“It’s a bird”! “No, it’s a plane”! “No, it’s another Social Media site”! “What are we going to do with this”?! This may be what local businesses are saying about Google + when they heard about the new social media site. Google + is a modernized Facebook. It takes staying connected to an all new technological level. Between the group video chats, huddles, and the automatic picture uploads, Google+ could take social media to the next generation.

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BIA/Kelsey consulting group reported that the daily deal market is expected to grow to near $3.93 billion by 2015. There is constant speculation about the real effectiveness of these programs. Some business owners believe that it doesn’t help businesses in the long run because only the coupon cutters use them and never return to pay full price. While the other 50% of businesses seem to like the deals, getting effective returns, and believe it is a vital part of their social media strategy

Continue reading “Local Search Marketing: Tips for Small Business Owners who offer Daily Deals Online.” »

Bing has recently been working on changing the way in which their Business listings are claimed and presented. What was originally the “Local Listing Center” is now being converted to the “Bing Business Portal” (BBP). This is good news for local business owners because Bing is making changes to make listings on their site more efficient for local businesses.

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It’s the question everyone seems to be asking: how does Google choose the reviews that are displayed prominently on Google Places and Google Maps? For example, when searching for “San Diego Restaurants” on Google Places, each Place on page 1 is displayed with a single review as a summary of the business:

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Facebook mobile now includes a feature that lets you to tell your friends when you are visiting a specific business location. Facebook calls this “checking-in.”  This means that you can use a smartphone device to receive a list of local businesses in your area and subsequently “check in” at the one you are frequenting.  This “check-in” is then visible to all of your friends through your newsfeed and a posting on your personal Facebook wall.  Businesses are taking advantage of this new concept and adding certain deals and specials that are available only to those people who have “checked in” to the specific location.  With a constant increase in the number of mobile Facebook users, we can’t help but wonder what effects this will this have on local SMB owners. Some of the early participants of Facebook Deals included 24 Hour Fitness, Alamo Draft house Cinema, American Eagle Outfitters, Chipotle, Gap, Golden State Warriors, JC Penney, McDonald’s, and Starbucks.  Gap was one of the first to advertise their Facebook Deals through commercials. The first 10,000 customers to “check-in” to the Gap location received a free pair of jeans.  This got people lined up at 8 am to take advantage of the Facebook Deal.

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Google’s New Review Filter shows a need for monitoring online reviews.  The new Google Places page is generating quite the buzz across the net as it has created new opportunities for businesses to reach local markets.  Consequently, analyzing how Google Places compiles, filters, and displays customer reviews is a crucial step to managing a business’s online reputation and developing a strong online presence on local search.

So what do Google Places’ latest changes mean for online reputation management?

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