Seach Listings - Octo Mom Search Style

Local Search is sometimes under valued, not known and often times confusing to merchants. As search marketers we tend to believe that everyone is as knowledgeable as we are. I was stunned as I was thrust back into the world of Local businesses where I started my advertising career as a radio sales guy. The local advertisers were asking about Facebook and had really no idea about local search, geo-targeting or even what the Google one box is.

So I was sitting with a client trying to explain that Search is more than just organic and PPC. The Analogy I came up with.....It's "Octo-mom Search Style". Here's why I say that. that are eight core items to search as a Merchant client may see it.

1) SEOcto-mization - Getting listed in the organic ranking is crucial especially in these economic times - so free is preferred and they are willing to pay more to have a site optimized . Although results from SEO have been pushed lower because of the One Box.

2) PPC - The concept is familiar to buisnesses now as compared to early 2000. Although back in 2003 these merchants would have done gangbusters if they would have done their homework. I have found that there are so many companies managing client campaigns and client have no idea what a conversion rate is.
3) "Octo-mized" Landing Paging - Quality Score is key. many businesses are not aware fo QS. Try telling that to a dealer that wants to scare all of their customers away by putting Flash driven content all over their site .
4) Geo-targeting the PPC campaign is crucial to a business that knows where their customers are located. If they are an established business then they know where the customers are coming from. The key is to drive that customer base into the store and people are saving gas and finding merchants close. In true Octo-mom Search Style world you need to keep your kids close and hopefully not lose them.
5) Octo Ad-testing. It's so important to test out ad-groups and campaigns. Octo-mom changes it up with some crazy coming out party, so why won't the client change ad copy? I guess they're use to having bad ads all year long in the Yellow Pages - so why change?
6) Video - Video - Video. Now that bandwidth is scaling get your story out there and sell the rights. Sure you didn't think it through and protect yourself and now you have lots of inventory "Octo-mom Style." Tell the world and cash in with uploading your Video on You tube, AOL and the other free Video sites. (Be sure to Octo-mize those videos)
7) Local Search Listings - by getting accurate information to all of the directories it helps drive additional traffic and crucial backlinks to your site. If you have eight locations (kids like your kids) and all have different attributes, you don't put all eight in the same outfit? Show off each child for what they have to offer, besides a spot on Oprah.
8) Finally - don't call my kids ugly! So instead of allowing that one nay-sayer customer to complain or put up a bad review. Beat them to the punch, ask your customers for a good review on the engines. This will go a long way and can have impact on conversion and perception. Be proactive with your reviews.

Now Social networking that's a whole subject onto itself - let's just say that's true "Octo-Mom Search Style." She in serious need an anti-social network.