgeable. There are a couple ways to tell whether or not your web host fits these criteria.
First you can Google the web host for stories or reviews about their service. While this might not work for smaller hosts, larger hosts will have a deluge of user experiences online for all to read.
Testing responsiveness is easy: Just call their tech support department and see how long it takes to get someone to pick up. Ideally you should get someone within 3 rings. If it takes 30 minutes to get someone on the line, then you probably shouldn’t place your order.
If you really want to put their responsiveness to the test, try calling both during peak hours and in strange hours (E.g. 4am) to see if their 24 hour service truly is 24 hours.
Included Packages
You should check what comes included with your web host. Today’s web hosts usually offer unlimited domains and unlimited email addresses. However, beyond these two basics there are a lot of variations.
First thing to look for is cPanel. cPanel is what gives you an easy to user interface for managing your website. Many web hosts include cPanel for free, though some charge for it.
If you plan on running WordPress, PHPBB or other such common plugins you should also look for a one-click install system, such as Fantastico.
Finally, if you plan on writing your own code or running custom programs make sure the version of PHP, MySQL and/or Apache works with the software you plan on installing.
Your Processing Needs
The kind of hosting package you need to purchase depends in large part on how much processing power you need. Yes, it’s true that most hosting providers give you “unlimited bandwidth” even on a small shared hosting package. However, what’s not unlimited is the processing power you take up on the servers.
The primary limit of servers isn’t bandwidth but processing power. If you’re running an analytics system, custom software, dynamic websites and a variety of other programs that need to process every time a visitor lands on your site and you’re getting tens of thousands of visitors – Then you’re going to seriously tax the system.
With shared hosting, you’re usually sharing your processing power amongst 50 to 400 websites. With a Virtual Private Server (VPS) you’re usually sharing with between 5 to 25 people. With a dedicated server, you’re the only one with access to that computer’s processing power.
Keep in mind that if you’re on a shared server, you’re vulnerable to someone else using too much power causing your site to run slow. For example, if someone else’s site suddenly gets 20,000 people to their site in a day, maxing out the server’s capabilities, your own programs will run very slowly because you don’t have those resources anymore.
At the end of the day you need to make a decision about your own server processing needs, your need for stability and the price you’re willing to pay. Shared hosting is the cheapest option, followed by VPS then a dedicated server. Each gives you more power, but costs more money.
Making Your Decision
Start by choosing whether you want a shared host, a VPS or a dedicated server. Keep in mind that you can always move up. Then look at the potential hosts and see which one(s) have the features you want. Make sure they have the capability to install any software that you might want to use in the future. Then test their technical support by placing a test call to see their response time.
Finally, compare the different levels of pricing between the hosts you’re considering. At this point you can make a fully informed decision as to which host to go with.
As for our recommendations, we’re hosted with LiquidWeb using a dedicated server provided by them and we’d highly recommend them for their super prompt service. If you’re looking for a shared host, apart from LiquidWeb, we’ve also used HostGator who’ve been very good and they have some packages available in the lower price range for people looking to test things out.
Berry Berry Angry – The Top 13 News Headlines Lashing Blackberry
Dear Blackberry, do you know what the #iPhone said to the #Blackberry? ..#iWork! (Retweet)
Irregular and scattered outages of BB messaging and email service have caused havoc across the globe. These problems don’t seem to be having an end date and have entered US and Canada as well while for Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa it’s the 3rdcontinuous day of hardships and problems.
BBM services which allows users to connect with each other doesn’t seem to work either and to add fuel to the fire, Apple released its iOS5 version yesterday, which offers features almost similar to the BBM services. With sagging sales and competition from Apple, only a miracle can save BB now to restore faith and trust amongst its users. Also lack of information from the top management is another reason for negative word of mouth against BB.
Here the Top 13 headlines lashing at BlackBerry, from across the globe:
Compensation calls as BlackBerry breakdown spreads to US
Angry BlackBerry users have called for compensation as the internet outage that has crippled their smartphones continued through Wednesday and spread to North America and Asia.
RIM scrambles to end global BlackBerry outage
BlackBerry outage blamed on ‘extremely critical’ network failure
Blackberry’s message goes missing
BlackBerry Outage Spreads to U.S., RIM Responds
BlackBerry outages spread to US, Canada
BlackBerry outages spread to North America
RIM: We’re still working on restoring BlackBerry service
For BlackBerry Maker, Crisis Mounts
BlackBerry’s Service Hiccups Spread; Five Continents Affected
Berry berry angry
Blackberry backlash: Slough headquarters in the dock over global phone meltdown
10m users hit by the three days of chaos
BlackBerry services out for third day
BlackBerry’s Response on Facebook
Not very convincing!
Here’s what some twitter users have to say:
Though RIM authorities are working against time to restore the services, this outage of BB services has come as a bolt from the blue for RIM which is already struggling with slow sales, an almost failed tablet and ultimately falling market share.
Given below is a poll of how many of you still have faith in BlackBerry, cast your vote as well!
Also a hilarious video which would go well with what’s happened:
How to Use Google Places for Your Business
It is a well-known fact that the vast majority of consumers turn to the internet when looking for local businesses. Google has also told us that ¾ of all online activity is related to local content. This is of vast importance for local businesses which depend on the search engine giant to drive people through their doors, to generate phone calls and to increase the awareness regarding their brands.
Most local businesses spend a good deal of money and time fine-tuning their paid search campaigns and SEO strategies. However, many are not realizing one of the most valuable and cost-free tools Google has, is Google Places. This service was first offered by Google two years ago this fall to replace the Google Local service. The nice thing about Places is the fact that it is totally free and quite easy to set up.
To get started with Google Places you will have to submit your basic info including your business name, website URL, description of your business, category, hours of operation, telephone number, payment options you accept and a photo or video which highlights your business. You are allowed to add up to ten images and five videos. The more info you enter about your business the better your organic rankings will be in Places but avoid keyword stuffing as Google could remove your listing. It’s also important to be specific when adding your business description. Avoid saying things like “we’ve been in business for over two decades” or “we’re the best dog groomer in the city”.
Once you have set
up your account and have finished entering your business information, Google will send you a PIN verification number by mail (postcard) SMS or via a phone call, the choice is yours. You will need to log into Places and enter your Pin next to the business listing you created and then you’re done. It will take Google 30 days from the time you enter your PIN to verify your business.
It’s important to know that Google Places only lists seven businesses per search with its red place markers marked A through G. This means that those business similar to yours which have listed themselves on Places before you did get the place markers. Listing your business as soon as possible is the way to go so that you can claim one of the coveted 7 place markers. Another way to get into the top seven is to encourage customer reviews because the more reviews you get, the more likely you’ll land in the top seven.
You can check to see if your business is listed in Places by searching for your phone number in Google maps. If it shows up, then that’s great! There really isn’t any reason not to use Places as it provides a great way for customers to find you which will most likely convert into sales and business prominence.
Review of Directory Maximizer by Dave Jenyns
We are excited to share with you this video by the noted Dave Jenyns where he has reviewed Directory Maximizer & has given his views on our service!
Dave, who is one of the youngest & best keynote speakers in Australia, gives a brief Directory Maximizer review and explains how and why people can use our service in their businesses. Watch the video to see why Dave finds our service fit to be approved by him!
Before ending, let me leave you with a small excerpt from his review of Directory Maximizer where he shares his views on Directory Maximizer -
“The fact is, Directory Maximizer is an amazing tool that every internet marketer should have in their toolkit.”
Need we say more?
SEO Basics Revisited: Off-Page Optimization
This article comes as a follow up to our previous post ‘SEO Basics Revisited: On-Page Optimization‘. Now that you are familiar with the basics of on-page optimization, let’s move on to the next step – Off-Page Optimization. This too isn’t as complicated or as difficult as you would imagine. Off-page optimization is nothing but a number of strategies that you can implement off your web page to improve your search engine ranking and increase targeted traffic to your web site.
Here’s is a simple explanation for all the newbies: Let’s say you build a great product and invest 
all your time and effort into making it the best. However, you do not spread the word about this great product and no one knows about it! What’s the use? So, just as you need to let others know about your product and get recommendations from them, you need to do off-page optimization for your site as well.
Off-page factors should be carefully planned and implemented to achieve a higher search engine ranking. Many people think that off-page optimization is just link building and go about it in a random and unplanned manner. However, this is not going to bring much benefit to their site. They’re just going to waste a lot of time and efforts and not get any results. They need to consider several aspects before starting off-page optimization for their site. Given below is all the information you will need to know about off-page optimization.
I. Factors to Consider Before Building Links
It’s not enough to get just any websites to link to you, the quality of inbound links is also very important. You may get 100 links but may not see any difference in your results if you don’t consider the following points:
1. Inbound Links from Authority Sites
Authority sites are popular sites that people frequent, get linked to on the basis of their merit, 
or are referred by many when they need to check up on the subject. Getting links from known websites is priceless while doing off-page optimization for your website. It’s like a certificate from an authoritative figure who has acknowledged the quality of your page. For example, if your site is about current events or news, and CNN.com links to you, consider it as the best bonus ever!
Tip: Make your website as professional and informative as possible. If you give reliable and valuable information, it will instantly impress people. This will also increase the chances of getting linked by other such authority sites.
2. Anchor Text of Inbound Link
Anchor text is the actual word or phrase of your link. It is important to have anchor text targeting your keywords because the search engines will notice this as a relevant link for your site. As you start getting more and more links with your targeted anchor text, your rankings for those terms will start to improve.
For example, if your site was about selling or renting houses then you should use your keywords in the titles: such as ‘Houses for sale’, ‘Houses for rent’, ‘Homes for sale’, ‘Homes for rent’, ‘Buy a house’, ‘Rent a house’ etc.
The most common anchor text is ‘Click Here’. Sometimes, it is not possible to choose the anchor text for your links from other pages, but for those sites where you can, you need to get it right. Some places where you can enter your own anchor text are online web directories and social bookmarking sites. However, for those sites which do not, you could try sending a request asking if the anchor text can be modified to make it more relevant for your site. You’ll be surprised to see many of them would make the necessary changes.
Tip: Try to include your keywords in your anchor text. Decide what keywords you want to rank for and include them in your anchor text. However, be careful because your anchor text should not read like a string of keywords, it should make sense as well.
3. PageRank of Incoming Links
Google Page Rank is a tool developed by Google to determine the importance of a website or a webpage 
based on clearly defined set of algorithms. It is ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest. Whenever you link out to another website, you pass on some of your page rank value. Similarly, if you get a link form a high PR page, your site will also benefit from a fraction of the PR value of that page.
PageRank is based on incoming links, but not just on the number of them – relevance and quality are also important (in terms of the PageRank of sites, which link to a given site). However, not all links weigh the same when it comes to PR. If you had a web page with a PR8 and had 1 link on it, the site linked to would get a fair amount of PR value. But, if you had 100 links on that page, each individual link would only get a fraction of the value.
Tip: While links from high PR sites may be beneficial to your PR, do not restrict your off-page link building activities just on the basis of PR.
Matt Cutts’ 8 Super-Effective Tips On Link Building
Let’s admit, organic link building can get frustrating and time consuming. We’ve all been through that phase where we try to build inbound links, turning impatient while we wait for the results. Well… we continue because we know it’ll pay off, and how! Organic links are often the result of having good, relevant and accurate content. 
You get an organic link when your information is considered useful and relevant, not when you have paid for it or participated in a link exchange.
Google’s most visible anti-spam engineer, Matt Cutts, has been releasing a series of short Webmaster Help videos in which he answers queries about search engine optimization and shares information that helps enhance traffic to your site. In this video, he offers a peek into some of the most effective ways of building organic links. If you want, you may choose to skip the video as the points have been summarized below:
1. Controversy
It’s a fact – “When you complain, people listen”. Matt admits it’s not his favorite technique, but creating controversy does cook up a storm. This is one of the easiest link baits as it grabs eyeballs. Matt adds that many people choose a company or known person and find faults or pick on them and exaggerate the situation.
For example, E! Online is known for celebrity bashing and gossip which can make or break careers. The 
site has handled controversial issues like Lindsay Lohan’s hearing and Britney Spears’ fashion disasters. However, you might want to be careful about overdoing it and offer some other useful information as well from time to time. In Matt Cutts’ opinion people could get tired of just reading about controversies after a point. Remember that you want to encourage traffic, not kill it.
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