Find Buffalo Blog

I have loved reading Daniel’s DailyBlogTips Blogger Face-Off posts (Odden vs. Fishkin, Chow vs. Coddington) and wanted to use that format with some great local search minds. Paul Jahn of LocalMN and Matt McGee of Small Business SEM are two great local search experts. I emailed these pros of local search with nine questions and here is how they weighed in. I’m hoping to put together another Local Search One-on-One next month so stay tuned.

	Paul Jahn | Local MN Blog Covering local search marketing
	Matt McGee | Small Business SEM For small businesses that want to compete and succeed on their own terms (and budgets).

Q: What’s your favorite thing about local search?
Paul: Definitely being able to search for something online, finding exactly what I want, then walking or driving to purchase something and have it all within an hour or two.

Matt: From a marketing perspective, it’s a tougher nut to crack than regular search. From a user perspective, it’s less bulky than the phone book.

Q: What’s next for local search?
Paul: I see more adoption of user ratings and reviews, similar to what’s prevalent in online product search.

Matt: More confusion, more trouble with bad data or lack of data, more growth predictions, and hopefully more consolidation.

Q: The better local solution right now: Google Maps or Yahoo Local?
Paul: Two days ago I would have said Yahoo. Right now, I’d say Google and more attention to TrueLocal (Yahoo Local has some local spam issues to fix).

Matt: Yahoo has better tools for maps and driving directions. Google is a better natural search option for business owners, but Yahoo is a better paid search option.

Q: What is your favorite local directory?
Paul: Right now there’s not one in particular, but in a few months or so I’m guessing it will have something to do with iBegin Source.

Matt: Probably Yelp because at my age I tend to like things that make me feel hip.

Q: Would you rather own and operate a local search engine or a local directory website?
Paul: Given my lack of algorithmic formula skills, I’d definitely have to say a directory.

Matt: Neither? They both sound less satisfying than what I’m doing now.

Q: With a $1,000 or less annual budget, what 3 things should a small business execute online?
Paul: Getting their correct business information to the online portals, get social (online), and proactively encourage customers to provide online ratings and reviews … and up the budget (ok, that’s four).

Matt: Less than $100/month? That’s ultra-small budget. Okay… 1) A blog. 2) A listing in all the free local search sites. 3) A PPC campaign on low-cost, long tail phrases (including geo-targeting).

Q: What is the most important SEO tactic for a small business (excluding content)?
Paul: This deviates from SEO a bit, but 3rd party reviews on trusted, visible sites.

Matt: Almost impossible to answer because SEO is a process. Great content won’t do much good without links. But I’ll say keyword research, because if you get that wrong, you’ve sabotaged almost everything else in the process.

Q: What do you think FindBuffalo.com’s strongest feature is?
Paul: Aaron, there is absolutely no one in Buffalo that is providing the unique community content like you are, and there aren’t many people in other communities that do, either.

Matt: Aside from the fact you once linked to my wife’s real estate blog? Okay… you’re very focused on one specific area. “Hyper-local” seems to be the hot keyword these days, and that’s what you are.

Q: What one thing should FindBuffalo.com improve or add?
Paul: Hmm - maybe an area for businesses to portray user-generated “YouTube type” commercials and the Find Buffalo faithful could rate them? I don’t think anyone is doing that right now.

Matt: Localize what people are doing elsewhere on the web; i.e., Buffalo-Tube, where local folks can share videos. Buffalickr, where local folks can share photos, but with a better name than that! (What about a place for local photographers to post and sell their photos?) Buffalauction, where local folks can post links to their eBay auctions, because it’s always easier when the buyer and seller are nearby. That’s more than one, sorry.

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Thanks Paul and Matt for taking the time and giving great information for any small business and any local search mind. You’ve set the bar high for whomever follows here. My readers now have two new blogs to subscribe to.

FindBuffalo.com has been available to the world for 45 days now so I thought it would be a good time to offer up a review on some of the keywords I’m starting to pull traffic for and also layout the sites I have managed to pull links from. As a quick review I will say that I have found it easier going to gain rank with search results on Yahoo than Google (still no major traction there), some progress from MSN and no love from Ask.com. Is there a trick to getting Ask to notice you? Let me know. So here are some specifics to what I can offer. If I don’t list an engine, I simply do not appear in their top 100 results. Damn you Google.

Search Term: buffalo mn - #5 MSN - #27 Yahoo

Search Term: golds gym buffalo mn - #1 Yahoo

Search Term: community center buffalo mn - #10 Yahoo - #12 MSN

Search Terms: buffalo mn news - #1 MSN - #3 Yahoo

Here are the links I’m aware of for FindBuffalo:
City of Buffalo (on drop down nav under community - org’s)
Buffalo School District - District #877
WrightSpot (Wright County Community Site)
DelanoMN (Delano MN Community Site)
Zion Lutheran Church - Buffalo, MN
Marci Weiche, Buffalo, MN Realtor
Wikipedia - Buffalo MN

The goal of local search is getting more defined as providers of pay per click and search realize that local means “in my neighborhood”. Currently Google or Yahoo can provide PPC ads for specific larger cities or states, but new technnology seems to be emerging that would allow PPC advertisers to specify zip codes and even neighborhoods they want to market to. Imagine waking up on a Sunday morning, typing in “fresh donuts” and getting the results of two bakeries, just 4 blocks away that have yummy donuts at a special price for you. It may just happen.

BusinessWeek.com put out an article on December 26th on Skyhook and how their technology can provide this scenario if the right partnerships fall into place (read article). Skyhook Wireless out of Boston has developed software that employs a computers Wi-fi to pinpoint the users location and then, with the cooperation of the big search engines, relevant ads can be delivered based on their location. This can be another major step in small business internet marketing and one useful tool for consumers.

Reports cite that Skyhook has mapped 100 of largest cities in the U.S. to date with more to come. Skyhook also stated that rollout of the service in some form is scheduled for 6 to 12 months down the line. It will likely take time after a full roll out to reach a community the size of Buffalo, but when it does, it will be great for getting a steal on a dozen donuts.

Last night I was messing around with Google’s Webmaster tools and found quite a few beneficial tools for understanding Google, it’s indexing and their new adoption of site amp reading.  The SMC (content management tool) will soon have a built in feed of XML for the site map to appease Google, Yahoo and MSN but until then I found another solution.  Check out this XML site map generator that aids in your crusade for free.  It’s a pretty easy process and worth the 5 minutes.

In doing some searching on Yahoo I came across the Yahoo City Guide for Buffalo. (search buffalo mn on yahoo and this will be your first organic result)

I’m mostly a Google searcher so this is the first time I have noticed this feature, so forgive my ignorance if this has been in play for some time. The page provides a Yahoo Map with an option to see Wi-fi hotspots, but there are none listed. I have you beat Yahoo, here are the Buffalo, MN Wi-Fi hotspots. Below the map are columns that provide user ratings on Buffalo, MN restaurants and other local favorites, very cool. Yahoo user Jud, rated BJ’s Deli a 4 star out of 5 and I agree. BJ and Matt make some great sandwiches and wraps however you want them right in the heart of downtown Buffalo.

Also getting some props is The Mill Creek Inn. The Mill is known for it’s nightly specials and good value. Here is a great example of a business getting buzz or mileage from patrons willing to post about their experience, but Mill Creek has no website to further the experience of a user who read their ratings and then went to search for their website. The next time I’m eating out there I’ll try to leverage the power of a Directory Plus listing on FindBuffalo to give them a bit more exposure online … where people are already speaking up about them.