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Archive for the ‘SEM’ Category

September 17, 2015

Google Shakes Up Local Search Results

In a slew of recent updates, Google has revamped how they display local listings within the search results. Most notable was the reduction of the map pack results down from five to seven listings to just three results for locally targeted searches. These updates have been the most significant change in local search since Google’s…

Contributed by: Michael Solms

September 14, 2015

7 Steps for Effective A/B Ad Testing

An often overlooked aspect of ad optimization, A/B testing is a way of comparing two versions of the same ad to gauge their performance. One of the biggest reasons testing is so important, especially in search engine marketing (SEM), is because the higher “quality” of an ad, the better placement it receives on the page….

Contributed by: Joe Morsello

July 27, 2015

Enhanced Content: The Local Search Data Gap

Could you imagine if you visited the website of a restaurant and they forgot to include their hours of operation? You would be left wondering: How late do they serve food? What time do they open for breakfast? Are they open on Sunday? What if a bank did the same thing? With those variable weekend hours you would…

Contributed by: Michael Solms

June 9, 2015

Increasing Local Search Conversions: From Click to Call to Sale

The world has gone mobile. And the twin sibling of mobile is local. Consider the following: Over 50% of searches are now done on mobile devices, officially eclipsing desktop traffic. 40% – 50% of mobile searches have local intent. In fact, accordingly to Google, “near me” searches have nearly doubled in the past year with…

Contributed by: Katherine Buchholz

February 20, 2015

Pay-per-Call: Google Introduces “Call-Only” AdWords Units

Recognizing the importance of calls to local and many national merchants, Google is allowing AdWords advertisers now to bid on “Call Only” ads. This was discovered by Philly Marketing Labs. Here’s the official blog post. Advertisers can use a Google tracking number or their own (as in call extensions). Previously Google required a landing page or website…

Contributed by: Greg Sterling

February 13, 2015

Study: DIY Related Searches Dominate Tax Prep Category

With tax season upon us, what better time than now to look at how consumers are looking to file. According to search engine keyword performance data pulled from the LSA Insights database, searches for do-it-yourself (DIY) tax software in the 2013-2014 tax season far exceeded the number of searches for local tax service providers. Our analysis…

Contributed by: Alicia Stewart

January 14, 2015

LSA Members in the Business of Local: The Search Agency

Today’s member spotlight is with The Search Agency, a global online marketing firm that combines high-tech and high-touch strategies to help clients engage their customers online and measure ROI beyond a reasonable doubt. The company is one of the US’s largest and fastest growing search marketing firms – named the largest independent U.S. search marketing…

Contributed by: Joe Morsello

January 6, 2015

SEL: Automation vs. Sales Reps for SEM

When it comes to local search advertising, will SMBs be more inclined to utilize automated, self-service tools in coming years? Or will sales reps still play an important role? Only time will tell, but automated services does not equate to self service and small businesses struggle with the time needed to manage self service offerings….

Contributed by: Wesley Young

December 18, 2014

SMB Churn and the Potential Return of ‘Guaranteed Clicks’

In roughly 2004 the way that paid-search marketing was introduced to many small business advertisers was in the form of a “bucket of clicks” sold by yellow pages publishers and independent sales channels like the now defunct WebVisible. Paid clicks on Google and elsewhere were sold in bundles for a fixed price. That product was easy to…

Contributed by: Greg Sterling

December 11, 2014

The Art of Keyword Selection for Search Campaigns

Are you localizing your keywords correctly? I ask because many times we assume everyone searches online the same way we do. We think that because we do something one-way, surely everyone else does it too, right? That is not always the case, especially when we are trying to market to a specific location. To take…

Contributed by: Jason Barrett

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