WE'VE MOVED!

We are proud to announce our NEW community destination. Engage with resident experts and fellow entrepreneurs, and learn everything you need to start your business. Check out the new home of StartupNation Community at startupnation.mn.co

Why Local Search is Like Raking Leaves

IAmFoundIAmFound subscriber Posts: 1
Over the past 10 years a large number of very smart people have said a lot of very wise things about the science and art behind search engine optimization (SEO).  In most cases, these wiSE-O-men and women have honed their skills in support of medium and large businesses seeking optimal exposure to consumers (natural and paid) within Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

A smaller number of very smart people have developed similar, but specialized, SEO expertise in support of small businesses seeking to be found by consumers who increasingly search the web, and not the print yellow pages, for local products and services.

In summary, there is a subtle, but significant, difference between SEO for bigger businesses and Local-SEO for smaller businesses.  In an attempt to explain the differences, I`ve come up with an analogy that I hope most people can relate to.
 

Imagine the following:


The world is one huge yard which is owned by an individual named Mr. Google.


The yard is covered in leaves and Mr. Google is motivated to collect every single one of them.  


Big leaves represent big business -- small leaves represent small business. 


Big, heavy-weight leaves are well behaved, perched perfectly in the grass, patiently awaiting Mr. Google`s rake.


Tiny, light-weight leaves are poorly behaved, fickle, unorganized, fluttering in the breeze not quite sure where to go.


Mr. Google lets out a big sigh and wishes the small leaves behaved like the big ones.



If you`re like me, and you`ve had (have) the unfortunate and painful responsibility of collecting leaves, then you know for a fact that small ones simply don`t behave like big ones.

The point is that getting small businesses to comply with Mr. Google`s wishes is a very difficult task. There are too many of them.  Here one moment, gone the next.  While some have purpose and focus, most are distracted and inconsistent.

In my opinion, it`s one of the major reasons why local-SEO for SMBs is so much harder than traditional SEO for medium and large businesses.  It`s also why a huge commercial opportunity remains wide open to help millions of SMBs get discovered in local search in a manner that is immune to their inherently fickle, distracted and "leaf-like" behavior.

Comments

  • NuevolutionNuevolution subscriber Posts: 30 Bronze Level Member
    Iamfound?
    The difference between small business and large businesses is this:
    Large businesses have the Money "CAPITAL" to hire a team of experts that will Optimize their web site to the fullest.
    The Small Companies since they don`t have the capital, usually resort to craigslist or myspace.com and post ads: Some of them might read "SEO Expert needed for a fast growing company" including here at SUN.... They post ads in hope that they will find someone that will help them optimize their web site.... And! they make wrong choices and hire people that have the slightest idea on how to optimize a web site.
    They know nothing about ranking keywords, checking their density, and saturation. They simply trust that person because they sound smart... without even asking that person anything, they go off of "sounding smart" they don`t as for references, nor a proven track record, or anything...
    You know what I like about this community... everyone thinks they`re an expert [don`t get me wrong some of them are very, very, very, smart] but if we were to put them to the test.... and ask them.... give me the name of a company`s web site that you`ve optimize and give it a shot... Give me "three Keywords" no more! no less! just three keywords... and watch them crumble....
    BTW... did you know that Mr. Google`s lawn is drying up and they just announced layoffs? The lawn is not as green as it used to....
  • patentandtrademarkpatentandtrademark subscriber Posts: 103
    I agree with brother Monroy.  Some of the "marketing gurus" seem to be the worst in my experience.  They come out with all this great advice, like; promote yourself, have a plan, follow through, get 8 hours of sleep, etc....  My second grader knows this much!
  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    The point is that getting small businesses to comply with Mr. Google`s wishes is a very difficult task. There are too many of them.  Here one moment, gone the next.  While some have purpose and focus, most are distracted and inconsistent.
    In my opinion, it`s one of the major reasons why local-SEO for SMBs is so much harder than traditional SEO for medium and large businesses.  It`s also why a huge commercial opportunity remains wide open to help millions of SMBs get discovered in local search in a manner that is immune to their inherently fickle, distracted and "leaf-like" behavior.

      I understand and appreciate the point you`re trying to make, and I couldn`t agree more! David JacksonDavidJackson1/12/2009 10:51 AM
  • AgrIndAgrInd subscriber Posts: 0
    I love your analogy IAmFound.  First time I have thought of myself as a poorly-behaved little leaf.
  • ankit007ankit007 subscriber Posts: 238 Silver Level Member
    This week alone observed a progression of occasions and declarations that show more love for nearby hunt, regardless of a persistently floundering economy. As contended a month ago, neighborhood pursuit's quantifiability and solid ROI ought to give it support among little to medium estimated organizations (SMBs) over customary disconnected media.
    Another nearby hunt declaration hit the wires Wednesday. Nearby item information supplier Krillion declared it will appropriate promotions and item stock substance over Topix.com's hyper-neighborhood news organize
  • saravanansaravanan subscriber Posts: 389 Silver Level Member
    Local search is the use of specialized Internet search engines that allow users to submit geographically constrained searches against a structured database of local business listings.
Sign In or Register to comment.