It’s genuinely depressing to think about the totality of words we’ve wasted whining about Google’s pay-to-play model. Not because we regret the time spent educating our readers, but because we wish this weren’t the reality of digital marketing in 2020. Especially during a crippling pandemic. And we know this situation is just as depressing for […]
Have you gotten a call from Google about your AdWords account? Did they tell you that your ads are displaying in other countries and costing you extra money? You’re not alone. Google has been ramping up its AdWords sales efforts—and this means they’ve been aggressively targeting existing AdWords accounts and trying to upsell them. To […]
You already understand the fundamental purpose of blogs: to share information and ideas with your audience. But there’s a more practical reason to blog, too. Evidence shows well maintained and updated blogs can actually strengthen your SEO and improve your rankings over time. Blogs, Keywords, and SEO Stephanie LeVonne explains the SEO benefits of a […]
Your site’s ranking is important. That goes without saying. It’s not the be-all and end-all, but it’s definitely a top concern for businesses that want customers to find them. So, let’s say you’ve already worked hard to fill your site with informative, relevant content and captivating images. It’s frustrating to discover that this isn’t quite enough to […]
Has Yext recently told you there’s incorrect or missing information about your business online? Yext has been sending reports to small business owners claiming that they aren’t listed on certain sites. These reports contain the alleged “results” of a scan of your business’s directory listings. They are completely inaccurate. Their sole function, at best, is to […]
Google’s lackluster attempts to beat back the locksmith scam are misfiring and hitting honest locksmith companies instead. Don’t you feel frustrated when you play by the rules but still get targeted by Google? The unfortunate reality is, due to how widespread the scam is, Google automatically puts locksmiths under the microscope simply for being locksmiths. This means […]
With the growing emphasis on local rankings in Google Maps, it’s easy for business owners to forget about the significance of traditional SEO and organic search rankings. Thankfully, a recent article by Christopher Ratcliff reminds business owners of the enduring importance of organic SEO—especially as it relates to local rankings. The article discusses how Google revealed […]
So, this is pretty unbelievable news. Very quietly, over the last two weeks, some of our country’s biggest search engine companies have moved their operations over to Russia. Google, Yahoo!, and Bing are among these companies. The news hasn’t been publicly announced yet, but we managed to get an early scoop. Why the move? Our […]
Have we told you lately how important it is to answer your phone? We’ve noticed many of our clients have a staggering number of missed calls. It all started with Google. In doing our day-to-day marketing tasks for clients, we discovered many clients are consistently missing important calls from Google. Not only is this a pain for us—because then we […]
When it comes to maintaining your small business’s online presence, it can feel like there are too many variables out of your control. Search engines like Google seem to hold all the cards most of the time. The truth is, unless you know how to plan and execute an effective online advertising campaign—or you hire […]
Is an unprofessional e-mail address holding you back? It’s a common refrain for job seekers, as unprofessional e-mail addresses on resumes can make prospective employers think twice about hiring them. But did you know that it can have the same effect on prospective customers seeking local service providers? An unprofessional e-mail address might convince them not […]
You keep hearing about how important it is to have customer reviews on your Google, Yelp, and Facebook listings. In fact, a majority of what you’ve heard has probably come straight from us. After all, we’re always harping on the fact that customer reviews are crucial because they improve your SEO and make you more appealing […]
Conflicting information is a hidden land mine that business owners step on repeatedly. We’ve talked at length about how the success of a campaign is a result of synergy—all aspects of your online presence working together to generate greater results—but this synergy can be inverted, as well. If there are aspects of your campaign that don’t match or work […]
Make sure you’re getting your money’s worth from Prospect Genius. Avoid these online advertising mistakes that are almost guaranteed to ruin your campaign and wash your money down the drain. 5. Hiring Another SEO Company at the Same Time Many business owners mistakenly believe that hiring an additional SEO company will double their results. In […]
Earlier this year, Google announced that it had reached a deal with Twitter to display tweets in its search results. On May 19, the experts at Search Engine Land noticed that Google was finally executing its plan, as tweets began appearing prominently in a “new and more graphical way” on mobile search results. Desktop searches have not […]
If you’ve been paying attention to our blog lately, you’ll know that Facebook is starting to replace Google as the destination for local search. That’s because it’s easier to ask your Facebook friends for personal recommendations than it is to comb through Google’s search results looking for a seemingly well-reviewed business. If you think about it, […]
Facebook isn’t just for stalking your old classmates anymore. In the past few years, Facebook has evolved into a hub for exchanging information—everything from political opinions to diet tips to breaking news—among friends, coworkers, and relatives. People even outsource their own questions, asking trusted friends who they recommend for local doctors, dentists, hair dressers, repairmen, contractors, and so […]
They say you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet—but try telling that to online consumers. A recent study shows that nearly 80% of consumers in the U.S. and Canada trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. That’s why our blog covers the topic of customer reviews so heavily. With the vast majority of […]
As a business owner in the year 2014, you most likely have a Google+ page. If you’re enrolled in the Prospect Genius Starter or Core program, then you definitely do. But the simple act of having a listing isn’t enough if you want to truly optimize your lead generation. To get the most out of […]
While the world of online advertising is rapidly advancing, most experts still look at it as the Wild West. There aren’t too many standardized methods set in stone, and there sure are a lot of entrepreneurs trying to carve out a niche for themselves. In the spirit of independence and getting rich quick inherent to […]
At Prospect Genius, we’ve seen countless businesses destroy their Internet presence by working with more than one SEO company at the same time. To hardworking small business owners, doubling their efforts just makes sense, especially with the logical assumption that extra manpower and resources will generate even better results. Unfortunately, online advertising is unlike most […]
Day in and day out, we encounter small business owners who are completely misinformed about Google’s policies. In particular, there seems to be a lot of false information about the legitimacy (or lack thereof) of certain online advertising practices. We hate to see trusting business owners get in trouble with Google by making honest, albeit […]
If you’re a savvy business owner with a Google Places listing and some form of an online advertising campaign, then you should be constantly aware of how your efforts are holding up in order to ensure . However, as you’re probably starting to realize, trying to keep your online advertising efforts on track is practically […]
We’ve talked about this issue a bit in past posts, but since this topic keeps coming up, it’s definitely worth reiterating how common mistakes can lead to some pretty major consequences. Since there is about a 50% chance you’re making at least one of these mistakes, please read this post carefully. Some of the consequences […]