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This episode covers:Why service-based businesses have a disadvantage in Google My Business (but also how to overcome it)Local service ads: how they work, why they work , how they compare to Google AdsHow location-targeted website pages help your visibility and what to put on themPhotos: Google's growing photo identification capabilities and why to abandon stock photosThe importance of filling out your whole Google My Business profileWill Google put SEOs out of work?What Mary and Carrie think should Google My Business should tackle in 2020The best tool for Google search is Google search

This week on Found Bytes, David Mihm invites Will Scott, CEO and Co-founder of Search Influence, to share insights from his decades of experience in digital marketing, targeted content, and local search.In this episode, you'll learn tips on creating content as a local business, where Google My Business fits into a larger marketing plan, how GMB is often a doorway in search, how to identify content ideas that will boost leads, how to use Google as a keyword research tool, utilizing GMB's Q&A section for content ideation, the information architecture of a website, getting reviews that speak to longer tail keyword search queries, and much more!Resources mentioned in this episode:Donalson Plastic SurgeryThriveHive's Top Customer QuestionsFollow our guest Will Scott on Twitter @w2scott and at www.searchinfluence.com.

This week on Found Bytes, David Mihm invites Cindy Krum, CEO and Founder of Mobile Moxie LLC, to talk about mobile marketing, local SEO, and how Google has evolved beyond the desktop.In this episode, you'll learn how Google My Business fits into Google's larger Knowledge Graph, how podcasts and voice search will affect or are already starting to affect local search (and how to take advantage of voice), mobile search's quick rise to dominance over desktop search, images and interactivity, ranking number one versus getting into the knowledge graph, SERP tools for local search, what is a featured snippet, and much more!Resources mentioned in this episode:ThriveHive's Free Grader ToolMobileMoxie's SERPerator ToolInk Coffee's Google My Business listingFollow our guest Cindy Krum on Twitter @Suzzicks and at www.mobilemoxie.com.

This week on Found Bytes, David Mihm invites Greg Gifford, VP of Search at Wikimotive, to share his experience from over a decade in local search, and what every local business owner can learn from the auto industry.In this episode, you'll learn about marketing in the auto industry, the interesting challenges of cannabis marketing, Greg's take on Google My Business as a feature, what to watch out for when optimizing old GMB listings, examples of photo best practices from the auto industry, monitoring and engaging with the Questions & Answers feature, how to see success with Google Posts, the definition of content marketing and how to go about it as a local business, frustrations with Google My Business, changes in local search, and much more!Resources mentioned in this episode:ThriveHive's Free Grader Tool"Google may decide to charge for Google My Business listings" - by Barry Schwartz, SearchEngineLandThriveHive's Top Customer QuestionsFollow our guest Greg Gifford on Twitter @GregGifford and at www.wikimotive.com.

This week on Found Bytes, David Mihm talks with two guests, Dana DiTomaso, president of Kick Point Dana DiTomaso and WhiteSpark's Jessie Low all about customer outreach, specifically Google Posts. In this episode you'll learn all about Google My Business Posts, the basics behind the posts feature, types of posts, imagery and title tags, how important it is to use UTM tags, Google Ads, Google Plus, how Posts fit into a larger digital marketing strategy, if Google Posts impact overall SERP rankings, how Google Posts and social posts differ, what the heck is in the water up in Edmonton, Canada, and so much more.Resources mentioned in this episode:ThriveHive's free Grader Tool"Everything You Need to Know About Google My Business Posts" by Jessie Low, Whitespark"What Your Google Tag Manager Should Contain" by Dana DiTomaso, for Moz's Whiteboard FridaysLexus of EdmontonVancouver AquariumFollow our guest Dana DiTomaso on Twitter @danaditomaso and www.kickpoint.ca is KickPoint's website. And our guest Jessie Low can be found at www.whitespark.ca and also on Whitespark's Twitter @whitespark.

This week on Found Bytes, David Mihm talks with the GatherUp CEO Aaron Weiche all about customer feedback, online reviews, and online reputation management for local businesses.In this episode you'll learn all about the ins and outs of gathering customer feedback, Net Promoter Scores and NPS surveys, asking the right amount of questions, SMS feedback, listening to your customers through reviews, first party reviews vs. third-party reviews, utilizing Google Reviews for future marketing, review gating, Yelp's Why,  Netflix's new "Million Dollar Bully" movie, and so much moreResources mentioned in this episode:ThriveHive's free Grader ToolNet Promoter ScoreGatherUpFollow our guest Aaron Weiche on Twitter @aaronweiche or email him at aaron@gatherup.com. He's also the co-founder of MNSearch, a non-profit dedicated to education and standards awareness of search marketing community in Minnesota, as well as a partner in LocalU, a seminar series providing small business training in sustainable local search marketing. In addition to many speaking engagements, Aaron co-hosts The SaaS Venture podcast alongside Whitespark's Darren Shaw. 

In this episode of FoundBytes, David Mihm talks with the Godfather of Local Search, Mike Blumenthal about his marketing mnemonic, Google as your new homepage, and the two corrects the misconception; websites aren't dead yet!In this episode you'll learn all about the concept of Google as your new homepage, dive into insights from one of Mike's longest ongoing case studies, learn how to embrace reviews, embrace powerful brand storytelling, discuss the importance of remembering mobile search, and much more. Resources mentioned in this episode:ThriveHive's free Grader ToolGoogle My Business ForumStreet FightFollow our guest Mike Blumenthal on Twitter @MBlumenthal or email him at mike@gatherup.com. He's also the cofounder of GatherUp, a feedback and reputation platform for local business, as well as LocalU, a seminar series providing small business training in sustainable local search marketing. Mike blogs for GatherUp, LocalU and Blumenthals.com, as well as hosts the Deep Dive podcast for LocalU. 

To kick things off, our very first episode is going to feature a conversation with fellow local search expert Joy Hawkins, focusing on the ins-and-outs of Google My Business and why it’s such a great tool to help you attract more customers from the world’s largest search engine.In this episode you'll learn what is Google My Business (GMB), where does GMB information show up online, all about photos and using them strategically, the new GMB Questions & Answers feature, intricacies of service area businesses, all about sole practitioners of parent companies, GMB categories, Spam management, how to reach out to Google, and much more. Resources mentioned in this episode:ThriveHive's free Grader ToolGoogle My Business ForumGoogle's Business Redressal Complaint Form@GoogleMyBizGoogle My Business on FacebookLocal Search Forum thread on Changes to service area business addressesFollow our guest Joy on Twitter @JoyanneHawkins or on the popular hashtag #StopCrapOnTheMap. She's also the owner of the Local Search Forum and the local search agency Sterling Sky in Canada, as well as the author of the amazing Expert’s Guide to Local SEO and an awesome monthly column on Search Engine Land.

Introducing Found Bytes, the latest local search tips for your business.Every two weeks, join David Mihm - a local business owner and VP of Product Strategy at ThriveHive - as he talks with local marketing experts about local search, how to get found by the right prospects, how to help your business profile stand out from the competition, and how to make sure customers actually choose your business online. We’ll thread in key data points from our customers and our guests’ customers along the way to help you make the best choices in your quest to get found.