#localeze

[susanfinchsolutions]

There is a shortened version of this show here: http://youtu.be/jrkmsAusG3w The time stamps go with this version. There is more information in the left details, but here's the recap:  Some highlights include: 02:59 How local search has evolved by +Mike Blumenthal  04:38 Google Plus is an advertising environment, Maps is a directory environment 04:52 Mike talks about the bus ride to the current search results method. 06:50 +Stephan Hovnanian   asks what businesses need to feed Google, as far as correct information. 07:45 Top data providers:   #infousa     ,  #localeze  and  #acxiom   09:00 Several ways to influence the data and results 09:40 NAP: Name, Address, Phone Number - must be consistent EVERYWHERE - not just Google. 11:00 Start with a NAP Audit to verify they have your right location and info. 12:20 step 2: Go to maps sites:   #navtech   #teleatlas and #openstreetmap   to see how your business address resolves. 13:15 do the same on Google maps. If they can't find you, you can't close the sale! 15:50 +Chad Russell   comment about citations. 17:15 Local prominence - such as the Chamber of Commerce. 18:15 Don't forget about local business guides and listing sites. 20:00 The coveted 7 Pins on page one of Google search an the map to the right. 22:40 - A fabulous profile image is critical. 23:35 Q from +Jennifer Mortensen   Do reviews factor into rankings? 5+ reviews will give you a ranking bump. 25:30 Google will use driving directions for results if there are no reviews to consider. 26:00 How frequently do people post reviews for local businesses?  56% of 1000 surveyed in US said NEVER, 22% less than once per year. 27:54 Phone numbers are the KEY GLUE that hold a data cluster together.  29:00 If Google calls you to confirm your business, you'd better be answering it with the name you have in your listing and not a variation! 31:30 Comment from +Linda Buquet   regarding location prominence and centroid - how it's changed over the years. 33:20 Q from +Christopher Vogelmann   - Does the Twitterverse affect our search rankings. Jump to here to find out. 35:44 - +Susan Finch  says the best advice she can give a business, "Be BETTER at what you do! Be the best." that's how you affect rankings, reviews and more. 37:00 plug for Mike's service, http://getfivestars.com Here's our PDF checklist gift to you: http://bit.ly/finchshovi2d See our previous show: http://bit.ly/finchshovi1yt with +MaAnna Stephenson  about Webmaster Transitions (there is a gift from that show, too) http://click-to-read-mo.re/p/7Wwq/536a83be

[paulcolgin22]

If you're in charge of local search for your company, you should have a pretty good idea of what Localeze is and does. One of the biggest frustrations lies with selecting your one and only catgory. Here, thanks to Phil at LocalVisibilitySystem.com, it's easier.

[lifeofpsi]

Get me off this list!

Have you ever googled yourself?  If not, I encourage everyone to do it.  You will find some surprising results, including (sometimes incorrect) detailed information about your residence, business, etc.  

I recently found a whole set of business listings results for an old business that I had for a few months around 5 years ago.  Listings for this business were everywhere with an old address and (unfortunately) a current cell number.  No wonder I still receive promotional material and phone calls!  

So I set out to remove my name.  Here is my experience.

There are some core sites that seem to feed information to many of the directories - path, localeze, etc.  Pay attention to the small text that details their affiliates who are actually providing the information.

These sites want you to sign up (claim your business) to delete your listing.  Quite backwards - the whole point of you removing these entries is to simplify and streamline your identity, and that usually does not involve signing up for new things that may result in more spam.  They claim it is to verify your identity but it is not clear how they would validate it anyway given their signup processes.

Find their contact us info (when possible - some of them don't even let you do this unless you are a signed up business or an affiliate/advertiser) and send them a polite email to ask that you be removed.  I got positive results from: Patch, YellowBot, and Localeze.

Some of them are not so easy to either find contact information or get a response - Merchant Circle, DexKnows, and Yahoo - my strategy is to try and send them a request in some way once every few weeks. 

Now I am trying to be patient.  Apparently it takes a while for the listings to be closed or finally be removed from search...  

There has got to be an easier way - maybe there is a service out there that does just this?  Seems like a good business idea.