Local Search: Google Maps & Place Pages Expectations in RSA

I recently noticed that for the first time Google displayed in my
Local Business Centre actual visitor stats to my Place Page. These stats
have been shown to users in USA for months.

For April my maps listing was shown 5,404 times (Impressions) and 22
visitors viewed my Place Page.

These impressions were the direct result of my SEOza Place Page being
found in Google’s search results. If I hadn’t created my place page then
SEOza would not have appeared in the results and I would not have
enjoyed those 22 visitors.

Of course 22 is not a lot but it is 22 more than I would normally
have. Also contrast this with the fact that few people are aware of
Google Maps still and this performance can only improve with time.

Google Maps South Africa is Way Behind USA

We can tell what will be happening in South Africa as far as local
search and Google Maps is concerned by watching what has happened in the
USA. On this basis expect to see the following improvements:

• Service areas – this is now available. It
  allows businesses to show a service area on Google Maps without
  showing their specific address. This means it’s no longer necessary
  to show a private address making Google Maps much more convenient
  for individuals or home based businesses.
• Advertisement for the 7pack – it costs $25 to advertise a
  listing on the Google 7 pack
• Business photos – It’s possible to include pictures of the
  inside of your business and post them on your Place Page. This means
  customers can actually take a peak inside your  physical
  location. This will be very important for businesses such as spas,
  hairdressers, restaurants etc where appearance is what really
  matters.
• Coupons and real time updates – It’s already possible to add a
  coupon to a place page in South Africa but it’s not possible to post
  real time information. This is coming.
• Customized QR Codes – This allows a business to provide a unique
  code that can be printed and scanned by some smart phones to take
  someone directly to your Place Page. This code can be printed on
  almost any type of print media including a business card.
• Links – Google will now allow business owners to add discreet
  links on their Place Page.

I would urge you to read more…
click here to see more info on Google’s blog

MMore importantly you need to make sure you are fully able to take
advantage of this massive opportunity Local Search offers.

Review the comprehensive materials produced by ourselves to help you maximise your Local Search presence and blow your competitors away.
Click here to learn more

Check out these links for more information:

Local Search Resources for the Next “Big Thing” Online.


Click Here

Stay informed about workshop April 28th 2010

Click Here

Summary of Benefits from Adwords workshop

Click Here

Back to Home Page

Contact details for
SEOza
are: unit J6 Hingham Field Office Park, 79 Boeing Rd East, Bedfordview 2007. Tel
011 454 0105 Business Hours 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.

See SEOza listing on Google Maps. … GPS Locations: S 26.16582 E 28.14080 | Close to Gilhooley’s Farm & Jeppe Quondam

Site Download Speed Announcement by Google

This is an extract from an email received from Google today.

Earlier today, our Websearch team announced that we now consider the speed it takes for a website to load when ranking it in Google search results on google.com. As an AdSense publisher and website owner, you may have questions about this change, so we’d like to take a minute to give you more details.

This change is part of our efforts to provide the best possible search experience for our users, as we’ve found that faster sites create happy users. Our internal studies show that visitors tend to spend less time on sites that respond slowly, and additional recent data shows that improving site speed also reduces operating costs. For these reasons, we’re now taking site speed into account in our search rankings.

Site speed is just one of over 200 signals we use to determine search ranking, and because it’s a new signal, it doesn’t carry as much weight as the relevance of a page. In fact, less than 1% of all search queries on google.com are affected by the site speed signal. We launched this change a few weeks back after rigorous testing. If you haven’t seen much change to your site rankings, then this site speed change possibly did not impact your site.

“Google Adwords & Beyond” Workshop Content

The next (7th) workshop will be held on Wednesday April 28th… Secure your place at the workshop: Click here to pay by PayPal or contact Tony Roocroft on 011-454-0105 or pondprof@gmail.com. Free $100 Adwords Coupon for Qualifying Attendees The Workshop is a World Class, Second-to-None Internet Marketing Experience Designed to Make You or Your Organization Online AND Offline Profits from the Next Day. A brief overview of the topics to be explored in depth at the “Google Adwords & Beyond Workshop”… You will recover the cost of this workshop in weeks if not days and benefit profitability way into the future. “Google Adwords & Beyond” is a unique world class, highly intensive and advanced one day workshop designed only for serious online marketers be they individual entrepreneurs, small or large businesses. The workshop starts at 8am prompt and is officially meant to finish at 5pm… it generally goes on a bit longer If you’re new to Adwords then this workshop will show you how to do everything well from the moment you first open an account. If you’re an existing Adwords user the workshop will propel you to undreamed of heights from the very next day. As the name implies the workshop goes way beyond just using Adwords… it is about using the power of Adwords and advanced systems and methodologies to make amazing inroads into the Internet Marketing challenge facing each and everyone of us. Attendees will be exposed to cutting edge systems and methodologies very few people in the world are aware of let alone use. The workshop for most attendees will be a life changing moment… BUT be aware that this is no get rich quick in 7 days formula. Success will need determination and effort… with that in place then you cannot fail. The workshop is supported by highly confidential detailed written information to be used as reference The following is a broad introduction to the workshop Introduction… Understanding the way Google works The wrong way to set up any campaign… as practiced by the vast majority of Adwords users New Interface Benefits… massive improvement on old interface especially in important areas Keywords & Keyword Research… important but not as critical as people suggest Understanding URLs… vital to maximize advantage of Adwords. This will make a massive improvement to any campaign. The Google Search Network… Search Queries & Keyword Matching… this is what most people miss. It is critical. Keywords & Continuity… vital for good Quality Score and Searcher satisfaction Writing Ads to Win… Adwords success is based more upon ad writing than keyword research Adwords Editor… if you’re not using this the right way then you’re losing out badly. Quality Score… the maths and logic to make the most out of a good QS Impression Share… this is why your ads only show part of the time and what you can do about it. Landing Pages… Adwords cost you money. Landing pages make you money when you know what you’re doing Testing & Conversion… Most Adwords users don’t understand or do this Reports… these are the important ones to use Conversions and Google’s Conversion Optimizer Adwords at great speed and in great depth • Google Content Network… the way to really make things work in your favour but be aware it is not the same as traditional Google Adwords search network. The only similarity is the name… Google Adwords. The Google Content Network is to the Google Search Network as Chalk is to Cheese. Auto bidding, keyword bidding, placement bidding, Interest based advertising. The vital importance of both Category and URL exclusion Ad construction for the Content Network Image Ad versus Text Ads on the Content Network… what you really do need to know. Local Search… the Next Big Thing and how to take advantage before everybody else wakes up. Working with Others… the real way to make money online Resources… the really important ones Introduction to Media Buying… you can’t always rely upon Google for your future. The next workshop will be held on Wednesday April 28th… click here to pay by PayPal or contact Tony Roocroft on 011-454-0105 or pondprof@gmail.com If you’re about to open a new Adwords account and if you book the workshop I will provide you with a $100 free clicks coupon Google authorises me to give out. Back to Home Page | About SEOza | Privacy

Retargeting Searchers to Increase Sales & Profits

This is very important for Adwords users and other online advertisiers… pay attention

You may already be a retargeted searcher and not know it.

Imagine that last week you had searched Google, clicked an ad that appealed to you and viewed the landing page but decided not to do anything. You just left the page.

The next day you were browsing a completely unrelated website and the ad you saw previously appeared even if it was not relevant to the content of the page.

Then you find the same thing starts to happen regularly no matter which website you’re viewing.

You have been retargeted.

This is the principle:..

Because you clicked an ad and viewed a landing page it is assumed that you had an interest in that ad and landing page so you were “cookied” in a special way. This ad then followed you around the Internet by virtue of the cookie placed on your PC.

That’s retargeting in a nutshell. It is one of the latest online advertising methodologies that has been proven to increase conversion rates for a campaign.

In the upcoming Google Adwords & Beyond workshop (April 28th I will be discussing Retargeting in depth and will demonstrate how you use the system effectively to increase sales.

Don’t forget you can now book the workshop online using PayPal… CLICK HERE You can also download the workshop brochure CLICK HERE.

If you would like to reserve a workshop spot you can contact me on 011-454-0105 or email pondprof@gmail.com

Use of PayPal to Create a Shopping Cart Easily, Quickly and Free

As I announced a few days ago PayPal is now alive and kicking in South Africa.. While it has been possible to buy using PayPal for a number of years it was not possible to collect money using PayPal until Friday last week.

You Must Have a Personal FNB Account

There is an important requirement and that is the person wanting to receive money must have an FNB account.

If you have an FNB account all you have to do is login to your PERSONAL FNB account (does not work with company accounts) and click the “Transfers” tab top left and then follow the PayPal link.

Before you do this you need to go to PayPal and set up an account. This process is also quite painless.

Ring FNB and they will guide you through the process if necessary.

To see a shopping cart in action and which I created in a few minutes on Tuesday see my SEOza resources page… CLICK HERE

Test it out by going through the process… you can leave the final payment part out (ie unless you do want to buy). You will see it is a very slick and smooth checkout process.

At this stage prices can only be displayed in US Dollars since PayPal cannot yet accept Rands as payment. However PayPal will convert the US$ amount to the Rand equivalent at checkout so you know exactly what amount will be charged to your account.

Get Your Account Now and Get On Board the PayPal Internet Express and Lead the Pack

Quite simply there is no easier way to start selling online… get your account today. You can get an account even if you don’t bank with FNB… you can still use the account to buy BUT not to sell. To sell you must have an FNB account.

In addition to being able to use PayPal to set up shop it can be used to transfer money from account to account wherever the account is and whoever the account is owned by. This can be done on simple email instructions.

1. PayPal will revolutionize ecommerce in South Africa… get on board NOW…
2. It will also put a number of existing ecommerce providers, payment gateways and shopping cart merchants in South Africa under pressure to reduce prices and improve performance and ease of use.
3. Spread this message send a copy of this email to all your contacts who might have an interest in using PayPal to either sell online cheaply or just to transfer funds internationally.

PayPal Arrives in South Africa… for FNB Customers Only

PAYPAL… Finally You Can Sell (ie Collect Money) Using PayPal

I recently saw a survey that concluded that those sites with the PayPal payment option sold 20% more than those sites without the option. There were numerous reasons for this:

• The far greater security associated with using PayPal… no credit card information is entered into the website at the time of the transaction resulting in far fewer opportunities for fraud. Once a PayPal account has been opened all transactions go through the PayPal secure processing system.
• PayPal allows any small business to set up a payment system from a website within minutes.
• People who use PayPal experience the smoothest check out system around.
• People spending with PayPal tend to spend more just because the system is so wells streamlined and secure. In my case I always buy using PayPal when the option is available… it really is far more easy and convenient.

The very fact that ordinary people can now use PayPal to sell direct from any website without the need for a shopping cart will inevitably result in growth in ecommerce in South Africa.

OTHER POSITIVE INFLUENCING FACTORS for 2010

In addition to these very important announcements a number of other positive factors are also fueling Internet growth:

• The advent of local search and Google maps… more and more searches are revealing the occurrence of local search results in prime spots on Google’s first page search results.
• South Africa’s first genuine Internet Show. This will take place at the Sandton Convention centre on the 2nd and 3rd of August. Paypal is one of the sponsors and Google are lined up to do a couple of presentations on Adwords. In other words and at long last the really big international players are becoming publicly involved for the very first time.
• And of course The World Cup

Make sure you’re ready for the explosion… this means get your website marketing together and put yourself ahead of your competitors.

Next week I’ll arrange the date of the next “Google Adwords and Beyond” workshop… I’ll be explaining the great importance of the most recent and exciting change to Google Adwords and how to benefit enormously from this latest move.  This change was also announced this week.

There have been major changes in ADSL also announced in March.

Uncapped ADSL at Lower Cost Finally Reaches South Africa

The Internet & ADSL Always On

March has been an eventful month for those of us interested and involved in online marketing.

By the end of this year the Internet as we in South Africa know it will change beyond recognition due to 2 major announcements one of which occurred only yesterday (March 25th).

These are the two announcements:

1. The availability of uncapped lower cost ADSL.. and a sign of real competition in this market.
2. The availability of PayPal to receive money in South Africa… I’ve had a PayPal account for years and I’ve been waiting for this announcement. One drawback is the need to have an FNB account (which, luckily,  I already have).

Here’s why these announcements are so significant:

ADSL

The main advantage of ADSL is its ALWAYS ON status… and not only that, there is the promise of faster browsing and downloads speeds for both home and office use. ADSL prices are also starting to drop significantly and this should continue bringing even more people into the Internet mainstream.

One example of the advantage of “ALWAYS ON” is the ability to search for local products and services without resorting to the local classifieds ads and other established print directories such as Yellow Pages.

because I’ve had ALWAYS ON access to the Interent for a long time I have never felt the need to consult the Yellow Pages or to buy The Star or any other type of print media advertising to find what I want.

Other than making it easier for many more people to find things online the ADSL changes will also boost the number of websites that will be created especially bearing in mind the ease of creating websites these days. For example it’s now possible for each and every small business to get a great free web page sing Google Maps or even a complete free website using Google Sites.

It Just Had to Happen… Company Logos (Ads) on Google Maps

Google Australia have just launched a test phase in which they are showing company logos as map points on a Google Map search. The logic behind this is that when a map comes up in search then people will recognize the logo and find an easy way to navigate to that selected location. At the moment all locations have the same kind of marker so no one organisation has an advantage.
When the logo is clicked then information about the organisation shows up.
It appears that the intention is to charge such organisations for each display of the logo on a map.
Read about this new development… click here

24 Hours to go to the Next Workshop

Tomorrow at 3 pm 10 delegates and myself will be on the Premier Classe train heading towards Cape Town.
This will be the first time I have held the “Google Adwords and Beyond” workshop on the train and as such it is a bit of an experiment.
At this workshop I will be providing the delegates with my recently completed book on the massive opportunties relating to Google Maps and Local search.
In particular I’ll be presenting ways to harness the power of the free Google map services to provide those skilled in Adwords with great future marketing opportunities that no-one else is yet exploiting.
I’ll post on the experiences aboard the train.

Google Adds Another Local Search Option

Just in case anybody still doubts the importance of Local Search to Google and thus the world should make themselves aware of another brand new way for a searcher to access local search information. The option is not yet available in South Africa but it will come…

Do any normal search on Google and then click the More Options link at the upper left of the page. You will see two new options as shown in the image to the left.
This means no matter what kind of search is made by the searcher the person can access relevant (if any) local search results just by selecting this option. The options which are new are shown as … Nearby and Social
If you want to see how it works then you have to view Google USA results… to do this do your normal Google search and then add to the end of the long URL in the address bar &gl=us and press Enter. You will then be shown results for that search people in the USA will see.
Google will only know if you are locally available if you have a listing on Google Maps.

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