SEOinPhiladelphia

On Wednesday, Gregg Stewart from TMP Directional Marketing hosted a webcast called “Local Business Listings: Straight Talk With the Data Providers”. Participating were representatives from the three primary local data providers:

• Acxiom,
• InfoUSA – direct business entry to InfoUSA database
• Localeze/Amacai – direct business entry to Localeze database

These primary or legacy data providers deliver local  data to a number of search engines, internet yellow pages, local directories, and vertical sites.

Key Points

The key take home points from the webinar revolve around how to best provide information to these 3 primary data providers, and how important this information can be for your business’ bottom line. The 3 data providers each supply several varied sources (none of the provider reps would specifically identify which sources they supply). These sources create the  online footprint of your business, and serve as local citations, and therefore it is in your interest to make sure primary data providers have accurate and comprehensive information about local business.  As TMP writes in their webcast details:

With more than 90% of local search traffic and car navigation data coming from three primary data base providers, it’s critical that marketers keep this information current and accurate at all times

Because potential customers can find your online business listing on various types of websites, it is crucial to understand how primary data providers work, what they recommend, and how people are searching for local products and services.

Below are my notes from TMP Directional Marketing ‘s “Local Business Listings: Straight Talk With the Data Providers” webcast:

Localeze – Gib Oladder

Simple Categorization is not enough

Gib Olander from Localeze stressed that businesses should not rely on  standard categorization/taxonomy in local search directories.   Local searchers change and refine their behavior constantly (he gave a good example of people searching for “pet friendly hotels in Chicago”   as opposed to  “hotels in Chicago”).  Therefore we cant rely on standard categorization and we should enter more relevant information. When creating a business listing, think about what is unique about your business, and what feedback customers have given you in the past.  I very much like Gib’s  content strategy which groups  keywords in two categories: “recovery”  and “discovery” (this graphic from his site illustrates “recovery”  and “discovery” types of local queries  very well). Basically “recovery” searches are the type where the searcher knows the particular thing or business that he is searching for and “discovery” searches are where the searcher knows what he needs and where he needs it, but not the name of the business.  The point is small business should  target the “discovery” type  queries and drive qualified traffic to both their business listings and websites- a business should aim to be discovered!

Keep it fresh, update often

Gib also recommended that a business verify and update their business listings on a regular basis. He suggests typing your business name in a search engine and see what comes up.  By updating your business listings with new data (new products, services) you will ensure that the  local directories and search engines have “fresh” and accurate information about your business (this will ensure your business will be visible under a “recovery” type of search query) .  Because search behavior frequently changes, you should review the keywords you use in the copy of your business listing.

Business Listing as a centralized place for your business

A business listing should serve as an “anchor for online brand assets management”. For instance, if you have a new video about your business- add it to a  business listing. Also promote your business and social media profiles in business listings. Gib says that you should care about your business listing in the same way you care about your official website.

Axicom  – Jon Cohn

Primary Data Providers – Business Listing Build Process

Jon presented a slide showing how primary data providers process local information. It’s a complicated process but worth the trouble to understand how they process local information. All three data providers spend lots of time on:

• de-duplication & address cleansing: by deleting inactive records, cleaning addresses by USPS standardization, making corrections, doing business name normalization, and  applying latitude and longitude
• classifications include keyword assignments, inputting data provided by small business/advertiser, assignment of standard Yellow Pages categories and codes
• custom expansion of data

Getting listed in Axciom database

Jon also mentioned that they are increasingly  scrapping  business websites for local data, therefore it is important that your website mirrors the exact same information you input to various local search directories. They take and verify local data from sources like the Better Business Bureau, state professional license boards (doctors, lawyers), Chambers of commerce, and the business credit card database.

Currently you can  get your business directly listed in Axciom database only through services like UBL , TMP Directional Marketing (search marketing agency), eLocal, however Jon said that soon any small business would be able to make a direct entry to Axicom database at databyacxiom.com (I believe that they are finalizing  verification methods).

Trends

Jon revealed that extraction of local data from social media sites (i.e twitter, facebook), the inclusion of reviews, and other unique content is the next step for them. Therefore it is  important that businesses invest time and resources to develop social media  strategies.

InfoUSA – Pankaj Mathur

Pankaj gave an overview of the resources needed for InfoUSA to “clean” and update local business information:

• about 700 people compiling data
• over 27 million  phone call interviews completed

All this to standardize data elements (i.e. Av, Avenue, Ave), cover missing business categories, improve accuracy, and remove duplications. Pankaj stressed that business owners should claim their listings and act responsibly.  Once the listing is claimed, data providers  rely on you to manage and keep it up to date.

In the end, Pankaj along with all three representatives and the host Gregg Stewart, agreed that small businesses should invest money and time into “data optimization” (accuracy and consistency), and updating business listings frequently.  The local search space is very dynamic so try to keep up to date and consider hiring an expert.  Monitor your business’s online footprint and set a benchmark (where you started and track results).

My thoughts

It takes time and persistence to build a strong small business profile online. By claiming your listing on Acxiom, Localeze and InfoUSA and by committing to keep it up to date, you are laying solid foundations.  The vast distribution network of primary data providers (i.e. internet yellow pages, local directories, car navigation software) will ensure that customers are able to  “recover” your business name across many online entities.  To succeed you must do your homework;

• regularly research how people are searching for your products or services online
• monitor your business listings for accuracy
• measure and analyze the results of your ongoing campaign for optimization of business listings
• never forget that local search is not just about Google, don’t disregard other important local search channels

Although overall the webinar was an informative session, it is my hope that in the future both search engines and local directories will improve at providing small businesses with insightful tools and meaningful data that is easy to digest and then act upon.

You can access the full webcast here: http://searchmarketingnow.com/on-demand