Google Places results which provide local results before national results now received the instant preview feature too and are displayed on the first page of the search results. This is a new functionality that will further encourage and require businesses to take control of their Local Business Listings to insure local customers get the marketing information the business wishes to provide.

What is probably more important is has been enhanced with multiple layouts and provides the searcher more information than the organic results of general websites. You can hover over a Google Places listing and see everything from Maps to Videos, Photos and more in the right column. What is probably more surprising is that the ads are replaced with the preview information. The implications of the Adwords Ads being replaced with the preview information certainly has other implications that we will have to discuss separately.

The following information is provided by Google’s Instant help page:

• Before Google Instant, the typical searcher took more than 9 seconds to enter a search term, and we saw many examples of searches that took 30-90 seconds to type.
• Using Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.
• If everyone uses Google Instant globally, we estimate this will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day. That’s 11 hours saved every second.
• 15 new technologies contribute to Google Instant functionality.

Let’s take a look at the information included in the instant preview of Google Places Local Business Listing.

Map
While the general search results always show a map with all Google Places Local Business Listings, if you hover over a listing you will see only the listing you are hovering over. The map links to Google Maps where you can then obtain more details including directions.

Customer Ratings and Reviews
Recent studies have shown how 6 in 10 customers make their buying decisions based on what has been posted to the local business listings. Of course this goes well beyond Google and becomes equally important to insure satisfied customers have posted positive ratings and reviews while the business manages the process of tending to negative ratings and reviews too.

Images, Photos, Videos, Coupons, Offers, Promotions
This is where the marketing content a business provides within their Google Places Local Business Listings for their local store becomes very important. Whether it is products, services, advertisements, coupons, offers, discounts, etc. Taking the initiative to secure your local business listings by claiming them and then managing them with regularity.

Street View
Probably not as well known is the panoramic photo that is provided by Google for that businesses address. You can get a 360-degree view of the area by hovering over this panoramic photo. Some street view images have one for the interior while others only for the exterior. Eventually this will play into the integration of Google Places with Google Earth.

Web Page Preview
If Google can identify a web page for the business, the thumbnail of the business web page is displayed. This thumbnail appears to be a live snapshot and is directly linked to the web site. From a marketing perspective this the first impression a prospective customer will have with the business.

Additional Details Included
Prices, Hours of Operation, Public Transport, Reservations, Menus, Feedback to Google, Report a Problem, and links to additional third party ratings and review websites. Of course not everything here is applicable to all businesses and are displayed based on the information provided from the Google Places Business Management Console.

As you can imagine the instant preview gives user the ability to “view” without having to click and this will directly impact the number the click through rate (CTR) of any individual listing. Most likely the CTR will go down in this case.

With the ongoing changes by Google to the search results page along with the Google Places Local Business Listing, the industry continues to push hard for businesses to not only manage their local business listings, but to start focusing on store level marketing and store level reputation management (aka public relations). We can expect to see more changes and requiring businesses to add the appropriate policies and procedures to include this area as part of their web marketing strategies.

Certainly your time resources are limited and Geographic Marketing Solutions for multi-location companies are provided by Smartfinds Internet Marketing. Let the experts of over 17 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly through monthly management marketing services and broadcast data services for mass business data distribution.

Smartfinds Internet Marketing
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
Toll-Free: (866) 501-5758
Fax: (866) 501-5758
http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com

We need to augment and expand on the discussions in LinkedIn automotive groups and break them up into three major groups. There is no one silver bullet to answer “why”, rather there are multiple elements that make up the total answer.

1. Search Engines
Search engine maps and their listings have been evolving since 2007. By the end of 2008 they were in the first page search results. Unfortunately, the financial meltdown that caused many businesses to hold on their budgets in 2009 and most of 2010 kept them away from seeing the evolution and maturity of the Local Business Listings as a marketing tool to reach local consumers.

At the end of 2010 major changes from Google pushed local results before national results. This includes geo-tagged web pages / web sites and local business listings (aka Google Places and aka the interactive yellow pages).

An organic web marketing strategy has to focus more on local over national with websites, web pages, micro website strategies, and local business listings. Please note this is about “marketing” not “advertising”…web marketing has a shelf life of years! …web advertising has shelf life of a few seconds and only good as long as you put money into it.

Two Google issues also play into using local business listings:
A. Google Places is not about what you do on Google, but also Google validating your information on other websites, known as citations. Too many companies focus only on Google Places and can’t understand why it doesn’t work.

B. Amongst various data point, one of the data point Google ranks local listings on is customer ratings and reviews. It is important to actively manage these, not only for negative ones, but securing positive ones and facilitating positive re-enforcement.

2. Mobile Marketing
Mobile searches have not only been increasing in usage, but the searches are showing better quality of leads. We are seeing this in our managed Google Adwords campaigns in which mobile clicks are outperforming non-mobile clicks and are also costing less. An Google Adwords strategy that encompasses keywords, ad extensions, image ads, and also are all equally prepared for mobile, will show better results than national 3rd party lead generators.

3. Hyperlocal Advertising
Hyperlocal Advertising is the next main growing element in reaching local consumers. Ex-newspapers journalists have been opening up their own city or neighborhood websites with local news and information. Larger entities like AOL have been growing their Patch.com websites and this industry also includes websites like Examiner.com. Amongst the local journalist and these national hyperlocal sites consumers are responding very well to them and in fact have browsers opening to them as their initial home page.

Focusing on editorials and advertising (text, image or banners) becomes part of the web strategy in reaching local consumers for local stores. Particularly for national companies with stores nationwide whose business revenue is dependent upon the local consumer.

If you look at all three elements (Search Engines, Mobile Marketing and Hyperlocal Advertising) we will see that there is no one single answer as to why national 3rd party lead generators are not as effective. Perhaps had the 2008 global financial bankruptcy not happened and business continued as usual, many businesses would have realized these changes much sooner.

The ongoing evolution, maturation and technology changes/additions that takes place on the web create a very dynamic and fluid environment that is not necessarily comforting to business. Nothing is ever stagnant and one has to always adopt technologies early to take advantage of reaching consumers that have no problem adopting technology changes earlier than business. Unfortunately, business tends to take its time in making these decisions and also expect that their investment in “one thing” will continue forever. Neither which is true or good for the business.

For this reason it all comes down to ongoing education and communications focusing on the marketing processes versus just executing silvers of technology tasks. The difference between a marketing agency versus a technology company is well apparent because of the communications. Marketing agencies are focused on pushing ideas and marketing strategies with ongoing communications with clients. Technology companies tend to wait for orders from their customers, who unfortunately, many not know what they should request or what they are requesting.

Certainly your time resources are limited and Geographic Marketing Solutions for multi-location companies are provided by Smartfinds Internet Marketing. Let the experts of over 17 years Internet marketing experience help you use local business marketing for national company stores through monthly managed marketing services, broadcast data services for mass business data distribution, and our Mobile Locations Finder mobile app.

Smartfinds Internet Marketing
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
Toll-Free: (866) 501-5758
Fax: (866) 501-5758
http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com

For example, you may have seen TV commercials for Angie’s List, Super Media, Yellow Book. If you add Internet advertising that includes but not limited to Google, Yahoo, Bing, Merchant Circle, Yelp, Citysearch and many others, you have to start wondering how all these websites can attract a finite number of businesses and visitors to use their website.

The other more significant question is how a business will manage their local business marketing information at all the local business listings websites.

History of Geographic Marketing and Local Business Listings

As a business, if you have not kept up with the evolution of geographic marketing you will need a quick primer to know where things started and where things are today.

• The origins of local business listings go back to the early 1990s when search engines had directories listing businesses by categories in addition to their basic search results.
• These basic business listings gave way to business directories giving the business the opportunity to add more business marketing information.
• While this evolution was taking place, yellow page (411) websites were also emerging on the web.
• Business directories eventually gave way to the idea of rating a business with companies like Angie’s List and Yelp in social communities.
• In 2007 business listings began showing up in search engines and customer ratings and reviews also were available.

In summary, geographic marketing is essentially based on an online business listing which consists of yellow pages information, business description, and local business marketing information, consumer ratings and consumer reviews.

Geographic Marketing is Interactive in Nature

Calling these listings a business directory does not do them justice considering all the local business marketing content, customer information and mapping information.

However, geographic marketing is not just about getting your business marketing information into these listings. It is also about essentially creating mini-websites for your business, and more importantly allowing customers to quantitatively rate and subjectively provide commentary about their experience with the business, products and services.

Local business listing websites that are social communities allow customers. Live social communities that provide location based services like Four Square, Twitter and Facebook create instantaneous feedback to friends, family and followers alike. This collaboration not only allows for ratings and comments, but the information is posted permanently.

A smart geographic marketing strategy will require a business to ask satisfied customers to post commentary and manage those postings that are negative…..at multiple local listing websites, of course.

Manage Your Geographic Marketing Process Everywhere!

Unlike the traditional yellow pages, where business information was located in a single source, the Internet lets local business marketing information be found everywhere. With so many sources, it becomes imperative for a business to stay on top of its information, description, business marketing materials and consumer reviews at multiple local listing websites.

Local Business Listing websites is defined to include search engines, social communities, 411 websites, GPS websites and business directories.

If you wonder why the management needs to take place at multiple local listing websites, the answer is simple. Your business information shows up in search engine results, mobile search results, and is available to mobile application developers for mobile apps.

Every time a consumer or customer enters a search term, the search engine or mobile app will return local business listings that are relevant to that search based on its proximity to the user’s location (latitude and longitude, city, or state). Since you don’t know what source your local customers or mobile application developers are using, you need a way to manage many sources simultaneously.

Select a Company to Help

Whether we are talking about website optimization, local business listings, mobile marketing, social marketing, or geographic marketing, a business needs proper support to succeed in this new era of store level marketing.

You need a partner with experience and expertise in multiple digital marketing fields who can adapt to the progression of new technologies that will become available over the next few years.

Some key elements for a company to provide geographic marketing services include:

• Claiming your local business listing at multiple local listing websites.
• Providing both data services and business marketing services (you need both data and marketing, not just data services).
• Updating your basic business data information monthly.
• Updating and managing your business marketing information to include photos, videos, coupons, offers, discounts, and events monthly.
• Monitoring and Managing Consumer ratings and reviews monthly.
• Reviewing analytics of local business listings and making the appropriate changes to your local business listings monthly.
• Offering expertise in Mapping Technologies and GPS that offer mapping and navigation services based on latitude and longitude, or city and state geography.

Certainly your time resources are limited and Geographic Marketing Solutions for multi-location companies are provided by Smartfinds Internet Marketing. Let the experts of over 17 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly through monthly management marketing services and broadcast data services for mass business data distribution.

Smartfinds Internet Marketing
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
Toll-Free: (866) 501-5758
Fax: (866) 501-5758
http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com

October 10, 2011 (Birmingham, MI): Smartfinds Internet Marketing (http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com ), an Internet Marketing pioneer for more than 20 years and leader in web marketing including geographic marketing has announced a new website property (http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com ) dedicated to their Geographic Marketing group. The website provides information about the solution designed specifically for national companies with multiple stores to take advantage of store level web marketing, customer ratings and reviews management, hyperlocal advertising and other geographic marketing elements needed in today’s web marketing and mobile marketing.

“As our Geographic Marketing Solution and Services has expanded since 2009, we have had to engage in helping national multi-location businesses and franchises take advantage of store level web marketing that extends beyond local business listing management services,” said Melih Oztalay, Smartfinds CEO. “Geographic web marketing is a fast growing industry making it easy for local customers to find businesses not only through web searches, but also mobile searches. Having a mobile application that is customized to a business’s brand will aid in having an upper edge over competition and our Customer Ratings and Reviews Management will insure higher average star ratings.”

National multi-store businesses and franchises have been focusing their attention on technology based data services when it comes to local business listings, however, the true value comes in the marketing solutions that effect marketing processes and strategic activities that go beyond local business listings and include reputation management along with interpretation and analysis of analytics and marketing data.

The additional difficulty for national multi-store businesses and franchises has been their focus on national marketing and not necessarily on store level reputation management, marketing or advertising.

Lastly, many national multi-store businesses and franchises are hoping their customers will visit their website, when infact there are over 200+ websites (search engines, social communities, 411 websites, GPS websites, and Business Directories) that are visited by consumers. The mere fact that these listings show in the search results before a corporate website’s store page, is indicative of the need for a geographic marketing solution at the store level and beyond the corporate website.

Geographic Web Marketing takes us down the path of not only web searches showing store level information from Local Business Listings, but the ability to promote marketing information (photos, images, coupons, discounts, offers, social media) along with managing the store’s customer ratings and reviews to insure positive experiences by consumers. A recently released study shows how 6 in 10 consumers make their decision based on the ratings and reviews they find at any website.

Geographic web marketing as a solution for national multi-location stores and franchises from Smartfinds Internet Marketing expands not only beyond Google, but also encompasses other elements that include Geo Tagging, Citation Marketing, QR Code Marketing, Consumer Rating and Reviews Management along with a Mobile Locations Finder mobile application. Geographic web marketing is a way to attract local customers online through strategies that leverage a business’ physical location. When fully leveraged with the company’s marketing content, pictures, logos, videos, events, coupons, promotions, customer reviews and more, it helps to insure customers will find your local business based on web searches or mobile searches.

About Smartfinds Internet Marketing
The most critical element of SmartFinds Internet Marketing services is the creativity and imagination to apply the technological aspects of the digital marketplace to the marketing objectives of a particular business. Initial research provides SmartFinds the ability to develop a digital strategy that can be measured every step of the way to insure business growth and revenue generation. Some of SmartFinds’ clients ComForcare Home Care, Delphi, Flagstar Bank, Guardian Industries, Soave Enterprises, McCann Erickson, Penske Automotive Group, Wendy’s, Ziebart and others. You can learn more about SmartFinds at http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com and their Geographic Marketing website at http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com.

New Release Contact
Melih Oztalay, CEO
Smartfinds Internet Marketing
Direct: (248) 568.2241
melih@smartfindsmarketing.com
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
Toll-Free: (866) 501-5758
http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com

Understanding Ratings vs. Reviews

To help you get started managing this process, it is useful to have some background on the program. Consumers can rate a business from 1 to 5 stars quantitatively which will soon be used to rank relevant websites to a search. This numerical value can also be averaged over many ratings; therefore, it becomes important to seek out positive ratings in volume.

Consumers can also post a subjective review about a business. This is positive or negative text copy about their experience with a business’ products or services. This subjective review is kept for years and is available for future prospects to view.

Tips To Manage Customer Ratings and Reviews

For every business, there are many parts to successfully managing these rating and reviews. These include:

• Encouraging positive ratings and reviews from satisfied customers
• Responding to positive ratings and reviews from satisfied customers
• Monitoring listings for negative reviews
• Responding appropriately to negative reviews to build a positive reputation

Managing Positive Consumer Ratings and Reviews

It is important to implement a campaign to secure positive ratings and reviews from satisfied customers. These positive ratings will in fact increase the average rating higher and effectively drown out negative reviews and minimize the need to manage negative reviews as urgently.

It is also important to engage and respond to positive ratings and reviews from loyal customers. This type of interaction will reinforce customer loyalty and helps build a positive brand reputation.

Managing Negative Consumer Ratings and Reviews

Because these ratings and reviews have permanence, it is imperative for a business to at the very last respond to a negative review explaining the situation. This will at least show prospects that you care about your customers.

You have three options when it comes to negative ratings and reviews:

• Dispute the Rating and Review and wait to see if it will be removed.
• Respond with an apology if the business was indeed at fault and explain the resolution to the situation.
• Respond with an explanation and course of action if the business has a differing opinion from the consumer.

By effectively managing both positive and negative customer ratings and reviews, you can build your company’s reputation and effectively address customer experiences on a local and individual level, which customers and prospective customers will appreciate.

Certainly your time resources are limited and Geographic Marketing Solutions for multi-location companies are provided by Smartfinds Internet Marketing. Let the experts of over 17 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly through monthly management marketing services and broadcast data services for mass business data distribution.

Smartfinds Internet Marketing
330 East Maple Road, Suite 503
Birmingham, MI 48009
Tel: (866) 501-5758
Fax: (866) 501-5758

In the traditional sense, the definition of geographic marketing is the association of data and maps, but the added convergence of local business listings, mobile business marketing, and social media makes this method of local business marketing more powerful than ever before. This local business marketing tool may come across as something for local business, but we have to remember that all business is local. National companies with multiple store locations also have to consider managing the marketing for individual stores at the store level now-a-days and not just at the national level.

We should define what we mean by local business. A local business is any sized business dependent on the local consumer for its revenue. This means you could be a national company like Home Depot, U-Haul, Best Buy, Sherwin-Williams, Discount Tire or you could be a local florist or independent store only known to your local geography within a certain city, state, or near a specific latitude and longitude on the map.

From a technical standpoint, an Internet user’s IP address is tied to GPS data (like its longitude and latitude) which are mapped to geographies around the world down to the city and street level. While all this data may seem overwhelming, the good news is that most businesses do not need to concern themselves with this part of geographic marketing. Many of the tools already have all of this information built into their software or hardware technology, so we can stay focused on how to put these geographic marketing tools to work.

The difficulty with any new business marketing tool is a business’ inability to adopt the methodology early. When it comes to technologies and the Internet, in the past, by the time most businesses are ready to adopt a marketing tool, the industry has already moved on to something new. Being an early or at least an earlier adopter of business marketing methods on the Internet and through digital devices can only benefit the business.

We have seen many signs over the past two years regarding the evolution and growing importance of geographic marketing. When companies like Google, Apple, and the investment community of Wall Street start to put $100+ million and more behind a technology, it will become part of our daily lives whether a business wants it or not. Consumers have and will be using more of these geographic marketing tools to find businesses, services or products near them, therefore, national businesses should be planning to incorporate local store marketing tools early on.

Let’s take a look at the three main tools that consumers are using to find businesses, products or services close to their geography.

1. Web searches are the first and most obvious. These are generally web searches in which a map displays nearby businesses that match the search criteria. Unlike the traditional yellow pages, these geo-listings (a.k.a. Local Business Listings) can be claimed (a requirement to use the local listing as a local business marketing tool) and updated with your business marketing information in order to meet these search criteria.

While this may sound relatively easy, managing local business listings also includes: monitoring consumer reviews; cleaning up duplicate listings; posting coupons and offers; sharing discounts; posting videos and photos; including citations; posting QR bar codes; and incorporating hyper local websites. Understanding what to start with and how to strategically use these components can be done by a professional marketing firm that specializes in this area.

2. Mobile Marketing is the next most significant geographic marketing tool in which SMS Texting, Mobile Applications, Mobile version of your website, and Mobile advertising are your key components. The starting point in this process will be with SMS Texting to get your alerts out to customers that subscribe to your short bursts of information. The reason why this is your starting point is that it will take time to build your list of subscribers.

3. Social Media Marketing continues to evolve and is also geographic in its targeting ability. Consumers are using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Wiki sites, Four Square, Instant Messaging and other social community tools on their mobile devices. While they use it mostly to find businesses, products and services, in the social communities they are seeking recommendations from their friends (near and far). They are also using these social communities to post their experiences with a business, product or service. For this reason you have to monitor the social communities in order to embrace any potential problem situations and work with them.

These three geographic marketing components are important to any business size – large or small – and each have their own sub-components that need to be well understood in order to succeed. Understanding the local business marketing strategy amongst them; accepting and embracing them early; and, finally planning on a 3-year return will put you on the right path of geographic marketing.

Certainly your time resources are limited and Geographic Marketing Solutions for multi-location companies are provided by Smartfinds Internet Marketing. Let the experts of over 17 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly through monthly management marketing services and broadcast data services for mass business data distribution.

Smartfinds Internet Marketing
330 East Maple Road, Suite 503
Birmingham, MI 48009
Tel: (866) 501-5758
Fax: (866) 501-5758

September 26, 2011 (Birmingham, MI): Smartfinds Internet Marketing (http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com ), an Internet Marketing pioneer for more than 20 years and leader in web marketing including geographic marketing has been invited as the guest speaker for the Detroit Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau’s (DMCVB, http://www.visitdetroit.com) educational series for their members. The event focuses on learning how to manage the business online reputation at the local geographic level.

“As our Geographic Marketing Solution and Services has expanded over the past years, we have had to engage in helping businesses not just monitor, but also manage their ratings and reviews being posted by their local customers in the business’ local business listing,” said Melih Oztalay, Smartfinds CEO. “Geographic web marketing is a fast growing industry making it easy for local customers to post their positive or negative experiences with a local business store either through a web browser or through a mobile phone. Knowing how to approach the process of managing these ratings and reviews is an important factor to insure continued business to the local store by future prospects.”

The DMCVB’s 2011 Membership Educational Seminar will end with “What’s the Online Buzz?” as the third and final installment in the membership educational series. In the blink of an eye customers can share their opinions and experiences online, and you need to be aware of what they’re saying about your business. Learn how to manage your online reputation with presenter Melih Oztalay, CEO of SmartFinds Internet Marketing. Melih and an all-star lineup of panelists will discuss the latest ways businesses are monitoring their social brand image, attracting new customers through favorable reviews, responding to criticism, turning negatives into golden opportunities, and more!

Following the presentation a panel will convene for open discussion that includes representatives from Yelp, Motor City Casino, and WDIV.

The event is held on Thursday, September 29, 2011, from 2 – 4 p.m., at the Best Western Plus Sterling Inn at 34911 Van Dyke Avenue, Sterling Heights, MI 48312. You must be a DMCVB member to attend. You can contact Angela Gillis at the DMCVB for further information by phone at (313) 202-1973.

Geographic web marketing as a solution for multi-location businesses from Smartfinds Internet Marketing expands not only beyond Google Places, but also encompasses other elements that include Geo Tagging, Citation Marketing, QR Code Marketing, Consumer Rating and Reviews Management along with a Mobile Locations Finder mobile application. Geographic Marketing is a way to attract local customers online through strategies that leverage a business’ physical location. When a local customer searches online via mobile, web or GPS, a map appears with business listings related to the search criteria. When fully leveraged with the company’s marketing content, pictures, logos, videos, events, coupons, promotions, customer reviews and more, it helps to create a micro website for the client across each of the search engines.

About Smartfinds Internet Marketing
The most critical element of SmartFinds Internet Marketing services is the creativity and imagination to apply the technological aspects of the digital marketplace to the marketing objectives of a particular business. Initial research provides SmartFinds the ability to develop a digital strategy that can be measured every step of the way to insure business growth and revenue generation. Some of SmartFinds’ clients have included ComForcare Home Care, Delphi, Flagstar Bank, Guardian Industries, Soave Enterprises, McCann Erickson, Penske Automotive Group, Wendy’s, Ziebart and others. You can learn more about SmartFinds at http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com .

About The Detroit Metropolitan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) is the only organization that promotes metro Detroit regionally, nationally and internationally as a convention, business meeting and tourism destination. To achieve this goal of soliciting and servicing the area’s second-largest industry, the DMCVB works with the Detroit and Windsor area business community, civic organizations and local government offices in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. You can learn more about the DMCVB at http://www.visitdetroit.com .

New Release Contact
Melih Oztalay, CEO
Smartfinds Internet Marketing
Direct: (248) 568.2241
melih@smartfindsmarketing.com
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
Toll-Free: (866) 501-5758
http://www.smartfindsgeographicmarketing.com

Considering that local business listings show up on the first page of search results, in mobile searches, and in mobile applications, this is a local business marketing tool you don’t want to ignore.

The only way local listings show up in these various search results is if you have managed your listings by entering your business marketing information for each store. If you’re wondering how to enter your local business marketing information, it begins by claiming your listing and seize the management of each store’s local business listing.

By no means should you think the geographic marketing process starts and ends with Google. There are multiple search engines, social communities, 411 websites, GPS websites and various other business directories that are accessed by consumers and mobile application developers and provide business information for a specified search area (latitude and longitude or street address).

It is equally important to keep in mind that geographic marketing is not a one-time process. You have to manage these listings by updating your store’s local business marketing information including keywords, photos, videos, coupons, and events on a regular basis. Local listings are an interactive geographic marketing tool that can be accessed and managed 24x7x365.

If you’re wondering what I mean by “interactive” geographic marketing tools, keep in mind that consumers get to post their ratings and reviews about your store, your business, products, or services. As a corporate multi-location business, it is important to get satisfied customers to post their feedback in order to negate any negative reviews. If you do get negative reviews, there is a process that allows you to dispute them either as a rebuttal, an apology, or an acknowledgement. This process adds a new layer of public relations at the local business marketing level which large multi-location corporations are unfamiliar.

Let’s take a look at the five reasons why you probably want to outsource your geographic marketing services to a company with experience and expertise who can manage this for your company across multiple local listing websites.

1. You Have a Business Marketing Need for Revenue
You have to manage these listings by updating your:

• keywords,
• description and general text copy,
• photos (products, services, company),
• videos (tv commercials and others),
• coupons (discounts, offers), and
• events (promotions)

…..on a monthly basis! And don’t stop at Google, keep going to Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, Local.com, Citysearch, Mapquest and many others that are quickly becoming consumer favorites.

2. You Have a Public Relations Need
Consumers have the ability to post their experience with your store, your business, products, or services to these local business listings. While it never requires a request for a customer to post a negative review, it is a smart local business marketing strategy to consider how you plan on asking satisfied customers to post positive ratings and reviews.

Reviews have a quantitative component to them and thus are open to search engines using them as another data point in the future to rank your website. Anyone posting a review can indicate one star (negative) to five stars (positive). From a geographic marketing standpoint, it is important to push for as many positive reviews as possible.

What do you do with negative reviews? You have to do something! You cannot let them sit in your local business listing on multiple websites for customers to interpret. Your options include: dispute, rebuttal, or apologize and you need an experienced local business marketing specialist to handle these responses on an individual basis.

Keep in mind that customer reviews are syndicated around the web from one local business listings website to another.

3. You Have a Security Need
Your local business listing is a free geographic marketing service provided by a variety of local business listings websites, search engines, social communities, 411 websites, business directories and more. So, what should you as a business expect for free? Probably not much, and that includes the level of security around these local business listings. The reality is that someone can hijack your listing and manage the listing either against you or in their favor. In order to avoid a local business listing hijacking you will need to ensure that you claim your listing at multiple local listing websites.

While claiming your listing is a good starting point to your geographic marketing process, you also have to consider how you will monitor duplicate listings that enter into the information system and need to be continually claimed and monitored.

4. You Have a Data Accuracy Need
Geographic marketing information about your stores on the internet comes from multiple sources and from sources over many years of selling data. We have seen many situations where business names vary, phone numbers are inaccurate, addresses and map markers showing the actual location (latitude and longitude) are not correct, and the list goes on.

Once again, this is not something that stops at Google, but needs to be reviewed, monitored, and managed at multiple local listing websites in order to ensure customers have access to the most accurate business marketing information possible. You do not want to miss mobile application developers either, as they decide randomly whose database they will use.

5. You Have a Time Resource Need
Hopefully you have learned from our discussions here that the time needed to claim, update, monitor, and manage your local listings at multiple local listings website is significant . Since the geographic marketing process does not end with your work being completed one time, it becomes a regular monthly process that has to be managed by a local business marketing expert.

Furthermore, this process is in no way entirely automated and requires experienced local business marketing labor resources in order to make decisions. For example, you are required to ensure business marketing information consistency across multiple local listing websites; analyze monthly local listing analytics to take actionable changes to your listing at multiple local listing websites; respond to consumer reviews at their origin since consumer reviews are syndicated across many different local listing websites; and more – the list goes on and on.

Ultimately, a large corporation will not have the time resources to manage the geographic marketing process effectively, and the support of experienced Internet business marketing professionals will be required.

Certainly your time resources are limited and Geographic Marketing Solutions for multi-location companies are provided by Smartfinds Internet Marketing. Let the experts of over 17 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly through monthly management marketing services and broadcast data services for mass business data distribution.

Smartfinds Internet Marketing
330 East Maple Road, Suite 503
Birmingham, MI 48009
Tel: (866) 501-5758
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At first glance everyone seemed to be declaring that the Google G+ Project would be the end of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Skype. I cannot imagine that G+ would have the ability to knock these behemoths down. Certainly not in the short term and long term the other communities fulfill other needs that G+ will not be able to. What I do believe the critics are missing is the effect on web marketing. Perhaps these critics are not web marketers, but more likely either seeking attention through competitive propaganda or have an inability to adopt and adapt to new changes within the Internet industry.

Certainly Google’s G+ Project will eventually change the web marketing world. Since this is Google’s own product, they will prefer social tick marks through the +1 Button over those coming from Twitter, Facebook and social bookmarking. You cannot help but see that this will impact organic search results. Web pages that generate many +1′s will probably populate earlier on Google search results than those websites that do not.

I will avoid detailed discussions related to the features offered through the Google G+ Project in this discussion, which include sharing Photos, Chatting, Hangout, Spark, Huddles, and Instant Uploads. As a web marketer, all of these other features are social community add-ons that mimic the likes of GoToMeeting, Skype, Flickr and others. None of these will necessarily affect web marketing in terms of search results; only make more features available for Google to allow for Adwords advertising on Google web properties versus on the Google Ad Network.

What Is The Need for Google Plus Project?
First and foremost, if we go back many years when Google got it’s start, part of their objective was to be the world’s information source. To that end, any information including communications, are fair game to be pooled under one roof for better accessing, interpretation and availability based on content relevancy. Information from social communities certainly falls into the process of aggregating information and in line with Google’s objectives.

Secondly, a few years ago if you logged into your Google account, you had the option of commenting on web pages in search results. I think it took one comment to realize that nothing we did would have an effect on website rankings, because the comments were only relative for our own account. Now why would I comment on web pages if my comments are not shared with anyone? Exactly! So, the comment we had on our own website is no longer there and the Google Plus Project seems to have replaced this feature more effectively. Now, all comments, ticks, etc. are shared with people in our community. Certainly seems to be more effective for web marketing.

Perhaps not the last reason, but certainly another important reason, would be related to anti-spam. Google has always sought out ways to reduce spam in the search results. So much so, that it has made it more difficult and complicated for businesses to rank legitimate information and websites (this is also known as job security for web marketers!).

Spammers have infiltrated social communities and found ways to get their information indexed through these communities and/or impacted search engine results for their websites. Since most popular social communities are not as good as Google in terms of anti-spam, one would expect Google to take a pro-active role. Content in the project can be better monitored (aka controlled) to minimize spam, fraud and less reputable websites.

G+ and Web Marketing
The +1 button is available through web search results now and also through other social communities, blogs, etc. A Google +1 button plugin is available for WordPress blogs and eventually, this will be as wide spread as other sharing tools for Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, etc.

Since these “social activities” are taking place on Google, it is hard to imagine that the number of +1 button clicks a given page gets would not have an effect on the organic rankings! Not only is the +1 button included on every post within Google Plus and on content publishers’ websites, but it’s literally sitting next to every single search result that Google returns. Does anyone doubt that this will affect search engine ranking position (SERP) results?!

It would be similar to doubting that star ratings on local business listings won’t affect search engine results that come through the local business listings. Let’s get realistic. As of November 2010, Google was able to marry a website with a local business listing and display average star ratings for a website based on the results in the local business listing. Star ratings are quantitative and therefore mathematical! Still don’t believe this will affect SERP?

If we believe that the number of +1 clicks will affect SERP and also display accordingly to content relevancy to my G+ community, then the more people in my community, the more people I can effect with +1 clicks.

Yes, I realize if we were to hire a bunch of people from a third world nation for 50 cents per hour clicking away at our client or our own websites, we could affect SERP, but let’s move away from that thought for a moment because that loop hole could get closed very quickly based on geographic IP addressing.

However, it does mean that the more people you have in your G+ community, the more people you can impact. Rather than thinking about third world nations clicking away, think about indiscriminately creating the largest community you can possibly think of using– every community you already belong to, every email address you have, every connection you can get your hands on. Now that may have a much bigger impact for anything you +1!

Early Adoption and Adapting To Change
Once again, the Internet shows how quickly a technology can enter the market and how rapidly people will migrate to it. Early adoption is the name of the game in the world of Internet technologies. Adapting to the changes in the industry is a must and everyone else will be left behind. If the past 20 years has not shown us that businesses need to jump on board sooner rather than later, then you will undoubtedly be left behind.

The G+ user population will grow extremely fast, given the interest, Google’s reach and resources, and the need businesses have for their website’s SERP. Perhaps this will become the “Facebook for Business”!

It will be interesting to learn how well businesses will be able to keep up with all of the changes, given the growing “to do” list. G+ on the short term will add a host of additional “to do’s” and the number of marketing outlets to manage. G+ will also be too important to ignore.

Article Contact
Melih Oztalay, CEO
Smartfinds Internet Marketing
Direct: (248) 568.2241
melih@smartfindsmarketing.com
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com

July 13, 2011 (Birmingham, MI): Smartfinds Internet Marketing (http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com), an Internet Marketing pioneer for more than 20 years and leader in web marketing including geographic marketing has officially formed a strategic partnership with Proforma (PFG Ventures L.P., Cleveland, Ohio, http://www.proforma.com) as a Preferred Limited Partner. The partnership will allow for Smartfinds’ Geographic Marketing Solutions, as well as, local business listings monthly managed marketing services to be offered across more than 750 Proforma locations across the North America.

“We are thrilled to partner with Proforma to bring our geographic web marketing expertise and help their Owners to expand their portfolio of web marketing services,” said Melih Oztalay, Smartfinds CEO. “Geographic web marketing is a fast growing industry and it makes sense that Proforma offers their business clients (national and local) a valuable service that every business will need to attract local customers.”

Proforma’s 750 plus Owners are located across North America, offering business clients marketing related services including promotional products, printing services, multimedia and eCommerce. With the addition of geographic web marketing services, each of the Proforma locations will now be able to offer web marketing to attract local customers. Specifically, Proforma will offer their clients a packaged marketing service for their Local Business Listings at a lower partner preferred cost. The geographic marketing package includes both broadcast data submission services to over 200+ websites plus monthly managed marketing services with major websites including consumer ratings and reviews, marketing content, and measured rankings and analytics.

Geographic web marketing is a way to attract local customers online through strategies that leverage a business’ physical location. When a customer searches online via mobile, web or GPS, a map appears with business listings related to the search criteria. When fully leveraged with the company’s marketing content, pictures, logos, videos, events, coupons, promotions, customer reviews and more, it helps to create a micro website for the client across each of the search engines. Geographic web marketing as a solution expands not only beyond Google, but also encompasses other elements that include Geo Tagging, Citation Marketing, QR Code Marketing, Consumer Rating and Reviews Management.

“Our goal is to help Proforma’s clients maximize their marketing dollars for reaching local customers whether the business is a national company or a local company. Afterall all business is conducted locally,” said Mr. Oztalay. “Our marketing staff is experienced with creating and managing Geographic Marketing that help a business stand out, support higher rankings and build their local customer traffic online. Businesses adopting Geographic Marketing early will generate higher rankings as their competitors continue to fall behind in a fast moving industry segment.”

About Smartfinds Internet Marketing
The most critical element of SmartFinds Internet Marketing services is the creativity and imagination to apply the technological aspects of the digital marketplace to the marketing objectives of a particular business. Initial research provides SmartFinds the ability to develop a digital strategy that can be measured every step of the way to insure business growth and revenue generation. Some of SmartFinds’ clients have included ComForcare Home Care, Delphi, Flagstar Bank, Guardian Industries, Soave Enterprises, McCann Erickson, Penske Automotive Group, Wendy’s, Ziebart and others. You can learn more about SmartFinds at http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com.

About Proforma
PFG Ventures takes its customers’ businesses forward with Proforma. The company franchises more than 700 Proforma locations across the US and Canada, offering an array of office supplies (such as forms, labels, and stationery), customized promotional products, and printing and e-commerce services. The company has served more than 50,000 clients in a range of industries, including education, finance, food and beverage packaging, health care, manufacturing, and retail. Clients have included Honda, Beck’s, the University of Minnesota, and the New York State Nurses Association. After establishing Proforma in 1978, Gregory Muzzillo formed PFG Ventures in 1994 to help franchise the brand. http://www.proforma.com

New Release Contact
Melih Oztalay, CEO
Smartfinds Internet Marketing
Direct: (248) 568.2241
melih@smartfindsmarketing.com
330 East Maple Road #503, Birmingham, MI 48009
http://www.smartfindsmarketing.com