Everything Lawyers Need to Know about Google+ and Local Search

1. Everything Lawyers Need to Know about Google+ and Local Search April 2013 Link: Webinar Replay

2. Intro Started SEO back in 1999 Freelance web design firm from 2001-2007 In 2008, small business SEO and Wordpress design In the recent past, SEO consultant for: Jake Martin SEO Nerd Extraordinaire @jmwebdev

3. The Semantic Web is Evolving Then…

4. The Semantic Web is Evolving Now

5. Modeling of web data has evolved significantly in last two decades • Perceived influence was backlinks, transitioning to AuthorGraph • Google+ Pages likely to start having similar model, “BrandGraph” • “Authors” contribute to a brand, therefor establishing relevancy

6. Why Care About Google+? • Google wants to be competitive with Facebook in web consumption • Google has been building the “Knowledge Graph” and “AuthorRank” • Google is still the “king of search”

7. AuthorGraph for Inbound Marketing

8. What IS a Google+ Local map listing? Google+ Local used to be Google Places for Business.

9. Why it matters? • Connects Google search, Google Maps, Apps and Google+ to your business. • Can significantly increase online visibility and website traffic.

10. The process • Key to understand that Google+ consolidates many Google services.

11. 1. Gmail Account • The Gmail account will be your login email address for all of your Google Accounts. • Signup URL: http://www.gmail.com

12. 2. A myriad of choices for local listings I’m an existing Google Places for Business user? • Sit tight and continue to use Google Places for Business to update and edit your listing. The update currently affects new users only. Please do not make new accounts/pages for listings that already exist. Please know that the update will be gradually rolling out to existing Google Places for Business users like you in the coming weeks.Check back on this forum for announcements and updates. • Source: http://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!category-topic/business/I0Royu8V9x8

13. 2. A myriad of choices for local listings I’m currently using Google+ to manage a local Google+ page? • Continue to use Google+ to manage the page. We do not recommend making any additional accounts or pages for pages that already exist. • Source: http://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!category-topic/business/I0Royu8V9x8

14. 2. A myriad of choices for local listings I’m using the bulk tool to manage multiple locations for my business? • Please continue to use the bulk tool to manage the listings. Sit tight! We’ve got some updates coming for bulk users that we hope you’ll like. • Source: http://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!category-topic/business/I0Royu8V9x8

15. 2. A myriad of choices for local listings I’m new to Google Places for Business and have fewer than 10 locations? • Just visit http://places.google.com and start setting up your listings! Note that only some new signups in the US will see the new dashboard. We are planning to open the new dashboard up to all new signups very soon. I’m new to Google Places for Business and have 10 or more locations? • Our bulk management tool hasn't changed. Feel free to start setting up your listings at http://places.google.com/manage, which is our tool for bulk uploading. • Source: http://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!category-topic/business/I0Royu8V9x8

16. 2. A Big Bold Forewarning As of today, this is less than a week old. Many changes are still being “rolled out”, meaning there could be changes, limited access, etc.

17. 2. Creating the Google+ Local Listing • Go to: https://places.google.com/pages/create and sign in.

18. 2. Creating the Google+ Local Listing

19. 2. Creating the Google+ Local Listing

20. 2. Creating the Google+ Local Listing

21. 2. Creating the Google+ Local Listing

22. 2. Verifying the Google+ Local Listing • The verification process for listings is still the same. Businesses still need to get a PIN via mail, SMS or phone call and enter this into their listings so they can take control of their listing. • Better dispute resolution process for already claimed listings:

23. 2. The New Dashboard

24. 2. Where to go?

25. 2. Considerations & Caveats No more “boring” Google+ Local Pages/Listings: • Your Google+ Local Listing can now be “enhanced” through your Google+ Personal Profile. • PROTIP: Build your AuthorGraph and spice up your G+ Local at the same time I can’t update my G+ Page from my Google Local Listing? Soon, you’ll be able to upgrade a listing to a local Google+ page, right from Google Places for Business Why can’t I see this updated dashboard? • We are doing a gradual rollout that will start with a subset of new users in the U.S. Then, we will gradually make this service available to a larger group of both existing and new users in the weeks to come.

26. 3. Google+ Personal Profile • Go to https://plus.google.com/ and log in if necessary • Click on the “Profile” icon on the left sidebar • Click on the “Edit profile” button • Add/edit as much personal details as possible • Upload a 300 pixel by 300 pixel headshot photo • When complete, click the “Done editing” button

27. 3. Expanding Google+ Personal Profile

28. 3. Expanding Google+ Personal Profile

29. 3. How to Get Your Photo Next to Google Search Results Your Website: • Solo Firm: Put the code in your <head>, using your G+ personal URL: <link rel="author" href="https://plus.google.com/XXXXXXXXXXX/post” /> • Multi-partner Firm: Link the author’s name to either their profile on your site, or directly to the G+ personal URL above while adding rel=“me” to the link <a href=“https://plus.google.com/XXXXXXXXXXX/post” rel=“me”>Author Name</a> • Note: Lots of WordPress plugins and themes support multi-partner authorship simply by filling in your WordPress profile with your G+ personal URL.

30. 3. How to Get Your Photo Next to Google Search Results 3rd Party Sites: Depends on the site; if they have a Google profile field, they likely support it. Avvo 100% supports it, so all of your legal answers, guides, and profile would be building your AuthorGraph… How to Test: Use this tool to test: Google Structured Data Testing Tool

31. 4. Merge Business Listing and Brand Page • Confirm your business’ address is correct and press “Yes, let’s continue”

32. 4. Don’t Merge Your Google Local Listing With Your Google+ Local Page Yet • Google advises that if a business is considering merging their old Google Local Listing with their Google+ Local page, they should wait. This process is still riddled with issues, but there is light breaking on the horizon. • In due course, the new dashboard will incorporate an ‘Upgrade’ button which will make this process smoother. So, unless you have a burning need to tackle this merge now, you should hold fire for the time being. Source: http://searchengineland.com/10-things-seos-smbs-should-know-about-new-google-places-dashboard-154686

33. 4. Merge Business Listing and Brand Page When this feature is available to you, you must also have satisfied the following criteria: • You must have verified your business in your Places account • Your Places for Business email address should also have a  Google+ profile. • Your page must be in a category that is eligible for Google+. • You should be managing no other pages in your Google+ account. If you have other pages which you wish to continue managing, you should hang tight until the Google+ upgrade is available to you. If these apply to you, you will see a Google+ widget in your dashboard explaining that the upgrade is coming soon. If you have the widget, keep an eye on over the next few weeks for your upgrade opportunity. 

34. 5. Bringing it Back to Inbound Marketing Content Bubbling – Google+ already does this

35. 5. Bringing it Back to Inbound Marketing • Fast track to SEO results 7-pack is prioritized

36. 5. Bringing it Back to Inbound Marketing • AuthorGraph wins.