Adventures in Local Marketing - Local SEO Podcast https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/ Local Marketing Made Simple Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:57:14 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 on Embracing Search’s AI Future, and Why We Should Be Excited https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/marie-haynes-embracing-search-ai-future/ Mon, 17 Jun 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=122211 In this month’s bumper edition of Adventures in Local Marketing, Claire speaks to AI and search expert Dr Marie Haynes about all (and we mean all) things Google and AI. We cover how Google Gemini will underpin all of search going forward, dive into the Google API leaks, and take a detour to learn about a surprise meeting at Google I/O…

It’s the longest episode we’ve ever released and for good reason! It’s a meaty topic with plenty to chew on, so step inside Marie’s mind and get the most up-to-date insights on Google and AI today.

PLUS we’re going live with this episode on the same day as Marie’s brand-new book (and accompanying workbooks) ‘SEO in the Gemini Era – The Story of How AI Changed Google Search’. Check it out for yourself now.

Listen to Learn:

  • Why Marie thinks Google gave us the API leak data on purpose, and what we should and shouldn’t take away from it
  • Why and how Gemini goes beyond other large language models
  • Why SEOs shouldn’t be scared of the future of AI and SEO
  • What skills will still be important in the new age of AI and search
  • How the nature of search is changing, and how marketers can react to it
  • How to become resilient to changes, and actually benefit from them
  • A whole lot more, including how advancements in wearables and brain-computer interfaces will change the future

Watch the Video

Resources

]]> on Building an Engaging and Supportive Brand Community https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/areej-abuali-building-community/ Tue, 26 Nov 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=124791 “If you build it, they will come,” right? Haha, no chance. Fostering a truly respectful, supportive, and helpful community full of brand advocates and topic experts is no mean feat—and even harder when you’re entering a competitive arena or starting from scratch… but the results, both emotional and statistical, speak for themselves when you get it right.

We spoke to Women in Tech SEO’s Areej AbuAli about her experience building her global community of passionate and supportive women, what drove her to get started, what lessons she’s learned in the process, and what she’s still learning today. This is a must-listen for anyone trying to build a community of any kind—Areej really is one of the foremost voices on the topic.

What you will learn in this episode:

  • The many and varied benefits of building a community for a brand
  • How to establish rules and guidelines—and the importance of doing so
  • How to make a niche community appealing to all
  • Which brands are doing a great job with their communities
  • How to celebrate exceptional members of the community—and deal with problematic ones
  • How best to approach community monetization, if at all
  • And much more!

Watch the Video:

About Claire Carlile (Host)

Claire Carlile is a Chartered Marketer (MCIM) and is BrightLocal’s Local Search Expert. Her work at Claire Carlile Marketing, where she helps businesses of all sizes make the most of the local search opportunity, allows her to provide real-world skills and expertise to what BrightLocal does.

Where to find Claire

About Areej AbuAli (Guest)

Areej AbuAli is the founder of Women in Tech SEO, a global digital marketing community. Founded in 2019, Women in Tech SEO has over 10,000 global members and 60,000 followers who connect through online groups and in-person conferences in the UK, Europe, and the USA. Areej is an international speaker, a Google Women Techmaker ambassador, and a UN Women UK delegate.

Where to find Areej

Want more from Adventures in Local Marketing? We highly recommend checking out these episodes:

Resources from this episode:

About Adventures in Local Marketing

Adventures in Local Marketing is *the* podcast for local marketers, hosted by industry expert and popular speaker, Claire Carlile*.

Claire chats to a smorgasbord of marketers from various different backgrounds, who each bring their unique insight into facets of the local marketing landscape.

*Sadly, this is the last episode of Adventures in Local Marketing hosted by Claire Carlile. We thank Claire for all her hard work picking the brains of experts in the industry, and wish her the best for the future. The BrightLocal Podcast will be back in the new year—watch this space!

]]> on Combining General and Local SEO for the Best Possible Results https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/dayna-lucio-combining-general-and-local-seo/ Tue, 22 Oct 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=124046 We often forget that, in local business, local SEO and general SEO are all part of the same whole. Your site needs to be as optimized as your Google Business Profile, but how often do these strategies really speak to one another?

We spoke to Amsive’s Dayna Lucio for the lowdown on how, particularly in more complex business models like franchises, it’s crucial for SEO and local SEO to work together for the best possible outcomes.

What you will learn in this episode:

  • Understanding the intricate relationship between SEO and local SEO
  • The challenges faced by franchises in managing their online presence
  • Common misconceptions about local SEO
  • Why domain management and backlink strategies are outdated
  • Why you should focus on a more integrated and strategic approach to local SEO
  • The importance of tailoring strategies to specific regions and cultural contexts
  • …and much more!

Watch the Video:

About Claire Carlile (Host)

Claire Carlile is a Chartered Marketer (MCIM) and is BrightLocal’s Local Search Expert. Her work at Claire Carlile Marketing, where she helps businesses of all sizes make the most of the local search opportunity, allows her to provide real-world skills and expertise to what BrightLocal does.

Where to find Claire

About Dayna Lucio (Guest)

Dayna is an Sr. SEO Strategist at Amsive and has almost a decade’s experience executing and developing comprehensive strategies for multi-location and franchise brands. Her experience in local SEO has spanned a variety of industries including health, beauty and spa, fitness, home improvement, and more.

Where to find Dayna

Want more from Adventures in Local Marketing? We highly recommend checking out these episodes:

Resources from this episode:

About Adventures in Local Marketing

Adventures in Local Marketing is *the* podcast for local marketers, hosted by industry expert and popular speaker, Claire Carlile.

Claire chats to a smorgasbord of marketers from various different backgrounds, who each bring their unique insight into facets of the local marketing landscape.

]]> on Creating a Successful Brand Publication https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/george-nguyen-creating-a-successful-brand-publication/ Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=123563 With a deluge of AI-spun content hitting the web today, it’s never been more important to ensure you’re working with real experts on your brand publication.

Host Claire Carlile is joined by George Nguyen from Wix to discuss how to develop content hubs for brands that want to build their authority and expertise—no matter the vertical.

What you will learn in this episode:

  • Examples of brands with fantastic content hubs and brand publications
  • How to overcome the challenges you’ll face when starting a content hub
  • How to approach working with expert contributors
  • How to make your brand publication sustainable in the long term
  • The value of diversity in brand publications
  • …and much more!

Watch the Video:

About Claire Carlile (Host)

Claire Carlile is a Chartered Marketer (MCIM) and is BrightLocal’s Local Search Expert. Her work at Claire Carlile Marketing, where she helps businesses of all sizes make the most of the local search opportunity, allows her to provide real-world skills and expertise to what BrightLocal does.

Where to find Claire

About George Nguyen (Guest)

George Nguyen is the Director of SEO Editorial at Wix. He creates content to help users and marketers better understand how search works and how to use Wix SEO tools. He was formerly a search news journalist and is known to speak at the occasional industry event.

Where to find George

Room 404

Find out what George puts in Room 404… rest assured, it’s a search phrase many will be happy to see/hear the back of!

Want more from Adventures in Local Marketing? We highly recommend checking out these episodes:

 

Resources from this episode:

About Adventures in Local Marketing

Adventures in Local Marketing is *the* podcast for local marketers, hosted by industry expert and popular speaker, Claire Carlile.

Claire chats to a smorgasbord of marketers from various different backgrounds, who each bring their unique insight into facets of the local marketing landscape.

]]> on Scaling Multi-Location Brands with Local SEO https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/elizabeth-rule-scaling-brands-with-local-seo/ Wed, 28 Aug 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=123151 Once your brand reaches a couple of dozen locations, the local search tactics you need to employ to grow further only get more intricate and complex.

Host Claire Carlile is joined by Elizabeth Rule from Sterling Sky, to discuss what needs to be in your gameplan when working with a growing brand. They cover what to consider when acquiring another brand, the importance of getting the right information architecture, how reviews and reputation management impact the growth process, and so much more.

What you will learn in this episode:

  • Common challenges with growing local businesses, and strategies to resolve them
  • How to manage Google Business Profiles for a growing portfolio of locations
  • How reviews can make or break rankings and reputation
  • How good password management can boost efficiencies
  • Pitfalls to avoid when expanding to new locations
  • Factors to consider when expanding to new locations
  • and much more!

Watch the Video:

Podcast episode timestamps:

00:00 – Intro

02:42 – Strategies for Scaling Local Businesses

06:22 – Acquiring and Rebranding Existing Businesses

08:55 – Managing Google Business Profiles for Multi-Location Growth

13:16 – Turning Negative Reviews into Opportunities

22:45 – Room 404: ‘Optimized for SEO’

25:16 – Preparing for Growth and Management of Passwords

31:46 – Pitfalls to Avoid in Expanding to New Locations

34:27 – Managing Google Profiles and Service Area Businesses

37:05 – Factors to Consider in Choosing a Location

44:50 – Proximity to Competitors and Google’s Local Filter

50:00 – Resources for Local SEO and Multi-Location Businesses

About Claire Carlile (Host)

Claire Carlile is a Chartered Marketer (MCIM) and is BrightLocal’s Local Search Expert. Her work at Claire Carlile Marketing, where she helps businesses of all sizes make the most of the local search opportunity, allows her to provide real-world skills and expertise to what BrightLocal does.

Where to find Claire

About Elizabeth Rule (Guest)

Elizabeth is an expert local SEO analyst at Sterling Sky. Over the years Elizabeth has been involved with many local businesses as they grow, both through the acquisition of other businesses and by the extension of their own offering as they build out their brick-and-mortar locations on a national scale.

As a Google Business Profile Product Expert, Elizabeth helps businesses crack the code to gain valuable visibility in local search and helps solve complex GBP issues. She is also a faculty member and speaker at the Local U SEO Conference.

Where to find Elizabeth

Room 404

Find out what Elizabeth decides to put into ‘Room 404’, as it makes their heart race, but for all the wrong reasons!

Want more from Adventures in Local Marketing? We highly recommend checking out these episodes:

Resources from this episode:

About Adventures in Local Marketing

Adventures in Local Marketing is *the* podcast for local marketers, hosted by industry expert and popular speaker, Claire Carlile.

Claire chats to a smorgasbord of marketers from various different backgrounds, who each bring their unique insight into facets of the local marketing landscape.

]]> on Consumer-Centric Storytelling in Content Marketing https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/melissa-popp-consumer-centric-storytelling/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=122712 Storytelling in marketing plays a crucial role in implementing memorable and effective content campaigns and strategies that stand out from the crowd.

Host Claire Carlile is joined by Melissa Popp to discuss how brands can connect with their local audiences through customer-centric storytelling. They also cover the importance of authentic and unique content, how to get buy-in from various departments, common content creation shortcomings for SMEs, measuring ROI, and so much more. Seriously, this episode is jam-packed!

If you are a local marketer looking for an effective way to connect and engage with your audience, this is a must-listen.

What you will learn in this episode:

  • What is meant by the terms ‘local narratives’ or ‘storytelling in marketing’
  • Why unique and authentic content is important in today’s SERP landscape, and the impact of the recent Google leak
  • How ‘brand’ and ‘storytelling’ complement one another
  • How to get that all-important buy-in from various departments
  • What the common shortfalls in content creation are for SMEs (and even larger brands and enterprises)
  • How to do storytelling at scale for multi-location businesses and how to effectively measure ROI
  • Plus so much more…

Watch the Video:

Podcast episode timestamps:

02:16 – Explanation of ‘Local Narratives’

03:13 – Importance of unique content

03:29 – Google leak and its impact on unique content

06:15 – How brand and storytelling work hand-in-hand

07:49 – Content volume is the wrong metric

09:15 – Common content marketing shortfalls for SMEs (and larger brands)

14:27 – How tone of voice can be a challenge

15:40 – Melissa’s ‘Buyers Journey Process’ specific to SEO

17:47 – Finding your origin story

24:07 – The role of customer stories

25:00 – Being too hung up about keywords

26:10 – ‘Room 404’ segment

29:00 – How to do it at scale

35:00 – Measuring ROI

36:38 – ‘Recipe for Success’

About Claire Carlile (Host)

Claire Carlile is a Chartered Marketer (MCIM) and is BrightLocal’s Local Search Expert. Her work at Claire Carlile Marketing, where she helps businesses of all sizes make the most of the local search opportunity, allows her to provide real-world skills and expertise to what BrightLocal does.

Where to find Claire

About Melissa Popp (Guest)

Melissa is the Content Strategy Director at RicketyRoo. In this role, she oversees all content initiatives for clients and her responsibilities span from creating high-level content strategies to diving into the minutiae of content creation.

Melissa says she lives and breathes everything related to content. Writing has been her passion since she first picked up a #2 pencil, and she takes pride in making content relevant to readers and illustrating to clients how crucial this connection is for reaching potential customers.

Where to find Melissa

Room 404 & Recipe for Success

“And every time someone says we’re going to _________, I love you all in this industry. But I want to punch each and every one of you in the face.”

Can you fill in the blank? Find out what Melissa decides to put into ‘Room 404’, as it makes her heart race, but for all the wrong reasons. She also shares her ‘Recipe for Success’ with storytelling.

Want more from Adventures in Local Marketing? We highly recommend checking out these episodes:

Resources from this episode:

FAQs

Below, we’ve answered FAQs related to topics discussed in this episode. For a more detailed understanding, make sure to listen to or watch the episode.

How is storytelling used in marketing?

Storytelling in marketing is using an engaging or compelling narrative to communicate messages with customers. It’s an effective way for brands and companies of all sizes to connect on a deeper level with their audience.

Is storytelling a strategy?

Yes. Storytelling is one of the most effective and memorable ways to communicate with others. Many brands and organizations use storytelling in their marketing and content strategies, and achieve better results.

Why do brands use storytelling?

Done correctly, brand storytelling can help you stand out from your competitors. It’s all about crafting a compelling story that is authentic and engaging. One of the key goals of brand storytelling is to increase brand loyalty and advocacy.

What are the 5 C’s of storytelling?

The 5 C’s are commonly used to ensure the story being crafted is both engaging and compelling. The 5 C’s include Character, Context, Conflict, Climax, and Closure.

What is meant by customer-centric?

Being customer-centric, or adopting customer-centricity, is a strategy where brands put customers first, in order to create positive experiences and build stronger relationships. To be able to do this, brands and businesses need to understand customer’s situations, perceptions, and expectations.

About Adventures in Local Marketing

Adventures in Local Marketing is *the* podcast for local marketers, hosted by industry expert and popular speaker, Claire Carlile.

Claire chats to a smorgasbord of marketers from various different backgrounds, who each bring their unique insight into facets of the local marketing landscape.

]]> on Developing a Conversion Mindset https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/aaron-weiche-on-developing-a-conversion-mindset/ Tue, 14 May 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=121544 In this episode, Claire chats to Leadferno’s Aaron Weiche about how adopting a conversion-focused mindset can benefit agencies and their clients alike.

Listen to Learn

  • Why businesses often struggle to identify conversion events
  • The importance of making a business easy to work with
  • Why agencies should prioritize reporting on leads and conversions
  • The role testing plays in optimizing conversion funnels
  • What to look out for in Google Business Profile’s conversion points
  • How authentic media and social proof can skyrocket conversions
  • Aaron’s five quick tips for improving conversions

Watch the Video

Resources

]]> on Staying People-first in an SEO-obsessed World https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/julian-hooks-customer-centricity/ Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=120996 In this episode, Claire speaks to Julian Hooks, principal SEO consultant at Advertising Commissions and Senior Manager of SEO at Asurion, about the importance of customer-centricity in an industry obsessed with chasing the latest SEO trend or ranking factors study.

Listen to Learn

  • Julian’s five-point guide to a customer-led strategy
  • How to use customer insights and pain points to understand and serve customers better
  • How to maintain customer focus as a business scales, and why communication is at the heart of it
  • Which brands and businesses are getting customer-centricity right, and why it works for them
  • How to use data and analytics to identify trends and address issues at a granular level

Watch the Video

Resources

Julian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianhooks/

Local SEO for Contractors, by Julian Hooks: 

Advertising Commissions LLC: https://www.advertising-commissions.com/

Asurion: https://www.asurion.com/

See Julian speak at BrightonSEO San Diego: https://us.brightonseo.com/talks/beyond-algorithms-customer-centric-seo-as-the-key-to-long-term-success

Get started with Search: a developer’s guide, from Google: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/get-started-developers

Rand Fishkin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randfishkin

Rand Fishkin’s company, Sparktoro: https://sparktoro.com/

Nicole DeLeon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleldeleon/

Nicole DeLeon’s company, North Star Inbound: https://www.northstarinbound.com/

Product-led SEO, by Eli Schwartz: https://www.elischwartz.co/book

]]> on Navigating Big Brand Local SEO https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/steve-wiideman-navigating-big-brand-local-seo/ Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:13:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=119946 In response to BrightLocal’s Brand Beacon Report 2024 findings, this episode sees us speak to enterprise expert Steve Wiideman about all things multi-location SEO.

In this wide-ranging and tactical nugget-filled conversation, Steve covers the challenges and opportunities available to multi-location SEOs today, and shares his proven processes for working with brands.

Listen to Learn

  • Steve’s expert take on the findings of the Brand Beacon Report 2024
  • Why social media isn’t the quick fix for multi-location brands that some think it is
  • How agencies can develop a one-pager that sets out everything the HQ of a brand needs to know about local SEO
  • Why some brands struggle to get on board with local SEO
  • Preventing roadblocks and getting buy-in when working with enterprise brands
  • The multitude of ways brands can use AI, and what to avoid when generating content with AI
  • The data-backed secrets of success for a brand location page
  • Advice for SEOs uncertain about the future of search in a world with AI

As you can see from the list above, it’s a long one, but absolutely worth getting stuck into if you’re working with big brands or looking to do so.

Watch the Video

Resources

]]> on the State of Multi-location GBP Management https://www.brightlocal.com/podcast/david-mihm-state-of-multi-location-gbp-management/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:00:22 +0000 https://www.brightlocal.com/?p=120683 How does Google Business Profile fare when it comes to managing multiple listings in 2024? How can you get around some of the obstacles Google throws your way?

In the latest episode of Adventures in Local Marketing, host Claire Carlile speaks to Near Media’s David Mihm about the state of GBP for multi-location businesses, SGE, schema, and much more.

Listen to Learn

  • Why bulk verification can be such a struggle for enterprise businesses
  • The best approach to managing local SEO between HQ and branch levels
  • A two-level training framework for local SEO and enterprise businesses
  • The value of third-party vendors in highlighting the importance of local SEO
  • What’s next for schema and GBP Posts
  • When we should be expecting Google to launch SGE, and what it might look like

Watch the Video

Resources

]]>