Blog – Page 31

5 Examples of Google Not Caring About Your Best Interests

Last Updated: June 15, 2017

How many times have you heard Google claim its most recent update is designed to improve user experience? We hear this claim so frequently, it’s fair to call it Google’s M.O. However, when Google refers to users, is it really referring to advertisers?
The truth is, for many users—particularly small business owners who seek local visibility on Google—their best interests often do not align with Google’s. At the end of the day, it’s a corporation, and its bottom line is all about revenue. You have to expect Google to be self-serving on occasion. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
In this blog post, we’ve outlined some of the most recent examples of how Google doesn’t always have your best interests at heart. While you may think we’re just venting here (and you wouldn’t be totally wrong), we want this to function as a kind of PSA. It’s a reminder to always take Google’s actions with a grain of salt and a strong dose of skepticism.
Now, let’s rant.

1. Google Only Allows Businesses to List One Phone Number for Every Physical Location.

On Google Maps, there’s often a major discrepancy between a company’s real-life operation and Google’s strict guidelines.
For example, Google only allows businesses to list one phone number for every physical location. But as many business owners know, that may not mesh with the way a company actually operates. There are countless reasons to have more than one phone number for the same primary address, particularly if you have different branches or you serve multiple area codes.
However, it’s much simpler for Google to create an algorithm that only allows a 1-to-1 scenario. Google wants to prevent spam wherever possible, and allowing for too many human variables would overwhelm its algorithms. So, essentially, instead of creating a system that’s influenced by how businesses operate in real life, it’s trying to create a system that influences how businesses operate. As you may know firsthand, this means a lot of headaches for business owners.

2. Google Maps Service Areas Are Often Too Rigid for Businesses Without a Storefront.

Google also makes it difficult for local service providers to operate out of their own homes (which many repairmen and handymen do). It’s not impossible, as Google does allow these types of businesses to list a service area instead of their home address, for privacy’s sake; however, the implementation of these service areas is not always helpful for businesses.
For example, a handyman who lives 20 miles outside of a big city may not have the option of listing themselves as serving that city, even though that’s where they primarily do business. This restricts their visibility precisely where they want to be visible.
Again, this comes back to Google seeking to crack down on spam and simplify its algorithms. It’s too much work for Google to accommodate all the legitimate ways companies do business. Instead, it sometimes draws a hard line and creates another obstacle for you.

3. Google Now Allows Ads to Crowd Out Real Content on Webpages.

In spring 2017, Google announced it is lifting its restriction on 300×250 ads appearing above the fold on mobile webpages. In other words, big advertisements may now crowd users’ screens before they even see any of the content (headline, images, or text) on the page.
According to Google’s official announcement, this update will be done in a “user-friendly way” that won’t “annoy, distract, or result in ad performance issues.” However, that seems unlikely, as Google itself previously restricted this exact ad placement due to concerns about user experience.
Indeed, in a TechCrunch article outlining the new guideline, Sarah Perez points out:

After all, this restriction was originally put in place because it was not user-friendly. A medium-sized rectangle, by its very nature, will push much of the page’s content below the fold, as the ad itself takes up a good chunk of the screen.

Clearly, Google’s concern isn’t user experience. If it were, it would prevent paid ads from overtaking content. Instead, Google is favoring the desires of paying advertisers over its users.

4. Google May Edit Your Business Listing Without Your Knowledge or Consent.

When Google decides a piece of information on your listing needs correcting (based on data it collected elsewhere or input from other users), it just automatically makes the change. It’s up to you to check your listing regularly and catch any edits that aren’t actually true.
Compare this to how Facebook operates: When another user suggests a correction to your page’s information (e.g. phone number or store hours), it notifies you first. It asks whether you want to make this change instead of making the change unilaterally.
Our guess is that Google makes these changes on its own because it wants to provide users with the most up-to-date information possible. However, if it also wants that information to be accurate, then it should probably wait until it receives verification from business owners. And let’s not forget the impact this has on businesses. Competitors can sabotage other businesses by suggesting different phone numbers or addresses, and Google will be an accomplice.

5. Google’s “Featured Snippets” Directly Take Away Traffic From Top Search Results.

First, let’s clarify what a featured snippet is. You’ve most likely seen one in your own searches. When a user asks a question in Google Search, Google pulls the answer from a webpage and presents it to you. In other words, it gives users what it thinks they want, without users having to click anything.
From one perspective, featured snippets are super convenient. However, a couple problems exist. First of all, the snippets often take an “answer” out of context and deliver flat-out misinformation.
Second of all—and this is more troubling for website owners—a recent study by Ahrefs shows featured snippets take a substantial amount of traffic away from the rest of the search results. According to Barry Schwartz’s article on Search Engine Land:

Without a featured snippet, the first result gets a 26 percent click-through rate. With it, it only gets a 19.6 percent click-through rate, and the featured snippet gets an 8.6 percent click-through rate.

This is a clear attempt by Google to keep users on its own website. Not many people click on the snippets because they believe they’ve received the information they were looking for. And, of course, they don’t bother scrolling below the snippets to look at the list of search results. As a result, businesses lose significant traffic and potential leads.

And There Are Still More Examples…

Google completely reversed its policy on customer review kiosks. It actually used to recommend having a kiosk or some type of computer setup in your storefront for customers to leave you a review right then and there. This helped lots of businesses get the customer reviews they needed for success. But then, suddenly and inexplicably, Google reversed its position and started penalizing businesses for this practice instead.
For years, Google used to say they would never allow advertising in the Google Maps realm. Now, of course, they do.
Google Shopping is 100% powered by AdWords. Only paying advertisers appear in the results. There’s a huge lack of transparency here. Users don’t know they aren’t seeing an exhaustive list of results.

The list goes on and on.
Please bear in mind, we aren’t trying to paint Google as some sort of evil corporation from an ’80s sci-fi flick. Rather, we just want to encourage you to think more critically about some of Google’s practices and realize that you can’t always trust it to do what’s best for your business. That’s why you need to be proactive and take an educated approach to all of your online marketing efforts.
Can you think of any other ways Google might favor advertisers over users? Reach out to us and let us know what you think!

How to Compete on Social Media Without Spending a Dime

Last Updated: June 8, 2017

You’ve heard that social media—particularly Facebook—is vital for small, local business owners. But why?
In many ways, social media has become its own form of search. Many people today search on Facebook before ever turning to Google when they’re looking for a local business. They turn to their social network and ask for recommendations or referrals for whatever service they need. (“Can anyone recommend a good plumber in the Albany area?”) For most people, it’s easier to poll their friends and family for trustworthy input than to blindly scroll through search engine results.
This makes it crucial for you to create and maintain a presence on Facebook (and other social media platforms), where locals are already looking for and discussing your products and/or services. This way, they can find you without having to navigate to another website. And when they do find your Facebook page, they’ll see your posts, photos, reviews, and contact information—basically, everything they need to decide whether they want to give you a call.

But How Can You Stand Out Without Paying?

Unfortunately, the most effective way to grab attention on social media is to pay for sponsored posts. Facebook and other social media platforms want to make money from ad revenue, so they’ve severely restricted the organic (i.e. unpaid) reach of company pages. In other words, if you want your posts to reach a larger audience, you have to pay.
However, due to tight budgets and a rugged opposition to being forced to do anything, many small business owners are reluctant to pay for each and every post. Completely understandable. However, since being on social media is no longer optional, you need to find a workaround. So how do you stay competitive in a game that largely follows a pay-to-play model? How do you keep from blending in with all the organic static? That’s what we’re going to look at in this post.
There’s no silver bullet for beating Facebook’s algorithms, but there are certain things you can do to ensure your posts are as interesting and engaging as possible for the people who see them. Keep reading to discover how you can stand out in your audience’s news feed for free!

1. Don’t Write Long Posts

Let’s face it: Most people don’t like reading. (We hope you’re not one of them, because you’re already more than 300 words into this blog post…)
So, if you’re sharing a status update, keep it short and sweet. This is especially true for when you have a specific piece of information you want to communicate. By and large, your audience isn’t likely to read more than a few lines of text, so make sure your updates are straight to the point. Say what you need to say, and hit “Send.”

2. Write Posts With Your Readers in Mind

If your posts have a lot of technical jargon, too many ten-letter words, or just generally don’t appeal to your audience’s sensibilities, then they aren’t going to grab your audience’s attention. Avoid this problem by asking yourself:

What are your audience’s interests?
What do they care about?
What kind of problems do they want to solve?

Mold all of your posts—written or visual—to fit what your audience wants to hear about. It may seem like a no-brainer, but don’t bother posting anything that doesn’t apply to the above questions.

3. Show Off Your Personality

Whether it’s a status update or photo, make sure whatever you’re posting is an authentic representation of your personality. Don’t be afraid to make your presence personal. People want to see the real humans behind the company logo, especially when it comes to small, local businesses. Showing off your personality will differentiate you from the competition.

4. Build Relationships With Your Biggest Fans

Who are the people who most often engage with your posts? Who are the people in your local community who have a lot of influence and a wide audience? Try to connect with these individuals via social media and build a relationship with them. They’ll be more likely to promote you on social media, and they may even remember to refer you to their friends.

5. Play Off Emotions

People respond in a stronger manner to advertisements that evoke an emotion. Jeremy Ellens says it best in his article, “Effective Marketing Appeals to Emotions Instead of Reason”:

The best way for your business to stand out is by building emotional connections with your audience. Your business needs to acknowledge that selling a product is no longer enough. Now it’s all about the experience you provide with it. This experience is dependent on your ability to trigger the right emotions, from the right audience, at the right time.

Apply this to your social media presence. What’s going to make people remember you? If you provide them with an emotional experience, you’ll make an indelible impression. For the purposes of your social media content, you want your posts to:

Make them laugh.
Amuse or entertain them.
Captivate them with a story.
Inspire them.

By following our recommendations in this post, you’ll be able to capture your audience’s attention and attract more prospective customers through social media—without paying a dime to sponsor a post!

How to Arm Yourself Against Dangerous Phishing Scams

Last Updated: February 15, 2024

Have you gotten this phone call?
Caller: “Hi, this is Alan from Vandelay Web Services. We scanned Google for your business and, according to our report, your business is not currently on Google.”
You: “Uh… That’s weird because I work with an online marketing company that manages my Google listing for me.”
Caller: “Well, your business isn’t visible. Clearly, you need our service. If you sign up with us right now, we’ll put you on Google and hundreds of other sites. You’ll rank number one in a week.”
You: “Hmm. That doesn’t sound right…”
Don’t fall for it! It’s a scam.
We’ve had numerous clients call us with concerns about this kind of sketchy phone call or e-mail. Thankfully, they did the right thing by hanging up and notifying us. As soon as we showed these clients their claimed, fully optimized listings on Google (and elsewhere), they were relieved they didn’t fall for the scam.
However, we fear many others have received similar calls or e-mails in the past and never heard those alarm bells go off in their heads. That’s why we wanted to share some need-to-know information about this specific scam, as well as phishing scams in general, with you.
This blog post will arm you with the knowledge you need to protect your business, your money, and your personal information. So without further ado, let’s dive in!

The “You’re Not on Google” Scam

In this scam, a business owner receives a phone call or e-mail stating that their business is missing from Google and/or other essential online directories.
We know it’s a scam because our own clients are frequent recipients of these calls and e-mails. As our clients, they each have claimed, optimized listings on Google and countless other places on the web. We also routinely check all of our clients’ Google listings as part of our service. So when one of our clients receives a phone call or e-mail stating otherwise, we know right away it’s a scam.
However, the perpetrators are skilled at intimidating and manipulating innocent business owners. Their e-mails are aggressive and misleading; their phone calls are pushy and don’t take no for an answer. They regularly scare unsuspecting business owners into signing up and paying for services they don’t need.
For these unfortunate business owners, the consequences are brutal. They lose money because they’re paying exorbitant fees for services they don’t need. Moreover, their web presence crumbles because they’ve now given a scammer access to their Google account. It’s like they’ve handed over their keys to a car thief.

The Classic Phishing Scam

You’ve probably seen or heard of this before, but maybe you never quite understood what it meant.
First, you need to know the goal of any phishing scam is to obtain personal information from you so the culprit can steal your identity. It can be an account password, credit card number, social security number, or any other piece of sensitive information that will enable the scammer to commit identity theft.
You may think, “Well, duh. Just don’t give your credit card number to strangers.” But that’s where these scams get complicated. If you’ve ever received a phishing e-mail or phone call, then you know how sophisticated some of these scams can be. They can be pretty convincing and trick you into believing they’re coming from legitimate sources. Often, they’re posing as your bank, a government agency, or your favorite online platform. They provide a backstory for why they need your information, typically explaining that your account has been compromised or you have an overdue balance—something that will scare you into cooperating.
Most often, phishing scams occur via e-mail. However, phishing via telephone is not uncommon.

What Are the Signs of a Scam?

Whether it’s a generic phishing scam or a more targeted scam, the people behind it try to manipulate or intimidate you into sharing your information. Look beyond their story for the following red flags:

Request for sensitive information
- Username and/or password
- Social security number
- Bank account or routing number
- Credit card number
- Answers to security questions
In e-mails, poor grammar and spelling
Misleading links
- Hover your mouse over the link and check the URL. If the URL doesn’t look right (i.e. it has a fake-looking domain name, or it doesn’t go where the link says it’s going), do not click on it.
Reference to an action you know you didn’t take
- For example, you never signed up for their services, or you never entered a sweepstakes.
Statements that contradict reality
- For example, they say you’re not on Google, but you know you are.
Unrealistic threats
- For example, the “IRS” threatens to seize your assets if you don’t send them your bank account number via e-mail;
- Your Google listing will be deleted unless you pay for x service.
Bad gut feeling
- Trust your instincts! If something feels suspicious or not quite right, delete the e-mail or hang up the phone.

How to Protect Yourself From Scams

Be skeptical. First of all, keep in mind that no bank, government agency, or other reputable organization will ever call or e-mail you asking for account numbers, credit card numbers, social security numbers, or other confidential information.
Go back to the source. If you do receive such a request, google the purported organization before you click, reply, or give any type of response. Go to its website, find the customer service phone number, and call. Once you’re speaking with a representative, summarize the contact you received and ask them whether it’s a real communication from their organization. This will help you verify whether it’s a legitimate request or a phishing scam.
View e-mails in plain text. You can protect yourself by viewing all of your e-mails in plain text (as opposed to HTML). This will expose any hidden URLs that you might have accidentally clicked on if you’d only seen the e-mail in HTML.
Block shady phone numbers. You can download an app like Mister Number on your smartphone, and it will automatically block any phone number that’s been reported as a scam. Or, for Prospect Genius clients, you can use one of our CallTrax™ lines, which block scam phone numbers as soon as we’re aware of them.

Trust Your Gut

We said this earlier, but it bears repeating. If what the caller or sender is saying just doesn’t quite make sense, or the link in the e-mail doesn’t look like a normal link, don’t take any action. Don’t give them the information they want. Don’t click on the link. Don’t pay or sign up for any service. Just hang up the phone or delete the e-mail. Then, give us a call to get our advice. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

The Google My Business Updates You Didn't Hear About

Last Updated: May 26, 2017

If you follow our blog at all, then you know at least a little bit about the ever-changing nature of Google. The search giant is constantly updating its algorithm and the way it presents information to users. For major updates, Google typically makes a public announcement. However, for smaller changes, there’s often no warning. Webmasters and marketers are left to detect and analyze updates on their own. This is where Internet marketing specialists really earn their stripes.
It should come as no surprise, then, that there’s been more than one Google My Business update this year that flew under the radar. In fact, according to a recent article by Joy Hawkins on Search Engine Land, there have been at least seven. Hawkins’s article, “7 Unannounced Updates to Google My Business We’ve Seen in 2017,” illuminates them and offers helpful, actionable advice on how to deal with them. We highly recommend reading the full article!
In this blog post, we wanted to highlight a few of these Google My Business updates. The updates we chose particularly relate to our clients, who tend to be local business owners and service providers. Let’s get started!

“Permanently Closed” Listings No Longer Appear in Local Results

First, Google has stopped listing businesses labeled “permanently closed” in its local finder. This is good for users, as they won’t have to bother with closed locations in their search results. However, it could prove to be a potent weapon for dishonest business owners who mark their competitors as “permanently closed.” Since Google doesn’t notify you when your business is labeled as such, you won’t have any way of knowing about this label unless you check your Google My Business dashboard.

You Actually Can Review Edits to Google Business Listings

Another discreet Google My Business update is the new capability of reviewing edits to your business listing. Ever since Google got rid of MapMaker, countless business owners—and even SEO practitioners—have mistakenly believed there was no way to see edits made to their listings. However, as it turns out, you can review any edits made to your listing from the Google Maps app on your smartphone. (Hawkins points out that practitioners never noticed this feature because they’re typically working on desktops, not mobile devices.) Unfortunately, the only other way to review edits is to be an official Local Guide, which is essentially an elite Google Maps user. This capability for all Local Guides is the actual update; unfortunately, it doesn’t help too many small business owners. Still, most people were not aware they could use the Google Maps app for this purpose, so this is good news to many of us.

Google Is Removing Website Links From Certain Local Search Packs

A third Google My Business update that’s slowly affecting more industries has to do with what Hawkins refers to as the local “Snack Pack.” The Snack Pack is a specific layout for local search results that, for some reason, does not include links to businesses’ websites. Instead, each item in the results gives only the business name, address, phone number, and rating, plus a photo.
This tells us two things: 1.) Google wants to keep users on Google sites and not encourage them to visit other pages; 2.) It’s incredibly important to have your Google My Business profile completely filled out, in detail. This way, users can get as much information as possible from your listing since they’ll be less likely to navigate to your website. So far, according to Hawkins’s article, the industries affected are pest control companies, jewelry shops, and sporting goods stores. Knowing Google, more industries will join this group soon, so be on the lookout!

Find Out About the Other Google My Business Updates

Want to discover the other four Google My Business updates from Hawkins’s article? Check it out over on Search Engine Land!

Are You Using the Best PPC Strategy for Your Marketing Goal?

Last Updated: May 18, 2017

What’s your goal for your small business’s online marketing? This is an essential question to ask yourself before you embark on any particular campaign. Why? Because, without establishing what you want out of it, you may end up going with the wrong strategy, and ultimately wasting your money. This is especially true for your PPC strategy, which generally involves a substantial investment.
So, what’s your goal? Is it:

To get lots of calls right now?
To have a steady stream of calls over time?
To capture motivated buyers in the moment?
To plant the seeds for future customers?

In this blog post, we’ll review each goal and explain which PPC strategy (or strategies) is best suited for it. When you match your overall goal with the correct PPC strategy, you’ll be unstoppable. So let’s begin!

Goal: To Get Lots of Calls Right Now

Is your goal to promote a special offer or to fill your schedule for your busy season? If you’re focused on a short, specific period of time, you’ll need an aggressive PPC strategy.
For example, if you run a landscaping business, you probably want to capture all those spring and summer projects every homeowner is undertaking. Therefore, you’ll want to run your AdWords campaign for 3-4 months, starting in April. You’ll target a specific service, like hardscape installation or tree removal. Then, with strategic bidding, you’ll try to get in front of as many eyeballs as possible so you can book as many jobs as you can.
You may also seek short-term lead generation in the wake of a recent event. For example, if you’re a water removal specialist and there’s been a disastrous storm in your area, you may want to run a special campaign for a week or two to help local homeowners with their flooded basements.

Fast Results Don’t Come Cheap

Bear in mind, getting these kinds of instantaneous results is not cheap. If you want to get your ads in front of as many eyeballs as possible in a small time frame, it will cost you. However, the good news is you’re free to stop your campaign whenever you want. In other words, as soon as you’ve reached your goal and booked all the jobs you want, you can shut off your campaign and stop paying for leads you no longer need.

Goal: To Have a Steady Stream of Calls Over Time

If you want to increase your overall call volume and conversion rates indefinitely, rather than for a short period of time, we suggest a much more tempered approach. You’ll need to be modest with your budget. We also strongly encourage you to have an optimized website before you begin any long-term AdWords campaign.
This goal requires investing in both SEO and PPC. By using SEO first, you’ll improve your AdWords Quality Score, which will ultimately keep your PPC costs more affordable while still placing your ads in coveted positions. If you’d like to learn more about how SEO is crucial for long-term PPC, check out our blog post, “Optimize Your Site Before You Bid on AdWords.”

Focus on ROI

While short, seasonal promotions don’t require as much of an investment, given their temporary state, long-term campaigns are different. They demand wise budgeting and an eye on ROI. So don’t shy away from the investment or price tag. If you consistently reach more customers and book more jobs, your ROI will prove to be well worth it.

Goal: To Capture Motivated Buyers in the Moment

Sometimes, a company wants to create brand awareness and simply spread the word about their business in general. Other times, you want to target prospective customers who are searching for your services. In the latter case, your paid advertising campaign should be on search engines like Google, where customer searches are taking place.
You see, PPC ads on search engines target users who have searched for the specific product or service highlighted in your ad. Therefore, you can safely assume these users are motivated buyers who want your service in the near future. PPC ads on search engines increase your chances of converting new customers on the spot.
Here’s a perfect example of how PPC ads can help you find motivated buyers. You’re an appliance repair company, and you run an ad for Whirlpool refrigerator repair. Now, as soon as a local homeowner’s Whirlpool fridge breaks down and they search for a repairman, they’ll see your ad and click on it. In all likelihood, they’ll give you a call because they need a fridge repair ASAP. This is the definition of a motivated buyer.

Are Motivated Buyers on Social Media?

Social media can be a mixed bag when it comes to motivated buyers. Typically, social media users are not motivated buyers because they haven’t searched for your service. This means you could be wasting money on an advertisement that users will largely forget about or ignore.

However, there’s one exception: you can target ads at Facebook users who have demonstrated an interest in your services. For example, let’s say someone’s dishwasher breaks and they turn to their Facebook friends for advice. Once they post about dishwasher repairs, they’ll start seeing your ads. If they see your ads soon enough, before they’ve hired a repairman, they’ll likely feel motivated to click on your ad and call you. It’s not a sure thing, however, so we don’t recommend making this the cornerstone of your quest to capture motivated buyers.

Goal: To Plant the Seeds for Future Customers

In a more general sense, though, social media ads are great for when you just want to promote awareness of your company so people remember you in the future.
Advertising on social media platforms, namely Facebook, is what we call “interruption marketing.” The audience doesn’t seek out this type of advertising; rather, it interrupts whatever they were doing. In the context of Facebook, this means ads appear in and around a user’s news feed while they’re scrolling through, forcing them to take notice.
Facebook Ads work the same as television commercials. You’re watching the NBA playoffs when you’re suddenly interrupted by a string of commercials for chain restaurants, cars, beer, and so on. You probably forget them as soon as they’re over, but they actually stay in the back of your mind. Then, the next time you’re craving a burger, you suddenly recall that 2-for-$20 deal you saw a commercial for. This is how you want your Facebook Ads to work.

Also Consider Remarketing

You may also choose to use remarketing, which is a form of interruption marketing that targets interested parties. After someone visits your website, they will start seeing your ads in various places online. Using remarketing ensures they don’t forget about you. This is useful for industries where customers often take their time to consider purchases beforehand. Home renovation and construction are prime examples.

Your Goal Determines Your PPC Strategy

Whatever you do, don’t go into a PPC campaign thinking you just want the cheapest option available. No matter how much you’re paying, if it’s the wrong strategy for your goal, it will be a waste of money. Use the information in this blog post and carefully consider what you want out of your paid advertising. When you do PPC right, the ROI is always worth it!

Prospect Genius