Google Maps Optimization question

The point you make- that they have identified an
authoritative listing 
- can't only be true in limited less competitive markets
(although 
maybe that is the case but how would they figure that
algorhythm 
out?)...the fact that the listing is chosen and displayed
(to the loss 
of others ) means that there is some combination of
atributes 
which will precipitate this highly desirable (for the
winner) 
outcome. 

Perhaps it is true that if there are less than x local
listings and only 
one of them is highly authoritative, then Google  will  do
this... but 
doesn't it suggest that if one of those realtors had just
the right 
combination of authority that they could rise to this level
of listing? I 
guess that is the jist of the question at hand.

I am curious if others have noted this behavior in other
markets? 
Are you in the top three of any of the local listings?

Mike Blumenthal
________________
http://www.blumenthal
s.com/blog Understanding Google Maps 
and Yahoo  Local

> > I am suggesting that the local google adwords
could play
> > a part.
> 
> Mike -- I'm not so sure they could get away with that
across most 
industries.
> 
> I've been running a locally-targeted Adwords campaign
for my 
wife (a
> real estate agent) for 2+ years now. As you can
imagine, there 
are a
> ton of real estate agents in the area all bidding on
the same
> keywords. I'm sure this is the case in many industries
- lots of
> competition for PPC keywords.
> 
> None of the queries we're bidding on via AdWords brings
up the 
map
> display in the organic results. You can imagine how
> difficult/impossible it would be in an industry like real estate to
> pick one agent for the special map display.
> 
> I really think it's more about the algorithm being able
to identify
> one result as the authority, but as you said, Mike,
there are likely
> many variables at play here.
> 
> Matt
> _____________________
> Small Business SEM
> http://www.smallbusi
nesssem.com/
> 
> > 
> 
> 

-- 

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Mike, I suppose this depends on the query? For "search
engine marketing
consultants in toronto" at local.google.ca, my company
does not appear
at all. For "google adwords consultants in
toronto," we come up #1 with
a map listing "A."

However, doing the search at google.ca or google.com, we're
not
"featured" as a local company at all (no local
results come up on the
second query, and the other companies come up in the custom
local
onebox in the first).

Perhaps this means on the latter query, we nor no one else
qualify to
be featured in this way (although we still come up #1 in the
latter
query for Google Search overall).

Perhaps it's a confidence level based on length of time in
the local
system, and clicks on the listings, etc. - or perhaps as you
say it
also gets helped along by buying the local Adwords.

For the user it's a tricky one to say whether these local
results are
useful or not in all cases. If you type "Sauna Kits
Toronto," a former
client of mine comes up #1 in SERP's as well as generally #1
in
AdWords. That's a status quo they'd like to keep and I doubt
they'd be
helped overly much by a map/local listing, even though their
showroom
is a key part of the sales process in many cases.
Incidentally, when I
type "sauna kits in toronto" into local.google.ca,
the company does
come up #1 with map listing A (Finlandia & Saunafin are
two different
trade names for the same company). But the query doesn't
trigger a
local onebox in Google Search.

There is also query ambiguity to consider. Saunas often
refer to actual
facilities with saunas (steambaths), so in this case
"saunas toronto"
does trigger a onebox in Google Search. Perhaps this is
because these
companies have paid some for ads or perhaps it's because
companies in
this industry have thus far triggered more, uh, click
activity than the
guys selling the $15,000 sauna construction kits. If you
live in
Toronto you will notice familiar street names like Church,
Wellesley,
etc. in those oneboxes and you'll probably click if you get
the idea,
and similarly, rejig your search query if you're a DIY
homeowner who
stumbled into the wrong place. 

Cheers,

Andrew

>
> Perhaps it is true that if there are less than x local
listings and only
> one of them is highly authoritative, then Google  will 
do this... but
> doesn't it suggest that if one of those realtors had
just the right
> combination of authority that they could rise to this
level of listing? I
> guess that is the jist of the question at hand.
>
> I am curious if others have noted this behavior in
other markets?
> Are you in the top three of any of the local listings?
>
> Mike Blumenthal
> ________________http://w
ww.blumenthals.com/blogUnderstanding Google Maps
> and Yahoo  Local
>
>
>
>
>
> > > I am suggesting that the local google adwords
could play
> > > a part.
>
> > Mike -- I'm not so sure they could get away with
that across most
> industries.
>
> > I've been running a locally-targeted Adwords
campaign for my
> wife (a
> > real estate agent) for 2+ years now. As you can
imagine, there
> are a
> > ton of real estate agents in the area all
bidding on the same
> > keywords. I'm sure this is the case in many
industries - lots of
> > competition for PPC keywords.
>
> > None of the queries we're bidding on via AdWords
brings up the
> map
> > display in the organic results. You can imagine
how
> > difficult/impossible it would be in an industry
like real estate to
> > pick one agent for the special map display.
>
> > I really think it's more about the algorithm being
able to identify
> > one result as the authority, but as you said,
Mike, there are likely
> > many variables at play here.
>
> > Matt
> > _____________________
> > Small Business SEM
> >http://www.smallbu
sinesssem.com/--


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> I am curious if others have noted this behavior in
other markets?
> Are you in the top three of any of the local listings?
>
>>> I am suggesting that the local google adwords
could play
>>> a part.

I've got two clients showing up with the map as top listings
when 
searching their business names, city and state in a standard
Google 
search.

One is a long term SEO client in California we're also
running an 
Adwords campaign, including local ads. They already rank as
the number 
one result organically for their business name. The map
shows up with 
several keyword phrase and city combos which match their
local Adwords 
terms. It's worth noting that when I discovered this and
called their 
office to point it out to them, they tried the same searches
and got no 
map. (Could be operator error) They are north of San
Francisco and I'm 
in Southern California.

Authority? Yes. Adwords? Yes. Google Local submission? No

The other is a new client in Florida I submitted directly to
Google 
Local last month.  If you search their business name, plus
the city 
name they turn up #1 with the map. (meaning the city is
included twice 
in that search - once in their business name and then as
city, state) 
They are currently not ranking for their business name, nor
are they 
running an Adwords campaign. They rank at #98 organically
right now for 
their business name (which is why they hired me).
Unfortunately their 
business name includes the city, which muddies the waters on
this 
discussion.

Authority? No. Adwords? No. Google Local submission? Yes.

It seems that this local map result is a bit elusive due to
the 
variables involved.

Mike Banks Valentine
http://RealitySEO.com


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I believe that since google Maps is a structured database
there are  
many fewer phrases upon which a client may see a listing and
even  
fewer for the featured "onebox" (the top lisitng
with map, local  
contact info and weblink) on a search phrase. I don't think
Google  
Local tolerates anywhere near the ambiguity of the organic
side.

I also believe that having the keyphrase in the Business
title is one  
of the critical elements in achieving onebox status on that
key phrase.

Thus I believe that you need to pick those one or two phrase
very  
carefully based on a history of previous searches.

As for how much web traffic is generated by Google Local per
say I  
would estimate that it is slightly above 0% if you are not
listed in  
the "top three". Even then web traffic may be
limited but my intution  
says that phone traffic will result. When listed in the
premier  
onebox position I do believe that it generates both web
traffic and  
phone traffic.

We have a sideline business of computer repair that we only
promote  
through Google Local and a yellow page listing. We do no
advertising,  
have no visible storefront, marketing or even website
content on  
this. We receive 3 to 5 calls per week and when queried most
 
repsondants say "we found you on the web". I
myself use Google local  
as a telephone look up and automated dialing (using jpt)
tool for  
finding and calling local business.

In the month of October we received 3% of our web traffic
from the  
phrase "computer Olean NY" for which we have a
featured "onebox" . It  
is the first month that the onebox has been visible and the
first  
month that it has shown up in our stats.

Mike Blumenthal
----
http://www.blumentha
ls.com/blog/ Understanding Google Maps and Yahoo  
Local (or not)

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John

Here is an interesting blog entry from Greg Sterling about
some recent
comScore research (http://www
.searchenginejournal.com/?p=3889) where he
notes:

"Local search is being used as a directory-assistance
substitute by 52%
of users, who are looking for a business phone number or
address. But
the largest category of usage in Q2 (59%) was for
attractions and
entertainment (restaurants, bars, theaters, etc.). Another
large
category was for services at 41% of users, according to
comScore.
Consistent with other data, the majority of local search
users either
contacted a local merchant or paid a visit to that local
business
"offline." But 37% did make an online contact
(email or visited a
site)."

On Oct 10, 11:21 am, "John Krystynak"
<krysty...gmail.com> wrote:
> Has anyone quantified how much traffic they receive
from the Maps listings?
>
> johnk
>
> On 10/10/06, Andrew Goodman <agood...gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Mike, I suppose this depends on the query? For
"search engine marketing
> > consultants in toronto" at local.google.ca,
my company does not appear
> > at all. For "google adwords consultants in
toronto," we come up #1 with
> > a map listing "A."
>
> > However, doing the search at google.ca or
google.com, we're not
> > "featured" as a local company at all (no
local results come up on the
> > second query, and the other companies come up in
the custom local
> > onebox in the first).
>
> > Perhaps this means on the latter query, we nor no
one else qualify to
> > be featured in this way (although we still come up
#1 in the latter
> > query for Google Search overall).
>
> > Perhaps it's a confidence level based on length of
time in the local
> > system, and clicks on the listings, etc. - or
perhaps as you say it
> > also gets helped along by buying the local
Adwords.
>
> > For the user it's a tricky one to say whether
these local results are
> > useful or not in all cases. If you type
"Sauna Kits Toronto," a former
> > client of mine comes up #1 in SERP's as well as
generally #1 in
> > AdWords. That's a status quo they'd like to keep
and I doubt they'd be
> > helped overly much by a map/local listing, even
though their showroom
> > is a key part of the sales process in many cases.
Incidentally, when I
> > type "sauna kits in toronto" into
local.google.ca, the company does
> > come up #1 with map listing A (Finlandia &
Saunafin are two different
> > trade names for the same company). But the query
doesn't trigger a
> > local onebox in Google Search.
>
> > There is also query ambiguity to consider. Saunas
often refer to actual
> > facilities with saunas (steambaths), so in this
case "saunas toronto"
> > does trigger a onebox in Google Search. Perhaps
this is because these
> > companies have paid some for ads or perhaps it's
because companies in
> > this industry have thus far triggered more, uh,
click activity than the
> > guys selling the $15,000 sauna construction kits.
If you live in
> > Toronto you will notice familiar street names like
Church, Wellesley,
> > etc. in those oneboxes and you'll probably click
if you get the idea,
> > and similarly, rejig your search query if you're a
DIY homeowner who
> > stumbled into the wrong place. 
>
> > Cheers,
>
> > Andrew
>
> > > Perhaps it is true that if there are less
than x local listings and only
> > > one of them is highly authoritative, then
Google  will  do this... but
> > > doesn't it suggest that if one of those
realtors had just the right
> > > combination of authority that they could rise
to this level of listing?
> > I
> > > guess that is the jist of the question at
hand.
>
> > > I am curious if others have noted this
behavior in other markets?
> > > Are you in the top three of any of the local
listings?
>
> > > Mike Blumenthal
> > > ________________ht
tp://www.blumenthals.com/blogUnderstandingGoogle Maps
> > > and Yahoo  Local
>
> > > > > I am suggesting that the local
google adwords could play
> > > > > a part.
>
> > > > Mike -- I'm not so sure they could get
away with that across most
> > > industries.
>
> > > > I've been running a locally-targeted
Adwords campaign for my
> > > wife (a
> > > > real
estate agent) for 2+ years now. As you can imagine,
there
> > > are a
> > > > ton of real
estate agents in the area all bidding on the same
> > > > keywords. I'm sure this is the case in
many industries - lots of
> > > > competition for PPC keywords.
>
> > > > None of the queries we're bidding on via
AdWords brings up the
> > > map
> > > > display in the organic results. You can
imagine how
> > > > difficult/impossible it would be in an
industry like real estate to
> > > > pick one agent for the special map
display.
>
> > > > I really think it's more about the
algorithm being able to identify
> > > > one result as the authority, but as you
said, Mike, there are likely
> > > > many variables at play here.
>
> > > > Matt
> > > > _____________________
> > > > Small Business SEM
> > > >http://www.small
businesssem.com/----
> Texsy Ads
> Automatically Monetize Product Mentions on your Sitehttp://www.texsy.com


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