Local Search Inclusion and SEO for Local Search video’s
David Mihm has been showing off his whiteboard skills over at SEOmoz whiteboard friday. I really want to share these 2 video’s with my readers.
The first video is about Local Search Inclusion:
SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday – Local Search Inclusion with David Mihm
The second video is about SEO for Local Search
SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday – SEO for Local Search
Local Search Ranking Factors 2009 are out!
This must be one of the biggest pieces for Local Search to read on this year (like last year). David Mihm published its Volume 2 of the Local Search Ranking Factors.
The general idea of the Local Search Ranking Factors is to give business owners a chance in understanding the things that matter to Local SEO. Even focusing on a few of the elements included in this huge research can have big effects for your online marketing strategy.
David’s quote:
It is my hope that this study will help small business owners confused by Local Search, or those strapped for time, to prioritize their marketing efforts.
The total research included almost 50 questions asked to 27 experts in the local search optimization field (I was lucky to participate, thx David!)
I recommend all my readers to go check it out, and join the conversation on David’s blog.
Google Street View by bike?
Google Japan decided to take a different strategic approach to Street View to not violate privacy regulations. Instead of the regular Street View car they are now using a bicycle, with a slightly different set up.
the new setup includes:
- the bicycle (trike) with the camera almost half a meter lower than the normal ’street car setup’.
- a telephone hotline to receive image removal requests (to those who have no way to do so via the Internet. )
- enabling residents to mask their ‘nameplate’
- enabling residents to mask their licence plates (when this has not already done so automatically)
Google Japan has put up a cool video as well 
You can find it after the break! Read more
Google files declaration with Brussels for Privacy Commission
According to Belgium newspaper ‘De Standaard‘ Google will soon file a declaration to the Belgium Privacy Commission to continue their Street View project in Belgium. Google thought at first it would not be necessary to file a declaration because of existing certificates that made their datasharing between EU and US possible.
A statement from the privacy commission says:
“Our privacy laws tell us that also foreign establishments that process personal information in an automated way need to declare this with the privacy commission. “
By filing they also declare that the imagery can solely be used for the purpose of Google Street View. Brussel will be the first city in Belgium to get Street View. But other cities will follow shortly after. It will take a couple of months however before Street View will be available in Belgium.
Tracking Local Search traffic using Analytics
One of the most important things after you have registered your business is to know how much traffic this will get to your website. I’ve put up a very thorough tutorial on Mike Blumenthal’s blog and I suggest you all check it out.
I’ll put up a part here in this post to give you guys a preview of what I am talking about. This part is about adding URL parameters to your Local Business Center URL’s. In the full article you will also learn how to track the vertical ‘maps.google.com’ and the 3-click-path traffic from the Universal Search results.
Feel free to leave a comment here or on Mike B’s blog!
Read more
Put Street View on Full Screen
Woah, enjoy the views of streetview now in Full screen mode! by pressing the new button in the right hand corner. Quite stunning if you ask me!
Try it in Barcelona, close where I used to live, you will see the bullfighting arena ‘Monumental’ and in the same picture also another Street View car.
Try it out yourself!
(via Google Maps Mania)
New Help Resource for Local Business Center
Just before the weekend Google decided to launch a new help center. This time it is one that is well appreciated by small business owners and us local search people. Its a Help resource on how to set up the Local Business Center.
You can find the all new help resource at the following link:
Local Business Center User Guide. Here is that video that was accompanied with it:
Google Maps takes the lead
Seems its official now, Google Maps has taken over the lead from mapquest and is now the number one most used mapping product. This, according to figures of both comscore, compete and as of this weekend, also Hitwise. 
(via: Mike Blumenthal)
Some fun for the Easter weekend
Here is something from the Google Latitude team to keep us busy for the easter weekend (or whenever). It is meant to encourage people to use Latitude and discover all the fun fun fun!
You can find my personalized easter message here
Google Analytics Individual Qualification
As part of catching up with writing I wanted to mention something that Google has launched since beginning of march. GA-IQ is a test, for people who use Google Analytics. You can take an individual test to set a score and receive a certificate from Google when qualified. The test is mainly focused on implementation, measuring campaigns and usage of reports. Because interpretation of the data must always be done by humans there is a strong responsability for people working with Analytics data.
Google has put up a new website with learning material, both in written text and screencasts. Learn more about this by visiting the conversion university website.
In order to pass the test you need a minimum score of 75%. I can hereby notify you that I passed the test with a score of 92%.
Do you think you are also up for it? Take the test here.
When finished (or when you decide not to take the test) try and see if you are up for tracking some of your local campaigns using Google Analytics. I wrote an article called ‘Tracking Local Search traffic using Analytics‘ on Mike Blumenthal’s blog.
