I recently flew to Germany to present on Local SEO at SMX Munich, sharing expert strategies to help businesses dominate local search results. In this presentation, I will dive into key tactics like optimizing Google My Business, using local keywords and leveraging customer reviews to improve visibility. Sit back and relax, and get ready to learn something.
In this week's episode of "Local Search Tuesdays," I talk about the concept of "shopping by symptom" and why it’s important for your SEO strategy. People often search based on the problems they’re experiencing—like "how to fix a cracked tooth" instead of just looking for a dentist. If your website content speaks directly to these symptom-based searches, you have a better chance of showing up in search results and attracting the right customers. Tune in to learn how to adjust your SEO to take advantage of this approach!
Video Transcript
Welcome back to another episode of Local Search Tuesdays. This week, I’m sharing a simple tip to help you reframe how you think about your website content.
One of the biggest mistakes that business owners and many marketers make is that they don’t realize that they’re wearing blinders. Business owners know everything about their business - front to back, top to bottom. They forget what it’s like to try to find answers on a website if you know absolutely nothing about the product or service you’re looking for.
Optimizing your site won’t matter if you’re optimizing for the wrong terms. One of the most popular videos of this series was the one I published almost four years ago that talks about avoiding jargon when optimizing your site. If you haven’t seen it, head to bit.ly/seo-avoid-jargon to check it out.
But honestly, that video doesn’t really fully explain the idea. I only talk about optimizing for the way that customers search, and how using jargon that you understand, but customers don’t, won’t help your marketing efforts.
Avoiding jargon is only part of the solution. The problem isn’t really that you’re optimizing for the wrong terms - the problem is that you don’t understand how your customers are searching for you.
Remember that in every single situation, customers have a problem and they’re looking for a solution. If your products or services are the solution to the potential customer’s problem and you appear to be a reputable business, customers will buy from you.
But those business owner blinders are keeping you focused on the wrong concepts. Let me use a healthcare example to show you what I mean. Doctors are usually pretty awful at optimizing for how patients will search. If you’re a plastic surgeon, you know exactly what a blepharoplasty is, and that’s the term you optimize for on your site.
The problem is that nobody knows what a blepharoplasty is. I’m honestly not even sure I’m saying it correctly. The patients you’re trying to show up for will instead look for “eyelid lift” or “eyelid surgery”. But those are still extreme bottom-of-funnel terms. Patients will start searching for that solution without knowing that it’s the end point. They’ll ask questions about symptoms that they’re experiencing, and after some research, they’ll realize that an eyelid lift is likely what they need.
As a business owner or marketer, you have to understand that your customers will start their buying journey by “shopping by symptom”. You need to add content to your site that speaks to the symptoms of the problems your customers are researching, not just the solution that you’re selling. The sooner you can get eyeballs on your website and impress potential customers, the more likely it is that those potential customers will end up converting and buying.
Take a look at your site. Think beyond the tip about avoiding jargon and look at the customer questions you’re answering - or not answering. Add content to target potential customers who aren’t sure what they need and help guide them down the path to purchase.
Your content will be a much better match for the intent of those early searches. You’ll show up much better in search results and you’ll convert more customers.
That’s all the time we have left for this week’s episode, so you know what that means. Put your hand on the screen right here:
We totally just high-fived ‘cause you learned something awesome. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you again next week for another episode of Local Search Tuesdays.
Are you struggling to verify your Google Business Profile? Don’t worry—I’ve got you! In this episode of Local Search Tuesdays, I’m covering everything you need to know to shoot a successful verification video the first time—whether verifying a new business or recovering from a suspension.
I’ll walk you through planning your shoot, recording the right footage, and ensuring you include all the necessary documents to get verified without the hassle. Don’t miss it!
Video Transcript
Welcome back to another episode of Local Search Tuesdays. This week’s episode is an important one: I’m going to be sharing tips for shooting a Google Business Profile verification video!
As a platinum Product Expert on the Google Business Profile community forum, I spend a lot of time helping people with GBP problems. One of the most common issues is that business owners aren’t sure why their verification videos aren’t approved. Also, since Google decided last year to fight GBP spam more aggressively, there’s been a huge increase in the number of GBP suspensions, and these often require a re-verification video.
The first thing you should do is check Google’s GBP guidelines to be sure that you’re eligible for a profile. Head over to bit.ly/gbp-eligibility to read the “eligibility and ownership guidelines”, which basically say you have to do face-to-face business with customers to be allowed to have a profile.
Next, you should check out the GBP guidelines at bit.ly/gbp-guidelines. This page explaines what you should include on your profile. There’s an accordion widget that breaks down important information for each element. Make sure you’re familiar with everything here.
Then, you’ll want to check out the help page for video verification videos. Head over to bit.ly/gbp-verification-video to read the details.
But that page only takes you so far, and most people never even see that page, or either of the other two, honestly. So today, I wanted to share some tips to help you if you’re going to shoot a verification video.
Before you start, make sure you have an online presence that matches the info in your Google Business Profile. You need some third party proof that your business exists. You should have a website with the same business name and location information and you should be listed on industry directories as well as general directories. A BBB listing is beneficial, but not required.
If it’s a first time verification video, you won’t need to include any documentation. If it’s a re-verification video, you’ll need to include your documentation, so make sure you have everything together before you start recording.
It’s important to plan what you’re going to shoot. You have to include several elements, and you want the video to be as short as possible. If the video is longer than five minutes, it will fail processing. Try to keep the video under 2 minutes - the shorter the better. Planning your shoot, including how and where you’ll walk, will help you be more efficient and effective.
Before you start recording, make sure you have location services turned on.
It’s absolutely critical that you don’t include anyone’s face in the video. This is where planning ahead will be a significant help. That means zero faces whatsoever - employees, customers, or even random people outside the business.
Do not narrate your video. It’s unnecessary and distracting.
You need to be sure to include proof of your actual location. Basically, if someone who isn’t from your area was watching the video, would the video show enough information to prove that you’re actually that business in that location?
Since permanent signage is a requirement for eligibility, make sure you show your signage. Show the nearest street sign. Show nearby businesses.
If you’re a service business operating out of your home, you obviously won’t have permanent signage, so you’d instead show your house number to prove you’re there.
You also need to prove that the category you selected is accurate and you need to provide proof of management of the business. For brick-and-mortar businesses, you need to show the outside and inside of your business. Be sure to show that you have access to areas that the general public can’t access. Unlocking the front door or the door to the office works well here. Show that you have access to your computer system or payment system (just don’t display any login or password information).
If it’s a re-verification video, you’ll need to include some sort of legal document that proves the existence of the business. A government license or utility bill in the company name works here. Don’t use a business card, those won’t work.
If you’re a service business, show that you have access to the tools of your trade. Show that you can unlock the company vehicle if it’s wrapped or has the company logo on it. You’ll still need to show your home and address, but you’ll also need to include a government license or utility bill in the name of the company.
That last part is important. If my company is Giff Plumbing but all of my utility bills say “Greg Gifford”, then those won’t work as proof.
If you read all of the Google Documents and follow the tips in this video, you shouldn’t have any problem getting verified - or re-verified - with your video.
That’s all the time we have left for this week’s episode, so you know what that means. Put your hand on the screen right here: We totally just high-fived ‘cause you learned something awesome. Thanks for watching, and we’ll see you again next week for another episode of Local Search Tuesdays.
The Secret Sauce: Increasing Leads with Quality Ad Copy
Tired of seeing your ad spend go to waste on clicks that don’t convert? It’s time to stop guessing and start mastering the art of hyper-relevant ad copy. Whether you’re a PPC veteran or just starting out, we’ve got the secret sauce to help you create ads that actually work.
In this blog, we’ll dive deep into how crafting ads that speak directly to your audience’s needs can dramatically improve your account performance. From understanding user intent to personalizing your messaging and aligning your ads with your landing page, we’ll show you how to attract the right leads, repel unqualified clicks, and boost your ROI.
What Makes Ad Copy Relevant?
Relevancy in ad copy varies widely and hinges on the understanding of the buyer and their context. It’s not just about keyword stuffing your ads; it’s about speaking directly to the buyer’s specific needs and desires. For instance, an ad targeting young professionals in a big city will resonate differently than one aimed at retirees in the suburbs.
Beyond demographics, consider the buyer’s stage in the customer journey. Are they researching, comparing, or ready to purchase? Tailor your message accordingly. For example, early-stage prospects might benefit from informative content, while those ready to buy should be presented with compelling offers and clear calls to action.
Ultimately, relevant ad copy goes beyond simply attracting attention; it builds trust and establishes a genuine connection with potential customers, leading to higher quality leads, improved campaign performance, and an increase in your ROI.
Let’s Put the “Oh!” in Google’s AI Overviews
Let’s state the obvious: search isn’t the same today as it was weeks ago. The emergence of AI search platforms and Google’s AI Overviews permeating informational, navigation, and even transactional searches disrupt organic traffic acquisition. There are, however, still benefits to earning a spot as a citation in Google’s AI Overviews, such as building brand awareness, ideas for improving content, understanding consumers’ follow-up needs, and generating topical relevance for your website.
This is purely positing, but I would bet that the systems that select what sources to use as citations from a corpus of documents will eventually impact organic ranking because of signals like consumer information gain and alignment with the general consensus of response – as of now, it’s evident that ranking in the top 5 organic positions does not have carry much weight, but we’ll get into that in a bit.
In this week’s episode of Local Search Tuesdays, I’m diving into BrightLocal’s latest Consumer Data Survey, and trust me—you don’t want to miss these insights!
Every year, BrightLocal surveys consumers to uncover how they search for local businesses, what influences their decisions, and how their behavior is evolving. This year's results reveal some game-changing trends that could significantly impact your local SEO strategy!
I’ll break down the key findings, explain what they mean for your business.
In this week’s newest episode of Local Search Tuesdays video, I’ll walk you through setting up text messaging on your Google Business Profile. I’ll show you why it’s a game-changer for connecting with potential customers and how to enable it step by step. Don’t miss out on this easy way to boost engagement and drive more leads.
Micro-Moments: where great marketing meets perfect timing
Let’s be real—our marketing job isn’t just about screaming, “Buy this now!” into the void and hoping for the best. We’re not carnival barkers. We’re problem-solvers, digital matchmakers, and, dare I say, marketing therapists. People don’t wake up thinking, Wow, I’d love to be advertised to today! No, they wake up with needs, questions, and split-second decisions to make. And if we’re doing our jobs right, we’re showing up exactly when they need us—welcome guests rather than intrusive salespeople.
This, my friends, is where micro-moments come in. Google coined the term, but the concept? Timeless. These are those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments when someone turns to their phone (because let’s be real, it’s always their phone) to solve an immediate need. “I want to know,”
I hit the show floor at NADA to connect with some of the sharpest minds in the automotive industry, gathering their top strategies, must-know trends, and game-changing advice for dealers looking to stay ahead of the competition. From cutting-edge digital marketing tactics to innovative dealership strategies, these expert insights will help you drive more leads, boost visibility.
Want to read more?
Page [tcb_pagination_current_page] of [tcb_pagination_total_pages]