Online Marketing for Local Business – Josh Nelson – Internet Marketing Consultant

As an Internet Marketing Consultant with ReachLocal I help South Florida Businesses significantly improve their sales and revenue performance by effectively marketing online via Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, MSN, etc), Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, etc) and other internet platforms.

I have a passion for sales & marketing as well as a burning desire to help business owners accomplish their goals. During my initial meeting with potential clients I provide them with value that they will benefit from whether they decide to do business with me or not:

• Educate them from a high level on internet marketing, how search engines work, local search marketing and new methods for driving sales opportunities and revenue to their local business that they may have never even considered.
• Provide them with an overview of the monthly / daily search volume for their products & services within their service areas. Most of my clients are floored to see how many people are actually searching for their services here in the South Florida Market.
• Show them how they could be tapping into these local searches to drive increased sales revenue.
• I personally configure their company listing with Google to ensure they are properly registered to appear in the “Local Map Based Searches“.  According to Google, 90% of local businesses have not completed this process and as result they are missing out on a significant opportunity.
  

You can reach me at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com

Connect with me on LinkedIn -

As a local business you might ask – “what is local search engine marketing”?

Simply put, it is getting your company to appear at the top of the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, MSN, AOL, Etc.) for the search terms describing your product or service that your potential customer may be typing. For example, a local Kitchen Cabinet Design company would want to appear at the top of the search engines for “Miami Kitchen Design” or even better all searchers within a 45 mile radius that searched for “Kitchen Design”.

Through Search Engine Marketing you can now position your company to appear in the “Sponsored Area” of the major search engines for any of the search terms you define. See the illustration below:

Curious how many searches there are for your companies services on a monthly basis? Give me a call to set up a meeting and I will provide you with an overview (based on Google’s historical data) of the total monthly and daily searches specific to your business.

You can reach me at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com

Local Map Based Listings are the organic listings that appear just below the sponsored listings on Google.  See the image blow:

According to Google more than 90% of businesses have not correctly configured their Local Map Based Listing and as result they are not showing up in local searches for their particular service.

As an internet marketing consultant I help South Florida Businesses evaluate their marketing strategy as a whole and implement online marketing initiatives that drive increased sales activity and revenue. In my initial meeting with potential clients I personally configure their Local Map Based Listing with Google free of charge to help ensure this important step is completed correctly.

You can reach me at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com

The Ultimate Online Marketing Checklist for LOCAL Business

With all of the information out there on Internet Marketing it can be very difficult figure out where to start and what things you can do that will actually have an impact on your online marketing efforts as it relates to your local business. To help you get started I have put together a checklist of what I feel are the most imperative things you can do that will have the quickest and most tangible impact on your visibility online for your local business.

• Claim tour local listings on the major sites (Google, Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, 4Squared, Best of the Web, City Search, Angies List).
• Set up a fan page on Facebook and a Twitter Account.
• Set up a blog on your site (www.your site.com/blog) and create a new post for each of your most frequently asked questions. ***Tip – push those posts out via your Facebook & Twitter account
• Update the “title tag” on each of your website pages. ****Tip – use localized / keyword rich titles (E.G. “Miami Body Shop – Jorges Body Shop”, “Fort Lauderdale Roofer – Academy Roofing”).
• Make sure that your full company name and address are listed at the bottom of each page of your site along with a “test link” navigation structure.
• Be sure that you have a link to your site from any and all associations that you belong to (E.G. Trade Association, Chamber of Commerce, Networking Groups, etc).
• Set up a pay-per-click account on the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing).

If you take care of these simple items your local presence will be more optimized than 99% of the sites in your market and you will start to see Your Company dominate the web in your area for what you do.

Of course, if you need help or have any questions you can give me a call any time 786-325-6761.

As an internet marketing consultant I help South Florida Businesses evaluate their marketing strategy as a whole and implement online marketing initiatives that drive increased sales activity and revenue.

You can reach me directly at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com.

Thanks for visiting www.joshnelsonimc.com your source for online marketing strategies as it relates to LOCAL BUSINESS.  There is SO much information available online about internet marketing but very little of it is tailored for the typical local business (roofers, plumbers, ac contractors, attorneys, etc). This blog is written specifically for the owners and operators of “local business” and will provide you with specific, actionable ideas that you can put in place to improve your online presence and dominate the internet in your area for what you do.

There has been a major shift in the past 10 years. Google has changed the way we think and look for things. This ad is a great illustration of how:

Now that you have claimed your Local Business Listing on Google, Yahoo & Bing (click here if you haven’t) you need to take additional steps to improve your placement on the maps in your area.

• Get Positive Reviews – By getting as many legitimate 5 Star Reviews as possible you will improve your placement. The easiest way to do this is to ask for them. Copy the link to your local map based listings and email them to your best customers along with a request for a 5 star review.
• Update the “TITLE” on your website - The page title or “title tag” is perhaps the most important element of SEO and a major component of your Map Based Listing. These are the words that appear at the top of your web browser when you are on a page. They are also the words that show up in the blue links in Google. Put the search terms you are targeting in your page titles. Also – Put the most important keywords at the beginning of the title.  For Example, rather than putting “Tiger & Sons Roofing” put “Miami Roofing Company – Tiger & Sons”.
• ADD more content to your Local Business Listings – Log back into the Local Business Listing Center and fill in any of the “extra content” that you might have left out – Pictures, Video, Coupons, etc.

As an internet marketing consultant I help South Florida Businesses evaluate their marketing strategy as a whole and implement online marketing initiatives that drive increased sales activity and revenue.

You can reach me directly at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com.

Below you will find a step-by-step guide for checking, claiming & managing your Local Business Listings on Google, Yahoo & Bing.

Step 1: Go to www.getlisted.org

Step 2: Enter your company name and address.

Step 3: Check to See if your listings are active & if you have claimed them or not:

Step 4: Click on the Listings that you have not claimed and CLAIM THEM:

Step 5: Claiming your Google Listing:

Just follow the instructions from there. I would encourage you to add as much detail and multi-media as possible. Where they ask for pictures & videos – upload them! Add your hours of operation, contact info, payment options, etc.

***NOTE: You will get to a page that asks, would you like to confirm your listing via Phone or Mail. Choose the “Phone Option”. When you do it this way you will recieve a call from Google’s automated system with your PIN. It makes claiming your listing much faster.

Here is what your Local Listing will look like once it is claimed:

As an internet marketing consultant I help South Florida Businesses evaluate their marketing strategy as a whole and implement online marketing initiatives that drive increased sales activity and revenue.

You can reach me directly at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com.

In my post titled “What are local map based listings” I explained what Map Based listings are. In this post I want to explain how you can ensure that you are listed in the map based listings and if you are already, how you can take control and claim your existing listing.

The easiest way to check on the status of your listings is go directly to each search engine and type in “Your Company Name, Zip”. For example “Dental Team, 33442”. See an example below:

You can also go directly to the “Listing Management Section” for local listings on each site:

• Google – www.google.com/local/add
• Yahoo – http://listings.local.yahoo.com/signup/create_1.php?type=fl
• Bing – https://ssl.bing.com/listings/ListingCenter.aspx

Or use www.getlisted.org which is a free service that will help you manage your listing across all the major local listing sites.

As an internet marketing consultant I help South Florida Businesses evaluate their marketing strategy as a whole and implement online marketing initiatives that drive increased sales activity and revenue. In my initial meeting with potential clients I personally configure their Local Map Based Listing with the major search engines free of charge to help ensure this important step is completed correctly.

You can reach me directly at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com.

I specialize in helping South Florida’s Local Based Businesses shift their marketing efforts to include Internet strategies and procedures  including Search Engine Marketing, Social Media, Blogging, and other internet platforms to send you more qualified leads. My number one priority is to drive more opportunities into your business and improve your sales & revenue performance.

You can reach me at 786-325-6761 or via email josh@joshnelsonimc.com

Understanding How the Google Ad Auction Process Works

Many people believe that your position in the sponsored listings is driven exclusively by your bid price. There are actually several variables that come into play in addition to bid price to determine where your ad will appear in the sponsored listings:

• Max Bid Price – this is the max bid for a given search term  –  set by you
• Quality Score – is determined by Google based on a number of variables
  • Click Through Rate (CTR)
  • Relevance
  • Quality of Landing Page
  

Your Max Bid Price X Quality Score = Your AdRank

• AdRank is the position in which you will appear in the listings.

Here is an example of how you Google determines your AdRank:

So in this example, the advertiser bidding $2.00 per bid with a 12 quality score actually ranks #1 and the advertiser bidding $4 does not even show up in the top three listings because his quality score is too low.

The next questions is, how is your Cost Per Click determined:

With Google, you only have to pay as much as the maximum bid of the bidder directly beneath you in the bidding auction.

Google has a formula that is written as P₁ = b₂q₂ / Q₁ - Ultimately it is AdRank of advertiser below / quality score of advertiser 1. Take a look at the example below:

So even though advertiser 1 bid $4.00 he is only paying $3.00 per click.

*** By increasing your Quality Score you can actually reduce your Cost Per Click and improve your position in the sponsored listings.

Forrester Research projects that US Search Marketing spend will increase from $15 Billion in 2009 to $31 Billion by 2014. Take a look at the chart below from Forrester Research:

I am an expert in Local Online Marketing but still actively participate in offline networking and always advise that my clients be get involved as well. Here is a list of the top Business Networking venues in South Florida covering Miami to Fort Lauderdale and includes the local chambers as well as networking groups. Please feel free to post additional networking opportunities that I may have missed via the comments section.

List of South Florida Chambers of Commerce

Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce http://miamiflcoc.weblinkconnect.com/index.aspx

Broward County Chamber of Commerce - http://www.browardbiz.com/

Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce - www.ftlchamber.com

Chamber South - www.chambersouth.com

Doral Chamber of Commerce - www.doralchamberofcommerce.org

Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce - www.coralgableschamber.org/

Homestead Chamber of Commerce – www.chamberinaction.com

Other South Florida Networking Groups

http://www.bnimiami.com/

www.bnibroward.com

http://www.westkendallbusiness.com/index.php

www.pinecrestbusiness.com

http://www.miamibusinessexchange.com/meetings.asp

http://www.kendallbusiness.com/miami_business.htm

http://www.businessreferralgroup.org/default.asp?x=1&n1=10&n2=62

http://www.browardbusinessnetworking.com/

You can find an updated calendar of events online at www.chambersofmiami.com

As an active participating member of many of these groups, I hope to see you at one of the many networking events.

ReachLoal is recognized as the best Search Engine Marketing (SEM) value for Mid-Size Companies by SEM Showdown – www.semshowdown.com.  You can read the complete SEM Showdown report at http://semshowdown.com/2009/12/2009-sem-best-value-for-mid-size-companies/

Inc. 500

Inc. magazine ranks ReachLocal No. 39 on its 2009 annual Inc. 500 list: an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The ranking was determined by percentage revenue growth over four years (2005 – 2008).

http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2009/company-profile.html?id=200900390

We helped Cerritos Nissan increase car sales and service center activity. Take a look:

“With ReachLocal, I can tell exactly at any given time what that return on investment is so that I know my dollars are being best spent.” (2008)

Business: Cerritos Nissan

Turned $4,000 into

• 143,875 impressions
• 2,492 visits
• 590 phone calls
• 85 online contacts

We helped Direct Tire transition from Radio to Online marketing and in one month turned $3,000 into 3329 visits, 702 phone calls, 25 online appoints and 1 tirelessly busy bay.

Check out the video here – Direct Tire

I have a passion for helping companies leverage best practices to increase sales, drive new streams of revenue & accomplish their goals. I’ve been in sales & marketing for over 10 years and worked within major companies such as ADP, Lason Systems and Data Impact. I’ve also flexed my entrepreneurial muscles by starting a few companies of my own – Develacom, Digital Film Solutions & Sunshine Investment Holdings. Over the years I have learned from some of the brightest minds in business and studied more than 300 of the best books / programs on business development, marketing, and sales. Through my experience and studies I have been exposed to Best Practices and Ideas that can be implemented at any company to drive significantly improved sales & revenue performance.

I chose to join the ReachLocal team because their services align perfectly with my personal passion. After working with ADP for a few years I did some serous soul searching and determined that life is too short to spend it doing something you are less than enthused about, so I set out to identify what my true passions were – what excited me & got my blood pumping. After months of reflection I realized that I love sales & marketing. I enjoy thinking about ways to engage with customers and drive sales. I could read / listen to / study sales & marketing books or talk with a business owner for hours about their business development strategies (lead generation, sales process, etc) without feeling the time pass. This is my passion, this is my calling – working with business owners and helping them significantly improve their sales results. With that in mind I started researching companies in today’s market that had developed solutions proven to increase sales and drive performance. It didn’t take long – I came across ReachLocal the 39^th fastest growing company in the US according to INC magazine and #1 according to Deloitte. I started researching the company, reviewing the success stories & understanding their services. The more I learned the more interested & excited I became. This company had revolutionized the Online Marketing Industry and was helping local businesses tap into the World Wide Web (Google, Yahoo, MSN, Bing, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) to drive new sales activity. More importantly, they were proving tangible, measurable results to Small & Medium Sized Business across the country and taking their sales results to higher level. This was the type of company and service that I wanted to be a part of.

In my role as an Internet Marketing Consultant I work with small & medium businesses that are looking to increase their sales. I help them evaluate their sales & marketing strategy as a whole and implement programs that drive results and propel them toward the accomplishment of their goals.

Always Work with People Who “Play At” What You Have To “Work At”

I truly enjoy and “play” at sales and marketing. That is why I am so good at it, and willing to go the extra mile to help you grow your sales and revenue. My passion has driven me to learn & develop proven processes that you can start to put into place to improve your sales performance immediately.

You can reach me directly on my mobile phone at 786-325-6761 or shoot me an email josh@joshnelsonimc.com.

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