Recently, Google launched "Place Search," which is designed to be a type of local search that combines Google's standard search with Google Local. The change has local search results looking something like the regular Google engine search results, but with a map on the right side that scrolls down the page as you do too. This is in part because Google has increased the amount of information that is displayed with each listing.
Now, rather than just listing the business name and phone number, Place Search listings will have the business description, customer reviews, and a picture of the building--as well as links to other review sites.
The plus side of the Google Places makeover is that ideally, you should get more traffic since these results rank in search. People can find you without ever visiting your website. Businesses with acutal physical addresses will fare better, just as they would in Google Places (which requires an address for mapping purposes). The best practice would be to monitor your data and how this change is affecting your search results, and see if anything needs to be changed in your current search/PPC campaign.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Google AdWords Call Metrics
In May of last year, Google canceled their call tracking feature intended for Google Audio Ads. But now, Google's bringing it back under the name of AdWords Call Metrics, a combination of Google Voice and AdWords.
Google's goal in this is to show advertisers that AdWords is more valuable than they realize, including driving offline traffic. The feature is available on PCs and high-functioning smartphones with full internet browsers.
For now, the Google AdWords Call Metrics will be a free service, but perhaps down the road a fee will be associated in a "pay-per-call" way. AdWords Call Metrics routes calls from the VoIP tracking number to a designated business number that Google is able to monitor. The metrics will capture the time and length of the call.
While access is currently limited, more and more people will be invited to see what its all about in the near future.
Google's goal in this is to show advertisers that AdWords is more valuable than they realize, including driving offline traffic. The feature is available on PCs and high-functioning smartphones with full internet browsers.
For now, the Google AdWords Call Metrics will be a free service, but perhaps down the road a fee will be associated in a "pay-per-call" way. AdWords Call Metrics routes calls from the VoIP tracking number to a designated business number that Google is able to monitor. The metrics will capture the time and length of the call.
While access is currently limited, more and more people will be invited to see what its all about in the near future.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Blekko Seeks to Improve Search Results
The new search engine Blekko has launched, so now seems like a good of a time as any to delve into the site and see what it's all about. Blekko was designed around the goal of eliminating spam results in internet search, via "slashtag technology" that narrows down the web into a select group of results. Specifically, the seven slashtag groups are: health, colleges, auto, personal finance, lyrics, recipes, and hotels. These are of course only the initial categories, with plans of expansion in the near future.
Blekko seeks to stand out against search big shots like Google and Bing, and here's an example of how: when a searcher types "health" into one of those engines, the results are a lot of low-quality content farms and spam. On the contrary, Blekko's results are only from high quality sites.
Blekko seeks to stand out against search big shots like Google and Bing, and here's an example of how: when a searcher types "health" into one of those engines, the results are a lot of low-quality content farms and spam. On the contrary, Blekko's results are only from high quality sites.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tandem Interactive's Joe Larato on Women's Radio
Tandem's owner, Joe Laratro, was interviewed last week for the national Women's Radio station and shared his thoughts about search, the future of SEO, and getting the most out of internet marketing. The interview will be available from November 2-November 8th, and you can listen to it here:
http://www.womensradio.com/episodes/PubCon-Takes-a-Hands-On-Approach-to-Search-and-Social-Marketing/6885.html
Past November 8th, the link will take you to the archives, where the interview will still be available for your listening pleasure.
http://www.womensradio.com/episodes/PubCon-Takes-a-Hands-On-Approach-to-Search-and-Social-Marketing/6885.html
Past November 8th, the link will take you to the archives, where the interview will still be available for your listening pleasure.
Google Boosts Local Advertising
Google has launched Google Boost, a platform for Google Places that acts as sponsored search in local results. Currently, it has been released in San Francisco, Houston, and Chicago; with more cities slated to join soon.
The Boost ads will provide the phone number and address of the location, which is located by a combination of the vertical keyword and the location keyword (such as movie theater, vertical, and Houston, location). Additionally, customer reviews will be accessible via the ad as well as a maps marker and star rating.
Google's ad placement in correlation with local search is predicted to be successful, especially because the results will be highly relevant to the searchers need and area. This is poised to be a much higher success rate than, say, Facebook Places, where users aren't necessarily searching for things to purchase or local businesses to visit. One caveat to Boost search, though, is that the traffic can't be successfully tracked, since it arrives as a result of other search queries as opposed to a direct URL. Time will tell if this will be tweaked in the future or if Boost and AdWords ads will continue to share the same Internet real estate.
Currently, Tandem Interactive has initiated the Boost in our Houston area businesses, and will provide the same updates for our other client cities as the capabilities roll out.
The Boost ads will provide the phone number and address of the location, which is located by a combination of the vertical keyword and the location keyword (such as movie theater, vertical, and Houston, location). Additionally, customer reviews will be accessible via the ad as well as a maps marker and star rating.
Google's ad placement in correlation with local search is predicted to be successful, especially because the results will be highly relevant to the searchers need and area. This is poised to be a much higher success rate than, say, Facebook Places, where users aren't necessarily searching for things to purchase or local businesses to visit. One caveat to Boost search, though, is that the traffic can't be successfully tracked, since it arrives as a result of other search queries as opposed to a direct URL. Time will tell if this will be tweaked in the future or if Boost and AdWords ads will continue to share the same Internet real estate.
Currently, Tandem Interactive has initiated the Boost in our Houston area businesses, and will provide the same updates for our other client cities as the capabilities roll out.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Only 1/3 of Small Businesses Utilize Social Media
According to a new study from RatePoint, only 36% of small business owners utilize social media to reach out to their customers--a significantly low percentage considering 72% of big businesses already use social media, and the remaining 28% have a plan ready to be initiated before the year's end.
The logic behind the low small business figure? Because apparently, 20% of small business owners don't think that their customers spend time on sites like Facebook or Twitter, and 27% said they weren't sure. Sadly, they are mistaken. 62% of the United States adult population is on Facebook, and according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, social network use among Internet users ages 50+ increased from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010, while the proportion of Americans ages 70-75 who were online in general increased from 26% in 2005 to 45% in 2009. So literally, social media touches almost every age demographic.
Of the small business owners that do utilize social media, a big selling point is that it is inexpensive and has great capabilities.
The logic behind the low small business figure? Because apparently, 20% of small business owners don't think that their customers spend time on sites like Facebook or Twitter, and 27% said they weren't sure. Sadly, they are mistaken. 62% of the United States adult population is on Facebook, and according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, social network use among Internet users ages 50+ increased from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010, while the proportion of Americans ages 70-75 who were online in general increased from 26% in 2005 to 45% in 2009. So literally, social media touches almost every age demographic.
Of the small business owners that do utilize social media, a big selling point is that it is inexpensive and has great capabilities.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Standing Out From Your Competitors: Take a Cue From Jet Blue
JetBlue's advertising was recently taken over by Interpublic's Mullen, who have created a smart new campaign for the airline that serves to point out the negatives associated with other airlines, therefore highlighting JetBlue's strengths. What's important to realize is that JetBlue never name-drops or calls out a specific airline.
What's also unique about the ads is that the messages are all passed on in everyday scenarios by everyday people--there's no spokesperson or personality on behalf of the company. Here's an example: a cab driver picks up some New York City passengers, then informs them that there is a $25 baggage check fee to store bags in the trunk. This, of course, is only one example of several ads, each just as clever and stating a message at the end relating to the ad and JetBlue's policies.
It's refreshing to see an ad campaign showing that a company is better than its competitors without having a cheesy face literally tell you that word for word. JetBlue's campaign is smart, doesn't really point any fingers, and leaves them looking like winners. In keeping with the undeniable effect of viral video, the ads are all blasted on YouTube, Vevo, and Hulu. A job well done!
What's also unique about the ads is that the messages are all passed on in everyday scenarios by everyday people--there's no spokesperson or personality on behalf of the company. Here's an example: a cab driver picks up some New York City passengers, then informs them that there is a $25 baggage check fee to store bags in the trunk. This, of course, is only one example of several ads, each just as clever and stating a message at the end relating to the ad and JetBlue's policies.
It's refreshing to see an ad campaign showing that a company is better than its competitors without having a cheesy face literally tell you that word for word. JetBlue's campaign is smart, doesn't really point any fingers, and leaves them looking like winners. In keeping with the undeniable effect of viral video, the ads are all blasted on YouTube, Vevo, and Hulu. A job well done!
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