News

Dealers need to look at the value of their customer base in terms of the new power given to “Googlized” consumers.  The consumer that we need to identify has an email account associated with Google services.

It can be a @gmail.com account or not, you don’t know unless you ask.  The message of this article is that you cannot afford NOT to ask.  Delaying impacts ALL of your digital marketing investments.

Business owners need to implement processes to ask and identify consumers with Google accounts.  Why?   Recent changes in how Google displays search results give your customers that have Google accounts unprecedented power.

Google Consumers and Reviews

These Googlized consumers can place a review directly on Google Places which impacts your business every day.  For many businesses, Google Places is the #1 source of free referring traffic to their website.

Reviews posted on Google Places are very visible.  Every month a dealer’s business name is searched thousands of times.  Each time, Google Places and consumer reviews are displayed on Page One.  You can’t hide any longer from your online reputation scores now that Google Places consolidates reviews from multiple online websites.

However, the Googlized customer has a special perk.  Reviews posted by Googlized consumers can also be used in Google Boost advertising to make your PPC ads stand out from local boring text ads.  Google Boost does NOT include reviews posted on 3rd party review sites.

This is a game changer for dealers operating in markets where their competition is using Google Adwords.  Google Boost creates ads that are more compelling to the eye and increase click traffic.  Best of all, in most cases they are cheaper than Adwords per click costs.

Google Consumers +1

Googlized consumers can now “+1″ your website pages, videos, press releases, testimonials, and the list of digital assets goes on.   The “+1” click is a positive vote for your website assets.  These votes will eventually influence search position much like links from other websites.

Once empowered consumer “+1″ your digital assets, their thumbnail profile photo will appear to their network of friends.  These thumbnails will catch the eye of consumers and increase click activity.  Why? Their photo under your listing is their stamp of approval.

If you compare the power of Googlized consumers to increase brand awareness, click traffic, and enhance your digital advertising EVERY DAY,  their worth soars over a non-Googlized consumer that sends you a note card of thanks.

550,000 Google Accounts a Day

When businesses realize that 550,000 Android mobile devices are activated a day and that each has a Google account, the tsunami of influence Googlized consumers will grow.

It’s time to get serious about tapping into the digital marketing influence a Googlized consumer can do for any business.  It’s time to ask happy customers to post their reviews using the Google Places App.  It’s time to “socialize” your search marketing advertising strategies.

The boring SERP of years past is now a Technicolor quilt of thumbnails and stars.

Opportunity is here for those who see change before the masses.

Dealers who want the exclusive strategy in their market, just need to call us.  Give our team a call at 732.450.8200 and let’s put together a strategy to leverage your Google empowered consumers in your market.

Brian Pasch, CEO

PCG Digital Marketing

About Brian Pasch

The tsunami of changes that are coming from Google these days is without parallel.  I look back to October 2010 when Google Places was integrated into organic search results and since that major shift, the team at Google has been keeping Automotive SEO strategists on their toes.

It is clear that organic search results shown on Google Page One are being influence by social media posts, likes, fans, and now +1.  Just this week I noticed that a dealer’s Facebook page moved to the second spot on Google Page One over well aged and well linked microsites.

This dealer has over 35,000 likes to his Facebook dealership page.  The highly trafficked Facebook Page outweighs the SEO strength of his other web assets.  Change is here and documented!

Google +1 Implementation

Now we have Google +1 to play with and people are asking how they can leverage this new search “stamping” tool.  According to Google’s website:

“Click +1 to publicly give something your stamp of approval. Your +1′s can help friends, contacts, and others on the web find the best stuff when they search.”

Do you believe that your business provides great products and service to local consumers?  Do your employees feel the same way?  If the answer to both questions are “YES”, then what strategy do you have in place to educate and energize each employee to +1 your key digital assets.  These assets are MORE than your website.

Your Google +1 strategy should include your Youtube Videos, microsites, press releases, slideshare docs, etc.  Any web assets that will help consumers connect with your brand and that show your company in a positive light.

Have you started tagging your web assets with the +1?  What are you waiting for then!

Empowering Your Customers

Once you and your employees have been educated and a strategy put in place, next comes family, friends, and customers.  This means that you email templates and communication process for soliciting reviews can be enhanced to leverage the Google +1 tag.

Have you added the +1 toolbar on all your blogs like the one at the top of this page? This toolbar makes it easier to get your readers and fans to engage in your +1 strategy. By the way, have your new customers been encouraged to +1 tag your Google Adwords ads?

By the way, before you leave this page, use the toolbar at the top to +1 the article and share it with your network.  What are friends for, correct?

When You Use Google +1 – SERP’s Change

Here is a quick task, please follow along with me.  Log into your Google Account.  Go to Google and search “Automotive SEO“.  Here is what you will see if you are logged into your Google account:

The first two listings should be www.dealer-seo.com and www.automotiveseo.co. 

Click on the +1 button for these two listings.

What happens after your +1′d these two listings, the next time you search for this same phrase “Automotive SEO“.  What changed?

Now was that hard to do?  You know the top search phrases that consumers use to find your goods and services.  If your website is not at the top of search listings, these +1 tags from local consumers can make your listing stand out.   Do you want your website assets to stand out?

The Bigger Picture – Socialized SERP’s

Google is aligning business interests and search engine result pages (SERPS) to get more consumers to create a Google account and use Google tools.  Once Google decided to get into the review business, a clear signal was sent.  Reviews posted with GOOGLE accounts can be leveraged top increase SERP visibility and traffic; that’s Google Boost.

Now that Google allows consumers to “mark” their favorite search engine result pages, once again businesses will educate and encourage consumers to mark THEIR listings to create a more visible SERP listing.

The future of SERP’s is socialized and personalized results for local markets.  The sooner your business engages with a proactive review collection process and now a proactive +1 process, the faster your SERP listings will be standing out.  The faster your PPC campaigns can be enhanced with “stars”.

Do You Have A Search Strategy

If you need assistance implementing a strong search marketing strategy that includes reputation management, SEO, Google Adwords, or Google Boost, we would love to discuss your needs and come up with a customized plan for your market.  Call our team at 732.450.8200 and ask for Matt O’Such for a free consultation.

Google organic search results are getting more interesting to read. The trends that I observe are very encouraging to business owners who are using press releases to promote their business. 

Just today I posted a press release for an upcoming SEO briefing that I am conducting in Red Bank New Jersey.  Three hours later, when I was doing a Google search on my name, I noticed that Google had a special graphic to call attention to my press release since it included my name. 

The little newspaper graphic really calls out attention to the news story which I consider a big win for companies where are taking the time to promote their businesses with content publishing.  Notice that the press release title and teaser are included in the SERP as well as the press release source.  The graphic “call-out” for the story will make your press releases more noticeable on a search results page.

If you are not publishing out a press release every month, you are missing a great opportunity to gain Google page one placement for local targeted search phrases.  Remember, I have listed a number of free press releases websites that can help your Internet visibility immediately.  Now, with these icons highlighting press releases, it makes even greater sense to start writing.

Google Free Profiles in SERP

In addition to press releases, Google will also display a graphic/photo along with your name if you have created a free Google Profile.  If you have a Google email address, log into to Google and go to http://www.google.com/profiles and you can create a free listing.  When you create the profile, make sure you customize the URL with your name.  If your name is taken, you can add your state on the end to make it unique.  This way your URL is personally branded like this: http://www.google.com/profiles/brianpaschnj

When you do a search on your name, Google will show your profile if it is completely filled out.  Here is what you see when you do a search for my name. 

Once again, anyone doing business today will have their name Googled.  So why not have a free iconic listing showing up in Google search results.   Your profile can have all your contact information as well as a link to your website.  This free personal branding is something that should not be ignored.