A New Form of Local Search Optimization, Part 1
www.clickz.com article addresses "strategies underlying a new form of local SEO.This new form of local SEO was born as a result of major search engines Google, Yahoo!, MSN, and others segmenting their local search properties to create distinct local search engines.
Major search engines decision to create distinct local search properties came as a result of an increased understanding of user intent. Combining their knowledge of user intent with a basic knowledge of local consumption patterns, the engines created unique local search results based on algorithms tailored for local search.
Local search engines promote a business location and proximity to the searcher, as well as its reputation and core details. These factors come together in the local search arena to create a new canvas for search engine optimizers. This canvas, which is currently blank for most businesses, takes the form of structured business profile pages, user reviews, and business ratings. These factors will soon become a key concentration point for search marketers and small businesses alike.
One of the most distinctive local search engine characteristics is a reliance on user-generated content. User-generated content is provided to search engines directly by the public. User-generated content is, by nature, biased...
From an SEO perspective, user-generated content provides a unique opportunity for businesses to manage and monitor the distribution of their core business data as well as published opinions regarding their businesses.
In local search, user-generated content is king. It creates a unique opportunity for those with the foresight to formulate local SEO strategies.
Yet, user-generated content will soon create a disquieting quality-control problem for local search engines, much as spam and over-optimization affected traditional search engines.
In part two of this series, we'll look deeper into the emerging field of local SEO and the role of user-generated content. In doing so, we'll take a closer look at a new breed of user-generated business content providers that help shape the local search marketplace."
posted by Jen @ 8:12 AM
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