Podcast appearances and mentions of sterling sky

In Part 1 of our three-part series, we sit down with Joy Hawkins—an SEO powerhouse from Sterling Sky—to tackle the hottest topics in local SEO. If you're a law firm or any business that counts on local leads, this is for you.Google's verification process isn't just a formality—it's your lifeline. Staffed physical locations, the post-COVID office shuffle, and the cutthroat landscape of personal injury law—Joy breaks it all down.This isn't about gaming the system; it's about understanding it. Joy shows you how to navigate Google's relentless verification standards so you can keep the leads flowing and the map pack working in your favor.If you want the inside track on interviews like this, and you're ready to be among the first to know about the latest marketing plays, join us in The Blueprint Training. It's your backstage pass to expert insights, real-time updates, and the guidance you need to level up.Make sure to subscribe to not miss part 2 and 3. KEY NOTES:00:06 - Sterling Sky Overview00:57 - Shift to Local SEO01:52 - Local Platforms and Reputation Management02:45 - Handling GBP Suspensions09:50 - Impact of Location on Rankings11:21 - Bulk Verification Explained12:12 - Client Expansion Challenges13:48 - Verification Process Responsibilities15:23 - Staffing Requirements16:07 - Google's Local Service Expectations

Jack Chambers-Ward is joined by SEO veteran Noah Lerner for an in-depth discussion on the importance of critical thinking in SEO. Noah and Jack champion the structured, evidence-based approach to decision-making as well as discussing the challenges and pitfalls of problem-solving, and the essential skills needed to excel in SEO. Noah also brings real examples from over 20 years of experience, such as the transition from UA to GA4 at Sterling Sky, building data pipelines and even how to communicate important data to clients. Sponsors Experience the evolution of SE Ranking Try Optmyzr - Made by PPC people, for PPC people Follow Noah ⁠Follow Noah on LinkedIn⁠ ⁠Sterling Sky⁠ ⁠Join the SEO community⁠ Chapters 00:00 Trailer introduction 00:58 Introduction 02:18 Sponsors: SE Ranking & Optmyzr 06:42 Welcome Noah Learner 09:44 Defining Critical Thinking Skills 11:42 Challenges in Problem Solving 15:32 Importance of Structured Problem Definition 23:31 Data-Driven Decision Making 40:52 Aligning SEO Metrics with Business Goals 45:29 The Importance of Call Tracking 46:50 Understanding Attribution and Data Constraints 50:01 Prioritizing Tasks for Maximum Impact 51:47 Efficiency Through Automation 54:52 The Role of AI in Problem Solving 01:05:09 Critical Thinking in SEO 01:11:38 Building a Supportive SEO Community 01:15:17 Conclusion and Future Episodes

Noah Learner, Product Director at Sterling Sky, discusses strategies for effectively building an SEO community. In this episode, Noah shares his perspectives on utilizing social media to engage with the SEO community, strategies for fostering collaboration within the SEO community, benefits of attending industry events for community building, examples of successful SEO community-building initiatives, and key metrics to track the success of community-building strategies. Show NotesConnect With: Noah Learner: Website // LinkedInThe Voices of Search Podcast: Email // LinkedIn // TwitterBenjamin Shapiro: Website // LinkedIn // TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.You will learn: ✅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 locationsTimestamps:00:00 Intro02:42 Strategies for Scaling Local Businesses06:22 Acquiring and Rebranding Existing Businesses08:55 Managing Google Business Profiles for Multi-Location Growth13:16 Turning Negative Reviews into Opportunities22:45 Room 404: 'Optimized for SEO'25:16 Preparing for Growth and Management of Passwords31:46 Pitfalls to Avoid in Expanding to New Locations34:27 Managing Google Profiles and Service Area Businesses37:05 Factors to Consider in Choosing a Location44:50 Proximity to Competitors and Google's Local Filter50:00 Resources for Local SEO and Multi-Location BusinessesAbout Claire (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:WebsiteTwitter (X)LinkedInAbout Elizabeth (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:WebsiteTwitter (X)LinkedInRoom 404Find 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:Embracing AI with Marie HaynesConversion mindset with Aaron WeicheStaying people first with Julian HooksResourcesSterling Sky's content and researchLocal Search Forum:Andy Simpson on XKrystal Taing on XBrightLocal Citation Builder - for citations at scaleAbout Adventures in Local MarketingAdventures 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.Copyright 2024 BrightLocal

How can you bring your SEO performance back to life?  Wix's Mordy Oberstein and Crystal Carter discuss ways you can reestablish your content cadence to get SEO production back on track, demonstrating why continually updating your brand with fresh content is so valuable.   Sterling Sky's Carrie Hill joins as she dives into the intricacies behind helping clients who desperately need an SEO resurgence.  Plus, this content marketing tool will make competing against your competitors a walk in the park.   Get CPR certified this week as we break the cycle of stagnation and teach you how to revive your SEO playbook on the SERP's Up SEO Podcast! Key Segments [00:01:23] What's On This Episode of SERP's Up? [00:02:50] Focus Topic of the Week: Resuscitating Your SEO [00:18:18 Focus Topic Guest: Carrie Hill [00:25:00] Tool Time [00:33:53] Snappy News [00:40:52] Follow of the Week Hosts, Guests, & Featured People: Mordy Oberstein Crystal Carter Carrie Hill Celeste Gonzalez Resources: SERP's Up Podcast Wix SEO Learning Hub Searchlight SEO Newsletter Wix Studio Wix Studio YouTube News: 3 key observations about the Google March 2024 core update: https://searchengineland.com/google-march-2024-core-update-key-observations-440148 Google SGE AI Answers Now Cost 80% Less To Generate: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-sge-ai-answers-cost-80-less-37326.html Google Search Tests Custom Filters & Templates: https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-custom-filters-templates-37324.html

Top Google contributor and owner of Sterling Sky, Joy Hawkins, joins the EDGE this week. Joy has been a renowned SEO speaker and influencer since 2006 and has been growing a top local SEO agency since 2017. How does local SEO differ from traditional SEO? Listen in as Joy shares her industry experience and delivers tactical strategies for executing premier-level local SEO. Google has been growing a much deeper focus on niche markets and authenticity factors. Learn how to leverage this shift to niche-level queries for your clients. Get ahead of the algorithm as we uncover the best local SEO strategies you should be following this week on the EDGE of the Web! Key Segments: [00:03:57] Introducing Joy Hawkins [00:05:40] Joy's Backstory in the Industry [00:06:53] Taking the Role of an Educator in the Space  [00:08:15] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics [00:09:29] SEO vs. Local SEO  [00:13:24] Valuable Tactics in Local SEO [00:18:13] EDGE of the Web Sponsor Riverside.fm [00:20:18] Why User-Generated Content is Such a Major Factor in Today's SEO [00:24:27] How Do We Know That Citation Platforms Aren't Being Indexed on Google?   [00:25:59] Entering Into Niche Markets  [00:31:57] EDGE of the Web Sponsor Wix [00:33:08] Why do Operating Hours Affect Rankings?  [00:37:37] Local SEO Recommendations For a Small Budget Thanks to Our Sponsors! Site Strategics: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/site   Wix: http://edgeofthewebradio.com/wix Riverside: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/riverside Follow Our Guest Twitter:https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyhawkins/?originalSubdomain=ca

How do you get and keep your SEO team up to speed? Where do you even start when training an SEO team? What tactics should you follow when building a strong SEO training program?  Take your team to the next level as Sterling Sky's Colan Nielsen joins Wix's Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein to share proven strategies for training SEO teams.  Formalize your training programs as Wix's own Henry Collie joins us to discuss his expertise in implementing successful courses to further strengthen your SEO team and beyond.  “Go team!”, as this episode of the SERP's Up SEO Podcast helps you take your SEO team to new heights.   Key Segments: [00:02:34] What's On This Episode of SERP's Up? [00:03:45] Focus Topic of the Week: Training an SEO Team [00:04:55] Focus Topic Guest: Colan Nielsen [00:27:21] Across the Wixverse [00:41:53] Snappy News [00:46:38] Follow of the Week   Hosts, Guests, & Featured People: Mordy Oberstein Crystal Carter Colan Nielsen Henry Collie Mark Preston   Resources: SERP's Up Podcast Wix SEO Learning Hub Wix Studio Wix Studio YouTube Searchlight SEO Newsletter Sterling Sky SEO Agency LocalU   News: Google Completes Rollout of October 2023 Spam Update Google October 2023 Core Update rollout is now complete Google: Search Generative Experience May Link To Paywalled Content But Here Is How To Block SGE  

In this episode, Near Media's Mike Blumenthal highlights the Google trends we should all be paying close attention to, discusses the evolution and importance of images in Google Business Profile, and introduces upcoming Near Media consumer research that could change how we look at searcher behavior.Listen to learn:What the future of Google Business Profile might look likeWhere to go to improve your Google and Google Business Profile knowledgeThe part ads and monetization play in the future of Google Business ProfilePLUS a surprising fact about what consumers do and don't care about in reviewsRESOURCESFollow Mike on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mblumenthalMike's profile on the Google Business Profile Community Help Forum: https://support.google.com/profile/1779682?sjid=8164595187474410917-EUMike has an open email policy: mike@blumenthals.comMike's older local search blog, which he keeps alive as an archive: https://blumenthals.com/blog/The Near Memo - Near Media's Podcast: https://www.nearmedia.co/memo/Sterling Sky blog: https://www.sterlingsky.ca/blog/BrightLocal blog: https://www.brightlocal.com/insights/Whitespark blog: https://whitespark.ca/blog/Near Media: https://www.nearmedia.co/How to Upload and Manage Google Business Profile Photos: https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/google-business-profile/optimization/photos/Dispute a removed Google Business Profile photo or video with this form: https://support.google.com/business/gethelp

In this episode, Sterling Sky's Director of Innovation, Noah Learner, teaches us how to extract meaning when looking at cold, hard data, puts overpromising podcasts (who, us?!) in Room 404, and lays out his 5-point framework for local SEO testing and reporting success.Listen to learn:Where Google truly pulls its GBP performance data fromThe truth about impressions in Google Search ConsoleWhy good reporting needs a combo of soft skills and data analysisHow to react when datasets changeHow to get the most out of Looker Studio and much more!RESOURCESFollow Noah Learner on Twitter: www.twitter.com/noahlearnerFollow Noah Learner on Bluesky: thekrakenNoah Noah Learner on Clubhouse: thekrakenClaire Carlile's BrightLocal Academy course on keyword research: https://academy.brightlocal.com/course/how-to-master-local-keyword-researchBranch Tools Explorer https://branch.tools/Using Data as the Backbone to Driving ROI: Noah Learner (Two Octobers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J3XVWxmoRk&t=1s 

LHLM - ✭✭✭✭✭ - The best podcast ever made! (At least within the practice, ethics, and law of fake Google reviews). Plus, how you reviewing other local businesses is good Business Karma for you. ----- The guys bring on local search guru Joy Hawkins from Sterling Sky to share her hot take on the scourge of fake reviews on Google Business Profiles. Fakes aren't hard to spot, but what can you do when a competitor buys fake reviews? Both Google and most state bars have rules banning their purchase. But with less-than-ethical practices still widely tolerated and arguably even incentivized (at least for now), learn how you can remain ethical AND compete. Listen to the whole discussion here While the world of fake Google reviews is challenging, you can (and should), as a business, spread the love and build community. Call it business karma. Following the lead of Ryan McKeen, the guys challenge you and your team to accept the 100 Local Business Review Challenge yourself, to leave real, heartfelt reviews for the local businesses you love and become a source of positivity. Stand out by standing up for local businesses. The News: Clio has released its Solo and Small Firms Legal Trends report. Operating system mover and shaker Litera has acquired Salesforce-based CRM firm Upper Sigma. Two known marketing providers have jumped into the solo and small firm marketing arena. One is Martindale-Avvo with new services for small firms. The other is friend-of-the-show Carolyn Elefant with a new focus on A.I.'s impact on small and solo firms. Read about it here.

LHLM - ✭✭✭✭✭ - The best podcast ever made! (At least within the practice, ethics, and law of fake Google reviews). Plus, how you reviewing other local businesses is good Business Karma for you. ----- The guys bring on local search guru Joy Hawkins from Sterling Sky to share her hot take on the scourge of fake reviews on Google Business Profiles. Fakes aren't hard to spot, but what can you do when a competitor buys fake reviews? Both Google and most state bars have rules banning their purchase. But with less-than-ethical practices still widely tolerated and arguably even incentivized (at least for now), learn how you can remain ethical AND compete. Listen to the whole discussion here While the world of fake Google reviews is challenging, you can (and should), as a business, spread the love and build community. Call it business karma. Following the lead of Ryan McKeen, the guys challenge you and your team to accept the 100 Local Business Review Challenge yourself, to leave real, heartfelt reviews for the local businesses you love and become a source of positivity. Stand out by standing up for local businesses. The News: Clio has released its Solo and Small Firms Legal Trends report. Operating system mover and shaker Litera has acquired Salesforce-based CRM firm Upper Sigma. Two known marketing providers have jumped into the solo and small firm marketing arena. One is Martindale-Avvo with new services for small firms. The other is friend-of-the-show Carolyn Elefant with a new focus on A.I.'s impact on small and solo firms. Read about it here.

Today we'll talk about automated marketing data pipelines for reporting and even activation. If that last sentence didn't make total sense to you, don't worry, our guest is going to tell us why we need it and how we can set out implementing it.  The place where Noah Learner got his start was on the island of Nantucket.  It's around 20km (15 mi) long, which is small enough that most visitors leave their cars on the mainland, come across on the ferry and rent a bike.  Noah's journey started with a job at one of the island's bike rental shops. Over the next decade as he rose to become the company's GM, he became convinced of the power of SEO for driving traffic.  He relocated to Colorado, at various points he worked in corporate SEO roles and worked out on his own. He even mashed up skills from his past to serve businesses in the pedal-powered rental market, calling it 'bike shop SEO.' In the past 4-5 years he's built cutting edge SEO tools using cloud technology and has shared how to deploy them by speaking at MozCon, SearchLove and LocalU and in the agencyautomators.com community which he cofounded. he's just taken on a new role  that has tool-building  baked into his mandate, as Director of Innovation for Sterling Sky.  When not at work, he loves doing typical Colorado things like fly fishing and skiing, along with family-friendly activities like hiking and camping where their two dogs can tag along.  

Another bright mind from Sterling Sky Inc joins us on this week's episode of Suds & Search! Elizabeth R., SEO Analyst & Account Manager at Sterling Sky, talks about how you can benefit from utilizing both SEO and PPC strategies, effective content creation for clients, and what to do if you've noticed tell tale signs that a competitor is spamming Google. Catch SearchLab on these platforms: https://www.linkedin.com/company/searchlabdigital/ https://www.facebook.com/SearchLabDigital/ https://twitter.com/SearchLabAgency https://www.youtube.com/c/SearchLabSubscribe to Suds & Search | Interviews With Today's Search Marketing Experts on Soundwise

Another bright mind from Sterling Sky Inc joins us on this week's episode of Suds & Search! Elizabeth R., SEO Analyst & Account Manager at Sterling Sky, talks about how you can benefit from utilizing both SEO and PPC strategies, effective content creation for clients, and what to do if you've noticed tell tale signs that a competitor is spamming Google. Catch SearchLab on these platforms: https://www.linkedin.com/company/searchlabdigital/ https://www.facebook.com/SearchLabDigital/ https://twitter.com/SearchLabAgency https://www.youtube.com/c/SearchLabSubscribe to Suds & Search | Interviews With Today's Search Marketing Experts on Soundwise

Local SEO and Marketing Q&A Session with Guest Host Yan Gilbert December 2, 2022Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.Updates and QuestionsSearch Engine Roundtable posted article about 19 years of the search industry.Test going on for review sentiment.Google is suing over fake review solicitors.Sterling Sky study – longer reviews are better.New GBP Interface – similar in looks to mobile search.GBP Reinstatements are now usually given within 24-48 hours.Why are current gas prices being shown for some gas stations on searches but not for my client?What should I do about missing reviews and unable to leave reviews?Can your Google ranking crash from too many reviews?Why isn't my client's branded pin showing their logo?What should I do about a client's Before and After photos in GBP not being shown together?Is it OK to change the primary description, cover photo and description for a business that changes seasonally?How can I help my client show up in the Local Packs as “provides franchise lawyers”?Is there any easy way to get back to the old quarterly GBP insights reporting dashboard? I've been taking snapshots of these for years.Legitimate reviews not showing up - what causes this?I thought that you should not do reviews from the same IP address like the store location?Is it now “100% safe” to edit GBP listings without fear of  suspensions? Is that former suspension issue totally resolved?Can you give links to the forum?What's the safest way to clear the address of clients who have given their home address for their business?Is there any type of dilution when you add too many services under categories on GBP? Not keyword stuffing but similar services.What should I do about misspellings for services that have been fixed on the website but keep showing up on Google?Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Mike's Linksthehustle.co - https://link.thehustle.co/view/5f3c2443c6344e7987022ea6h9fcv.f760/72bf8cbbZero-Clicks Study - https://www.semrush.com/blog/zero-clicks-study/Webinar: Rankings Are Great, Conversions Are Greater. - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_69s-QR6bTG-VvrS6Wc7iDQGoogle Maps has removed its COVID-19 layer - https://9to5google.com/2022/10/26/google-maps-covid-19-layer-2/GBP Suspension and Reinstatement Chaos - https://www.brightlocal.com/blog/google-business-profile-suspension-reinstatement-bug-chaos/Hacks to get back to the Old GBP Dashboard Mike Blumenthal on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mblumenthal/status/1586754087080660992?s=12&t=NaNUY7w_DJFT7g65GfJdewCarrie's LinksMap Pack and Other Search features Disappeared - Dr. Pete - https://twitter.com/dr_pete/status/1585011516985978880Funny SEO Horror Stories | Local Search Forum - https://localsearchforum.com/threads/funny-seo-horror-stories.59548/Does the Text of a Google Review Affect Map Pack Rankings? - Joy Hawkins - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/does-the-text-of-a-google-review-affect-map-pack-rankings/Thanks to our LocalU SponsorsZipsprout- https://zipsprout.com/Places Scout - https://placesscout.com/Whitespark - https://whitespark.ca/Sterling Sky - https://sterlingsky.ca/

Mike's Linksthehustle.co - https://link.thehustle.co/view/5f3c2443c6344e7987022ea6h9fcv.f760/72bf8cbbZero-Clicks Study - https://www.semrush.com/blog/zero-clicks-study/Webinar: Rankings Are Great, Conversions Are Greater. - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_69s-QR6bTG-VvrS6Wc7iDQGoogle Maps has removed its COVID-19 layer - https://9to5google.com/2022/10/26/google-maps-covid-19-layer-2/GBP Suspension and Reinstatement Chaos - https://www.brightlocal.com/blog/google-business-profile-suspension-reinstatement-bug-chaos/Hacks to get back to the Old GBP Dashboard Mike Blumenthal on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mblumenthal/status/1586754087080660992?s=12&t=NaNUY7w_DJFT7g65GfJdewCarrie's LinksMap Pack and Other Search features Disappeared - Dr. Pete - https://twitter.com/dr_pete/status/1585011516985978880Funny SEO Horror Stories | Local Search Forum - https://localsearchforum.com/threads/funny-seo-horror-stories.59548/Does the Text of a Google Review Affect Map Pack Rankings? - Joy Hawkins - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/does-the-text-of-a-google-review-affect-map-pack-rankings/Thanks to our LocalU SponsorsZipsprout- https://zipsprout.com/Places Scout - https://placesscout.com/Whitespark - https://whitespark.ca/Sterling Sky - https://sterlingsky.ca/

Matt's LinksRecent Google review filtering and different ways to ask for reviews/different options when sending review requests via Joy Hawkins on Twitter - https://localsearchforum.com/threads/missing-reviews-reviews-disappearing.59057/GBP suspension bug should be resolved now - Via Joy Hawkins on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1583497806412910592LSAs in the local finder - via Barry Schwartz at SERoundtable.com - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-local-pack-tests-refine-query-location-search-box-33170.htmlZocdoc showing on the SERPs via Colan Nielsen on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ColanNielsen/status/1582739806206894080Carrie's LinksWhat are the Habits of Successful Local SEO Experts? - Colan Nielsen - SterlingSky - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/what-are-the-habits-of-successful-local-seo-experts/Suds & Search 135 | Brian Barwig, Local SEO Manager at Sterling Sky - SearchLab Digital - https://searchlabdigital.com/blog/suds-search-135-brian-barwig/Thanks to our LocalU SponsorsZipsprout - https://zipsprout.com/Places Scout - https://placesscout.com/Whitespark - https://whitespark.ca/Sterling Sky - https://sterlingsky.ca/

Matt's LinksRecent Google review filtering and different ways to ask for reviews/different options when sending review requests via Joy Hawkins on Twitter - https://localsearchforum.com/threads/missing-reviews-reviews-disappearing.59057/GBP suspension bug should be resolved now - Via Joy Hawkins on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1583497806412910592LSAs in the local finder - via Barry Schwartz at SERoundtable.com - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-local-pack-tests-refine-query-location-search-box-33170.htmlZocdoc showing on the SERPs via Colan Nielsen on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ColanNielsen/status/1582739806206894080Carrie's LinksWhat are the Habits of Successful Local SEO Experts? - Colan Nielsen - SterlingSky - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/what-are-the-habits-of-successful-local-seo-experts/Suds & Search 135 | Brian Barwig, Local SEO Manager at Sterling Sky - SearchLab Digital - https://searchlabdigital.com/blog/suds-search-135-brian-barwig/Thanks to our LocalU SponsorsZipsprout - https://zipsprout.com/Places Scout - https://placesscout.com/Whitespark - https://whitespark.ca/Sterling Sky - https://sterlingsky.ca/

This week on Suds & Search, we're back at Old Irving Brewing Co., chatting with Local SEO Manager at @Sterling Sky Inc, @Brian Barwig. Grab a cold drink and join us as we talk about some common things missing from many GBP strategies, and how Local SEOs are being challenged to grow

In this special stat-holiday encore episode, Joy Hawkins from the Sterling Sky agency (SterlingSky.ca) joins Tod to chat about best SEO practices for your local business. They cover reviews, local spam, what to focus on if you only have an hour a month, and much more.Go Premium! No ads, weekend editions, story links, audio chapters, better audio quality, earlier release time, and more.Get each episode as a daily email newsletter (with images, videos, and links).HELPFUL LINKS:ADS: Reach thousands of marketers with our ad options.CLASSIFIED ADS: Only $20 — more infoMORE CONTENT: Email newsletter, expert interviews, and blog posts.HANG OUT: Join our Slack communityEnjoying the Show? Tweet about us • Rate and review • Send a voicemailFOLLOW US:The Show: LinkedIn • TikTok • FB Page • FB GroupTod: Twitter • LinkedIn • TikTok • TwitchDEALS:Jyll Saskin Gales — Inside Google Ads Andrew Foxwell — Foxwell Founders Membership • Scaling After iOS14 • All CoursesOthers — AppSumo lifetime marketing deals • Riverside.FM podcast recording siteCREDITS:Today in Digital Marketing is hosted by Tod Maffin and produced by engageQ digital on the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw First Nation on Vancouver Island, Canada. Our associate producer is Steph Gunn. Ad coordination by RedCircle. Production coordination by Sarah Guild. Theme music by Mark Blevis. All other music licensed by Source Audio.(If the links in the show notes do not work in your podcast app, visit https://todayindigital.com )Some links in these show notes may provide us with a commission.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mike's Links:Amazon targets rival Shopify with a new ‘Buy with Prime' service - https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2022/04/21/amazon-targets-rival-shopify-with-a-new-buy-with-prime-service/Fake reviews to be illegal under new rules - https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61154748Scammers used AI-generated faces to pose as a Boston law firm - https://thenextweb.com/news/scammers-used-ai-generated-faces-to-pose-as-a-boston-law-firmGoogle Site Kit gains ideas to write about section - https://searchengineland.com/google-site-kit-gains-ideas-to-write-about-section-383673The Visual Future of Local Search - Part 3 - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-and-the-visual-future-of-local-search-part-3/Carrie's LinksBeware: Google Business Profile Messaging Spam & Scam Attempts - Barry Schwartz -https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profile-spam-scam-attempts-via-messaging-33288.htmlGoogle Analytics Real Time Reporting Bugs With Universal Analytics Won't Be Fully Fixed - Barry - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-analytics-real-time-reporting-bugs-33291.htmlOffer Posts Appearing in a Deals tab on the GBP on Mobile - Claire Carlile - https://twitter.com/clairecarlile/status/15172430601067970624 Components of Local SEO Strategy - Duda webinar with Elizabeth Rule of Sterling Sky, Anton Schulke, Ben Fisher and Steve Wideman - https://t.co/mi6SFaTybwHow to get reviews for local SEO: The must-do list - Erin Jones - https://t.co/cESJK7EvRM

Mike's Links:Amazon targets rival Shopify with a new ‘Buy with Prime' service - https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2022/04/21/amazon-targets-rival-shopify-with-a-new-buy-with-prime-service/Fake reviews to be illegal under new rules - https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61154748Scammers used AI-generated faces to pose as a Boston law firm - https://thenextweb.com/news/scammers-used-ai-generated-faces-to-pose-as-a-boston-law-firmGoogle Site Kit gains ideas to write about section - https://searchengineland.com/google-site-kit-gains-ideas-to-write-about-section-383673The Visual Future of Local Search - Part 3 - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-and-the-visual-future-of-local-search-part-3/Carrie's LinksBeware: Google Business Profile Messaging Spam & Scam Attempts - Barry Schwartz -https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profile-spam-scam-attempts-via-messaging-33288.htmlGoogle Analytics Real Time Reporting Bugs With Universal Analytics Won't Be Fully Fixed - Barry - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-analytics-real-time-reporting-bugs-33291.htmlOffer Posts Appearing in a Deals tab on the GBP on Mobile - Claire Carlile - https://twitter.com/clairecarlile/status/15172430601067970624 Components of Local SEO Strategy - Duda webinar with Elizabeth Rule of Sterling Sky, Anton Schulke, Ben Fisher and Steve Wideman - https://t.co/mi6SFaTybwHow to get reviews for local SEO: The must-do list - Erin Jones - https://t.co/cESJK7EvRM

Our 20th episode features Joy Hawkins, Owner & President of Sterling Sky. Joy and her team work to help their clients rank higher on Google with Local SEO best practices.

Mike's Links:Target's new hourly wage will soon be as much as $24 - https://www.retaildive.com/news/targets-new-hourly-wage-will-soon-be-as-much-as-24/619512/Amazon Ends Bookstores, Review Trust Down, CX a Google Ranking Factor - https://www.nearmedia.co/amazon-ends-bookstores-review-trust-down-cx-a-google-ranking-factor/Here Comes the Full Amazonification of Whole Foods - https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/technology/whole-foods-amazon-automation.amp.html?usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#Toxic links: Here's why you can often ignore them - https://www.mariehaynes.com/disavow-blacklist-tool/Tripadvisor, Google Maps Suspend Reviews of Some Russian Listings- https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-03-02/card/tripadvisor-google-maps-suspend-reviews-of-some-russian-listings-vM2no1PgGDmMkL2TSvPZGoogle Business Profiles May Require Additional Verification - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profiles-additional-verification-33006.htmlBen Fisher: GBP offering promo to add Woo Commerce Link to profile - https://twitter.com/TheSocialDude/status/1498828876398489604Google Test "Confirmed by phone call x Weeks ago" label for opening hours in Location Panel - ​​https://tldrmarketing.com/seo/google-test-confirmed-by-phone-call-x-weeks-ago-label-for-opening-hours-in-location-panel/Claire Carlile: Post Insights now available to GPB search interface - https://twitter.com/clairecarlile/status/1499728197499379720?s=12Franchise Owners Should be Managing Franchisee Business Listings & Expectations - https://onlineownership.com/franchise-owners-should-be-managing-franchisee-business-listings-expectations/Carrie's LinksWalmart moves further into Livestream shopping | Retail Dive - https://www.retaildive.com/news/walmart-moves-further-into-livestream-shopping/619558/2022 Local SEO Blackbelt Quiz - Sterling Sky Inc - Colan Nielsen - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/2022-local-seo-blackbelt-quiz/New Recorded Video Verification for Google Business Profiles - Yan Gilbert - https://localu.org/recorded-video-verification/Happy 5 year birthday, Sterling Sky (in April) - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1500539149392228356

Mike's Links:Target's new hourly wage will soon be as much as $24 - https://www.retaildive.com/news/targets-new-hourly-wage-will-soon-be-as-much-as-24/619512/Amazon Ends Bookstores, Review Trust Down, CX a Google Ranking Factor - https://www.nearmedia.co/amazon-ends-bookstores-review-trust-down-cx-a-google-ranking-factor/Here Comes the Full Amazonification of Whole Foods - https://www-nytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/technology/whole-foods-amazon-automation.amp.html?usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#Toxic links: Here's why you can often ignore them - https://www.mariehaynes.com/disavow-blacklist-tool/Tripadvisor, Google Maps Suspend Reviews of Some Russian Listings- https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/russia-ukraine-latest-news-2022-03-02/card/tripadvisor-google-maps-suspend-reviews-of-some-russian-listings-vM2no1PgGDmMkL2TSvPZGoogle Business Profiles May Require Additional Verification - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profiles-additional-verification-33006.htmlBen Fisher: GBP offering promo to add Woo Commerce Link to profile - https://twitter.com/TheSocialDude/status/1498828876398489604Google Test "Confirmed by phone call x Weeks ago" label for opening hours in Location Panel - ​​https://tldrmarketing.com/seo/google-test-confirmed-by-phone-call-x-weeks-ago-label-for-opening-hours-in-location-panel/Claire Carlile: Post Insights now available to GPB search interface - https://twitter.com/clairecarlile/status/1499728197499379720?s=12Franchise Owners Should be Managing Franchisee Business Listings & Expectations - https://onlineownership.com/franchise-owners-should-be-managing-franchisee-business-listings-expectations/Carrie's LinksWalmart moves further into Livestream shopping | Retail Dive - https://www.retaildive.com/news/walmart-moves-further-into-livestream-shopping/619558/2022 Local SEO Blackbelt Quiz - Sterling Sky Inc - Colan Nielsen - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/2022-local-seo-blackbelt-quiz/New Recorded Video Verification for Google Business Profiles - Yan Gilbert - https://localu.org/recorded-video-verification/Happy 5 year birthday, Sterling Sky (in April) - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1500539149392228356

Today I am joined by Joy Hawkins, she is the owner and founder of Sterling Sky an online marketing agency that offers local SEO, pay-per-click, social media, and consulting among many other services and offers. We talk about Google My Business, local SEO, and how you can use these to rank better on search engines. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/howtohardscape/message

Today is January 18th and I'll be talking about a potential algorithm update, Reviews in maps, Google My business hours, page experience going to desktop, Travel & Google Ads webinar, Competitive analysis and more!Full Blog Post and Show Notes @ https://opinionatedseo.com/s2e12January 14th and 15th seems to be a lot of movement in the algorithm trackers - was there an update?Some of my sites that are relatively newer content seems to have jumped up quite a bit in this time, but I think that might just be a coincidence. This podcast's main site had a jump to about 1400 impressions in Google Search Console compared to its average 50-100 per day. That ended up dropping back down a bit, so if Google was doing something, it might have been temporary if this site was an indicator.https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-ranking-update-january-14-32762.htmlAllie Margeson, the Director of SEO  Services at Whitespark noticed review snippets getting visibility on maps. See her tweet.https://twitter.com/SeoAllie/status/1483166745980456966Colan Nielsen for Sterling Sky writes about Google My Business and when to list your hours as 24/7.https://www.sterlingsky.ca/when-should-i-list-my-google-business-profile-hours-as-open-24-7/We mentioned it a couple weeks ago, but Yoast officially launched their Shopify SEO app.https://yoast.com/release-yoast-seo-for-shopify/Google has been giving us a heads up on Page Experience rolling out to desktop. Search Console now has a dedicated desktop section in its Page Experience report to help site owners understand Google's page experience criteria.https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/11/bringing-page-experience-to-desktopIn case you missed it, Google Ads put on the “Travel On Air” with Episode available for on demand viewing. If you are a marketer in the Travel industry (I'm talking to you Louderback and Dylan!) then this may be of interest!https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/travel-on-air-episode-4SEMRush published an article on their blog about not the ten, but the 12 Best Competitive Intelligence Tools for Market Research.https://www.semrush.com/blog/top-18-competitive-intelligence-tools-advanced-market-research/And, since we seem to always talk about internationalization, John Mueller answered a question on Reddit asking if Google used the same algorithm for each language.“Mostly. Search uses lots & lots of algorithms. Some of them apply to content in all languages, some of them are specific to individual languages (for example, some languages don't use spaces to separate words -- which would make things kinda hard to search for if Google assumed that all languages were like English).”https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/s64i0e/does_google_use_the_same_algorithm_for_every/

The SEO community has been abuzz over the news of the most recent Google update, dubbed the Vicinity Update by our own Joy Hawkins and the team at Sterling Sky. In addition to the Vicinity Update, Carrie and Mike discuss COVID-related changes for both Kroger and Google employees, updates to Whitespark's Local Rank Tracker, and more! Intro Discussion - The Vicinity UpdateThe Vicinity Update: What You Need to Know About Google's Largest Local Algorithm Update in 5 Years - Sterling Sky Inc - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/vicinity-algorithm-update/The ‘Vicinity Update': Winners and losers from the November 2021 local update - https://searchengineland.com/the-vicinity-update-winners-and-losers-from-the-november-2021-local-update-377624Mike's Links:Kroger ends COVID sick pay, adds insurance surcharge for unvaccinated employees — ABC News - https://apple.news/A5n2yoM24RPaAnHQTs_oacQGoogle tells employees they'll lose pay and will eventually be fired if they don't follow vaccination rules - https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/14/google-employees-to-lose-pay-if-dont-comply-with-vaccination-policy.htmlRTW: County has done us no favors - https://www.oleantimesherald.com/opinion/rtw-county-has-done-us-no-favors/article_b992634d-21ad-5089-b621-269daff3817b.htmlLocal Rank Tracker Now Monitors Multiple Rankings - https://whitespark.ca/blog/local-rank-tracker-now-tracks-multiple-rankings/Why Are My Google Reviews Not Publishing? - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-reviews-not-publishing/The Vicinity Update: What You Need to Know About Google's Largest Local Algorithm Update in 5 Years - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/vicinity-algorithm-update/Carries links:Google Maps Dock To Bottom Feature - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-maps-dock-to-bottom-button-32586.htmlBusiness Profile posts content policy - https://support.google.com/business/answer/7213077?hl=en

The SEO community has been abuzz over the news of the most recent Google update, dubbed the Vicinity Update by our own Joy Hawkins and the team at Sterling Sky. In addition to the Vicinity Update, Carrie and Mike discuss COVID-related changes for both Kroger and Google employees, updates to Whitespark's Local Rank Tracker, and more! Intro Discussion - The Vicinity UpdateThe Vicinity Update: What You Need to Know About Google's Largest Local Algorithm Update in 5 Years - Sterling Sky Inc - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/vicinity-algorithm-update/The ‘Vicinity Update': Winners and losers from the November 2021 local update - https://searchengineland.com/the-vicinity-update-winners-and-losers-from-the-november-2021-local-update-377624Mike's Links:Kroger ends COVID sick pay, adds insurance surcharge for unvaccinated employees — ABC News - https://apple.news/A5n2yoM24RPaAnHQTs_oacQGoogle tells employees they'll lose pay and will eventually be fired if they don't follow vaccination rules - https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/14/google-employees-to-lose-pay-if-dont-comply-with-vaccination-policy.htmlRTW: County has done us no favors - https://www.oleantimesherald.com/opinion/rtw-county-has-done-us-no-favors/article_b992634d-21ad-5089-b621-269daff3817b.htmlLocal Rank Tracker Now Monitors Multiple Rankings - https://whitespark.ca/blog/local-rank-tracker-now-tracks-multiple-rankings/Why Are My Google Reviews Not Publishing? - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-reviews-not-publishing/The Vicinity Update: What You Need to Know About Google's Largest Local Algorithm Update in 5 Years - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/vicinity-algorithm-update/Carries links:Google Maps Dock To Bottom Feature - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-maps-dock-to-bottom-button-32586.htmlBusiness Profile posts content policy - https://support.google.com/business/answer/7213077?hl=en

Largely uncovered in the news, Amazon has announced a new program, Local Selling, that allows local merchants selling on Amazon to apply for the ability to take an order on Amazon and deliver curbside from their location or to deliver via their own delivery process. Clearly this is a response to Google's successful push of Product Merchant center into local and might lead to additional local relationships for Amazon. Google is understanding more and more about the content of images using their Cloud Vision AI and this understanding of entities, labels, logos, sentiment and text is being leveraged to use images to answer searcher intent in ads, local and the mobile web results. This is part of a long arc where Google will now start using images to not just answer queries but to ask them as well using their new MUM AI/ML and is likely part of their AR future.  Google Local has been “stealing” local conversions for years. Joy Hawkins of Sterling Sky recently reported that Google local leads are both the dominant source for leads as well as the fastest growing source for leads for most of the verticals that she works in. What does this mean for local businesses? The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.Near Memo Ep 39

Joy Hawkins talks with Jason Barnard about dissecting the GMB panel. Joy Hawkins is the owner of the Local Search Forum, LocalU, and Sterling Sky, a Local SEO agency in Canada & the USA. She writes for Search Engine Land and is a widely known Local Search speaker and has spoken at dozens of Local SEO conferences over the years. Google My Business panels are ever-increasingly important to the success of local businesses since Google local search is the dominant trusted source customers look at before visiting bricks-and-mortar businesses. Keeping it up-to-date is the minimum investment for local SEO, and managing the ever-expanding range of information it shows is the next step up if you want to increase foot traffic to your store :) But how much control and influence do we have on our own GMB panels? Jason Barnard quizzes the delightful Joy Hawkins as she walks us through the local knowledge panels of several different business types to know which information and features we can control, which we can influence and which are off-limits! They cover dozens of GMB items, from the most common (reviews, primary category, opening hours…) to the less obvious (descriptions, popular times, events, new features added recently because of health restrictions, Q&A…) and even delve into GMB as part of Google's role as an assistive engine. Joy also gives Jason a free consultation on the images he'd like to rectify on his GMB panel ;) This is a super groovy chat. And if you're a local SEO or a local business owner, you'll be glad you listened. What you'll learn from Joy Hawkins 00:00 Joy Hawkins and Jason Barnard01:01 International Brand SERP for Joy Hawkins03:33 Dissecting Oxford Cheese Co's GMB Panel04:40 Selecting a specific primary category and generic categories in GMB08:09 Evolving GMB attributes caused by Covid restrictions13:41 Popular times - where does the data come from?14:44 3 visible reviews in GMB rarely change17:13 How much GMB control does Google give restaurants?23:33 Why are doctors' GMB panels so sparse?24:42 Can a local business owner post a question and answer it themselves?25:28 Google as an assistive engine26:08 Setting the reservation button and business hours29:05 Adventure Land have a hybrid GMB / Knowledge panel 31:21 Why Google shows Jason's photo instead of Kalicube's logo on its GMB?35:07 GMB posts and events: Does it show up anywhere? Helpful Resources About Dissecting the GMB Panel How to Succeed With Google Posts: What We Learned From Analyzing Over 1,000 Google PostsHow to Get a Place Label on Google MapsGoogle My Business Category Changes by Month This episode was recorded live on video September 7th 2021 Recorded live at Kalicube Tuesdays (Digital Marketing Livestream Event Series). Watch the video now>>

Joy Hawkins talks with Jason Barnard about dissecting the GMB panel. Joy Hawkins is the owner of the Local Search Forum, LocalU, and Sterling Sky, a Local SEO agency in Canada & the USA. She writes for Search Engine Land and is a widely known Local Search speaker and has spoken at dozens of Local SEO conferences over the years. Google My Business panels are ever-increasingly important to the success of local businesses since Google local search is the dominant trusted source customers look at before visiting bricks-and-mortar businesses. Keeping it up-to-date is the minimum investment for local SEO, and managing the ever-expanding range of information it shows is the next step up if you want to increase foot traffic to your store :) But how much control and influence do we have on our own GMB panels? Jason Barnard quizzes the delightful Joy Hawkins as she walks us through the local knowledge panels of several different business types to know which information and features we can control, which we can influence and which are off-limits! They cover dozens of GMB items, from the most common (reviews, primary category, opening hours…) to the less obvious (descriptions, popular times, events, new features added recently because of health restrictions, Q&A…) and even delve into GMB as part of Google's role as an assistive engine. Joy also gives Jason a free consultation on the images he'd like to rectify on his GMB panel ;) This is a super groovy chat. And if you're a local SEO or a local business owner, you'll be glad you listened. What you'll learn from Joy Hawkins 00:00 Joy Hawkins and Jason Barnard01:01 International Brand SERP for Joy Hawkins03:33 Dissecting Oxford Cheese Co's GMB Panel04:40 Selecting a specific primary category and generic categories in GMB08:09 Evolving GMB attributes caused by Covid restrictions13:41 Popular times - where does the data come from?14:44 3 visible reviews in GMB rarely change17:13 How much GMB control does Google give restaurants?23:33 Why are doctors' GMB panels so sparse?24:42 Can a local business owner post a question and answer it themselves?25:28 Google as an assistive engine26:08 Setting the reservation button and business hours29:05 Adventure Land have a hybrid GMB / Knowledge panel 31:21 Why Google shows Jason's photo instead of Kalicube's logo on its GMB?35:07 GMB posts and events: Does it show up anywhere? Helpful Resources About Dissecting the GMB Panel How to Succeed With Google Posts: What We Learned From Analyzing Over 1,000 Google PostsHow to Get a Place Label on Google MapsGoogle My Business Category Changes by Month This episode was recorded live on video September 7th 2021 Recorded live at Kalicube Tuesdays (Digital Marketing Livestream Event Series). Watch the video now>>

Joy Hawkins talks with Jason Barnard about dissecting the GMB panel. Joy Hawkins is the owner of the Local Search Forum, LocalU, and Sterling Sky, a Local SEO agency in Canada & the USA. She writes for Search Engine Land and is a widely known Local Search speaker and has spoken at dozens of Local SEO conferences over the years. Google My Business panels are ever-increasingly important to the success of local businesses since Google local search is the dominant trusted source customers look at before visiting bricks-and-mortar businesses. Keeping it up-to-date is the minimum investment for local SEO, and managing the ever-expanding range of information it shows is the next step up if you want to increase foot traffic to your store :) But how much control and influence do we have on our own GMB panels? Jason Barnard quizzes the delightful Joy Hawkins as she walks us through the local knowledge panels of several different business types to know which information and features we can control, which we can influence and which are off-limits! They cover dozens of GMB items, from the most common (reviews, primary category, opening hours…) to the less obvious (descriptions, popular times, events, new features added recently because of health restrictions, Q&A…) and even delve into GMB as part of Google's role as an assistive engine. Joy also gives Jason a free consultation on the images he'd like to rectify on his GMB panel ;) This is a super groovy chat. And if you're a local SEO or a local business owner, you'll be glad you listened. What you'll learn from Joy Hawkins 00:00 Joy Hawkins and Jason Barnard01:01 International Brand SERP for Joy Hawkins03:33 Dissecting Oxford Cheese Co's GMB Panel04:40 Selecting a specific primary category and generic categories in GMB08:09 Evolving GMB attributes caused by Covid restrictions13:41 Popular times - where does the data come from?14:44 3 visible reviews in GMB rarely change17:13 How much GMB control does Google give restaurants?23:33 Why are doctors' GMB panels so sparse?24:42 Can a local business owner post a question and answer it themselves?25:28 Google as an assistive engine26:08 Setting the reservation button and business hours29:05 Adventure Land have a hybrid GMB / Knowledge panel 31:21 Why Google shows Jason's photo instead of Kalicube's logo on its GMB?35:07 GMB posts and events: Does it show up anywhere? This episode was recorded live on video September 7th 2021 Recorded live at Kalicube Tuesdays (Digital Marketing Livestream Event Series). Watch the video now>>

My guest on this episode of Suds & Search is Colan Nielsen, Vice President of Local Search at Sterling Sky. Colan is considered one of the leading local SEO experts in the world. He is a Google My Business product expert, he's on the faculty at Local U, and he's a contributor to the Moz Local Search Ranking Factors Study. Colan is an in-demand speaker and blogger on topics related to Local SEO. You may have read his work at Search Engine Land, Local U, Bright Local, and on the Sterling Sky company blog. The legendary local SEO Mary Bowling announced her retirement shortly before we went on the air. I'm going to start my conversation with Colan talking about the enormous impact Mary had on Colan's career. Colan recently discussed how to build a unique local SEO playbook on a podcast with Bright Local. I'm going to ask him a few questions about that podcast and he'll take us through the approach at Sterling Sky which places value on testing and experimentation. And it wouldn't be a local SEO episode if we didn't spend a little time talking about spam…or at least the grey area of local SEO. Colan describes the almost unbelievable lengths that businesses are willing to go to appear more prominently in local searches. Grab something cold to drink and join me for a conversation with Colan Nielsen. We'll talk about the upcoming Local U conference on August 31st, we'll spend a little time talking about how to start an effective local SEO campaign, and Colan will tell you how Google penalizes spammy tactics. Listen to Suds & Search Podcasts: Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9teXNvdW5kd2lzZS5jb20vcnNzLzE1OTUzNTQ3MjgwNTZz Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suds-search-interviews-todays-search-marketing-experts/id1526688363 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ALxRpeDgIvg63bK6eoUTe Catch SearchLab on these platforms: https://www.linkedin.com/company/searchlabdigital/ https://www.facebook.com/SearchLabDigital/ https://twitter.com/SearchLabAgency https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kf-yP3bwhI6YvFFeKfegA Suds and Search Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqSrUsIw8Jit8A6IwPpFw7IPKuuyGF0Ii Local Search Tuesday's Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqSrUsIw8JiuxY0eDWZr7Us_WgNNP-GDnSubscribe to Suds & Search | Interviews With Today's Search Marketing Experts on Soundwise

Join Mike and Carrie as they discuss Mask Mandates from Enterprise brands, Amazon's employment dominance, QR Codes, and DoorDash Kitchens!Mike's Links:Walt Disney Co., Walmart adopt Covid vaccine requirements for employees - NBCNews.com - ​​Introducing DoorDash Kitchens Full Service, a New Partnership Model for Restaurants To Grow Their… Doordash.com - https://blog.doordash.com/introducing-doordash-kitchens-full-service-a-new-partnership-model-for-restaurants-to-grow-their-f0ac15fb9755QR Codes Are Here to Stay. So Is the Tracking They Allow. - NYTimes.com - ​​SOCi Acquires Brandify, Melding Location Marketing Strengths - StreetfightMag.com - https://streetfightmag.com/2021/07/29/soci-acquires-brandify-melding-location-marketing-strengths/Snapchat Launches 'My Places' to Highlight Local Businesses of Interest Within the Snap Map - SocialMediaToday.com - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/snapchat-launches-my-places-to-highlight-local-businesses-of-interest-wit/604093/Apple's New Places, Retail Site Search, Advertisers Paying Google Taxes - NearMedia.co - https://www.nearmedia.co/apples-new-places-retail-search-advertisers-paying-google-taxes/Google to Permanently Allow Chains the Ability Create  Posts via API - NearMedia.co - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-acknowledges-that-chains-will-be-able-to-post-via-api-going-forward/Carrie's LinksUltimate Guide to Getting Started with Email Marketing for SMBs - Carrie Hill - SterlingSky.ca - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/ultimate-guide-starting-email-marketing-small-business/Google wants to know how your business is doing - Spotted by Colan Nielsen, via Twitter - https://twitter.com/ColanNielsen/status/1420772580705832960Cars for Sale GMB Inventory Visible on Desktop - Spotted by Yan Gilbert of LocalFalcon and Sterling Sky - https://twitter.com/YanGilbertSEO/status/1420091722495840256Amazon now employs almost 1 million people in the US — or 1 in every 169 workers - NBCNews.com - https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/amazon-now-employs-almost-1-million-people-u-s-or-n1275539How To Use Handwritten Notes To Build Relationships And Better Your Business - Clara Capano - Forbes.com - https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/08/02/how-to-use-handwritten-notes-to-build-relationships-and-better-your-business/?sh=6c3d797940a9

Join Mike and Carrie as they discuss Mask Mandates from Enterprise brands, Amazon's employment dominance, QR Codes, and DoorDash Kitchens!Mike's Links:Walt Disney Co., Walmart adopt Covid vaccine requirements for employees - NBCNews.com - ​​Introducing DoorDash Kitchens Full Service, a New Partnership Model for Restaurants To Grow Their… Doordash.com - https://blog.doordash.com/introducing-doordash-kitchens-full-service-a-new-partnership-model-for-restaurants-to-grow-their-f0ac15fb9755QR Codes Are Here to Stay. So Is the Tracking They Allow. - NYTimes.com - ​​SOCi Acquires Brandify, Melding Location Marketing Strengths - StreetfightMag.com - https://streetfightmag.com/2021/07/29/soci-acquires-brandify-melding-location-marketing-strengths/Snapchat Launches 'My Places' to Highlight Local Businesses of Interest Within the Snap Map - SocialMediaToday.com - https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/snapchat-launches-my-places-to-highlight-local-businesses-of-interest-wit/604093/Apple's New Places, Retail Site Search, Advertisers Paying Google Taxes - NearMedia.co - https://www.nearmedia.co/apples-new-places-retail-search-advertisers-paying-google-taxes/Google to Permanently Allow Chains the Ability Create  Posts via API - NearMedia.co - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-acknowledges-that-chains-will-be-able-to-post-via-api-going-forward/Carrie's LinksUltimate Guide to Getting Started with Email Marketing for SMBs - Carrie Hill - SterlingSky.ca - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/ultimate-guide-starting-email-marketing-small-business/Google wants to know how your business is doing - Spotted by Colan Nielsen, via Twitter - https://twitter.com/ColanNielsen/status/1420772580705832960Cars for Sale GMB Inventory Visible on Desktop - Spotted by Yan Gilbert of LocalFalcon and Sterling Sky - https://twitter.com/YanGilbertSEO/status/1420091722495840256Amazon now employs almost 1 million people in the US — or 1 in every 169 workers - NBCNews.com - https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/amazon-now-employs-almost-1-million-people-u-s-or-n1275539How To Use Handwritten Notes To Build Relationships And Better Your Business - Clara Capano - Forbes.com - https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/08/02/how-to-use-handwritten-notes-to-build-relationships-and-better-your-business/?sh=6c3d797940a9

Each week, Eric, Jason and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google My Business, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.Google Support investigating long email response times.GMB review enhancements for restaurants.GMB post study by Sterling Sky.Google is testing local 3 pack.Facebook making major push for WhatsApp.Apple Maps Connect is now Apple Business Register.Why searching ranks in Google.How to handle a big drop in GMB review score from an inappropriate social media post.Have the recent Google core updates had any effect on GMB?What are the causes of an GMB API suspension?Is photo geotagging info maintained if using API?Are hashtags used in social media considered gaming the system? What about hashtags in GMB posts?How do businesses get listed in the Things To Do section of Google search?Is there anything you can do to fix incorrect directions to a GMB pin?Does a GMB phone number affect call tracking?Do you have any call tracking companies you can recommend?Does the GMB post content justification below a local 3 pack count as a view of the post?How do we handle gray strikes we keep getting on services we offer?Is there a way to integrate chat services on our website with GMB chat?Do you have recommendations for software platforms to track GMB ranking?Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Given the powerful standing of the leading apps, it is unlikely that, even if the app stores are more regulated, whether there will be a more competitive environment. And any anti-trust efforts focusing on competitive harms will go up against 40 years of jurisprudence that has only looked at consumer harms. The Google updates favors better content for Local too!  Sterling Sky did an interesting case study in the legal space of a client that seems to have dramatically benefited from the recent algo updates. Why? Because they had spent time pruning bad content and improving the good.  Yext Search Data Hub provides interesting GMB Insights Data across 600,000 listingsYext has created a visual interface to 3 years of GMB Insights data that can be searched by country or vertical. With this tool you can track our nascent recovery via the recent rise in driving direction as well as see which industries are still getting more website visits or phone calls. The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.Ep 23 Near Memo

On this episode, we chatted with Colan Nielsen about how to build an effective, and importantly, unique local SEO playbook.Colan is VP of Local Search at Sterling Sky, and we tapped into his 11+ years of experience to find out the best ways to develop your own playbook.As you’ll learn, a playbook goes way beyond a simple checklist of actions to take. Your playbook should not only define how you go about local SEO, but also what steps you take to communicate with clients and uncover new tactics.Listen to learn:The big benefits of having a playbookThe pitfalls to avoid when using a playbookHow to use your playbook through the first year of working with a clientHow to continue to expand and sharpen your playbookResources:Sterling Sky regularly publishes results of their tests on their blog, so be sure to give it a bookmark to keep up to date on local SEO tactics that do and don’t work.Check out Colan’s book recommendation: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill   

Joy Hawkins is the owner and president of Sterling Sky, Inc. and a Search Engine Land Columnist. She has examined thousands of Google local listings for SMBs in the US and Canada since 2006. Certified in both Google Search & Display, she enjoys spending time managing Google Ads accounts. She has been a speaker at various search engine marketing conferences such as SMX & LocalU, Pubcon, and Mozcon. In this episode, we talked about SEO, online marketing, online advertising, social media, blogging...

Joy Hawkins is the owner and president of Sterling Sky, Inc. and a Search Engine Land Columnist. She has examined thousands of Google local listings for SMBs in the US and Canada since 2006. Certified in both Google Search & Display, she enjoys spending time managing Google Ads accounts. She has been a speaker at various search engine marketing conferences such as SMX & LocalU, Pubcon, and Mozcon. In this episode, we talked about SEO, online marketing, online advertising, social media, blogging...

It's not often you get THREE platinum level Google My Business product experts in a single session, but today you're in luck. Joy Hawkins, President of Sterling Sky, joins Jason Brown and Ben Fisher to answer any questions you have about Google My Business.This Week's Updates and QuestionsResults of test on whether GMB identity attributes impact rankings.Increase in GMB listings disappearing from dashboards.Is it possible to reach 100% business profile completion and what's the secret?Where are the changes in GMB listings coming from?How do you merge two GMB listings?Does sharing a GMB post to other social media help Google rankings?Should you create a GMB website?Does geo stacking help or hurt your Google ranking?How do you handle a string of one star reviews?How should I best respond to a negative review?Can you update the “Located In” section of a GMB listing?Using home address or PO Box on website for service area business.Are there certain events on non-owned property that can be verified as a GMB listing?Can franchises create their own GMB listing?Do local links have an impact on rankings?Best practice for GMB shortnames.Are citation building services worth it?Why do extra categories in GMB disappear?What factors go into Google marking a review as most relevant?Can negative reviews due to Covid or other current events be appealed?Why are there so many bugs in GMB?Are CTR and other gray tactics worth it?How to get access to reports if previous GMB administrator left?Are emojis against GMB listing guidelines?How would someone know if they have a hard or soft suspension?Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

My guest on this episode of Suds & Search is Joy Hawkins. Joy is the Owner and Founder of Sterling Sky. She is one of, if not the, most recognizable Local SEO personalities in the world. It's hard for me to think of anything in Local SEO that Joy isn't at least somewhat involved in. She has spoken at every major Local SEO conference… most of them multiple times. A shortlist of places you might've heard Joy present includes Mozcon Local, SMX, Pubcon, and Whitespark's Local Search Summit. She is the owner of LocalU, the most important conference series for Local SEOs in the world. LocalU is more than just a conference series though. The Local U website a go-to destination for Local SEOs looking to level up their Local SEO knowledge by reading blogs, listening to podcasts, and following their newsletter. Joy is also one of the most important bloggers in Local SEO. You can read her column at Search Engine Land. She frequently publishes content over at Local U and on the Sterling Sky company blog. I'm going to ask her a few questions about a Whiteboard Friday she did for Moz back in October about what Local SEO tactics improve rankings and which do not. In addition to her responsibilities at Sterling Sky, Joy is involved with two important forums. She is a Platinum Google Product Expert at the Google My Business forum and she is the owner of the Local Search Forum. I'll start our conversation by asking her about her involvement in both of those important forums. Joy has assembled an all-star team of digital marketers over at Sterling Sky. In 2020, BrightLocal nicknamed her staff the “Sterling Sky dream team.” Carrie Hill, Mary Bowling, Colan Nielsen, and Brian Barwig are just a few of Joy's impressive teammates. I'm going to ask her what it's like leading this talented team of professionals. Grab something cold to drink and join me for a conversation with Joy Hawkins. We'll talk about why it's harder than you might think for Google to clean up GMB spam, what factors on GMB actually improve rankings, and we'll spend a little time talking about the board game Dominion. Listen to Suds & Search Podcasts: Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9teXNvdW5kd2lzZS5jb20vcnNzLzE1OTUzNTQ3MjgwNTZz Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suds-search-interviews-todays-search-marketing-experts/id1526688363 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ALxRpeDgIvg63bK6eoUTe SearchLab 1801 W Belle Plaine Suite 107 Chicago, IL 60613 (312) 256-1574 Catch SearchLab on these platforms: https://www.linkedin.com/company/searchlabdigital/ https://www.facebook.com/SearchLabDigital https://twitter.com/SearchLabAgency https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kf-yP3bwhI6YvFFeKfegA Suds and Search Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqSrUsIw8Jit8A6IwPpFw7IPKuuyGF0Ii Local Search Tuesdays Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqSrUsIw8JiuxY0eDWZr7Us_WgNNP-GDnSubscribe to Suds & Search | Interviews With Today's Search Marketing Experts on Soundwise

Join the staff from Local University as they discuss some of the most significant and interesting developments Last Week in Local Search.  We discuss YouTube Shorts, GMB Conversion Factors, GMB Cover Photos, an Algorithm update,  Local University Advanced on April 7, and much more.Mike's Links:Walmart Taps Sofia Vergara, Jamie Oliver, Patti LaBelle for Interactive Cooking Shows on E-Commerce Hub - Variety.com - https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/walmart-cookshop-sofia-vergara-jamie-oliver-ecommerce-1234915067/Google Discover surfacing YouTube in 'Short videos' carousel - 9to5Google.com - https://9to5google.com/2021/02/27/google-discover-youtube-shorts/Pivoting Toward the New Consumer Experience: The 2021 Brand Innovation Survey - Streetfight Mag - https://streetfightmag.com/2021/02/26/pivoting-toward-the-new-consumer-experience-the-2021-brand-innovation-survey/The Top 10 GMB Conversion Factors to Get More Leads - Whitespark.ca - https://whitespark.ca/blog/gmb-conversion-factors/Google Posts: Conversion Factor & Not Ranking Factor - Moz.com - https://moz.com/blog/google-postsSeed Audiences: the Most Practical Way to Make Blogging Work for a Local Business - Local Visibility System - https://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2021/02/28/seed-audiences-the-most-practical-way-to-make-blogging-work-for-a-local-business/Mary's Links:6 Local Search SEO Myths that Need Busting for Dental Practices - DentalEconomics.com - https://www.dentaleconomics.com/home/webinar/14198274/podium-6-local-search-seo-myths-that-need-busting-for-dental-practicesMatthew Hunt - Investing in Employees via LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:6771058728545337344/5 Things You Might Want to Know About Google My Business Cover Photos - Local University - Claire Carlile - https://localu.org/5-things-you-might-want-to-know-about-google-my-business-cover-photos/ Service Area Businesses: Are they at a disadvantage on Google Maps? - Zac Todd - Persuaded-io - https://persuaded.io/blog/service-area-businesses-are-they-at-a-disadvantage/Carrie's Links:What happens when Google removes 98% of your reviews? Joy Hawkins, Sterling Sky

On Episode 80, Carrie Hill of Sterling Sky discusses how she follows the changes of Google for Local SEO. She details her methodology for creating, executing, and analyzing search-related experiments. She also highlights some of the biggest Local SEO disasters she's seen.

Join the staff from Local University as they discuss some of the most significant and interesting developments Last Week in Local Search. We discuss YouTube Shorts, GMB Conversion Factors, GMB Cover Photos, an Algorithm update, Local University Advanced on April 7, and much more.Mike’s Links:Walmart Taps Sofia Vergara, Jamie Oliver, Patti LaBelle for Interactive Cooking Shows on E-Commerce Hub - Variety.com - https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/walmart-cookshop-sofia-vergara-jamie-oliver-ecommerce-1234915067/Google Discover surfacing YouTube in 'Short videos' carousel - 9to5Google.com - https://9to5google.com/2021/02/27/google-discover-youtube-shorts/Pivoting Toward the New Consumer Experience: The 2021 Brand Innovation Survey - Streetfight Mag - https://streetfightmag.com/2021/02/26/pivoting-toward-the-new-consumer-experience-the-2021-brand-innovation-survey/The Top 10 GMB Conversion Factors to Get More Leads - Whitespark.ca - https://whitespark.ca/blog/gmb-conversion-factors/Google Posts: Conversion Factor & Not Ranking Factor - Moz.com - https://moz.com/blog/google-postsSeed Audiences: the Most Practical Way to Make Blogging Work for a Local Business - Local Visibility System - https://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2021/02/28/seed-audiences-the-most-practical-way-to-make-blogging-work-for-a-local-business/Mary’s Links:6 Local Search SEO Myths that Need Busting for Dental Practices - DentalEconomics.com - https://www.dentaleconomics.com/home/webinar/14198274/podium-6-local-search-seo-myths-that-need-busting-for-dental-practicesMatthew Hunt - Investing in Employees via LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:6771058728545337344/5 Things You Might Want to Know About Google My Business Cover Photos - Local University - Claire Carlile - https://localu.org/5-things-you-might-want-to-know-about-google-my-business-cover-photos/ Service Area Businesses: Are they at a disadvantage on Google Maps? - Zac Todd - Persuaded-io - https://persuaded.io/blog/service-area-businesses-are-they-at-a-disadvantage/Carrie’s Links:What happens when Google removes 98% of your reviews? Joy Hawkins, Sterling Sky

My guest on this episode of Suds & Search is Carrie Hill. For over 13 years, Carrie has been one of the most important voices in digital marketing for small and medium businesses. Carrie has contributed her talents at industry conferences, on podcasts, webinars, and blogs. She has presented at virtually every Local SEO conference including LocalU, Whitespark Local Search Summit, and all of the different Pubcon events. She's a prolific writer as well. She has contributed to Search Engine Land, Search Engine Watch, and on the Sterling Sky company blog. Almost a year before our discussion, Carrie and her long-time partner Mary Bowling joined Joy Hawkins team at Sterling Sky. Sterling Sky has assembled an amazing team of Local SEOs earning the nickname the Sterling Sky Dream Team. I start our conversation talking about how the past year has gone at Sterling Sky and what's in store for 2021. Carrie is also a fixture over at LocalU. She co-hosts the impressive podcast Last Week in Local with Mary Bowling and Mike Blumenthal. She contributes blogs about a variety of topics but she is really good at talking about branding and content for small businesses. We spend a little bit of the conversation talking about community building for small businesses. Building a genuine online community is something that huge global companies struggle with. Carrie explains how small businesses can create a community online that generates positive sentiment, better reviews, and what she calls “community karma.” Karma is an interesting term for our data-obsessed industry. How do you measure karma? Carrie makes a persuasive case for how focusing on karma leads to all sorts of wins for small businesses. Join me for a conversation with Carrie Hill. We'll talk about common small business content fails, who a local influencer is, and we'll drink bourbon during the middle of the day. Listen to Suds & Search Podcasts: Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9teXNvdW5kd2lzZS5jb20vcnNzLzE1OTUzNTQ3MjgwNTZz Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suds-search-interviews-todays-search-marketing-experts/id1526688363 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ALxRpeDgIvg63bK6eoUTe SearchLab 1801 W Belle Plaine Suite 107 Chicago, IL 60613 (312) 256-1574 Catch SearchLab on these platforms: https://www.linkedin.com/company/searchlabdigital/ https://www.facebook.com/SearchLabDigital https://twitter.com/SearchLabAgency https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3kf-yP3bwhI6YvFFeKfegA Suds and Search Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqSrUsIw8Jit8A6IwPpFw7IPKuuyGF0Ii Local Search Tuesdays Video Series https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqSrUsIw8JiuxY0eDWZr7Us_WgNNP-GDnSubscribe to Suds & Search | Interviews With Today's Search Marketing Experts on Soundwise

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and his fiancee just recently had a baby girl which they named Sterling Sky...what does this name remind you of? We got into the topic of 'poorly' named children, or just bad name ideas for kids that sort of presume a potential career they may be namely suited for. We took your texts on funny and inappropriate names you've heard in your life in the spirit of humility! ONLY AVAILABLE on the Morning Bull Podcast! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congratulations to Patrick Mahomes on the birth of his daughter Sterling Sky. Naomi Osaka wins the Australian Open and sets the record straight! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Good morning and welcome to the ride! Put your hands together in rapid succession because we deserve a round of applause. The Chief Love Officer tells a woman the truth about her so called future. Stevie Wonder speaks out about moving to Ghana because of being tired of the racial issues in the United States. A young high school kid apologizes to Cam Newton for making disrespectful remarks. Your favorite play cousin Junior has another poetic gem that talks about his family. Congratulations to Patrick Mahomes on the birth of his daughter Sterling Sky. Sean Carter turned over 50% of Ace of Spades to LVMH Moët Hennessy to increase their cool factor. We have a special edition of Reality Update and something happened on RHOA at the bachelorette party. Miss Carla reports that it was even tew much for her. Today in Closing Remarks, Steve tells us to stick to the plan and get committed to the dream. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Tuesdays Morning Bull had a couple of really cool, topical guests we wanted to get some expert opinion from, as well as some updates on your texts from the last few days and a really fun topic about porn names! John Wawrow talked Sabres woes with us and CNN, as well as former Buffalo reporter Susan Candinotti who dropped in to discuss her appearance tonight for the Buffalo Brodcasters HOF with Buffalo's own Wolf Blitzer.  Robs Did You Know took place, as did the TrendZone featuring some great sound from around the world! Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and his fiancee just recently had a baby girl which they named Sterling Sky...what does this name remind you of? We got into the topic of 'poorly' named children, or just bad name ideas for kids that sort of presume a potential career they may be namely suited for. We took your texts on funny and inappropriate names you've heard in your life in the spirit of humility! John Wawrow is a sports reporter covering the Sabres and Bills and Buffalo, in general, and is a great friend of the show. He stops by every so often to lend his expertise on the local teams and sports news. Today he compared the Bills and Sabres trajectories after yet another loss last night to the Islanders. He also let us in on some of his thoughts as to who the Sabres should be considering moving on from.  In Buffalo we know how winter weather can get and how our cars are affected by it. Rob asked and did some research on the beneifts and risks of putting your windshield wipers up during a snow storm. We argued and took your texts and suggestions on how to properly apply this technique... or not?! Susan Candinotti is a journalist, currently with CNN but with some Buffalo ties early in her career, and she joined us to talk journalism and its current state as well as an event she'll be attending virtually for the Buffalo Broadcasters HOF tonight! ONLY AVAILABLE on the Morning Bull Podcast! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join the staff from Local University as they discuss some of the most significant and interesting developments Last Week in Local Search.Mike's Links:New playbook for COVID-19 protection emerges after year of study, missteps — The Wall Street Journal - https://apple.news/A0VeVF0uIT76c4nf9m72aJQApple illustrates privacy issues on Data Privacy Day - AppleInsider.com - https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/01/28/apple-illustrates-privacy-issues-on-data-privacy-dayhttps://www.apple.com/privacy/docs/A_Day_in_the_Life_of_Your_Data.pdfMaking Twitter a better home for writers - https://blog.twitter.com - https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2021/making-twitter-a-better-home-for-writers.htmlHD Media Files First of Its Kind Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google and Facebook - Editor & Publisher.com - https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/hd-media-files-first-of-its-kind-antitrust-lawsuit-against-google-and-facebook,185360Mary's Links:Local SEO Checklist Tool - The Team at Whitespark.ca - https://whitespark.ca/local-seo-checklist/  9 SEO Experts on 2020's Impact and SEO Priorities for 2021, Part One - Wellspring Digital - https://wellspringdigital.com/9-seo-experts-on-2020s-impact-and-seo-priorities-for-2021/ Learning to Speak the Language of Your Clients with Kim Doughty - - ByTraject with Garrett Sussman - https://bytraject.com/blog/speak-the-language-of-your-clients-kim-doughty/Local Quizness - Quiz of the Year 2020! - BrightLocal - https://www.brightlocal.com/blog/local-quizness-quiz-of-the-year-2020/ Carrie's Links:Update to GMB Insights - by Colan Nielsen of Sterling Sky - https://localu.org/google-my-business-insights-update/First GMBChat hosted by Sterling Sky & LocalU - join us on twitter on Feb 9 at 11am EST!  DM us your questions ahead of time! - https://twitter.com/SterlingSkyInc/status/1356264200306262020 Webinar Alert:Local SEO: Which Google My Business Tactics and Tools Drive Customers? Mike, Joy, Jason Barnard & Greg Sterling at SEMRush

Join the staff from Local University as they discuss some of the most significant and interesting developments Last Week in Local Search.Mike’s Links:New playbook for COVID-19 protection emerges after year of study, missteps — The Wall Street Journal - https://apple.news/A0VeVF0uIT76c4nf9m72aJQApple illustrates privacy issues on Data Privacy Day - AppleInsider.com - https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/01/28/apple-illustrates-privacy-issues-on-data-privacy-dayhttps://www.apple.com/privacy/docs/A_Day_in_the_Life_of_Your_Data.pdfMaking Twitter a better home for writers - https://blog.twitter.com - https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2021/making-twitter-a-better-home-for-writers.htmlHD Media Files First of Its Kind Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google and Facebook - Editor & Publisher.com - https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/hd-media-files-first-of-its-kind-antitrust-lawsuit-against-google-and-facebook,185360Mary’s Links:Local SEO Checklist Tool - The Team at Whitespark.ca - https://whitespark.ca/local-seo-checklist/ 9 SEO Experts on 2020's Impact and SEO Priorities for 2021, Part One - Wellspring Digital - https://wellspringdigital.com/9-seo-experts-on-2020s-impact-and-seo-priorities-for-2021/ Learning to Speak the Language of Your Clients with Kim Doughty - - ByTraject with Garrett Sussman - https://bytraject.com/blog/speak-the-language-of-your-clients-kim-doughty/Local Quizness - Quiz of the Year 2020! - BrightLocal - https://www.brightlocal.com/blog/local-quizness-quiz-of-the-year-2020/ Carrie’s Links:Update to GMB Insights - by Colan Nielsen of Sterling Sky - https://localu.org/google-my-business-insights-update/First GMBChat hosted by Sterling Sky & LocalU - join us on twitter on Feb 9 at 11am EST! DM us your questions ahead of time! - https://twitter.com/SterlingSkyInc/status/1356264200306262020 Webinar Alert:Local SEO: Which Google My Business Tactics and Tools Drive Customers? Mike, Joy, Jason Barnard & Greg Sterling at SEMRush

On Episode 70, Colan Nielsen, VP of Local Search at Sterling Sky shares his day in the life as a Local SEO, how he approaches the work/life balance, and what he anticipates being key local search focuses for 2021.

This week on the show, I have Joyanne Hawkins. She is the founder and CEO of Sterling Sky. Sterling Sky is an agency out of Toronto, Canada that specializes in local search and Google My Business Optimization. Joy and I talk all about Google My Business and touch on everything that should be important to you as a business owner and how to optimize your Google My Business Listing.

Seth Price talks with Joy Hawkins, founder of Sterling Sky, on all things local search. Seth and Joy speak about factors that affect the local 3-pack, the impact of reviews on local visibility, and the future of local search.

There’s no doubt content is key to both ranking high in local search and generating more leads, but there’s a lot of mixed messages about the best ways to approach this. And often what ranks and what converts can be very different beasts.Luckily, we’ve enlisted Sterling Sky’s content creating champion Carrie Hill to get answers to questions such as should local businesses be blogging regularly? What kind of content converts? And what do you do if great content isn’t ranking?On this episode, Carrie reveals her secrets to make the words (and leads!) flow.Listen to learn:How to do effective content researchHow to ensure content doesn’t just rank, but also convertsThe mistakes to avoid when creating contentThe methods Carrie uses to make writing much easier

In this interview, Family Lawyer Magazine Publisher Dan Couvrette speaks with Joy Hawkins – SEO expert and CEO and founder of Sterling Sky – about how a Google My Business listing can help a family law firm’s growth.   For the full transcript and video interview please visit: https://familylawyermagazine.com/articles/watch-google-my-business-can-help-family-law-firm-grow/

Joy Hawkins is the founder and owner of Sterling Sky. She has been working in the Local SEO industry since 2006 and loves being a Google Top Contributor. She also loves spending time managing Google Ads accounts and has been certified in both Google Search & Display. She is also a speaker at various search engine marketing conferences such as SMX & LocalU, Pubcon & Mozcon.In this episode, Hawkins talks to Casey Meraz about how law firms can use Local SEO to gain more visibility and clients for their business.Make sure to listen to the episode and follow us on social media.Read the full transcript on our website here.This Podcast is sponsored by Juris Digital

“The people you work with are everything.” Joy Hawkins is a Google My Business product expert, owner of Sterling Sky and Local Search Forum, and author of “The Experts Guide to Local SEO.” She’s a prime example of what happens when your passion and your expertise intersect. Joy shares her love for the ever-evolving, exciting local SEO field in forums, conferences, and her writing. “One of the mistakes small business owners make when they start is they don’t price themselves high enough.” On this podcast, Joy shares the insights she gained and challenges she faced in her career. Here we discuss: -Making your customers stick through online engagement -Avoiding bad turnover by picking the right employees and ensuring they are satisfied with their jobs -Attracting the right customers by valuing your service correctly -The importance of delegating tasks to prevent burnout -The benefits of joining conferences You can connect with Joy through the following platforms: Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/joyhawkins Local Search Forum: https://www.localsearchforum.com/

Joy Hawkins is the owner and president of Sterling Sky, a consulting firm specializing in local SEO. She is a veteran of the SEO industry, with nearly 15 years of experience. In addition to her duties at Sterling Sky, Joy also runs the Local Search Forum and LocalU, writes a column for Search Engine Land, and speaks at various SEO conferences. In this episode… The competition to rank on the top of search engine results pages is intense for any law firm. This is especially true when you're trying to rank for your specific location, and big spenders tend to lead the pack. But what if there was a way to achieve top rankings in your area without breaking the bank? Enter: local SEO. According to search engine marketing expert Joy Hawkins, local SEO is the best solution for lawyers looking to attract customers within their zip codes. Using tried and true strategies, such as building internal links and flagging fake listings, you can start paving your way onto the top of results pages in your location. In this episode of The Rankings Podcast, host Chris Dreyer and Joy Hawkins, owner and president of Sterling Sky, discuss the unmatched benefits of local SEO. Listen in as Joy shares her best practices for achieving top rankings within your firm's location, combatting local spam and fake reviews, and maintaining your ranking when expanding to new offices.

Ryan from Such n Such Media interviews Jason Brown from Sterling Sky. They discuss spam and Google My Business and how it's being exploited to benefit people who are selling leads and it's hurting local business owners. What can you do about it? Listen to this podcast to find out. Please check out our sponsors: Service Titan Sommer USA Surewinder Garage Door Marketing --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/torsion-talk/message

Local Search with Sterling Sky, Founder Joy Hawkins by Robert Palmer

We’re diving deep into Local SEO today by debunking some common myths when it comes to editing your Google My Business. Joy Hawkins is the owner of Sterling Sky, Inc. and she recently wrote a blog called "7 Little Known Things About Google Local Guides and Editing Listings on Google Maps" and we wanted to learn more about Google Local Guides more for this show. Plus, what’s with all the spam in Google Maps? How do you combat that? All this and more...today on the EDGE!   Sponsor EDGE of the Web is brought to you by Site Strategics and they are offering to help you find out your digital marketing ROI. The Digital Marketing ROI Report will examine your existing SEO, content, social media, and PPC to help you discover your TRUE ROI. Visit to get 30% off your comprehensive review of your digital assets!

We are fortunate to be joined on Spectora Spotlight by Joy Hawkins, owner/founder of Sterling Sky, a prominent Local SEO Agency. Joy is a top columnist and writer for the likes of Search Engine Land and Moz, and speaks at a number of high profile SEO conferences and Expos.  I've personally learned so much from her research and work, so I am so happy we got the chance to speak to someone who is on the cutting-edge of what Google is up to. We mentioned a couple sites and links in this episode: http://tomwaddington.com/ https://www.sterlingsky.ca/ https://www.localsearchforum.com/ *Joy recently acquired this popular local SEO forum, so be sure to check it out and ask questions. Lots of experts in there.   If you're enjoying these interviews, let us know with a review! You can also subscribe to Spectora Spotlight wherever you get your audio from - iTunes, Google Play, Podbean, Overcast, etc. You can also check our more interviews at the links below! https://spectora.podbean.com/https://www.spectora.com/r/spectora-spotlight/https://www.youtube.com/spectora To learn more about Spectora Home Inspection Software, follow the link!

Joy Hawkins is a Local SEO expert who is a Google My Business Top Contributor. She regularly contributes to many online communities in the Local SEO world, including the Google My Business forum (Top Contributor), the Local Search Forum (Top Contributor), and the Local University Forum (Moderator). She is also a contributor to the Moz Local Search Ranking Factors survey. Joy is the owner of Sterling Sky in Canada and is the author of the Expert's Guide to Local SEO, which is an advanced training manual for people wanting a detailed look at what it takes to succeed in the Local SEO space.  

Video Webinar : The Ins and Out of Reviews and Reputation in 2018 Special Event w/ David Mihm, Joy Hawkins, Sterling Sky, Aaron Weiche, Localu Panel moderated by Mike Blumenthal

Video Webinar : The Ins and Out of Reviews and Reputation in 2018 Special Event w/ David Mihm, Joy Hawkins, Sterling Sky, Aaron Weiche, Localu Panel moderated by Mike Blumenthal