Local search & web design gurus Pat Sexton and David Mihm delivered simplicity and value in the launch of their new small business tool GetListed.Org. The website allows a business or their marketing partner to verify their main local search listings in Google, Yahoo, Best of the Web (BOTW) and MSN Live in one easy step. Just type in your business name and zip code to get your local search listing report.

The press release for the GetListed.org site offers a great quote from co-creator David Mihm.

“The search engines rely on so many different providers for their Local business data, it’s hard even for experts to keep track of where it’s all coming from,” said Mihm. “This tool really puts the power in the hands of the business owners and helps make sure the engines provide correct data to people searching for these businesses.”

Mihm shared with me that the site has already done over 10,000 business look-ups in just the first two weeks of being launched. They’ve also received very favorable feedback from users and other SEO consultants using the site.

Making the complexity of search a bit easier and empowering the root of correct business information, now thats a great thing.

As an Internet marketing professional this alleviates the multiple site checking and verifying we would normally do for a client. The site also offers tools to make our job easier with a Local Dashboard to track clients data.

Below I ran a report for one of my favorite Minneapolis pizza joints, Pizza Luce. As you can see they have not correctly completed their info in Google and Best of the Web.

The screenshot above shows you get the direct links to get your business listed if you are missing from any of them.

When you add on the value of their local search resource center and even a trusted listing of Local SEO professionals (we’re proud to be listed), the site offers so much more then just the tool.

The future for GetListed looks strong with improvements and additions coming for the site.

“We’re also going to be making it easier for small businesses to understand the transition between SEEING what search engines are returning about their business and actually CHANGING or VERIFYING that information–a couple of small, but important usability tweaks that we hope will solve that.” offered Mihm when asked on the next step for the tool.

Small businesses, I suggested you “get smart” for 2009 and work GetListed.org to the top of your websites to utilize.

If you want to follow David and Pat on Twitter you can find them at @davidmihm and @yummyman .

On Tuesday, January 20th I had the opportunity to present a 3 hour Internet Marketing seminar on Search Engine Optimization and Email Marketing to a great group of attendees in Buffalo, Minnesota. Here is a short summary video with some of the slides (77 slides in total!), photos from the event and a video clip.

Internet Marketing Seminar – Five Technology from Five Technology on Vimeo.

The majority of the seminar was focused on the basics of SEO and the concept of building trust within your website and it’s content/pages. We covered a lot of ground, answered many questions and even reviewed some of the attendee’s websites to offer up suggestions.

I personally had a blast with everyone and learned a lot in preparing a 3 hour seminar and presenting it. I think that everyone there walked away with some great takeaways and tips no matter their level of understanding coming in. I met a lot of really cool people too. Thanks everyone!

Last week when I posted about online reviews being used as a marketing strategy, I didn’t grasp that my post would push one of our customers to take action.

Shortly after the blog post hit, which our client Sparkling Clean Window Washing subscribes to via email,  the owner headed off to one of our local pages and left us a great review.  It turns out that Ryan has been nudging clients to use online reviews for his business as well and in loving what Five did for his website wanted to shout out his happiness to others.  Thanks Ryan!

This also shows a nice little process that took place from blogging and interacting with our customers:

1.  Five blogs about online reviews, local search and the positive effect they can have on creating new business.

2.  A client is a blog reader / subscriber and reads this post.

3.  The client realizes they should give a review to help other users looking for a great Minnesota web design firm!

So even thought I didn’t consider this to be one of the outcomes of my post, it shows what business blogging can produce. It can produce reader action and further marketing for us.

It shouldn’t be news to you that you need to write web content that engages and informs your website user / visitor first and foremost and attracts the love of the search engines second. It can be very easy to accomplish both user friendly content and search engine friendly content when you consider that visitors to your website these days are more like the search engines than ever.

1. Be basic and straight forward. Users appreciate less marketing jargon and more answers on today’s Internet.

2. Use a good mix of your main keyword term, but also mix in related or secondary keyword terms. Try to use both the industry or professional terms (if applicable) but also consider how the general public might understand your product or service.

3. Apply these basic elements to your page header, beginning paragraph, supporting information or bullet points.

You want an example? Ok.

Here is just a simple example of what I might write for a steakhouse in downtown Minneapolis. Lets consider that their downtown location and the fact that they are a premier steakhouse are the big keyword factors.

—————————————————————–

page header (H1):
Award Winning Downtown Minneapolis Steakhouse

intro paragraph: Peter’s Steak Palace is a downtown Minneapolis steakhouse and offers the best steak and food for your Minneapolis dining experience. With prime rib, filet mignon, porterhouse and our famous Pete Cut Steak, you can enjoy our award winning restaurant atmosphere and menu of steaks, salads and more.

supporting (h2): Visit Our Minneapolis Restaurant

• View our steak and menu items (list items)
• Make reservations online or call
• View our dress code and other helpful info
• View a map of our downtown location

—————————————————————–

As you can see from above I would also recommend finding a way to present your top keyword terms in anchor text to supporting pages. The “downtown Minneapois steakhouse” link can go to the “about page” and the other link to the menu page. With a bit more content, a photo or two correctly tagged and page meta data completed, you have a very well optimized page for the search engines that also helps the user (the main goal!). Mix in a few links pointing to the site and you’ve got a good SEO process starting to work.

Take a look at your content, is it basic enough? Does it clearly address what you do or offer? Where? How? If not, you would benefit from giving it a basic tweak or two that will benefit both your website visitors and search engines.

Yesterday’s USA Today had a feature story about the effect of online reviews for businesses leading to acquiring new clients. The focus of the article was a Los Angeles area chiropractor who actively encourages clients to write reviews on Google, Yelp, Yahoo and other local sites that allow reviews. His business has increased from people finding the reviews and choosing his practice over the others in the local search results.

I think having a few reviews for Five would be of help to local businesses seeking our web expertise. (note to self)

Last year when traveling to San Francisco for the first time I read a lot of online reviews on Yelp to find a few fun places to dine. It was extremely useful and I just sent a few links to a friend today who is headed out there Friday (lucky guy). The ability to get a wide range of opinions and filter through that information to make my own decision is a great thing. Obviously not every comment or opinion will be glowing or even positive, but with more than a handful of reviews you can make your own deductions from the added value of reviews.

For me, that’s what it is all about. Having a few other angles to consider when making a decision. I have used online reviews not only for my SF trip, but for many hotel reservations, dinner choices and electronics purchases in the last few years.

I hope that attention like the USA Today article and other avenues lead to more user content/feedback on small businesses, not just products or hotels. Of course we will see some “review spam”, just as we see with every other Internet marketing, but the big picture is very solid.

Remember though, to even have a shot at getting reviewed you must be correctly listed in the local directories of these sites. Paul Jahn of LocalMN has a great post on local search basics you should check out if this is all new to you and your business. You should also do a search on your business in the main ones, add yourself or correct info as needed. Here are the links below:

• Google Maps/Local (you need a Google account)
• Yahoo Local (you need a Yahoo account/email)
• Yelp (you need a business account)

Believe me, this small bit of effort is worth it, local search is gaining more power and search real estate every day.