February 2019 – Engage121

Get Smart About Google’s Knowledge Panel

Consumers search, a lot and fast! In this age of fleeting attention and fierce competition, companies often get help to ensure their online presence is seen by as many people as possible. Agencies like Home Service Direct have all the required knowledge and experience to help them beat out their competition. It's a constantly changing world and savvy local marketers are always looking for new ways to engage with consumers at the very first opportunity. Of course, this is easier said than done with local competitors also fighting to appear at the top of the searches and engage with any potential customer. This is why so many people go to an seo company in san diego for help as they will be more likely to improve their ranking positions. However, there are lots of things you can do to improve your understanding of how Google works and ranks websites, like joining Google's Knowledge Panel. Most importantly, Google's Knowledge Panel allows local business to engage with consumers directly within search and without any additional clicks. Even though Google presents this first, best opportunity to engage with consumers, a new Moz survey revealed that just over 50% of marketers haven't yet taken advantage of the opportunities that the Knowledge Panel offers! We've touched upon the value of the Knowledge Panel in the past, but it's worth digging deeper to explore the benefits it can unlock for local business. Google Knowledge Panel. What it Is. Why it Matters. The knowledge panel is the box to the right of search results where Google displays information on a relevant business, including the company name, business hours, address and phone number. Today the panel shows up in roughly 40% of searches, and the more localized a search gets, the more likely it is that a local Knowledge Panel will appear. This means that for LOCAL SEO, you need to get smart about using the knowledge panel to help searchers discover and reach your business without any additional clicks. A knowledge panel also includes these actionable features: Q&A: This consumer-facing, crowdsourced feature is similar to the Ask the Community feature on TripAdvisor and Yelp. It allows consumers to ask questions and businesses can provide answers directly within search and without any additional clicks. Users can also give a thumbs-up vote to questions and answers, which influences where the questions and answers might appear on the panel and in search results. Posts: This feature enables businesses to create short 300-words or less blog-style posts that appear directly in the knowledge panel, providing an additional avenue for customer communication directly within search and without any additional clicks. Like Q&A, Posts also appear in search results and are especially visible in Maps search results. Posts are a great way to let prospects and customers know about new products, company news, special offers and events. Posts can include an appropriate call to action (buy now, contact us, etc.) along with a link. Note that each Post expires after seven days so [...]

Is Google The New Homepage for Local Businesses?

Consumers are searching online more than ever before. But local businesses may actually be seeing less web traffic. How is this possible? "Local search" often starts with Google and there are now numerous ways for consumers to find all the information they need right on Google's first search results page. By taking the time to view this chad kimball google maps course, you will be able to see firsthand how making the most of Google and its accompanying resources (Google Maps and Google My Business) can help to grow your business by increasing your online presence, as well as earning more money in the process. What could be better? Google even allows consumers to interact with a local business – all without ever going to a website! Array Digital law firm marketing agency says that this is all enabled by Google My Business listings that are becoming an increasingly vital component in creating online marketing success and attracting new customers. Numerous businesses are now enrolling in a gmb mastery academy to improve their online tactics and remain competitive. In fact, a new MOZ report found that 64% of local business marketers agree that Google is becoming the new "homepage" for local businesses. Most small businesses get IT support to set up their Google My Business. Outsourcing IT requirements also benefits them with cybersecurity and cloud services, which are essential for online business profiles. Search used to be all about getting a click on your website. Now, it's also about getting a click to a Google My Business listing. Websites are still important, but following this Google My Business Checklist and keeping your Google My Business & Knowledge Panel up to date is no longer just nice, it's absolutely necessary. If you don't, you're missing a huge opportunity to promote your business. What is the Knowledge Panel? When a consumer conducts a search for a particular business, Google provide the most relevant results as well a box on the right side of the page that is called the Knowledge Panel. The Knowledge Panel for that business includes directions, phone numbers, hours of operation, and more. Knowledge Panels show up in roughly 40% of searches and are especially crucial for providing consumers actionable results not requiring any additional clicks. You can keep your Knowledge Panel information relevant and up-to-date by first claiming, then verifying, your Google My Business profile. Google My Business is a free, easy to use listing that determines what appears on the Knowledge Panel. This will ensure that your customers can find and contact you, in addition to providing an overview of your products or services. Perhaps most importantly, the Knowledge Panel aggregates consumer reviews, making your online reputation readily available to all consumes. Managing your Google My Business listing, and Knowledge Panel, has become indispensable to online marketing success, as well as putting your business in the best position to get found. Social media marketing, in its turn, helps to connect with customers, generate awareness, and increase sales. [...]