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Welcome to our Local Marketing Glossary—a concise guide to demystifying the world of localized marketing. From local SEO to community engagement, we'll provide clear definitions and insights to help you navigate this vital aspect of modern business. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or new to the field, let's unlock the power of connecting with your local audience.
Marketing jargon got you confused? Brush up your vocabulary with our list of the most relevant local marketing terms you need to know. When you've got these terms under control, you're all set for managing your business locations with ease. Sign up for free today.
Apple Maps is a web mapping service developed by Apple Inc. Apple Maps app helps you get where you're going and find interesting places along the way. Apple Maps exclusively exist on Apples products.
Attributes are associated primarily with Google Business Profiles and are labels that business owners can add to highlight certain aspects of the business. The attributes are also automatically pulled by Google and added to the profiles.
Automated review templates are automatically created templates to support review management. For example, the review templates can be made based on star rating or language. Automated review templates significantly reduce the time it takes to answer reviews.
Bings Places is Bings' local business directory where they host business listings.
A branded search is a search online that includes the name of the business or a brand that the company sells. An example could be" Shop that sells Nike shoes".
Brick-and-mortar indicates a business model that operates in a physical building. For example, brick-and-mortar businesses include retail shops, restaurants, and healthcare stations.
Bulk management is the act of uploading information, pictures, or posts to multiple business listings. A business with numerous locations could, for example, update changes in their opening hours with one click to all the places.
A business category describes a business and connects customers to a business that searches for certain products or services. Business categories help to organize businesses on directory sites.
A business listing is information and contact details of a business listed online. Usually, a business listing contains information such as the business's name, address, phone number, website address, opening hours, company description, and images. The most popular listing site is Google Business.
A citation is a web-based reference to business information (name, address, phone number, or other vital information). Citations can be structured or unstructured. A structured citation occurs like a local business listing, while an unstructured citation can be a simple mention on a news site or blog. Citations have a significant impact on SEO.
Consistency refers to the systematic and consistent publication of business information across the internet. Consistency greatly impacts business listing rankings since it helps search engines detect trustworthy information about a business.
A conversion happens when an internet user connects with the business. In other words, when a user converts to a lead or a customer. A conversion can be a transaction, visit, call, or email, for example.
To claim in the local marketing context can be described as verifying business information with a search engine and then taking ownership of the business listings. A business listing needs to be claimed to be managed. The process usually requires verification with a pin code or video.
A directory is any website that lists businesses and their contact information in an organized manner based on categories or rankings. Search engines constantly assimilate directory information.
A duplicate listing is a scenario when more than one listing or business profile exists on a directory of the same business.
A direct search is a search made with your business name or address. These types of searches are typically made by a returning customer or a prospect who has heard about your business in another medium.
A Facebook local page is a page on Facebook dedicated explicitly to one of your business locations. The Facebook local page is vital for brick-and-mortar stores with multiple locations or service-based businesses. The local page aims to inform consumers about the geographical areas they serve.
A local page on Instagram is similar to a Google Business Profile. When a person searches for a keyword on Instagram related to a local business, a box will appear in the search results on Instagram with all the relevant information about the company itself. The Instagram profile includes opening hours, business address, contact information, a link to the website, and a link to the business's Instagram profile. Read more here.
Instagram Maps is a map service provided by Instagram. The Map lets you find the most popular spots in your area and view local Stories of the places. You can also bookmark locations you want to visit or share them with friends.
In the local marketing context, in-store refers to any effort taking place at a physical location of the business.
A local justification is a snipped of text that Google displays on business listings on search, maps, or in the local pack to signal to the searcher that the business matches their intent-
Your Business Profile is a tool that allows you to showcase your business on Google Search and Maps. Your business profile lets you connect with customers, post updates, list your products and services, manage your reviews, and more.
To manage your Google Business profile, you need to verify it. By verifying your profile, you confirm that you have the right to manage the business profile. Verification can be done via email, phone call, postcard, or video. Read more about video verification here.
Business Messaging is a solution by Google that enables searches to chat with businesses in real time. Searchers online can chat with businesses directly on search or Maps with Google Business Messaging.
A knowledge panel (on Google) is the information box that appears on the search engine when you search for people, places, organizations, or things. They are meant to give the searchers a quick overview of information.
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The Google 3-Pack is the way that Google shows the top results for local businesses on search. Google showcases three firms that are relevant, prominent, and close in proximity to the searcher. The 3-Pack consists of three Google Business Profiles.
Local Marketing is defined as the strategy that a business uses online to target people within a specific area of the physical location of a business. Businesses use local marketing strategies to get their products and services in front of people in their local area.
Local ranking factors are the elements that have either demonstrable or theoretical impacts on the search engine rankings of local businesses. Local ranking factors are constantly evolving as search engines develop. The most important ranking factors are:
Local SEO includes optimizing local business listings, websites, and other social media sites to be found by local searchers online.
Local search intent is a person intent on finding geographically relevant search results. Examples of local search intent searches are for example, "lunch near me", "Hotels in Atlanta", and "Supermarket opening hours"
Location-based marketing is a strategy to target customers within a geographic region. Location-based marketing is using a customer's mobile device location to directly notify or alert them about an offering, for example.
The act of merging the information of two separate business listings. Merging is usually used for duplicate listings, so only a single listing exists on the given directory.
NAP stands for name, address, and phone number. NAP information is all the basic and essential information about a certain business. Search engines crawl the internet to find NAP information and ensure that the data in their indexes are accurate. Consistency in NAP information significantly impacts rankings online and trust among consumers.
Online reputation, or e-reputation, is defined as the reputation of a business, person, product, service or any other element online. A company's online reputation is affected by the content an organization distributes.
Prominence, relevance, and proximity (distance) are the three pillars of local search.
Phone verification is a method of claiming a local business on a business directory (Google, for example). When doing a phone verification, the verifier usually receives a pin code to claim the business with.
Proximity is the distance between two specific points. Proximity in local search refers to the distances of internet users to the business.
The Google Business Profiles Q&A feature allows searchers to ask and answer questions about a business via its Google Business Profile. The Q&A section also allows the business owner to respond to the questions.
A review is a text or video summary of a customer's experience. Reviews often consist of a numerical rating, text, and a picture. Reviews can be left on search engines, review platforms, or apps for example. Reviews left on Google impact the ranking of the business on the search engine.
Relevance is the degree to which a particular business, business listings or website matches the intent of a searcher's keywords.
Review management is responding to reviews, encouraging customers to leave, and analyzing customers' reviews. Review management can be done either manually or with software. Review management gives excellent insights into what customers think about your business and the things that might need to be improved.
A review template is a pre-defined review answer. A review template includes text that can be personalized for a specific review. Templates are handy when it comes to saving time and ensuring that every customer review gets a respins
Reputation management is the practice of influencing perceptions and public conversations about a business or organization. It includes monitoring conversations, responding to reputation threats, and proactively seizing opportunities to boost reputation.
A service area business is a term used to describe companies that travel to a customer's location to provide a service. Examples of service area businesses include plumbers or cleaners for example.
Search engine optimization is, in a nutshell, improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to a website or a web page from search engines such as Google or Bing. Search engine optimization targets unpaid traffic rather than direct traffic or paid traffic.
A UTM is a code included in a URL to enable the tracking of certain actions. A UTM code can, for example, be added to the Google Business Profile to track traffic from posts.
Verification is the process of confirming that you have the right to manage your business listing.
The overall presence a business has established on the internet. Visibility can be achieved through search engine rankings, social media, review sites, or other platforms.
Yelp is a prominent player in the local business review landscape. Yelp is a top-rated online directory for discovering local businesses.
Around 50 percent of online searches end without a click on an organic search result. A zero-click search in search engines such as Google or Bing doesn't send you to a third-party website from the organic search result. The answer to the search is usually presented in a small snippet on the top of the search engine or as a Google Business profile.
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