Red Hat Local Search Optimization

[Linda Buquet]

Red Hat Local Search Optimization
Make Your Client Stand Out in the Pack!


<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8858" src="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/red_hatLocalSEO.jpg" alt="red_hatLocalSEO" width="45%" />​

In 2011 I coined the term “Red Hat” Local Optimization, which equals: Smart, Bright, Bold Optimization!

“Red Hat” local search optimization. It’s not black hat, not gray, but not boring vanilla white either.
It’s RED – so it makes YOUR client stand out from the pack and hopefully rank higher too!​

In module #5 of the new Advanced Google My Business Training I have a whole section on Red Hat Local Search optimization techniques and cover cool stuff that can make your client's listing shine in the SERPs, boost click through rates and stick rates, (which are important ranking factors), as well as little known techniques the competition is not using, that can make YOUR client stand out from the pack!

So I was just thinking this would make a great brainstorming topic here in the forum and at the Pros community. Let's see if we can share some great ideas that could make a difference.


GOOGLE BUSINESS VIEW

One of the best ways you can make your client stand out, get more clicks, better stick rates, even attract/earn links if done right is adding a Google Business View photo shoot.

We know for a fact that 2 important ranking factors are click-through rates (from SERP to site) and stick rate. How many people click through and how long they stay are 2 indicators of popularity to Google and helps the algo understand that particular site was a great match to the query.

Well do you think an entertaining, engaging, fun or creative tour like one of the ones at the link below would get more clicks and make people stay longer? Sure it would!

Additionally Google wants us to EARN links, not build links. Don't you think once folks in the local market saw these they would share a link socially? In some cases I'm sure local media even picks it up and does a story and these can sort of go viral.

Last but not least - what is the best small business marketing on the planet? Plain old word of mouth: your friends and neighbors talking about your business. This fosters that too!

Lots of creative ideas and some stats about how BV can boost business here:
<a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/20025-dynamic-google-business-view-get-your-creative.html">DYNAMIC! Google Business View: Get your Creative Juices & Traffic Flowing!</a>

Phil just did a great post yesterday too:
<a href="http://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2014/11/10/10-reasons-to-get-a-google-business-view-photo-shoot/">10 Reasons to Get a Google Business View Photo Shoot</a>


VIDEO

Google LOVES video as you all know, yet I don't hear it talked about much in local. Partly because after video was killed on the old Place pages people got frustrated and stopped adding. Then upgrades to G+ started but it was confusing. Now with YouTube being integrated it’s even more complicated again.

So what does that make Video? A RED HAT opportunity! A chance to make your client stand out.
Not just for customers, but for Google too.

In the new GMB training I share some little known tricks for optimizing video on your Google local page as well as some high ranking examples and some speculation. Suffice to say that Google L O V E S video and many of your competitors are not doing it, or doing it as well as they could be.

Here are a ton of Local Video SEO resources if you want to get more involved in video:
<a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/local-search/13647-hardcore-video-search-engine-optimization-resources-local.html">Hardcore Video SEO Resources with a Local Search Emphasis</a>


MORE RED HAT IDEAS

Lots of other awesome Red Hat ideas can be found at Phil's post over at the Whitespark blog:
<a href="http://www.whitespark.ca/blog/post/34-how-to-pimp-your-local-google-page">How to Pimp Your Local Google+ Page</a>


What are some of the most creative out-of-the-box ideas you've tried or have seen, to make your client stand out and boost click, conversions and/or ranking?

Please share below and/or post an example of something cool you've seen...

OR share a listing you've seen that you think may be ranking high due to videos or BV.


Update 1/28/15 : NEW Tip Shared in Post #3

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[Linda Buquet]

Joy Hawkins just offered a GREAT TIP at the Pros Community.

Joy said: "B2B reviews! No one does it "

BINGO! Great one - Not only does no one do it, but I totally forgot that option even existed!
Joy gets a big gold star!

Any other tips or ideas?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Brock Kelly in the Local Search Pros G+ Community posed the following question and I wanted to do this post with screenshot to share another tip from the Red Hat SEO part of my training.

Brock said:

When logged into a GMB page, you have the ability to upload a video to the page. For those that are using this feature, you simply creating the video and uploading it through this feature or are you connecting the Youtube page to the GMB account?

The main reason I am asking is because if you upload the video to the YT channel, you can optimize the video and input a detailed description.

If you upload directly to the GMB page, I am assuming that you cannot optimize the video for specific keywords to the extent that you can with the YT channel.

While there are many reasons to go with the YouTube option - if you have YT connected, when someone watches a video from your G+ page, they are sent to YT to watch it. If you upload a video directly, then they are staying on your page to watch it, which could be an advantage. (User behavioral signals and stick rate.)

So following is a way to add a RICH description to a video you upload directly to your page.

EXAMPLE: ER Plumbing Services
Rich Description Instead of Only KWs in File Name


​

Instead of uploading video from your PC (which is what most do and the only optimization that gives you is whatever you name the file), you upload the video to Picasa 1st and add a rich description there. THEN upload to your G+ Page.

Then you get the whole big description you put on Picasa right on your G+ Video page AND that video description is indexed.