What happens if you don’t claim your listing? Well, you leave Google to guess …  and they might guess that your one location, small town meat shop is a billion dollar, global fast food restaurant.  I’m not kidding.

Above is the local listing for McDonald’s Meats, an awesome little butcher shop in Clear Lake, MN.  If you notice the reference to mcdonalds.com domain, I think we can see how this unclaimed listing isn’t getting the right business the local search traffic.

Google Places
The video is a great visual and base level explanation of how local search rankings are displayed, compiled and ranked for Google Places.

The video outlines these three main ranking factors:

• Relevance – results that categorically match what has been searched
• Prominence – results that are “well known, trusted” and show solid data from other sources on the web
• Distance – results that are near your search criteria or known location

The latest changes to Google Places have changed both the display of local search results as well as the algorithm used to rank them.  Where local used to have its own formula, now organic search trust heavily plays in your local ranking.

More Local Search Products
Along with the Google Places changes, new products focused on local search have hit the scene in the last year.  The video covers these three:

• Google HotPot: rate places and get personalized recommendations (think Yelp)
• Google Tags: visual tags that help your local listing stand out ($25/month flat fee)
• Google Boost:  a paid local search advertising option, controlled from your Place page

I’ve already increased the amount of reviews I’ve been leaving for businesses thanks to HotPot.  The interface is so simple and even kind of fun.  All of these products are aimed at a quality local search experiences for the user, but a savvy business can employ all of these to its advantage.

Of course Five can help with your local search marketing needs on all of these fronts.  It’s exciting to see the local search space get so much attention, improvement and tools and we don’t see that changing.

It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at.

At each of the Local U stops I’ve been a part of, the information, attendees interaction and speakers seem to get better.  A cool aspect of Denver was having attendee’s coming from afar to get their local search goods from New Mexico, Arizona, Nebraska and even Japan.

I’m not that surprised though when you consider the expertise, the content covered and the ridiculously low cost to attend a Local U event. Any past attendee will rave on the value.

Search Engines & SEO
I presented on the general workings of search engines and what a business can do to be more visible online, both to search engines and consumers.  Finding fun and real ways to show how a small business can approach their website, develop compelling content and prove their credibility online is a favorite for me.

Local Just Keeps Getting Better
The evolution and growth of local search continues at a rapid pace and Local U’s packed room of attendees were rabid for all of the great tips, ideas and strategies to win at local. Maps, SEO, directories, social media and even QR codes were discussed.

Great Presenters Willing To Share
At every event, I keep hearing comments and reading Twitter comments (#localu) on the quality of the presenters and the ease of access to them. Local U is an intimate setting that encourages interaction and conversation.  All of the speakers are willing to talk at length before and after the event, allowing for further questions and discussion.

From left to right: Mike Blumenthal, me, David Mihm, Matt McGee & Mary Bowling.

Get It From The Source
All of the Local University presenters offer great local, search, marketing and social media content on their blogs.  If you haven’t visited them before, I recommend doing so:

• Mike Blumenthal – Understanding Google Maps & Local Search
• David Mihm – Mihmorandum
• Matt McGee – Small Business Search Marketing
• Mary Bowling – seOverflow blog

Finally, if you’re new to exploring local search and helping your business online, start with GetListed.org to verify your local search listings are claimed.

What continues to be alarming for me is the number of businesses that lack correct information online, multiple sources to be found by and online marketing strategies (no matter how small they might be).

Inc. Magazine’s recent write-up on this local search study highlighted many of the statistics compiled from the survey of 4,000 consumers surveyed and over 1 million that had their online searches monitored.

Here are a few numbers that should jump out at a business owner or marketer and make them take note:

• 70% start looking for a business online, up 7% from 2009
• 33% use Google, Bing or Yahoo – traditional search engines
• 22% use Internet Yellow Pages or directories (Yelp.com included)
• For those using local search sites, Google Places commands 41%, Bing 11% (up 7% from 2009)
• 78% of consumers say reviews and ratings factor into their purchases
• 1 in 6 searchers is frustrated by the lack of reliable & correct information about small businesses on the web
• 33% give up on a business when they can’t find the information they are looking for

So to put numbers into words, what you have online to represent your small business is huge.  So what can you do as a small business?  Here are just some of the basics:

Be Visible

• Have at least a basic web presence
• Make sure you claim your main local search listings (use GetListed.Org to check)
• Make sure you are listed on directories like Yelp, Citysearch, InfoUSA
• Look into what local sites you can be linked on or listed on – chambers, org’s, local blogs
• Look into social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogging might be a fit for you
• The key here is to have more than a few “entrance points” into your information

Be Accurate

• Make sure your info is correct on all platforms – hours, services, products, photos, links
• There might be data on your business, but you should CLAIM your listings & data
• Develop content to build trust, show your expertise and help you win comparisons

Have A Plan

• Even the smallest plan beats hoping you’re getting out there
• Find and attend a small business workshop or seminar on local or online marketing
• Search online! There are numerous great blogs, people on Twitter and more to help you
• Seek out a trusted and recommended small business online marketer
• Research your competition, their website, their social media, their listings
• Network with other business owners

The numbers in this report are only trending higher every year for the importance of an online presence and reputation.  Get started with the basics and put an end to your “hope” marketing plan, it won’t pan out.

MIMA Summit 2010 – September 27th & 28th
The Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association’s annual Summit is an event to be reckoned with.  I’m excited to be presenting a session on Small Business SEO On A Shoestring Tuesday morning.

I’m humbled to be part of a speaking line-up that includes Gary Vaynerchuk, Chris Silver Smith, Jeff Sauer and some other talented Internet minds I enjoy and learn from often.

Local University Denver – October 21st
You won’t find a better small business Internet marketing seminar for the money than GetListed.org’s Local U series. The same as the  Minneapolis Local U event earlier this year, I’ll be heading the session on Intro to Search Engines.  Covering local search from many angles as well as social media and SEO, this event is the best in pure information and best practices.

Don’t miss out on speakers David Mihm, Ed Reese, Mike Blumenthal, Mary Bowling and Matt McGee.  Sign-up and use promo code five2010 to get $40 off the ticket, it’s just $89 for the 1/2 day session!  Go ahead and sign-up.

For the last three years, David has sough out, compiled and published his Local Search Ranking factors that are the read in local search.  In bringing together a great group of local search experts together you get more than one opinion, rating and thoughts on over 60 elements that are part of local search (good, neutral or bad).

Many of my favorite local search gurus are included in the panel including Mike Ramsey, Paul Jahn, Ed Reese, Mike Blumenthal, Andrew Shotland and more. Over 30 experts, all in 1 post.

Thanks again to David Mihm for this incredible resource and having myself and Five Technology be a part of it.

Here is one of our clients, a CPA firm with 2 offices that have earned top rankings in both the local and organic results.  Their positions are boxed in red.

Consider that the user not only has 2 links to click into to bring them to their website or more information on their business, but they greatly climb the user’s trust curve by being seen multiple times on the page.  Here are the results for their 2nd office.

Occupying more of the search results page real estate should be the goal of any business.  The first step is understanding that local search and organic search are two separate things with separate elements and ranking formulas.

Your local search listings are generated from how your business is registered with the engines as well as other online resources. A great step to start with for many businesses is using GetListed.org to verify if you have claimed your local business listings with the major search engines.

With the combination of local search and organic search results working together, you can greatly increase your website’s exposure.

Two packed sessions of Minnesota business owners, marketers, web designers and more soaked up an incredible amount of Internet marketing knowledge from leading experts as well as staff from Google and Bing.  GetListed.org’s Local University delivered as promised with solid education, best practices, approach, tools and more that anyone can implement at some level for marketing online.

Personally, in helping bring the Local U event to the Twin Cities it was satisfying to hear so many of the positive comments following each session and read all of the tweets.  Below are just a few Twitter comments from the day:

This is one workshop that is only out to educate it’s attendees, not sell.

Thank you to all involved, local sponsors Deluxe & ReliaCloud, the attendees, speakers, promotional partners and friends that help me pull this together.

The amount of valuable local search and online marketing information that was shared is awesome.  Smart people that enjoy sharing their vast knowledge is what Local U is all about.  How great is that?  I’m proud to have been part of this great group and event.

Here are a few photos from the event ….

Learn more on GetListed.org and the Local University series, who’s next stop is Cleveland, Ohio in June.

Who is this conference for?

This has been a big question I get when talking about the event.  I thought I would offer a small summary of what I feel every level of business owner, marketer or SEO can get from this great opportunity.

Entry Level - If you are a business owner, running a business or a small business marketer you may very well get the most out of Local University.  A solid amount of the information and sessions are gear toward baseline education, do-it-yourself tips and giving you a clear understanding of how things work and how you can benefit.  Confusion on Internet marketing will be replaced by clarity.

Intermediate Level- Where some of the information covered might be a good refresher, you’ll still get some new angles and information.  There is no doubt that the local search expertise presenting will give you more insight into this exploding area of the web and business.  The Q & A sessions will also give you access to ask questions in some areas that might be of specific interest to you.

Expert Level- Here is a great chance to support the industry you work in.  The chance to learn may still exist within the local search presentations, but the chance to network with other great Internet marketing minds as well as business owners and other local marketers is fantastic.

This 4 hour workshop will cover fantastic information on search engine optimization, local search , social media and more.  It’s a jam packed line-up that can benefit all levels of Internet marketers.

• Register now and use the code five2010 to get $40 off, dropping your cost to just $89 for this event.

Thank you to the local sponsors helping make this event possible, Deluxe and ReliaCloud.

Organized by GetListed.org co-founder David Mihm, the seminar featured a great line-up of experienced Internet marketers as well as Google and Bing representatives.  The Local University seminar will be heading out to other cities in 2010, bringing a fantastic wealth of information for any business or organization looking to improve their online marketing knowledge.

In just a 4 hour session, attendees took part in detailed presentations, real world case studies, Q & A sessions, how-to’s, do-it-yourself tips, resources and more.  Overall it was some incredible search, social and local/maps information, from talented presenters, all for $129. A complete steal to get a ton of  basics, the best practices and the baseline to market online.

The panel of speakers form left to right were Mikko Ollila of Bing, Ryan Hayward of Google, Matt McGee of Small Business SEM, Mike Blumenthal a local search expert, David Mihm of GetListed.org and Mary Bowling of seOverflow. Not pictured above was Spokane SEO expert Ed Reese.

Local University is a must for any business that wants real answers, real examples and access to grasp the opportunity to succeed online.

In addition to attending the seminar it was a chance for me to finally connect in person with other search marketers I have read, done business with and interacted with for some time.  I had a great time meeting a few new ones too like Mary Bowling, Mike Blumenthal (aka Professor Maps) and Mike Ramsey as the presenters took in dinner the night before.

Minneapolis In The Local University Future?
The one last piece that put me on a flight to Spokane was to attract the Local University offering to the Minneapolis area later this year.  The amount of information, the level of expertise and the complete offering would be perfect for the local business community here in the Twin Cities.

I can tell you that the event left Spokane buzzing, satisfied and hoping for another one.

Hopefully I’ll have some good news soon, but don’t hesitate to let your voice be heard with a comment below.