Can Google Mobile Search Help Local Businesses?

Google has announced that it is adding location oriented suggestions in it’s Mobile searches. This is in regular Google search, not just Google Maps.

It is, according to Google,

an improvement to Google.com search suggestions offered on Android powered devices and iPhone. Now, Google will offer suggestions based on the phone’s current or last location, making the suggestions more relevant.

From the comments on Google’s Mobile blog the effort has started off with spotty results, but the idea its that eventually you will just have to start typing a search into google.com on you mobile phone and search suggestions will load based on your location.

This will be an advantage for local businesses because potential customers don’t always know to use Google Maps to find your business, although you have to turn on “Save recent locations” and “Allow use of device location” under the Settings link on the google.com home page to use the new feature.

The point is, that with advancing technology it will become even easier for people to find your business using their mobile phones..
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Is Google Being Evil? – Part 2

In Is Google Being Evil? – Part 1 I stressed the importance of business owners protecting their brand. But first, you have to know where information is being written about your business.

Well, Google has come up with a way to post comments about your web site, on your web site, without your knowledge or consent.

It’s called Sidewiki. It’s part of the Google Toolbar and it opens up a separate window above your web pages for people to post and read comments from other visitors. You won’t even know about it unless you install Google’s Toolbar and use it on ALL of your web pages, loading page after page, to see what’s being written. To do this you must enable the ‘enhanced’ version of the toolbar, which means Google then tracks your web surfing. Read more.
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Is Google Being Evil? – Part 1

“Don’t be evil.”  Unofficial Google motto/slogan

If you own or run a business one of your major concerns is your “brand” or reputation. If someone is slamming your business online you need to know about it and respond.

But what if you can’t respond? What if there’s no way of telling who’s saying negative things about your business? What if it’s a disgruntled customer? What if it’s your competition?

This is the problem with Google now that they are including Twitter in their real time search results. Read more.
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Is Google Chrome OS Right For Small Business?

Google Chrome OS is not right for everyone, nor is it right for every computer. What Chrome OS does is put the “net” in netbooks.

These are small, lightweight computers (I wouldn’t even call them laptops) for use on the road or for quick access to the Internet. The operating system is really an advanced web browser.

The advantages are faster boot and load times and less computer power (read battery power) to operate.

The disadvantage is everything is done on the web. No programs or files are stored on the computer.

Now, a cynical person might think that Google is leading everyone into cloud computing, especially Google Apps. But the trend is probably headed in that direction anyway.

Google Chrome OS is set to release an early ‘bare-bones’ version of the OS. I don’t recommend getting in too early. They will be continually updating the OS until it has reasonable functionality over the next year.

But, for planning purposes, small businesses need to see whether they can integrated it into their IT structure.

If your business uses Microsoft Office or other computer based software to do most or your work (Outlook sharing, Word documents, etc.) then you may want to stay with something like Windows 7 Starter edition to integrate with the other office applications.

If your business is moving into the cloud for most of its applications then Google Chrome OS may be worth a look for your road warriors.

Further Reading:

Google’s Chrome OS: Will you give up desktop apps?

Chrome OS will give Microsoft a run for their money

Is imminent Chrome OS launch reckless?

Small Business and the Cloud

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Heavy Hitters Moving Into Mobile

Mobile phone usage is growing fast, especially smart phones, and some big names are moving into the field.

First, Google is buying AdMob for 750 million dollars.

AdMob is one of the top sellers of banner ads on iPhone applications and Web pages that can be retrieved from mobile phones. The acquisition could help establish Google as an early leader in the small but rapidly expanding mobile phone advertising business. [NY Times]

Advertising sales on mobile phones was a paltry 160 million dollars last year compared for $22 billion for online ads, and the “experts” projections for future ad spending differ radically, but everyone’s in agreement that it has no place to go but up and Google is positioning themselves to be in the lead. Read more.
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Video Intro To Google Trends

When doing market research or keyword research one of the tools I use is Google Trends. It shows data on search terms that includes the number of searches over time, whether in days, months or years.

Using this data can help you decide when to run online ad campaigns and is also useful for small businesses using direct marketing by choosing the appropriate time to run local ad campaigns.

Google Trends also shows data over time on web sites, whether your own or your competition.

The 6 minute video below provides an overview of Google Trends…

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Google Analytics Rolling Out New Features

Today Google announced new features it will be adding to Google Analytics in the near future. Google Analytics is its tool for use with Adwords accounts to learn which online marketing initiatives are cost effective and see how visitors actually interact with your site.

The first is two new goals available for tracking – time on site and pages per visit. With more and more businesses trying to track “engagement” in addition to plain numbers of visits they try to make their sites more inviting to visitors.

Google is also expanding mobile reporting. Previously, Google was only able to track mobile devices using Javascript but now you’ll be able to track traffic to your mobile website from all web-enabled devices, whether or not the device runs JavaScript. Read more.
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Small Business And Mobile Search

There are three ways potential customers can find a small business using the web: Internet search, Local search and Mobile search. Mobile search is one that’s often left out of small business marketing strategies.

And Mobile search is the one that’s growing by leaps and bounds. According to a Nielsen report Mobile use is up 34% year-over-year from July 2008 to July 2009. And it’s not just teens fueling the increase. Seniors make up a big part of the growth.

Overall, year-over-year growth among the 13-17 and 65+ age groups outpaced the growth of the total mobile Web audience, with a youth increase of 45 percent and seniors surging upwards 67 percent in July. While men continue to make up a larger portion of mobile Web users versus women, comprising 53 percent of the audience in July, the growth of female visitors outpaced the growth of male visitors during the month, with women increasing 43 percent YOY as compared to a 26 percent growth among men.

So what can you do about it?

Neilsen’s report shows that women use AT&T search (run by Yahoo! Mobile) and AOL Search (run by Google) with their mobile phones.

So in addition to claiming your small business on Google and Yahoo! local search, consider signing up for mobile search.

Yahoo! Mobile Sponsored Search

Google Adwords has a special Mobile Search advertising area for your ad campaigns..
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