local search

How to Minimize Your Damage From Google’s New Platform

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Have you noticed a new type of sponsored result on Google’s search results pages? These ads are for Google’s new platform, Local Services, which Google designed to promote local service providers like plumbers, electricians, handymen, cleaners, locksmiths, and the like.

According to the official website, “Local Services ads help you connect with people who search on Google for the services you offer. Your ads will show up for customers in your area, so you can keep your calendar full.”

Sounds fair enough at first glance. But, wait—doesn’t this description sound familiar? That’s probably because it’s virtually identical to the purpose of any local online directory already in existence, like HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack, Porch, Yelp, and so on. So, why does Google claim Local Services ads are here to “help you connect with people” when such platforms are already doing just that? We’re not buying it. Instead, we have a different theory as to what Google’s true motive is…

Money.

Keep reading to find out how the Local Services platform further advances Google’s pay-to-play model, and how this may hurt small businesses like yours. But don’t panic yet: We also offer up a handful of ways you can counteract the negative effects of Local Services and keep your business in the game.

Let’s jump in!

Is Local Services Just Another Money Grab?

We aren’t here to hurl accusations around. However, given Google’s track record of monetizing everything, it’s not a stretch to come to this conclusion. You see, Google wants to be the main hub for any and all online searches—basically, any internet experience whatsoever—so it’s not surprising that Google is trying to steal this coveted traffic away from other local directories.

We would never blame a company for trying to make more money. However, that’s not the full picture of what’s happening here. The Local Services platform doesn’t just benefit Google at the expense of local directories—it also hurts small, local businesses like yours in several ways.

How does it hurt you? Well, before we dive into that aspect of Local Services, you first have to understand how the platform functions.

How the Local Services Platform Works

Local Services functions like many other online business directories out there: If you decide to sign up as one of Google’s “service providers,” you’ll have your own profile where you add details about your business, including your service area, services offered, and hours of operation. You can also manage leads and communicate with potential customers via the platform.

Mainly, though, Local Services is yet another way for Google to get money from businesses. First, in order to get the status of “Google Guaranteed” (see image below), you have to go through a comprehensive background and reputation check, which can be a costly and time-consuming process. And then, of course, you have to pay every time you receive a lead through Local Services. And this brings us to the biggest issue…

Local Services Runs on Ads

Google uses the information in Local Services profiles to generate paid ads. When people search for home services, they’ll see sponsored results advertising specific local businesses at the top of the page, above the AdWords results.

Google ranks and displays Local Services ads in order based on the following criteria:

Proximity to potential customers
Number of positive customer reviews
Overall “score” (star rating) on Google
Responsiveness to messages on the platform
Whether they’re currently open or not
Number of complaints about the business

Here’s an example of a local search for “plumber”:

As you can see, Local Services ads are nothing flashy—they merely show your business name, star rating, location, phone number, and hours of operation. However, they dominate the top of the search results page, even overtaking AdWords placement. Needless to say, businesses with Local Services ads are going to get A LOT more leads via Google search. But here’s the kicker…

Favoring Big Companies Over Small Businesses

Now, between Local Services AND AdWords, nearly half the search results page is taken up by paid advertisements. This only fuels the common criticism that Google is digging its heels further and further into a pay-to-play model.

In this way, Local Services is just the latest in a long line of grievances that small business can levy against Google. This is yet another example of Google favoring big businesses and screwing over the little guy.

First of all, as we outlined above, Local Services further alienates small businesses with limited budgets by making it virtually impossible to rank unless you fork over a substantial amount of cash. Plus, you have to pay for every lead that comes in through your ad.

But it gets worse…

Tanking Your Website Traffic

Not only does Local Services’s pay-to-play model prevent you from competing with your bigger competitors, but it also directly hurts your website traffic because your site is not as visible in search results. As a result of lower traffic, your SEO authority takes a hit. Moreover, you’ll look at your low visitor numbers and assume something is wrong with your site, even though your site has nothing to do with the problem.

We’ve already seen this happen with many website owners. They notice their website traffic and incoming calls have plummeted—and immediately blame their SEO provider. In reality, these low numbers are merely an unfortunate symptom of Local Services gaining prominence and siphoning off potential local customers. However, the website owner doesn’t realize this, and they get angry and fire their SEO provider.

These feelings of anger, fear, and frustration are a completely valid response to what’s happening here. But quitting your current SEO program will only lead to catastrophe. If you stop SEO, you’ll have to start over with nothing, now facing even stronger headwinds than you did before.

Your Solution: Adapt and Act!

If you’re not angry right now, check your pulse. Google has a long history of pushing this pay-to-play model, which naturally favors big companies and stacks the deck against small businesses. This isn’t anything new, per se. It always feels like Google ignores any harm done to small businesses, as long as it keeps raking in cash.

Unfortunately, we don’t have the power to tackle this Goliath head on. What we can do, however, is find ways to work around it and minimize the damage. Thankfully, the local search landscape is changing, and Google isn’t the be-all and end-all that it used to be. There are many other platforms that, when leveraged to their maximum potential, can be extremely effective at generating leads. You just have to get creative.

Here are some strategies you should consider incorporating into your marketing plan:

Facebook Ads: Target ads to put yourself right in front of local customers on Facebook. This has proven to be a very powerful tool for many of the local business owners we work with.
Word of mouth: Ask your existing customers to spread the word about you. Have them leave reviews on Facebook, Google, and any other directories you use.
Branding & reputation management: Be more intentional in how you present your company. By carefully planning your brand (e.g. logo, slogan, uniforms, signage, etc.), you’ll generate more familiarity and recognition among your local community.
PPC: Yes, we did just spend the better part of an entire blog post complaining about Google’s pay-to-play model. However, complaining doesn’t change the fact that Google is the prevailing destination for local search. You can still avoid the pains and costs of Local Services, though, by opting for an intelligently planned AdWords campaign, instead. When your campaign is designed and monitored by a savvy marketing specialist, you’ll be able to keep click costs affordable and adhere to a modest budget.
SEO: Do the opposite of quitting your SEO campaign—invest in SEO even more! Let’s put it this way: If the local search pie has gotten smaller, you need to at least make sure your share of the pie doesn’t shrink any further.
Community apps: There are free mobile apps like Houzz and Nextdoor where you can promote yourself to local customers who need your services. These apps will help local homeowners find your business based on what kind of home improvement project they’re undertaking.

So, the bottom line: Even though Google has made the playing field even less fair, you still aren’t powerless. Use that anger you’re feeling and funnel it into other channels. As we said above, social media platforms like Facebook are super-effective alternatives. And don’t be afraid to go offline, either: There’s plenty of real-world marketing you can do in your local community through good ol’ fashioned word of mouth and networking.

Any questions? Give us a call or fill out the contact form to chat with one of our specialists!

Could You Be Targeted Next by Google's Aggressive New Filter?

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Raise your hand if you wish Google would stop making secret updates already! Just when you think you’ve mastered local search, Google launches a change that turns everything on its head. This time, it’s the Hawk update.
This latest update has serious, wide-reaching consequences for small, local businesses like yours. It’s crucial you understand the impact this update could have on your business. That way you can take steps to protect yourself. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know.

First, a Quick Summary of Google’s Hawk Update

At the end of August 2017, local SEO expert Joy Hawkins detected a change in Google’s local search filter. She noticed that Google’s search results had stopped showing certain businesses that used to rank locally. As it turns out, Google was bumping select businesses if they shared a similar category and street address with another business that had a higher ranking.
To be fair, Hawkins notes that this is an improvement on the update immediately preceding it. The previous update (known as “Possum”) applied to any businesses that were even *near* each other. So, if two plumbers were located on the same block, one of them would be filtered out of the results. Thankfully, the Hawk update seems to have rectified that.
Now, the local search algorithm narrows its focus on businesses that share the same street address and category. The intention, Hawkins explains, is “to help ensure that multiple listings for the same company don’t monopolize the search results.” However, it’s having a massively negative effect on many legitimate businesses.

How the Hawk Update Affects You

You might think, “Well, good. That means fewer spammers and impostors.” To an extent, you’d be right. However, lots of local businesses share commercial building space. Moreover, many local service providers (like plumbers, handymen, appliance repairmen, etc.) operate out of their homes and use P.O. boxes and UPS stores for their listings to avoid advertising their home addresses. They’re perfectly legitimate businesses, but their listings are now vulnerable.
In fact, we are seeing Google auto-suspend numerous clients with virtual mailboxes (especially UPS Stores) as soon as we try to verify their listings. This tells us Google is maintaining a database of virtual addresses so it can prevent businesses from using them. Ever since the Hawk update rolled out (and even a little earlier), we haven’t been able to use a UPS Store address for a new client without the listing getting suspended.
If that all sounds too technical, let’s boil it down. Here’s what you need to know: Google’s new update poses a major threat to any business that uses a virtual mailbox. If you use a UPS Store or a similar type of virtual address, Google could bump you from local search results while a competitor remains. According to Hawkins, when there’s more than one business at the same location, “Google picks the most relevant listing of the bunch and filters the rest. It’s very similar to what they do organically with duplicate content.”
But how does Google pick “the most relevant listing”? That, in keeping with Google’s m.o., is a mystery. However, based on past and current trends, we can assume Google makes this distinction the same way it assigns ranking: by looking at a business’s website content, customer reviews, backlinks, and other supporting data.
In short, you may be affected by this latest update if you:

Rent space in a commercial building that also houses similar businesses
Use a mailbox at a nearby UPS store to avoid listing your private residence
Do either of these two things and don’t have an established web presence yet

Needless to say, this applies to a lot of businesses. So, this begs the question: How can you prevent damage to your listing?

How to Protect Your Local Business Listing

There are no guarantees when it comes to Google. However, you can minimize the likelihood of Google filtering you out by making some changes. For example:

Just use your home address. This is the best option because, ultimately, this is what Google wants. It wants every business using a physical street address. All signs point to Google only becoming more aggressive with virtual addresses in the future. Biting the bullet and switching to your home address will cause less trouble in the long run.
If you really don’t want to use your home address, choose another virtual mailbox that’s not a UPS Store. (We can help you choose one.)
Start building your web presence and get more reviews on your listing. Lead Google to view your business as the “most relevant.” This way, it will be less likely to bump you from the search results.

Unfortunately, there’s no quick or easy solution here because every case is so different. Your chances of being filtered out of local search results go up or down depending on your location, industry, and competitors. In other words, the solution can only be determined on a case-by-case basis.
For this reason, our specialists are available to help any business owner who is concerned about the Hawk update. We’ll check out your web presence, analyze your case, and provide you with a sound strategy to minimize damage. Please don’t hesitate to call or email us for help.

Don't Be Afraid to Get Emotional in Local Search

Last Updated: July 27, 2017

At first thought, you might not believe emotions have anything to do with local searches for things like appliance repairs, junk removal services, or window installation. Indeed, these topics appear rather dry. However, as Ryan Shelley uncovers in his recent article on Search Engine Land, emotion is what powers every local search, and what ultimately leads to a purchasing decision—whether we’re conscious of it or not.

Pain and Pleasure as Motivation

In his article, Shelley discusses the two specific emotions that motivate consumers to make a purchasing decision:

The desire to soothe pain
The desire to obtain pleasure

Or, as he succinctly puts it: “Pain and pleasure are key driving forces behind every person’s action.”
Therefore, your online content should capture at least one of these emotions. For most local service providers, your appeal is your ability to alleviate your customer’s pain: You fix the broken washing machine that’s been making laundry difficult; you unclog the dishwasher that suddenly overflowed in the middle of the night; you troubleshoot the old furnace to figure out why their utility bills have been astronomical; and so on.
Of course, other businesses like car audio installers and home remodeling contractors are successful because they deliver pleasure: a fun, high-quality speaker system or a beautiful, new kitchen. You get the idea.

Target Your Customers’ Emotions in Your Content

It’s up to you to know your customer base and their motivations, and how your business makes life better for them. Why does a typical customer call you? What are the pain points they frequently wish to resolve? Alternatively, what are the luxuries they seek to enjoy? And, most importantly for either scenario, how does your business help them solve their problems and meet their specific needs?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll have a much more effective presence in local search. That is, once all of your online content—including business listings, social media posts, and website pages—addresses them head on. Appeal to your customers’ needs and demonstrate how you meet them. By targeting their basic desires to seek pleasure and avoid pain, you’ll dramatically increase your leads and improve your chances of closing more jobs.
Want more details on how emotions help you connect with customers via local search? Read Shelley’s full article: “The Psychology of Search: Unleashing the Power of Connection.”
And to learn more about what it takes to enhance your local search performance, read our previous blog post: “Want to Dominate Local Search? Here’s One Thing You Need.”

Are You Doing Enough to Get Noticed on Facebook?

Last Updated: July 20, 2017

Today, Facebook essentially doubles as a business directory. It provides businesses with their own pages to display contact information, details about products and services, photos, and more. In this sense, Facebook pages aren’t much different from Google My Business listings. That’s why a growing number of people aren’t even using Google for local business searches anymore. Of course, Google is still dominating local searches, but Facebook is increasing in prominence.
Most small business owners like you are taking steps to be visible in search engine results. But what are you doing to make sure you get in front of consumers who never even make it to a search engine? What are you doing to get noticed on Facebook?
In this blog post, we’ll talk about why you can’t afford to ignore your audience on Facebook. Then, we’ll discuss some of the basic things you need to get in front of that audience. Let’s dive in!

Why You Can’t Forgo Facebook

Why isn’t a presence on Google enough? Because people are crowdsourcing their needs on social media, particularly on Facebook, like never before.
Think about it: The generation that came of age with social media is now the generation that makes up a large portion of first-time home buyers (the median age of first-time home buyers is 32). As they enter the world of homeownership, they’ve got a lot of questions. Whereas older generations might have called their parents or relatives for advice, the younger generation is turning to a space they’re more comfortable with—Facebook—to poll multiple friends simultaneously.
These days, it’s not uncommon to see Facebook posts like:

“Our water heater broke last night. Does anyone have a recommendation for a repairman?”
“Our dishwasher is clogged. Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Is it something we can fix ourselves?”
“Anyone know what might be causing our grass to keep turning brown? Should we call a landscaper?”
“Has anyone installed new windows recently? Ours need to be replaced and we’d love to get a quote.”

Beyond crowdsourcing, Facebook is simply the go-to platform for many members of this generation. Because they’ve been using Facebook for well over 10 years, it’s woven into the fabric of their daily lives. Virtually everyone they know has a Facebook profile. They expect businesses to have Facebook pages, too.
So, if lots of people are searching for topics related to your business right there on Facebook, and they expect you to have a Facebook page with all your info, why would you opt not to have one? Why not make it as easy as possible for them to find you? If you’re not on Facebook, they’ll likely find your competition, instead.

How to Make People Notice You on Facebook

Now that we’ve established how essential a Facebook page is for your business, let’s look at some ways you can get in front of the right people.
1. Flesh Out Your Page
Go through all the “About” sections on your Facebook page and fill out every detail you can. Make sure you include the correct phone number, street address, website URL, and business hours. Also, make certain your business category, i.e. what you do, is crystal clear from the moment someone lands on your page.
2. Don’t Forget About Photos
Include as many photos as possible! High-quality profile pictures, cover photos, and photos in your gallery are crucial in appealing to the visual nature of social media. Keep in mind, shared photos also perform better (reach more viewers) than written updates on your news feed. Overall, photos are a crucial avenue to get noticed on Facebook.

READ: “Why You Need High-Quality Images on Social Media to Build Trust”

3. Get Lots of Customer Reviews
People are constantly seeking social proof when considering a new place to visit or company to hire. Have other people used this company? Did they enjoy the experience? If people don’t see customer reviews on your page, they’ll assume you’re not particularly well known, which, in their minds, equates to you not being a reputable business. Therefore, you need to get as many customer reviews as you can.

READ: “How to Get More Customer Reviews Just by Asking for Them”

4. Boost Your Posts Regularly
With the way Facebook works for businesses these days, it’s difficult for your posts to reach a wide audience unless you pay to “boost” them. Sponsoring your posts is par for the course now. Doing so allows you to target your desired audience according to details like age, location, and interests. Then, Facebook gets your content in front of the right people.
Sharing an update without boosting it is like whispering into a noisy crowd. Boosting an update gives you the megaphone you need to rise above the constant din and get noticed on Facebook.
5. Engage With Your Audience
Facebook isn’t just about sharing your own updates. You also need to reply to people’s comments, like other people’s posts, and generally interact with your audience. This demonstrates to your page visitors that you’re active and involved and that you care about others.
6. Respond Quickly to Messages
Our last tip is very straightforward. When someone sends your business a private message on Facebook, respond ASAP. They’re probably asking you a question about your services, products, or business hours, and they require a prompt answer (or else they’ll move on to a competitor). Moreover, Facebook will actually do you a favor and let people know if you have a fast response rate. Next to the “Send message” option, your page will say, “Typically replies within an hour” or something similar. Facebook won’t display anything if you have a slow response rate, but you want to accrue these little selling points to make your business stand out.
Using these recommendations, you’ll sharply increase your chances of being discovered by local customers, even if they never search on Google. Good luck! And don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Is Facebook Preparing to Take Over Google in Local Search?

Last Updated: June 22, 2017

We’ve lightly joked before that Facebook is the new Google. This is mainly because Facebook users are asking their social network for recommendations of local businesses rather than conducting their own searches on Google. However, as Wesley Young wrote in a recent article on Search Engine Land, Facebook has made several updates over the past couple of years that point to a greater focus on local businesses and places. In other words, it looks like Facebook is preparing to challenge Google’s monopoly on local search.
We’re all aware that Google uses a massive amount of data from its users to hone its algorithms and laser-target search results for each user. However, Facebook has a comparable volume of data:

With its huge base of users and volume of personal data on them, Facebook has great potential for helping users in their search for local products/services and helping businesses get found. All the components are there: millions of business pages, location data, behavior data, demographic information, social networks and engagement.

In other words, Facebook already has a tremendous amount of potential to compete with Google in the local search sphere.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how Young says Facebook is making moves toward a bigger emphasis on local search. We’ve reduced and simplified many of Young’s points, so please check out his full article, “7 Changes by Facebook That Make It a Real Local Search Player,” for more details. It’s an in-depth, insightful piece that’s definitely worth the read!

1. Better Location Accuracy

Young uses the example of his search for nearby Italian restaurants. He compares results from November 2015 and June 2017 (present). In 2015, Facebook search displayed restaurants from across the country and across the globe. Today, Facebook search displays restaurants within a two-mile radius and even arranges them on a local map, much like Google’s local search results.

2. Smarter Understanding of Search Terms

Facebook is now able to infer when a user is searching for a place or business rather than a general topic. It also presents “Places” listings at the top of the general search results whenever a place is relevant. At the same time, Facebook knows when you’re searching for a discussion topic or news item, instead. So it’s gotten much more adept at deciphering the context and motivation behind search terms.

3. More Detailed Search Results

Instead of barely relevant or minimally informative, Facebook business listings now offer as much detail as most Google business listings. They show profile pictures, full contact information, distance from the user, star rating, and whether the business is still open for the day. In other words, Facebook’s local listings give you all the same information you’d seek on Google.

4. Better Recall of Information

Facebook now keeps track of and remembers information about businesses and places that users have posted about or checked into. Not only does this lead to more accurate search results, but it also gives Facebook the ability to suggest search terms while a user is typing, much like Google does.

5. Use of Facebook Friends Within Search Results

Wisely, Facebook is using its mountains of social data to supplement local search listings. Now, Facebook Places listings may show you which of your friends have also checked in or posted about each business. Considering that many users already ask their Facebook friends for recommendations and referrals, this addition is brilliant. It’s essentially a built-in recommendation.

6. Greater Effort to Clean Up Business Info

If you checked in to a local place or business recently, you may have been confronted with a series of follow-up questions from Facebook—questions like, “Are this business’s hours from 8 AM to 9 PM?” or “Is this business located at 12 Main St.?” Facebook has been asking users to verify local business information in order to deliver more accurate results overall.

7. Addition of New “City Guides”

Facebook has a new feature that compiles and highlights popular spots in a specified city, based on its own social data. It will tell you which of your friends have visited that city, and then you can see which businesses each of those friends checked into. Again, this takes the idea of asking friends for recommendations and turns it into a local search feature.
So, what’s the takeaway for your local business? Make sure your Facebook page is completely filled out (including your exact physical location) and that you add as much detail as possible to your service descriptions. This will give you a greater chance of being picked up by Facebook’s ever-improving search function.
Good luck!

Prospect Genius

Don't Be Afraid to Get Emotional in Local Search

Pain and Pleasure as Motivation

Target Your Customers’ Emotions in Your Content

Is Facebook Preparing to Take Over Google in Local Search?

1. Better Location Accuracy

2. Smarter Understanding of Search Terms

3. More Detailed Search Results

4. Better Recall of Information

5. Use of Facebook Friends Within Search Results

6. Greater Effort to Clean Up Business Info

7. Addition of New “City Guides”

Contact Us

Business Hours

Let’s Connect!

What Drives Us?

Client Portal App

Helpful Links

Sign up for our newsletter!