Local Search Myths, Half Truths & Misconceptions

[Linda Buquet]

Following will be an on-going compilation of blog posts I've discovered (or that you guys find and add) that give bad or incorrect advice. I figure if someone blogged it, there are likely many others that believe the same thing - PLUS many who have read the advice may now believe it to be true.

So.... let's bust some myths, shall we?

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This is advice to Auto Dealers from a company that specializes in setting up car dealer G+ Local pages?

<a href="http://www.dealereprocess.com/think-know-google-places-think/">Do You Think You Know Google Places? - Think Again! | Dealer E Process</a>

3.The third thing I take a look at (which 99% of the time is never set correctly) is the WHERE you serve customers at. Would you believe most dealers only have their physical address set? Don’t we sell goods and services to customers at least 50 miles away? How about 150 miles away?

What’s changed? You can now choose a mile radius for how far you sell goods and services (up to 999 miles), which gives your dealership’s Google Places page listing a MAJOR increase in the amount of times it shows up in searches on Google. Take a look at the screenshot below so you know what to expect and what to do.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS ADVICE?

1) At most dealerships I know of, the customer comes to the dealership to test drive and buy. Service area settings are only for businesses that serve the customer at their location, like plumbers.

2) Setting a service area does not give a "MAJOR increase in the amount of times it shows up in searches on Google". It has absolutely no effect on ranking and will not make you more visible in outlying areas.

More to come as we find them...

Help me bust some myths and add more below.

But 1st... I'm adding a couple good Local Search "Myth Busting" roundups below.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Local Search Myths, Half Truths & Misconceptions

Right on target is this post from Friday at Search Engine Land by Chris Marentis

<a href="http://searchengineland.com/five-top-local-seo-myths-truths-190439">Top Five Local SEO Myths -- And Truths</a>

There seems to be no end to the range of declared ?SEO truths? for local mom and pop shops.

Search Engine Optimization strategies that work for the big brands differ from those that work for small, local players, so it?s no wonder that so many local marketers end up confused about how to really use SEO to build their businesses.

Following is a list of five frequently heard claims about local SEO that I?ve heard recently, followed by their corresponding truths.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Local Search Myths, Half Truths & Misconceptions

And here a couple of good local search "Myth Busters" from Phil Rozek.

<a href="http://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2013/09/17/top-local-seo-myths/">Top Local SEO Myths | LocalVisibilitySystem.com</a>

It may not be springtime, but it?s time for a little housecleaning. Local SEO ? like its organic cousin ? is filled with myths.

By ?myths,? I mean misinformation and other junk that?s piled up over time.

One reason for the myths is local SEOs can be superstitious. Many among us are like pro baseball players ? who believe they won?t play a good game unless they eat Taco Bell the night before, or who must wear the lucky pair of underwear they?ve worn since Little League.

The other big reason for all the misinformation is that local search is complex. It?s hard to separate what actually helps a business get visible from what doesn?t. ?Scientific? tests are a red herring. (Correlation doesn?t equal causation, remember?)

And then later...

<a href="http://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2014/03/21/locus-pocus/">Locus Pocus | LocalVisibilitySystem.com</a>

What?s with the name? It?s a portmanteau of local and hocus pocus.

Just my way of referring to semi-common local SEO practices that I think are superstition.

We talked about ?Local SEO Myths? in 2013. But there?s even more to say. In that post, I and other local-search geeks focused on myths that lead business owners way off-track.

Now I?d like to talk about what I see as practices that just waste time and effort. They won?t kill you, but I can?t say they?ll help you.

OK, your turn! Add individual posts as you find them, that you think are spreading incorrect info, myths or untruths about local search.

 

[Scott Rawlins]

Great post Linda. Still cracking up over the Auto Dealer example.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Here's a good one, or bad one! But decided it deserved it's own post.

Bad advice coming from the CEO of Yodle!

<a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-reviews/18336-did-ceo-yodle-really-just-say-re.html">Did the CEO of Yodle Really Just Say That? Re: Local Reviews Advice?</a>