Posts Tagged ‘small businesses’
Thursday, May 30, 2013
One small business owner is calling for Facebook fan engagement to remain an even playing field, and she’s not alone. A change.org petition from a New Jersey business owner has made the Internet rounds over the past few weeks and attracted 500 supporters in just a few days.
The petitioner writes:
“All of the changes Facebook has made in the last 2 weeks REALLY, REALLY effects people with small businesses. Now our posts are seen by virtually no one except very, very devoted fans and family. I understand not “everyone” is going to see our posts, but this is outrageous. I have over 12,000 fans and I’m lucky to have a few hundred see our post”
Other business owners agree, and have shared comments on the site voicing their concerns.
Many small businesses that can’t afford paid advertising focus instead on organic marketing through engagement on Facebook. They feel that updates to Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm, which now includes paid posts from bigger advertisers, puts them at an unfair advantage.
There is only so much room on a newsfeed, and many small businesses think their posts are now going unseen by the followers they’ve worked to secure because they can’t afford to pay.
A Facebook rep told Huffington Post that the social network is aware of small businesses’ financial limitations and that the company offers both paid and organic posts.
What do you think? With all the new changes to Facebook is organic marketing still a viable option on the platform? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
May 30, 2013 | Leave a Comment
Tags: Facebook, Local Search, Local Search Association, organic marketing, Small Business, small businesses
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
We are pleased to announce our third and final keynote speaker for the “Search Starts Here” conference: Jason Finger, CEO of CityGrid.
During our fireside chat with Jason, he will discuss the current environment and future of “local” including merchant product offers and the investment landscape. In addition, he will give a glimpse of what’s to come for CityGrid’s properties such as Citysearch, Urbanspoon and Insider Pages.
CityGrid is one of the largest content and advertising networks for local and small businesses. Jason oversees the entire ad network in addition to all of CityGrid’s owned and operated websites that include Citysearch.com, insiderpages.com, Urbanspoon.com and GetFelix.com.
Prior to CityGrid, he cofounded SeamlessWeb in 1999 and was responsible for growing the company’s presence to 22 cities throughout the U.S. and London. SeamlessWeb was acquired by Aramark in 2006 at which time Jason was responsible for setting and executing corporate strategy for 260,000 employees in 19 countries.
In addition to his success at CityGrid and SeamlessWeb, Jason has been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Innovator of the Year by the Corporate Executive Council of New York, and to Crain’s 40 Under 40 list of leading young executives.
Don’t miss out on this great discussion with Jason. Register for our conference today!
February 19, 2013 | Leave a Comment
Tags: annual conference, CityGrid, CitySearch, conference, fireside chat, Insider Pages, keynote speaker, local businesses, Local Search Association, Search Starts Here 2013, small businesses, Urbanspoon
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Check out SuperMedia’s new “Seeing Success” ad campaign! The campaign highlights what local search marketing consultants can do for small businesses across local, mobile and digital platforms.
Take a look below, we think it looks great!
November 20, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Tags: digital, Local Search, Local Search Association, mobile, Small Business, small businesses, SuperMedia
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Sanjay Gupta., VP – Global Merchant Marketing, Groupon, described their approach to winning new clients for the daily deal. He made the important point that the term SMB can be very broad – it covers a multitude of business owners from the one person kiosk to much larger, more sophisticated concerns, and each has differing needs.
His formula for reaching merchants seems to contradict accepted tropes about small businesses:
Keep it simple – everyone talks about how busy SMBs are. Groupon has found that they may be busy, but SMBs will spend time to learn complex ideas. He addressed what he thinks are some common misconceptions about small business:
Very Concerned About Price – Groupon has determined that with trust, SMBs will pay for product/vendor stability.
Don’t Have the Time – Gupta says that merchants will find the time for critical needs.
Know it All or Not at All – maybe, but he says that Groupon’s experience is that SMBs are willing to learn.
Groupon specializes in small, “Mom and Pop”, local merchants and is winning them over through 5 main tenets –
- Make them successful and your success will follow
- Support – provide both sales and account support, as well as self-serve and self-prep options
- Empower the merchant with tracking tools – a merchant center and customer interaction tools
- Continue that support through lifecycle management
- Align your strategy and offerings with the evolving needs of SMBs
BIA/Kelsey anticipates strong grown in the daily deals space over the next few years as large businesses enter the fray and add their loyalty programs to the mix. Meanwhile, it appears that Groupon is continuing to reach SMBs of all sizes with a combination of new tools and traditional customer care.
September 18, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Tags: daily deals, Groupon, Local Search Association, Sanjay Gupta, Small Business, small businesses, SMB, SMB Digital Marketing 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
In my Local Search column on Search Engine Land this month, I discuss Yahoo’s recent appointment of Marissa Mayer as its new president and CEO, and the opportunities that presents for local businesses should she decide to focus on reinventing the company’s once dominant local search platform, Yahoo! Local.
Mayer, who previously served as the Google executive in charge of local, maps and location services, lives and breathes local. She is also an expert in creating innovative user experiences in the space. I argue that if Mayer makes local a priority at Google – which still commands one of the largest audiences on the Web with 700 million monthly users – that local businesses will have yet another platform to actively consider for local advertising.
In my piece, I overview what Yahoo! Local looks like today and provide some thoughts on where Mayer might take the platform next. Click here to reach the full column.
August 14, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Tags: geolocation, Google, Google Maps, Google Places, local, Local Search, Local Search Association, location-based, Marissa Mayer, mobile, online, search engine, Search Engine Land, SEL, Small Business, small businesses, Yahoo, Yahoo! Local
Thursday, August 2, 2012
A few weeks ago I wrote about the vSplash team’s new sales tool, “BuzzBoard,” which will prove incredibly valuable for sales reps, changing the way they prep for sales calls. We thought it was worth sharing a few more highlights we didn’t get to feature in our last post.
Mapping
BuzzBoard actually has the ability to map each sales call for outside reps to better keep track. The mapping tool offers the option of sorting by geography, revenue opportunity, favorites and analytical score.
Multimedia
For the outside rep, the BuzzBoard tool provides the option of using the tablet’s video, picture and audio capabilities. For instance, the audio recording tool can be used to interview local businesses about their marketing needs and expectations, eliminating the need to take written notes and assuring the most accurate information.
Using the video and picture capability offers the option of taking moving or still images of the customer’s location. Content that can then be used for upgrading or building the business’ website and other digital presence.
BuzzBoard Audit
Another great feature is the ability to audit a business’ website “on the fly.” Using BuzzBoard, a sales consultant can input a few pieces of data – name, address, URL – and within a few minutes BuzzBoard generates an on-the-go audit.
Imagine a sales consultant or rep seeing a new business in the market and being able to generate a web audit within minutes – allowing the them to walk in informed and ahead of the curve.
Some of our members are engaging with vSplash to begin market trials with the BuzzBoard tool and we’ve heard they’re pretty impressed. We’re keeping an eye on this new product as trials move forward.
To check out more on BuzzBoard go to www.vsplash.com/platforms-and-tools/buzzboard.
August 2, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Tags: BuzzBoard, Local Search, Local Search Association, Mapping, mobile, multimedia, sales, sales force, search, Small Business, small businesses, SMB, tablet, vSplash
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Small businesses in the U.S. can more cost effectively generate calls through an ad on the YP Local Ad Network compared to Google AdWords, according to a new study of the local online ad buys of 62 small businesses across the country by independent research firm Altman Vilandrie & Company.
The study showed that local businesses spend nearly twice as much in advertising dollars to generate one call through Google AdWords than YP’s network: Google AdWords ads maintain an average cost-per-call of $88 while YP ads have an average cost-per-call of $46. Additionally, of the 56 small businesses receiving calls from both YP and Google ads, 77% realized better value (lower cost-per call) from YP ads.
“While there are a variety of other factors that small businesses need to consider before developing a local advertising strategy, the study shows a clear potential for better value by including YP ads in an overall campaign,” said Altman Vilandrie & Company Director Jonathan Hurd.
For more information and to read the full study, visit www.altmanvilandrie.com/local-ad-study.
August 2, 2012 | 1 Comment
Tags: Altman Vilandrie & Company, cost-per-call, Local Search, Local Search Association, Small Business, small businesses, YP, YP Local Ad Network
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
America’s best and most sustainable cities have strong local business economies with vibrant shopping and services that attract new residents, encourage entrepreneurs, and draw other businesses to invest in the community. One role we play as providers of local search services is to encourage consumers to think about how buying locally pays off for the entire community.
Today we’re launching a new platform – Local Pays Off – that captures that idea. Local Pays Off is our industry’s pledge to promote local business and the benefits of buying close to home.
Here’s how supporting local businesses pays off for a community:
- Economic prosperity: Local purchases generate tax revenue for municipalities and serve as a catalyst for job creation and growth.
- Trusted products and services: Local businesses ensure residents can conveniently get the products and services they need, when they need them, from nearby businesses they know and trust.
- Environmental improvement: Buying locally requires less transportation, resulting in less sprawl, congestion, pollution and energy use.
- Vibrancy and diversity: A city’s core is strengthened by local businesses that add vibrancy to city streets, neighborhoods and shopping centers.
- Opportunity: Strong local businesses meet the specific needs of the community, attract new talent, encourage entrepreneurs, and draw other businesses to invest.
I believe that engaging our industry in the buy local movement makes perfect sense. For years, Yellow Pages have been the go-to source for information for consumers who want to buy local. And today, we’re continuing to expand options for consumers who want to buy locally well beyond the print directory – our industry now includes online and mobile Yellow Pages, search engine marketing, SEO, and much more.
I hope everyone in our industry will get behind Local Pays Off and encourage consumers to buy local. Not only is it good for our business, but it’s good for the clients, consumers, and communities we serve.
For more, go to www.localsearchassociation.org/localpaysoff.
June 27, 2012 | 2 Comments
Tags: buy local, Community service, economic prosperity, Environmental, environmental impact, local business, local business district, local commerce, local economies, local economy, Local Pays Off, local products, Local Search, Local Search Association, local services, medium business, neighborhood business, small businesses, sustainability, sustainable cities, sustainable development, tax revenue, urban sprawl
Thursday, June 7, 2012
This week, the New York chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business – a leading small business advocacy organization – asked the New York State’s Assembly and Senate Environmental Conservation Committees to defeat a bill that would regulate the delivery of Yellow Pages to state residents.
In a communication sent to elected officials, the NFIB said that, “Yellow Pages have been and continue to be of vital importance to small business owners,” and that the legislation “ignores the simple fact that millions of consumers utilize print directories and implements onerous distribution requirements and penalties that will hinder any effort for distribution by publishers.” Read the full communication here.
As we’ve discussed here on the blog, the Yellow Pages industry has been working directly with state and local municipalities across the country to build greater awareness of the continued value of print Yellow Pages, promote recycling and environment programs, and raise visibility for the industry’s national opt-out website at www.YellowPagesOptOut.com.
Our experience is that when elected officials and interest groups learn more about the vital role we play connecting local businesses and residents in their community – as well as the comprehensive approach we’ve taken to sustainability and consumer choice – they support our work and often want to partner with us to address concerns about Yellow Pages delivery. In California alone, several city leaders have expressed support for our industry’s approach.
We will continue reaching out to New York State lawmakers about how we can achieve our mutual objectives together in ways that ensure the continued viability of small businesses through Yellow Pages advertising.
June 7, 2012 | 2 Comments
Tags: legislation, Local Search, Local Search Association, National Federation of Independent Businesses, New York State, NFIB, regulation, small businesses
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Yesterday afternoon, Matt Booth of BIA/Kelsey interviewed Bill Dinan, president of call measurement company Telmetrics. While there’s no doubt that search engines drive a lot of economic activity, Bill explained how Yellow Pages search products are closer to the transaction and more aligned with the “find” in search and find. He went on to say that what our companies need to continue doing is communicating this opportunity with local businesses through a simplified, value-based sales approach.
Some managing advertising for local businesses understand the complexities of online options, but what’s most effective for the majority is an ROI-focused offering like “I’m going to get you 500 clicks through X program.” As the market further transitions to mobile, it will be interesting to see what metrics and characteristics best translate in this space.
April 25, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Tags: BIA/Kelsey, businesses, Local Search, Local Search Association, search, small businesses, Telmetrics, Yellow Pages
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Use of social networking sites for local search has grown 67% since 2010. Will Scott, owner of Search Influence, and Mike Boland, a mobile-focused analyst from BIA/Kelsey, led a session on leveraging this rapidly expanding space. Some insights I learned this morning:
- Increased interaction through user reviews has contributed to the growth of social media for local search. As we blogged about yesterday, user reviews are a key component of business listings.
- Those users most likely to review a business are also most likely to be frequent social media users. What this means for advisors is an increased need to focus on frequent social media users, both for their high degree of influence in their respective social channels, and the higher likelihood they’ll rate a particular business.
- Twice as many SMBs 0-3 years old used social media as compared to those 11-plus, who are using social media primarily for retention (as opposed to acquisition).
- Overall social media use for SMBs is just over half at 54%.
According to Will, Facebook is taking the lead in terms of frequency of use and opportunities to reach consumers, but there are a number of opportunities on the variety of channels. The “Facebook Like Box” creates a touchpoint into social for SMB websites and sponsored stories have worked well for many of his clients. Will cautions, “fans are not the end game” – you need to create converts. Whether Facebook or another channel, people convert because of good and complete content.
April 24, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Tags: BIA/Kelsey, local businesses, Local Search, Local Search Association, reviews, Search Influence, small businesses, social media
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
There’s some very interesting news out this week from Telmetrics, a leading provider of advertising call measurement solutions, which announced that adoption of its pay per call offerings is up more three times year-over-year, tracking 348% higher in Q1 2012 than Q1 2011. As many of you know, pay per call tracking enables marketers to evaluate consumer phone response to ads by providing valuable ad feedback and consumer call intelligence.
According to Telmetrics, while pay per call usage is growing among all local search media channels, mobile advertisers and SMB programs are driving the increases. Additionally, the company said that it is seeing call duration increase more than 20% year-over-year as advertising providers continue to optimize their local search programs through pay per call. Call duration is a reliable indicator of lead quality and typically indicate a positive propensity to make a purchase, the company said.
Telmetrics data shows that mobile call durations are the longest at 3.5 minutes/call, followed by print Yellow Pages (2.8 minutes/call), Internet Yellow Pages (2.7 minutes/call) and paid search (2.2 minutes/call). As Screenwerk’s Greg Sterling notes, mobile’s leading position makes sense since “mobile users tend to have a greater and more immediate needs than online users.” Sterling also points out that the data argues that “print YP leads are of better quality than paid search.”
I think this data echoes our own research that has consistently shown that “ready to buy” consumers frequently turn to Yellow Pages. These results are worth pointing out to local advertisers who may need additional context on the quality of leads they might expect from Yellow Pages and other local search offerings.
Learn more about Telmetrics at the 2012 Local Search Association annual conference, “Search Starts Here,” April 21-24 in Boca Raton, Florida. Telmetrics President Bill Dinan will participate in an executive interview at 12pm on the final day of the event.
April 11, 2012 | 1 Comment
Tags: call tracking, growth, local, local businesses, Local Search, Local Search Association, mobile, pay-per-call, small businesses, Telmetrics, Yellow Pages
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